baseballmama

I told them that I could not work without another licensed nurse that it wasn't safe. If they didn't want to assign another nurse then I asked them to kindly remove me from the schedule. I was assigned an LVN to work with me. :) I did get offered a position from the local hospital right after that...so now I'm in an acute care setting and already feeling much better!!!

Tyvin, Thanks for the feedback. The DON was actually the one who wanted me to "amend" my charting. I never did. My poor co-workers rewrote their charting three different times and each time I kept entering the same entry!!! I think she finally gave up. On a side note, I do carry my own malpractice insurance (the maximum amount). I don't trust anyone above me to "have my back" when it comes down to the wire. I can't imagine a MD, Administrator or DON saying "Yeah, I did 'xyz'." Human nature sadly would lead me to believe most people will save their own butt first...even if it means wrongfully throwing someone else in front of the proverbial bus. I ended up giving my two weeks notice soon after the charting incident. The stress of it was more than I could bear. I would go to work on the verge of tears and come home and cry in the bathtub. It was not a healthy environment. I was blessed to find a much healthier working environment 5 months later. Sadly we moved out of state and now I am working under similar circumstances as before. Again I feel myself preparing to take a stand...it may not be pretty, but I trust God to take care of me.

I've been blessed with an interesting experience of late. I work a night shift M-F. Yes, I know weekends off it's all great except you sleep all weekend! I am the only RN in the entire facility on night shift in a 145 bed facility. I work the ventilator unit, but am expected to go to other units should something arise and require the attention of an RN. I am a fairly new grad and made this very clear when hired. My primary unit currently has 23 Residents with a capacity for 26. Of that I have 14 Residents on a vent at night; 10 Residents on continuous feed; 2 receive a bolus feed. I typically have one QMA (they can only do PO meds - and only 5 of the Residents have PO meds), two CNAs and one RT...but more often than not it is just me and two CNAs and one RT. After a particularly hellacious night...my realization that this is NOT safe became abundantly clear. To further fuel my insight I discovered that the night shift on the weekends has one RN and one LPN...ALWAYS! Why would anyone think the night shift is more difficult on the weekend versus during the week??? I am meeting the ADON/DON to discuss my concerns today. I am wondering what thoughts are about advising that I feel the situation is very unsafe and that my license is jeopardized working without another licensed nurse...and that if they cannot find another licensed nurse to work with me to please remove me from the schedule immediately. I already know I am not going to be the catalyst for change at this facility...but I don't want to put myself in a position where I could potentially lose my license either.

Well after pins and needles yesterday, I did the "trick" today and got the "Our records indicate that you have recently scheduled this exam. Please contact your Member Board for further assistance. Another registration cannot be made at this time." Yeah! Now the wait for the BRN to post my license number and then I can breathe again!

So, my computer decided it needed to reboot in the middle of the test which of course just made the anxiety worse! But...my computer shut off after 87 questions. Feel kind of "eh" about the whole thing. Came home to do the Pearson Vue Trick and got the "the candidate currently has test results that are on hold. a new registration cannot be created at this time." pop up. Anyone get this pop up and then go back in later and the the "good" pop up or ??? Thanks!

I feel your frustration! I am a new grad LVN working in a SNF facility. We have a "no overtime" policy without "prior approval"...and the people you have to call for approval never seem to respond. I've asked those nurses who have time to chat at the station how they get it done, what's the trick? The answers scared the crap out of me! I've had nurses tell me to just not give "non-essential" meds to speed up my time, but initial that you did!?!?! Really??? Last time I checked if it is prescribed by the doc then there is a reason. I've spent some time finishing up loose ends off the clock, but I am also starting to push back a bit too. If I really am doing everything I can to get it done, get it done right and provide the best care for my residents possible...then shouldn't I be paid for my time? At the end of a shift I had a resident with a high BS...paged the doctor who didn't call back, passed it on to the next shift...charted all that...and now they want me to ammend my charting to say the doctor called back with no new order. I'm not doing it...the doctor didn't call back on my shift. I can't bring myself to provide false documentation...if I get fired over it then so be it. I know I am getting better with my time and getting it all done. Just keep plugging along, but be careful on what you are willing to compromise on. For me I can't compromise my ethics, but I can surrender my nice, neat handwriting just a bit! Good Luck!!!

Thank you for the encouragement! I graduated in August 2010, took & passed boards in October (still waiting for license to arrive in the mail)...and have been looking for jobs since passing boards. Congratulations on your job and getting one with the hours you wanted! I will have to 2nd TrixieLPN...I love the combination of perseverance & prayer!!!