riverwink

I found having open 24/7 visiting hours to be helpful to both immediate family and pts. I have worked both day and night shifts. If you take the time to genuinely teach the families what the monitors mean and when to be worried, they actually relax. They then allow you to care for your pt to the best of your abilities because they then believe you know your job and will provide the best care for their loved one. When you teach family what to look for and what to expect they can alert to to a changing situation that sometimes do not show up on the monitors immediately...the look at you pts, not your monitor, thing. ie - "Mom just doesn't look right." And yes, some families can be non-compliant about food, etc. Again, education with a smile goes a long way.

I agree getting your CNA and working on weekends while you are getting a ADN is a good plan. However, I highly recommend staying at home while getting your ADN. You will have tons of homework once you are accepted into the nursing program and will not have much time to work. Study hard get out with your RN in a couple of years and then get an apartment. It seems hard now but definitely worth it!

Nikky, I recommend you apply to more than one program since it is going to take so long to find out if you are accepted. Lutheran's program is excellent, but it is always better to have additional options.

And Also Missouri 6/1/2010

Excellent advise from all. Sometimes what seems like your dream job is just not where you are meant to be...at this time. Blow off the losers and move on, have an awesome holiday!

I feel your pain...been there. However, what I instituted was having the family purchase a locked box, such as for money. I would fill the drug box for a week, then lock up the rest. That way you leave the drugs in the home and take the key. The liability of caring drugs vs your license is not worth the risk!