gsands

a code brown.

Yes..........it is not difficult to see where profits are more important than patient care. IF it was a question of providing care to people, there would be pressure to decrease the expense of education. Instead the focus is on making sure the person who gives you a bed bath has a BSN behind her RN. Case in point, the local education facility in my town just announced their answer to the shortage. They are offering a 12 month program for $45K to anyone with a previous 4 year degree..any field, no experience in nursing required. In turn the person gets a BSN. Nice.

I looked up this post because I am a new grad in Madison and agency work was going to be my next place to look. The market is really tight unless you can drive to janesville's new hospital. I have an LPN job but they are not looking at me because I got an ADN. My facility is very hesitant to take anything but a BSN now because it is magnet. Lots of hard work went into getting my degree and it is easy to get discouraged. Thanks to all who post for us.

Hello Jami--I'm glad you found this hospital. But it is different around the state. I work at a VA Hospital who jsut received magnest Status and LPNs are not even allowed on the floor unless they take the name "health Tech". They are not allowed to administer meds, touch IVs--heaven forbid they even look at blood. In the ED they have special certification and can start IVs, draw, etc. As an LPN returning for RN education I can say that if I were to stay an LPN I would not work in Madison....it's just no fun any more! Good luck to you. I have many great LPN friends who are so good at what they USE to be able to do.!

In my facility there is an increasing awareness of "Horizontal Violence", which is exactly what you are talking about. The Joint Commission has a stated policy regarding behaviors that the rest of us call "backstabbing" or gossipping. Also, in a class I am taking the instructor had a test question regarding this topic. In my discussion with her she said the best way to handle horizontal violence is to break the cycle by either talking to your direct supervisor or --if you are comfortable doing this-stating to the offenders that talk of this nature is not appropriate. It is difficult and insidious. Before you know it you can be sucked into other people's negativity.

In my state there is an HMO that hires PCAs who they train to work in the clinics and their hospital outpatient surgery. They check in patients, do vitals, assist with procedures (do foleys) and administer meds-including injections but not IV therapy. Most patients do not know they are not nurses, especially if the name tag is accidently turned around. THe website specifically states that they are not CNAs and the training is not required before they are trained as PCAs. I am an LPN returning for her RN and I find this disheartening. The VA clinic where I work only hires LPNs for clinic work.