marymary

I work in a small psych hospital on the east coast and have not seen the negativity toward older nurses in the workforce. In fact as long as you do your share of the workload there are no issues toward anyone. I see a different side of some, (not all) of the older nurses. They are resistant to change, have a tendency to delegate more of their workload to ancillary staff and have a judgmental attitude toward the patients. I will give an example.One shift, an LPN was working with the two RNs on this articular unit... the LPN was the medication nurse. Instead of assessing a physically ill patient , the RN delegated the LPN to assess the patient and report her findings back to her. The RN never looked at the patient. Yet she reported the findings in her am report as if she did. This is not an isolated incident. The RNs spend most of their evening sitting down delegating from the desk , both have seniority.

Hi I found your comment interesting until I found out your age. I lost my son in September, he was 22 too. I have been in the nursing field for the last 11 years. I was a Medical Technologist before, for the time period that I raised my son. There is a difference in the types of people that work in nursing than other fields. In addition there is a difference in nursing work settings ( I was a LPN before becoming an RN). I would suggest that you return to another RN program instead of going to a practical nursing program. You are young and would be a good asset to the nursing field. LPN school was more difficult, more time consuming and in the end I would not use half of the skills that I was taught because it was out of my scope. In addition, most of the people in the class could not work because of the amount of homework and testing involved. Those that did work had poor grades. So give it more thought before making a decision. You are young enough to make any decision at this point in your life. Good Luck.

In America it has to be up or off your shoulders.Nursing is the same no matter where you are. Some places of employment are just not very strict. Standards have not changed.....

I used to work at an assistive living facility doing the same thing, I had 80 patients that I was responsible for in addition to supervising CNAs. I left the facility, and eventually after a continuous turnovers, the facility realized that they had to get more nursing staff, in addition to not allowing CNA's to pass medications as CMA's. As long as you continue to do the work they will not change. Why buy the milk if you can get the milk for free? Sometimes we have to make choices in life. It may be time to move on. Good Luck.

HiWe can all learn something from this forum. There are different ways to handle personalitys and there is a reason behind all behavior. Why not find the reason for it before going in for the attack?

Thanks for the comment. It truly is not about money. We receive a decent salary but compared to what we do as nurses, it will never be enough. How do you pay someone for saving your life? What cost can you put on helping someone toliet theirselves or their loved ones? Or when the MD will not spend the time listening to a patient's concerns about his diagnosis and there you are carrying the ball...there are many perspectives of nursing that are priceless. If you go into nursing you have to want to help others... it is something that is within not taught...

As a former LPN that returned to school and completed the transition to RN, I have heard this argument too many times. There is a need for all health care workers regardless of the title. Happy holidays.

HiMy suggestion to you is discuss it with your manager's supervisor and go from there. But you really need to address your issue of not talking directly with individuals. Each situation is different, there will be those circumstances that you can not do a face to face with a person. But I would discuss it with the manager's supervisor and follow her suggestion. Good luck.

I am a new RN this year after ten years as a LPN. You know I was working in the role as an RN all those years and just did not know it, it really prepared me to step into the role of an RN. As for med surg, so many people do not like it, I find it to be one of the most fulfilling roles as a nurse. There is never two days that are the same. You get a chance to use all your skills. The unit I am on is also the respiratory, renal and telemetry monitoring med surg unit. I'm not sure were I will go after my two years here, but I know that I will be well prepared whereever it is....to boldly go..

HiI have been on both sides of this fence, my son died last month after a lengthy illness, rare illness. Please try to remember one thing, families feel powerless over their loved ones state of health. There is nothing that they can do but try to insure that the patient is getting the best. Try to engage in a conversation with the family, become an outlet to them, and maybe you will see a difference in their behavior. Anger is depression turned inside. Be Blessed. It is not personal.

Well this is the correct answer for you, do not just ignore the behavior. Sometimes things have a way of coming back to bite you. Sometimes people can be dangerous at the workplace, so protect yourself and stop it now.

HiI'm sorry that you went thru all that to learn that you do not want to go into nursing. But relax, you are not unique, there are always some that go your path. Nursing is hard work regardless of the setting, do not be fooled by the comments on school nursing. But at least you completed your goal of completing nursing school. Many have the regret later of not even going. I got my RN this year after working as a LPN for ten years and prior to that I was a Lab Tech for 18 years. I love nursing. You'll find what is best for you. Good Luck and God be with you. :balloons:

hi i am also a new rn, but not new to nursing, i was an lpn for ten years. but you sound like you have not been properly preceptored. i am just finishing up 12 weeks of orientation at a urban hospital setting. and even with my experience prior, i needed the guidance. so do you. tell your nursing administration your concerns. if they cannot accomodate you, find another job, they do not deserve your employment. remember to always take charge of your life. good luck!:rotfl:

First addiction is a disease, second did you give him patient teaching about the disease?

What are you nuts? No and again I say no I will not work OT for straight pay. I will go straight to an agency and get paid.No nurse has to work for straight pay (at least in America). We work too hard to be paid less. What is apt to happen is a critical shortage of nurses, if they think that there is a shortage now, just wait. I do not even think that foreign nurses will do it. And as far as the exemptions, we allow the males to dictate to us a lot in this country, even though we represent the majority of the population. How long will it continue?

HelloYou did not state what type of nurse that you are so I am going to assume that you are an LPN; LPN's are pretty limited in job opportunities. And having been a LPN for ten years I can say that. You also sound like you would be unhappy in any type of work that you do, maybe you need to look into what is really making you unhappy in your life. It is not nursing. I think that you would be unhappy in any occupation. Remember no matter where you go, you still take you with you. You have to enjoy taking care of people to be a nurse.

Not bigoted, more like lack of information. I graduated from nursing school this past May. There were 60 people in the class 22 LPN's (all Americans) 5 Philippinio 3 Hispanic-Americans 1 male (American) Remainder Americans (29) total= age group 20-58 years old There is a lack of educators, not interest in Americans. At this particular school 70 were turned away from the class. There was not enough available slots. But they are restructuring the curriculum to increase enrollment. The next class will accomodate evening and weekend classes. The interest is there my friend, but instructors are needed. The nursing board makes it tough, only MSN's can teach registered nurses and most do not want to because of the drop in pay.

I am learning so much about your culture from this site! I had no idea that this was going on as I'm sure others either. ...good and bad in every group.:uhoh21:

...one little tidbit, remember LPN's specialty is direct care, they are supposed to be better at it. If you did the same thing over and over and over again, wouldn't you be pretty good at it?:rotfl:

Touche`, Bravo and right on! I am an LPN that went on to get her RN. I used to be one of those that spoke like that, (LPN's do the same work). It would help a lot if LPN's were taught in school that they are not on the same level. That is part of the problem. Just think," if it were the same job", why are they called different names and have different levels of education? Think, think, think....good night chet.:balloons: :rotfl:

That answers my question, thanks. I guess the next generation will be different, more americanized. A large number of Filipine nurses that I have come in contact with delay starting families to complete this goal. Sometimes they do not get the opportunity to have their own familiy....what a sacrifice. And you are right I have not seen poverty like that but it does exist in the United States just not at that level. There should not be any in this country, not at all. Once upon a time education was affordable but that is indeed in the past. Thanks for the info.:balloons:

Please I just have one more question. And I am not trying to be offensive in any way. But A large number of Filippine nurses in the area that I live in work 80 hours a week, either with two jobs or overtime on one job. Many times their children are taken care of by others.They do not even have time to watch their children grow up, they are working day and night. Their children are sleeping when they leave in the morning and sleeping when they come home. My question is; why is money more important than your family life? This seems to go on for years. I know one nurse that is over 65, her husband deceased, and one adult child (that is institutionized )she has been working two fulltime jobs for at least twenty years. How long does it have to go on? Is it your culture to value money like that? When do you have time to enjoy your life?

HiI did not fail the NCLEX. I took it on Tuesday and passed. Just start over again with your study habits. Take a review course and study 100 questions out of your review book every day. That is what I did and that is what is recommended. You'll do fine the second time around. Remember if you could get through nursing school, you can pass that test.

Hi,I'm not sure what state you live in, but in south jersey nursing assistants job assigments differ in the hospital setting. Also the group of people that you will work with will be different, most likely they will have a higher level of education. Nursing assistants in hospitals take vital signs fingersticks for glucose monitoring transport patients serve meals assist with ADL's make beds Basically they assist the nurse in different ways. There is also more of an opportunity to get assistance with college. A lot of hospitals have scholarships, tution reimbursement, etc... They are more encouraging to the staff to continue their education. Also you have an opportunity to be around a larger variety of clients. Nursing homes is pretty much limited to a particular age group. I hope this helps. Good Luck

You know what, I am a LPN that just graduated from a local college in south jersey. I too had no desire to be an RN. But I got tired of doors being closed, and treated like a slave on most jobs. So I decided that it was time, past time to go back to school and get that RN. Your husband can make over $30 an hour anywhere he wants in new jersey with an RN. Some hospitals will even pay for it and guarantee him a job when finished with a bonus. One trauma hospital in south jersey offered $8,000 bonus, I just do not want to drive there. So he should give it some thought. He would not have to work as hard, and he is a man. He would be offered the world by facilities. Try to get him to reconsider. Good Luck.P.S. The state facilities have the best health and retirement benefits.