lossforimagination

Regarding the application process....I was told by a VA nurse recruiter that resumes are very different for the govt. Real world resumes should be no more than 2 pages, but govt expects maximum detail. Your resume should read something like the job description. In other words, just saying "Med/surg staff nurse" which is adequate for a civilian resume, doesn't cut it. They want the resume to state specifically what work you performed as a med/surg staff nurse.

I worked for an agency that paid per visit (no bennies except 0.52/mile). $120 SOC, $90 ROC, $80 Recert and $35 SNV. Apparently that was too much as the owner decided to have only LVNs do SNV to save money (@ $25 SNV). Today I interviewed with an agency that wants someone PRN to be on call every other weekend. Pay was $65.50 per OASIS, $33.50 SNV. I was shocked at the difference. I forgot to ask about pay for call.

What is a RV? Recert? Regular visit? How can an LVN do a Recert?

I recently interviewed with an agency that paid per hour. The interviewer let slip that they had just had an audit by the TX Labor Board regarding pay-per-visit on the weekend. She said the Labor Board said they had to pay BY THE HOUR. I know most agencies pay-per-visit so not sure what is going on.

I've been paid by the hour and then switched to PPV and it came out pretty much the same, but no overtime is involved. The pay rate can be pretty good: SOC: $120, ROC: $90.00, Recert: $80.00, SNV: $35.00. I've seen people on salary and they have to work like 12 hrs/day to get their work done.

What's bad is when they demand a different nurse for no reason other than because you try to ignore their obnoxiousness.

Have you seen how much insurance premiums are going up due to Obamacare?6.3% Health Premium Increases Projected for 2013

Yes, I'm a seasoned nurse in east TX experienced in home health and Med/surg and I've been looking for 2 months. No offers except possibly PRN infusion work, but they are really slow...I am not getting this: They had me sign an offer letter, then told me to go to their website to complete the initial corporate training (HIPPA, etc.) which took several hours, then said you will be 'invited' to attend office orientation. What does that mean...'invited' to attend? I thought an offer letter meant I was hired?

I don't see why they need this. TX does not issue paper licenses anymore. Employers have to verify licenses online with the State Board of Nursing. I don't see how anyone can commit fraud under this system, unless the employer doesn't actually do the verification with the board.

MBARNBSN...you must get all your info from the NYTimes. Killing off Medicare and Social Security? Really? Sounds like typical leftwing scare tactics. And you believe Obamacare will actually be 'affordable'? The insurance companies will be the biggest beneficiaries..

I only lasted a couple of months in a small town ER. That was more than enough. If you're livid when elderly people come in behaving like they own the place, yelling and complaining about everything and demanding to speak to the administrator....you know you don't have the patience for the really tough patients.

The salary positions I've seen expect the nurse to see 15+ patients per day!

The agency I work for is very small and ONLY takes Medicare referrals.

Some people self identify with passions in which they are unable to make a living. Aside from trust fund babies, most of us have to work for a living and nursing is a good choice in terms of financial stability. Not everyone wants to be 'remembered' for their outstanding contributions in their careers. Some people just want a stable job with a decent income so they can go home and then engage in what they consider their real lives and there is NOTHING wrong with that. Not every nurse cares to emulate Florence Nightingale.

Some hospitals are not paying holiday pay anymore!

I tried working for a NF for about 6 months on the 3-11 shift. I really couldn't believe what a @#$%hole that place was. The understaffing was unbelieveable. There was no DON, and the ADON was just fired by the corporate idiots for virtually no reason. She was the only person who had a clue. As a RN charge nurse (normally a LVN position) my duties were as follows: For 25 - 30 patients, I alone assessed all patients, administered all medications, charted, and if there were admissions, I completed that as well. The admission paperwork was a stack of papers about 3/4 inch thick (which required overtime to complete in the event there was an admit). We also managed the evening meal, delivered trays to rooms, etc. There was only 1 aide on my wing to provide personal care. On another wing, there were patients with Stage III decubs which were not being treated adequately...no WCON or MD oversight. Add to this the cut-throat culture of LTC. Downright scary to work there.

Self employment pay means you are responsible for the employer's part of your SS taxes....as well as your own! Plus, if they do not take out a substantial amount for taxes, you will end up with a big tax bill to the IRS. This happened to me while working for a medical staffing agency. So be certain they are withholding plenty for taxes.

I've had accidental needlesticks twice when trying to retract a used needle while giving flu shots. The point is this can be more risky that just putting a regular used syringe into a sharps container. The syringe in question was undoubtably very cheapo. It happened when my hand slipped on the barrel (glove wet with alcohol) while trying to pull the plunger with the other hand. This procedure was very difficult to manage one-handed. They really need to make spring loaded or one handed retractable syringes.

Why is it men don't seem to have a problem with the idea of unionization? Let's not forget that physicians are often unionized, as are most all airline pilots. Men certainly aren't about to be screwed by management in the way women allow themselves to be. And clearly, for people who do some seriously dirty work for a living; why exactly is unionization too 'unprofessional' and nursing too uppity a profession to be unionized? Most people wouldn't be caught dead getting an education where they are expected to clean up bodily fluids and human waste. If it's not unprofessional for MDs and airline pilots to unionize, it certainly shouldn't be for nurses.

I had a terrible experience with them back in the late 90s when they were called "Regents".....I passed all 6 written exams with As easily. The clinical exam was the problem. I was working in a Med/Surg environment, so it wasn't for lack of clinical experience. I spent a lot of money to go Tennesse for a workshop prior to the clinical exam. I took the clinical exam in Dallas even though it had a reputation as NOT the place to go...I knew people from the Dallas area who actually flew to AZ to take the clinical. Anyway, I did the clinical in Dallas because it was the closest location and I didn't buy into the bad reputation story. I failed for some minor detail I can't even remember. It was the most nerve racking experience I've ever had. I paid for another clinical exam in Dallas some time later and failed yet AGAIN. (You'd think I would've learned my lesson about the Dallas location?) The evaluators were clearly looking to fail people for any minor detail; it was definately a culture among them. No doubt about it. I called the school and spoke with some of the nursing staff about it. Even they said NOT to go to the Dallas location for clinicals. Evidently, the school had sooooo many complaints that they shut those biotches down soon thereafter and I notice they've also changed their name from Regents to Excelsior. It was a definate waste of my time, a lot of money and effort so I would NEVER recommend them even if they've changed their name and cleaned up their act. And I make it a point to let everyone know this whenever the subject comes up! IMO, they clearly have earned a bad rap. I returned to school, graduated with high honors with my ADN in 2003. No thanks to Excelsior (Regents).

Seriously, if mere words make you cringe, what will you do when your patient with a bowel obstruction vomits up fecal material all over the floor, and the odor permeates the entire unit? What will you do about the odor of digested blood? The sight of thick purulent sputum? The sight of infected pressure ulcers you can fit your fist into? There are even worse things you will encounter.....

http://www.mcmanweb.com/omega3.html Taking fish oil made a huge difference in relieving my depression. Sounds like BS; but it worked much better than antidepressants. The right nutrition is a huge part of the answer....of course, Big Pharma, the FDA, and even the entire field of Medicine certainly don't want us to know that!

I think they should sue this arrogant guy for sexual harrassment!

Go to the feed store, Tractor Supply or someplace like that and get some Corona ointment. This product is over 100 yrs old and it's 50% lanolin. Very good, but very sticky. It's very much like Lantiseptic, but much cheaper.

If you really believe he will be good in a leadership role as he gains more confidence; then I think you should pull rank on the biotches to put them in their place (where they need to be) long enough for him to develop that confidence. If the staff insist on being pirannahas, then you can be militaristic about it, can't you? Seems to me the bitoches are asking for it, so just do it!