JustineLove

So I graduated in 2007, and received my nursing license in 2008. Had trouble finding work for years, which only got harder with time. I finally landed a job at a convalescent home with some help from my old school. So here's the deal.. I originally applied for a med nurse job which got taken..Instead they offered me a job as a treatment nurse. I of course said yes, because I would take anything at this point!! So I'm not only extremely rusty, but also the only other treatment nurse on the floor who is supposed to train me is downright terrible. Even the DON warned me that he is not the best to train me but there is nobody else (he has been working there for 20+ years). He doesn't follow correct procedure, has terrible bedside manner, speaks quickly in a heavy accent, and seems like he has no intention to teach me. I'm wrecked with nerves, because I don't remember a lot of things and I want to be a great nurse, I really do. But how can I succeed with this job if I basically need to teach myself? I barely remember how to chart, and the nurse who is training me refuses to use the computer ( I guess the girl I'm replacing would have to put in his charting in the computer FOR him..) I feel like I'm on my own, because I am. The DON is awesome and understanding but I want to just "get it" asap. Basically what I'm asking for is any tips for new treatment LVNS. I'm currently brushing up on pressure sores, catheter placement, and what not. Anything else I should brush up/ study? I was very good in nursing school (once upon a time..) and don't mind spending all my free time outside of work studying. I'm also worried about the CNAs trying to take advantage of me. The staffing director kind of hinted to me that there were a couple of CNAs with a bad attitude but "I'll be fine". Usually I can hold my own, but because I feel so insecure with my knowledge and this being my first time in SNF, I don't want to be that obvious noob. Anything you guys can tell me would be greatly appreciated. ANYTHING AT ALL!!! Also, does anybody know if a treatment nurse gets paid more than a med nurse? Because the DON kept emphasizing that she knows that it will be overwhelming, and that I will for sure get paid more once I'm trained well and get the hang of things.

SORRY GUYS I DIDN'T KNOW I HAD TO QUOTE THE ORIGINAL MESSAGE-_-;; I THOUGHT THAT MY MESSAGES WOULD AUTOMATICALLY BE POSTED WITH THE ORIGINAL. AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DELETE MY POSTS..SORRY I'M NEW TO THIS ALLNURSES THING:confused: BUT THANKS SO MUCH EVERYBODY FOR YOUR RESPONSES!!

GOOD TO KNOW! I actually sent a resume to them too! hahah

Thank you! I'm definitely going to try these places and I'm going to keep trying!!!

I really want to be an RN but to put it frankly I have no money to go to school. With the bills that I have and living expenses I have to work full time right now:crying2: I did try to go back to school by taking a few classes at community college but it is JAM PACKED because of these budget cuts! I would go to a trade school but I'm already in debt with all these loans from going to school for my LVN.. I don't mean to sound like such a whiney pants. But from reading everybody's response I think that going to school may be my ONLY choice. So I'm going to try to figure SOMETHING out. I really appreciate the advice!

Where can I take classes for ACL,PALs etc? I think that it would help spruce up my poor little resume haha (Thanks for the advice btw!)

I thought that prisons only hire RNS? i was looking on the websites for the orange county and la jails and it was talking about employment opportunities for RNS but no mention of LVNS.

I graduated from an accelerated LVN program in 2007. I took the NCLEX mid 2008 and passed the first time. But since then I have been looking for an LVN job and it seems nearly impossible! I mean everybody is always saying how nurses will always have job security and everything so it must be something I'm doing wrong! It seems that everybody wants experience these days which I do not have. I do have clinical experience but only about 3 months in total. I'm so frustrated because I know that I can do a good job and I'm so eager to be a nurse but it has been so long since I got my license and have yet to find a steady job! Any advice will help me. I look on CraigsList everyday, Monster, I've applied to Kaiser, St. Jude, multiple nursing homes in my area, I've sent so many resumes I can't even count! I used to just drive around dropping off resumes to different facilities in Orange County that I come across, (that's where I live) but nobody seems to be hiring. I'm so tired of searching everywhere but the qualifications is always "minimal 1-2 years paid experience" What is going on?! Please help! I've even gone to different facilities and asked them if I could do volunteer work (like an internship type) just so I can gain more experience..But they tell me that I need to be backed by a school and that I can do regular volunteer work ( like cutting paper or cleaning bathrooms) but not actual LVN work. I'm working as a food server right now full time and I just feel like everyday I'm wasting my time when I could be out there helping people, not serving them overpriced food:crying2: Is it my resume? Am I not going about this the right way? I'm in need of any real advice.. I'm so discouraged and anxious.HELP!