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...

My husband and I each wear a CPAP. We invested in a small generator. Runs the refrigerator and our CPAPs. Considered the small travel models with built in batteries but decided we may not have them charged when we need them. :)

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 ...

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 ...

I love Hospice nursing. I know you CAN get directly into hospice, but I agree with many of the other people that you should have a minimum of 1-2 years experience. Personally I had 3 years ICU experience and thank my lucky stars for it. Best wishe...

Our company has a pharmacy we use that provides 24/7 coverage for meds. Since we are paying for these meds, our point is that we use the pharmacy we want...not the facility pharmacy. The list of meds we pay for are clear and when we receive an orde...

Holy cow and I thought I had it bad. 12-14 pts. a day is enough to make anyone crazy! That is sooo dangerous. Glad to hear you carry extra insurance and that the work load has become more sane. I see between 5 - 7 (on a bad day) in a rural area.....

Yes, I felt very prepared dt the amount of time we spend on the floor in hospitals. Like you I choose LSN because of this fact and was happy I did so. I have seen many nurses start with a 4 year degree who have the book knowledge but not the practi...

I grad. from LSN Nov, 2005. I live in St Clair, MO and traveled to LSN via Hwy 44. I highly recommend you plan to drive each day in your own car. Get off at Jefferson and go straight until you get to the school (Miami & Jefferson). Go home th...

I graduated from LSN November, 2005. You take one class at a time. It is very intense but doable. Many of the bridge students had a difficult time in my class because they did not devote 5 - 6 hours a day to study...thinking they already knew this...

Bonnie I worked as an ICU nurse for 3 years before becoming a hospice nurse. I hated waiting because hospice is where my heart is. I really don't feel 10 months experience is quite enough. Try to get at least 1 1/2 years of ICU behind you as it re...

I spent 3 years in ICU as a new RN before going to Hospice, and it has been valuable. But I also feel that the med-surg floor would be a good choice. My heart was in hospice when I graduated in 2005 but the hospital experience is very valuable. Go...

Calla my thoughts and prayers are definitely with you. My family recently survived flooding here in Missouri and the water was within 1 1/2 feet of my door...talk about scary. Our barn received over 53 inches of water. I hope you and your family are ...

It gets easier with time and knowledge. You will be able to handle 6 patients...look how many RN's do! Seven is getting heavy, but when things are shorthanded this occasionally happens. Eight is crazy, esp as a new RN and I would refuse an eighth ...

You are absolutely correct, please and thank you go a long way. I'm glad to hear that most of the nurses are good at thanking you. Sometimes you have to remember that people were not raised in families where please/thank you are common words. A wa...

Look in stltoday.com That is the St Louis Post-Dispatch website where you can look for rentals. You may want to consider the St Louis Hills area, the area around Jamieson St, and the Hampton area...all on the SW side of STL. These are very stable ...

I returned to school at 48 and attended Lutheran School of Nursing. I graduated Nov, 2005. The school is excellent and I too passed my state boards on the 1st attempt with 75 questions. The instructors are ALWAYS there for you after class or even i...

Congrats on your acceptance. Lutheran School of Nursing has an excellent program. I graduated from there Nov, 2005 and began the program as a 48 year old non-traditional student.

To IntotheUnit and LovingIt...and all others, I graduated in Nov 05 and began working in the ICU immediately. Yes, it is one of the hardest things I have ever done (sooo much to learn) and yes I was a perfectionist. I found a quote by Dr Phil that ...

I weigh over 250 lbs and my crocs are awesome!

Crocs are definitely worth $40. The knockoffs are not worth $10. There really is a difference. With Crocs I can go 12 hours without pain...3 days in a row!:monkeydance:

Lutheran School of Nursing is the only diploma RN program left in the state of Missouri. I just graduated from there November 20, 2005 and passed my state boards first try December, 9, 2005. I choose this school because it offered more clinical hours...