Debz1117

Merry Christmas from Northeast New Jersey!

Yes it's normal to feel exhausted as a new nurse and and as an experienced nurse with many years of experience under your belt. Nursing is a profession that is demanding both physically and emotionally so you have to keep yourself in good shape for the "marathons" we work either 3 or 5 times a week! Sleep becomes a priority before a shift, and during gruling long shifts, I make myself the #1 priority by making time to eat, stay hydrated and void when I have to. A dehydrated, hypoglycemic nurse with a UTI is a danger to patients, so hence my position in taking care of myself first and my patients second. I also force myself to do fun things on days off no matter how tired I am. You need to do things that you enjoy on days off so that you have balance in your life between work and play time. These are my tips for being able to last in this profession for many years. I wish you the best of luck and we all felt like that during our first few years.

I would like to see a change in the way health care workers are instructed by administration in how we must communicate with our patients, ( I mean our clients) with scripted phrases and a customer service attitude that sometimes feels demeaning and make pts. feel like we are there to serve them and their visitors,and cater to their needs that are not related to their immediate care. I realize that healthcare is a business and hospitals are struggling to survive, but a line has to be drawn between nursing care and catering to the non-medical needs of pts and their annoying, demanding and sometimes crazy family members.

Hello all, A little information about myself. I have been an LPN for 34 years working in LTC, subacute/rehab and peds. By doing the math, you all can see I'm no longer a youngster, and after working 40 hrs. a week I feel it both physically and mentally. My dilemma is should I pursue the additional one year very intensive LPN to RN bridge program that is available at my local comm. college, or continue working as a full time LPN without the extreme stress of school. Because I have many years of experience, I have never had problems finding work in this very tough economy and by reading posts on this board, finding an enty level RN position is impossible in my home state of NJ. I am assuming that I would be considered an entry level nurse as an RN and that 34 years as an LPN would not be considered as experience. I have completed all the needed pre-requisistes except A&Pll (which I am currently registered to take in the Fall 2009), and have taken the challenge test which I passed with a 92%. By attending school for the one year bridge, would also affect me finanacially because I would have to cut my work days to 4 days instead of 5. Opinions please! P.S. I also plan on working as a nurse for 12 more years until I am 67 yrs. old!

After having failed my second CPNE last week-end, I will tell you that the cons of the program, is the 3 day intensive clinical where there is really no leeway for mistakes. One has to perform as a new graduate RN so this is really a performance exam with no dress rehersal. The pros of the program is that you are in charge of your time. No running to class after work and studying and cramming for that exam next Friday, because you are in charge of your time. Would I recommend Excelsior after having failed twice? Yes, I would, but one has to be very self disciplined and you have to know your weaknessess. I am thinking about taking the CPNE for the 3rd and last time, and have also registered for a bridge program (for LPN -RN) In my opinion, the CPNE is a study on stress management rather than my skills as a nurse.