ZinnianWolf

I was watching one of the CNN news channels and they did a piece on new nurses and how they don't stay in the profession too long. The reason for most leaving was burnout. They also were saying how not enough people are interested in the profession. I know you can't believe everything that you hear on the news, but the burnout part I have heard time and time again. My mom was in the hospital about 6 months ago and I talked to her nurse because I am a nursing student and I wanted to ask a real nurse how it was. She said that there wasn't and never is enough staff and that I will get tired of it really fast. She too had already decided to take classes for a totally different profession and sad to say is leaving nursing. I was on the verge of feeling discourage and then I remembered my encounter with a couple of the E.R. nurse ( was having a panic attack) who had worked well past their shift but they just kept goin and they inspired me. Even though they were tired, they worked their magic to take care of those needing help.

I am in the LPN program and will be finished in june (yippee!), but I think anything nursing higher than LPN you need to take prerequisites for. I am not sure of what all of the classes are that are required, but I think english, math, biology, microbiology, chemistry, and some other classes. I have a couple of friends who went through taking the prerequisites and it took them an average of 2-3 yrs to finish before they actually started the nursing program. I wish you all the luck in the world :-)

I am in CT and I think (not really sure) that the only thing that would keep someone from taking the state boards is drug ralated convictions and maybe some serious felonies, but other than that I don't think there is anything else. I know that on the financial aid forms there is a question that asks if you have ever been convicted of any drug related charges and that if you have your not qualified for financial aid. Hope this helps ease your mind:-)

I alwaysget carded in any place that sells alcohol or anything else for persons 21 and older. I am 27 and my most recent (and somewhat embarrassing) encounter was at a new wal-mart that opened up not too far from my house. I was in walmart with my son and his dad and there was a lady giving out sample of deli sliced ham and turkey. I went to get a piece with my son and she said to me in a very strong tone " I can't give you any because you have to have a parent with you". I was embarrassed because there were people behind me and she caught me off gaurd. After standing there looking meek and blank, I said to her " I am the parent and this is my son, now can we try the ham". I am glad most days that I look younger than what I am (people usually say about 15 or 16 plus god gave me the tiniest voice ever), it sometimes gets annoying especially when you don't have an I.D. on you to prove that your old enough:-). The voice comes in handy for telemarketers who call, and ask can they speak to my mom or dad, and I tell them that I am the babysitter and the "parents" won't be home until midnight (heehee).

New Haven, Connecticut here! I am not a nurse yet but will be june of next year and I can't wait! I am currently in the LPN program and plan to take the regency program to get my associates degree and then maybe go back to get whatever degree I need to become a forensic nurse:-)

:angryfire GRRRRRRRRRR!!! I am so freaking mad right now!! I know you guys are probably tired of hearing about this situation, but this is the only place I can really come to speak with people who are in the profession, thinking about it, or are getting ready to be a nurse. I am angry because I have been arguing about "why I called the state" and arguing with people (my aunt and the others) who say I was wrong. I had the biggest arguement of all time today. My adrenaline is rushing through the roof, and I am so fed up that I am not even answering my phone and have left the computer connected to the internet running on idle to avoid be aggrevated. I know I did the right thing and that is all that counts, but when will they see that I did the right thing. I don't feel like I have to explain myself to them anymore and I am tired of their complaints about losing their jobs. I was so angry today that when the person who use to be in charge called me today, I screamed at her so loud that I scared my son. I will keep everyone posted on the situation if you like, other wise, thanx a million:) Zin~

Hello again friends. I am sad to report that I am now the blacksheep, the bad guy, and anything else that would go under "bad" to my Aunt and the others. I am happy but sad at the same time. I just hope that my Aunt will get over it soon, and the other people, well I don't care what they think either way. I just wanted to say thanx to all of you for your support and reassurance about this matter. I know that I made the right decision and hope soon that the people who don't understand will some day realize that too. Thanx guys:-)

I don't agree with and am tired of hearing that if there is a conflict between an instructor and a student that it is the student's fault. Some people are hard to work with and go on this power trip and refuse to validate that on occasion the student may know something you don't know. I am speaking from personal experience on this and yes I am one of the "different" ones. I have an instructor now, who for some reason just doesn't like me. I speak up when I don't think something isn't right and have gone to the nursing director to ask for guidance. I have found out from post grads that I am not the only one who has had a problem with her and that she doesn't like people who speak up or who ask to many questions. I have learned to though that if I want to get through this that I have to say that I was wrong even if I was right because I want to graduate. Sometimes you do have to take a back seat just to make it through. Just remember that your goal is to graduate, and that when you do, you will not be one of those who aren't willing to listen to what on of your students might have to say. I think that some instructors forget that just as the students learn from them, they can also learn from their students.

I am still a nursing student, but I thought that for burn patients, besides pain the other big concern is keeping them hydrated bucause of the loss or damage to the skin. I don't understand why she wasn't hooked up to an IV to maintain her fluid volume if the doctors wanted her to be NPO. Even though I still have sometime before I finish school, I can pick out a number of errors that were made. They were things that should not have happened! I can honestly say that this story has me almost speechless, and confused at how so many people missed so many basic care things. Stories like these stick in my head and remind What Not To Do, and remind me that sometimes you just have to go back to the basics to solve a problem.

I don't like the fake nails, but that is just me. My experience with them weren't so good. When I was a CNA, I was making a bed and while mittering a corner, I hit my nail on the bed frame and the nail became inflamed. I would get holes in my gloves because of the length and accidentally scratched a few patients. After about two weeks I had them removed for patient safety and for the fact that they were too difficult to work in. The designs that I see on some of them are really nice, but if studies show that there is a higher risk of passing on infectious diseases with them, than for the sake of the patient, I say they shouldn't be worn. I think that people should realize the reasons why they are not allowed and also realize (which I am sure all of the nurses do) that the people who come into the hospital or clinic are already there because they are sick so why do something/wear something that can add to this further. I say don't pour more gas on the fire that is already burning. I understand that sometimes you need to do something for yourself to relax or whatever, but how far are you willing to go, and where does your concerns lie if not with that of the patient.

I am not sure about what I am about to say, but I think some of the questions that they ask are questions that are not counted. They want to see the percentage of people who get it right before they make it an official test question. I guess what I am trying to say is some of the questions are "experimental" questions to see how many people per 100 can get the correct answer. So maybe some of the questions that your wife had to answer didn't have any effect on her final score. I wish her all the luck in the world.

I heard this story from one of my classmates. I think it is sickening and sad. I think that there is still a lot of work to be done with educating people about HIV/AIDS. It is too bad that the funding needed for mass education and other things that will prevent or lessen the epidemic is not available. As far as what I would do or say to those who commit such crimes against humanity and who violate the rights of someone who can't speak for themselves, I can't say because it would fall under the non professional, "done lost my mind", "oh no the h*ll they didn't", and "you better watch yo' back" catagories. So, back to being "sane" and professional, they should have some law to prosecute people who do things like that.

Well, today I spoke with his accountant early this morning. I have been up since 0300 and am exhausted of course. I told him what I knew and he was glad that someone finally came forward. He is behind me and he is going to help me file a report based on what I told him. Since a lot of the things that were broken in falls have not been fixed yet, when the state goes in the physical evidence will still be there. My aunt called me this morning asking me if I called anyone and I told her no. She wanted me to call the person who is in charge of his "care" because she says I should keep the job for the money. I don't care about the money!!! and I don't think she understands that. It wouldn't be good for me to keep a job where I am faced with trying to care for someone who needs more help than I can provide. I was only there for a few days a week, which means that the days I wasn't there, the care was minimal to non given at all. I would rather be broke than to take on a great responsibility like that, than to keep a job where I don't have good communication with the other people and patient advocacy and teamwork are lacking. I don't want to be put in the position of knowing that I didn't do what needed to be done and knowing that this man could possible be seriously injured and not do anything at all. I have made the mistake once when I started as a CNA 7 years ago of not speaking up and the patient fell and was hurt pretty bad. I still have to live with that and it hurts still to this day. I'll be damned if I make the same mistake again. My concern lies with the patient and I am slowly learning not be afraid to speak up for what is right.

thank you all who have replied so far. As I was reading all of the post, I felt a great deal of relief and I couldn't stop the tears from flowing:crying2: . I am scared because I still have to face the rest of the group later on tomorrow, but at the same time I feel a sense of peace knowing that someone else knows what they have been doing. The funny thing is my aunt told me not to say anything but she too keeps a journal of her findings, and what she has witnessed when she worked there. I think she didn't want me to say anything because the woman in charge is a long time friend of hers. I am supposed to speak with his accountant tomorrow about the incident with the person getting paid for time she didn't work. I know that these people are probably going to lose there job, but I told on them anyways because they can find a job somewhere else (hopefully not one where they are in charge of the care of another person). I can rest easy tonight and know that there are other people out there who truly do care about the people they care for or will be caring for just as much as I do. God Bless You All, and once again Thank you

Hello everyone. I am a nursing student who is currently on vacation. I took a private duty job that was given to me by one of my relatives. In the short period of time that I have worked with the person (who has parkinson's disease) I have notice a lot of things that should be done not being done. The person is very unstable and is left unsupervised by the other workers. He has a nob on his knee from falling, has fallen into one of the mirrors that is on his closet door, which is now shattered of course, and has fallen hard enough into the wall that there is now a big hole in it. I have come in on to take the place of the person on the night shift and has found him urine soaked in bed, and on occasion come in on the afternoon shift to find him reaking of urine, nails dirty, teeth not brushed, and greenish-yellowish discharge coming out of his eyes. He is currently complaining of pain in his right leg where the nob is and has even more trouble walking. His legs also swell and are not elevated unless I am there. One of the persons who is supposed to be caring for him went on vacation and was paid for work (51 hours) that she didn't do. Her family (who are the other workers) are covering for her. I decided to tell his accountant and have left the job. I also recommended that his family be contact and a home care agency with a nurse to evaluate him come in. I have been catching heat from my aunt because she says that I shouldn't have said anything. I am confused because in my heart I feel like I did the right thing. As a soon to be nurse I feel I did the professional thing, but I don't know if I was wrong for betraying my aunt, and the others. I have been up all night with this and on the verge of a panic attack because the only people who are behind me are my classmates and I just feel like crying because my aunt will probably not speak to me again. I thought that the patient's safety should be first and I feel like the others are taking advantage of this person and something needs to be done. He is on carbadopa-levadopa and he isn't given his meds as scheduled. The whole situation is a mess and I don't know what else to do. I just want to go to bed at night knowing that I did the right thing and that the patient will be safe, clean, and cared for the way they should be. PLEASE HELP. ANY ADVISE WOULD BE VERY WELCOMED:o