luckymichelle

Hmmm... let's see... I spent: 8 weeks in LTC 4 weeks in OB 4 weeks in Med-Surg 8 weeks in a OB practice Nope - didn't prepare me AT ALL for what the job really is. BUT - don't panic... you can find jobs that will let you go slowly at first and learn...

Oh - and to answer your questions... I work on a Med/Surg floor, but cover ER and OB if necessary. I make $19.51 an hour (I chose to skip benefits), and the RN starting scale at my hospital is $21.50 / hour with benefits or $26.50 without benefits.

My school offers a program in which you basically get your LPN after two years, and then if you continue on for another year, you get your ADN. I'm an LPN now, working on my ADN and I can't tell you how incredibly valuable my experiences as an LPN h...

I'm wondering the typical pt to LPN ratio. Does your RN have her own patients to perform cares on besides yours, and do you have CNA coverage? I work on a Med-Surg floor of a small hospital. Little to no CNA coverage, so I do all of the vitals, car...

The hospital that I'm at ONLY works 12 hour shifts, which is one of the reasons I'm excited to go into a LTC facility where they work 8's. 12's are NOT for me... My day starts at 6:30 and usually isn't done until 8:00. By the time I get home, there...

They certainly look different out of bed with their own clothes and dentures in. :rotfl: :rotfl: Ain't that the truth! I almost don't recognize my patients sometimes! If you only ever see someone with their dentures out and in a hospital gown, it ...

Fabulous advice!

I'm a new nurse too, and just started on a rural Med Surg floor. I've had a great orientation program, and lots of support. That being said, I agree with you, it's not what I had hoped for for myself. I love the girls I work with and give them all...

I'm a new nurse too, and although I went to school in the US, I think ALL new nurses feel a lot like you do. It's crazy somedays! I think the key is to take your time, and seek out an employer who understands that there is a learning curve. I was ...

I work in a small hospital in Wisconsin... I make 13 / hr. I also do pool work at a LTC where I make $16 / hr on weekdays and $19.75 on weekends. But, I think that's a rarity around my area.

My family lives in Tennessee! I love it there! Anyway, I think that working while going to school full-time is always hard, but I also have to say that the experience you can gain as a CNA is really REALLY valuable. I didn't work while in LPN s...

I'm a new nurse working on a small hospital's med surg "general everything" floor. I'm also an LPN in school for my RN. Anyway, I team with an RN each day, and although she's covering my work, our typical days are about the same. Start at 0700, get...

I've got a ton of great experience, but none in the healthcare field. I'm trying to put together a resume so that I hopefully will have a job upon graduation, and I'm clueless about how to address the fact that I have no experience. Can anyone offe...

This is a semi-related topic... I understand that many facilities are requiring all-white in order to acheive a more professional & put-together look, but I think that you can look just as professional in all navy, all blue, what have you. In t...

Hi all! I hope that this topic hasn't been beaten to death... I did a search and couldn't find anything, so I'm throwing my questions out there. What area of nursing do you do now, and what did you start out doing? Was it difficult for you to find ...

I've been snooping the paper for jobs to see what's out there when I graduate. (I've not been seeing many lpn jobs at all, which is scaring the beejeezus out of me!) I do see RN jobs for cath nurses and PICU nurses... what do they do exactly?

AMEN my friend, AMEN. I believe we are in class with the same person.

Go Tony! Can you come to my class and talk to my classmate? She answers all of the questions that I ask my prof. It wouldn't bother me that much, except she's usually WRONG. :imbar

I'm in my second year of nursing school, my first semester of nursing "core" classes. I love learning about pharm, pathology, etc... But I'm having a hard time with the toileting aspect of things. YES, I totally expected that to be a part of patie...

I guess it's one of the those "If you can't make it, fake it" situations... like someone said, even if you're freaking out inside, make yourself appear matter of fact to take away the awkwardness. AMEN. Thank you for this... I'm taking it with me me...

Hi all - I could've written this post myself. I start my clinicals in October, and I'm a bit nervous. I left corporate America to become a nurse because I'm fascinated by medicine and pathology. And because I truly want to help people. That bei...

Thank you all so much for sharing your thoughts and experiences. I do hope that I can get "into the zone" as a couple of you have said. The LAST thing I want to do is cause embarassment to a patient. I believe that dignity is #1, so I'm going to j...

Yep, I start my clinicals in mid-October, and I'll be going from 600-1200 twice a week. I live an hour away from where I'll be taking clinicals, so I'll be getting up at 4 am also. We can do it!

Hey Angie... I'm a fellow Wisconsoner... I'm in my 2nd year of school, and will be an LPN in May. Any idea what your facility pays LPN's? I'm a bit discouraged as we are being told that the going rate for an LPN is about $12.00 / hour... RN's start...

Thank the good Lord above for the invention of the crock pot. It keeps me from eating Ramen noodles everyday of my life. :)