misket

I, for one am very annoyed that anyone at all is expected to take unnecessary risks with their safety or the patient's. I am a single mom and the sole provider for my son and if I get hurt and can't work, pardon my french, we're screwed. I am a 120 lb. female who was told that if I couldn't lift 150 lb. resistant male by myself, I would have to find somewhere else to work because "he's only 150 lbs." I was always taught "safety first", for the patient and for the caregiver. Who will take care of you and/or your family if you get hurt? Stand up for yourself. Those who want to belittle you for it won't be the ones paying your bills if, God forbid, you do get hurt. It happens.:mnnnrsngrk:

I am an LPN working on my RN. I am 43 and the single mom of a 6 year-old. When I started on my LPN I was 39 and my son was 2. I only wish I had started at 25! Just don't be 43 wishing you had done it at 25. That is what I tell my 25 year-old daughter who is working on her RN:yeah:. I think the younger your kids are when you get through it the better. Hang in there, and remember, you're not alone.:anpom:

Depends on the person. It's not for everyone.

Don't be discouraged. All of the nurses I know love being nurses. I love being a nurse, but it's easy to get discouraged and burned-out when you are constantly overworked and under-staffed and don't have time to do what you became a nurse to do, which is, hopefully, give quality, caring, unhurried patient care. I think that's where most of the complaining and negativity come in. Granted, there are those who went into it for the wrong reasons and end up disappointed, but I believe they are the exception, not the rule. Just choose your employer wisely. There are so many different types of nursing and not every job is for everyone. Do what you love and love what you do. You SHOULD be excited. Don't let anyone steal that away from you.

I agree that the whole classmate bathing thing was a bit humiliating(and I, too, especially hated the tooth brushing) but, looking back, I think it was a good thing. I, personally, have always been a bit shy and I really think it helped to prepare me for the real world. We actually had a fire drill when I was on the receiving end of my "bath" and I actually had to leave the building in nothing but my bra and shorts and a sheet in November in Ohio:rotfl:, so consider yourself lucky if you got to stay warm and dry during yours. Just know that I was mortified when I found out we would have to actually bathe each other, but, this too shall pass. As for a classmate placing a catheter or doing an anal swab, never gonna happen!