tmoorelpn

The state VA nursing facility in my town has to be one of the worst with mandatory overtime and they are unionized. The state railroads the union and since the union is scared to stand up to the state the mandatory overtime continues. The nurses are paid time and a half for the overtime but how safe is it to have a exhausted nurse working 16 hour shifts? I wouldn't want my loved ones under the care of any nurse, no matter how competent, who's been working for 16 hours. Mistakes are certain to happen, it's downright dangerous. I think 12 hours should be the maximum number of hours ANY nurse can work. Just like truck drivers who have to take so much time off the road, why should nursing be any different?

I work in LTC and on our unit we have 42 residents. Out of those 42 we have 5 on isolation for MRSA of the urine. We've had three that have had MRSA of the urine for months now but we just put two others in isolation last week. We have two others in contact isolation for shingles. It's a nightmare on that unit right now.

When I was in nursing school and was working as a CNA, I asked repeatedly for 12 hour shifts and I was told that they no longer were allowing 12 hour shifts. So I continued to work 8 hours while they hired person after person who were allowed to work 12 hours. After I graduated and starting working as a LPN, I asked for three 12 hour shifts once again. They told me again that they weren't allowing 12 hour shifts and all they could offer me was full time 8 hour evenings. So I quit. I started a new job that I absolutely hate so I decided to give them a call back. Not only was I welcomed back, I also get my 12 hour shifts. Sometimes it takes some "hard ball" to get what you want.

In my facility, I've suggested that pads be left off at night but I was vetoed by the CNAs who also think that there's more work involved in that. I don't see how it could be more work. They have the cloth incontinence pads on their beds. If it gets wet, roll them over put a new one underneath. I would think that would be easier than those darn Depends-type pads which also require those mesh underpants over them. How it's "more" work is beyond me. We take pants off for naps and make sure they are covered. It makes check and change a little easier instead of taking pants up and down plus it gets a little more air to their bottoms. We don't really have a breakdown problem even with the Depends on all day and night because we use a Desitin type cream on everyone. We were told about the dignity issue too but we continue to do things as we always have. If they are in bed with their pants off and they are covered with a blanket and sheet, where is there a dignity issue? They sleep at night with a gown on and there are no pants covering their bottom half so what's the difference? And i would think it would more comfortable to take a nap without pants on. Not to mention the skin irritation and potential skin tears that could occur by taking their pants up and down every two hours to check and change. There are some elderly that have paper-thin skin and that constant pulling up of pants could give them a skin-tear and it's not the easiest thing to pull up pants while someone is lying in bed.:imbar

That's exactly it! There's nothing quite like taking a few minutes to sit and talk with a 95 year resident. They have so much to tell! I enjoy forming relationships with the residents in my care. For many of my residents, the staff is the only people that they see. They don't have any family or if they do have family they live away and don't visit often. I always make it a point to take time out of my busy day to sit and chat with them. Sometimes all that's needed to make them smile is a hug. And I get so much out of that smile and hug as well. :)

I know all I ever hear about regarding LTC/nursing homes is the horror stories. Families of seniors are extremely nervous placing their loved ones in LTC facilities. I would be nervous too, I don't blame them but it just seems like all the media does is report the negative and not the positive.

I use my skills in LTC, I also work on a skilled unit but I still use all of the skills that I learned in school. Suctioning, catheters, trachs, etc. But I have learned one new skill since graduating and that is the skill of time management. I am the only nurse on the floor for 22 residents, I am responsible for 2 CNAs and a float CNA and a non-certified and I usually have to be in three different places all at the same time. It can get very stressful in LTC but I'd rather do that anyday than work in acute care/hospital setting.

I found the hospital setting wasn't my thing so I naturally leaned towards LTC. I also think geriatrics and LTC really is the best fit for my personality. I prefer routine over chaos, to me the hospital atmosphere is chaotic and I can't stand it. I like the slower pace and laid-back atmosphere of LTC. I know every one of my residents and their families. I know everything there is to know about each and every one of them. I can spot the slightest difference in personality or energy level and I feel much more confident as a new nurse in that setting. Plus there is so much that can be learned from the elderly and I just love sitting down with them when I can and just listening to the stories of their life experiences.

I agree, I think with all of the new medications out there that it's downright dangerous. There's no way for even nurses to know everything about every type of drug but I think there should be a certain education level required to pass medications, IMO

It varies by state. Illinois still has a 90 day waiting period but I was told that they're considering changing it to 45 days so people can test more often or something. I'm sorry to hear that you failed, you'll get it this next time!

The Pearson Vue center where I took my test has 8 seats for the NCLEX. I was the last one in and the first to leave and I passed. Pearson Vue told me the results should be available after 48 hours. I started my test at 9 a.m and finished at 10 a.m. and my results weren't available until 4 p.m. two days later so it was a little more than 48 hours. I was really cranky for those two days too, I was a nervous wreck. I tried to keep busy and keep my mind off of it but that's easier said than done. Just try to relax and think positive.:)

Where I work the male nurses and CNAs have a heck of time and I feel so sorry for them because they are really good at what they do. We have female residents who just don't want a man getting them dressed for bed or give them a suppository or touch them in general. Then we have male residents who have the old mind-set that men aren't nurses and they give the male nurses and CNAs a hard time because they think they're gay. It may be easier on them with a younger population of patients but the elderly don't seem too receptive to them from what I've seen and it's a shame. I think that there should be a real positive push to encourage men to join the nursing profession. But I think it's going to take time, as with anything else, to change people's views. As more and more men become nurses, it'll become more accepted.

It seems like my hazing came with doing clinicals in school at the hospital. That was horrible experience and not very conducive to learning. We were treated like we were the scum of the earth and time was NEVER taken to explain anything to us or to show us anything useful. We were made to feel like we were in the way, that we weren't worthy of their time since we were LPN students. I was told on more than one occassion, "well, since you're just a LPN.....". When I started my first job at a LTC facility, I was scared to death that I would run into the same attitude but I didn't. I was welcomed with open arms, I feel free to ask questions, I'm included in conversations and nurses actually associate with me. The RNs aren't embarrassed to be speaking with a LPN, it's just completely different. They ask for my opinion on things and it's just been a very pleasant experience.

I worked as a CNA while going to school so really nothing is shocking or disgusting to me anymore. I'm immune to just about anything anyone can dish out. My unit has 43 residents and I am responsible for half of them. I basically do my assessments, I pass my meds, answer calls from doctors, I occassionally have to give a suppository, on a very rare occassion do I have to give an enema and it's really not that bad. It might be if you're not used to dealing with BM, and all that nasty stuff. It's not fun though. Most of my time is spent sorting out arguments amongst the CNAs that's almost a full time job:stone I do treatments and a whole lot of documentation. I have to chart my little heart out for about 3 hours of my day. There isn't a whole lot of down time. But I like my job and it's never boring, I learn a lot from the more experienced nurses that I work with. I don't have any regrets. It just takes a certain person to do that job that we do, it's not for everybody.

Hi! I took my test the 11th of February and had those results from the vue website on the afternoon of the 13th. I am so glad that they offer those unofficial results, it's $8 very well spent. I only took 85 questions and I thought I failed but I didn't. I had a very difficult test that required quite a bit of reading and re-reading, I thought for sure that I failed. I know how you're feeling but just hang in there and keep checking that website! :) Tawnya