indiechic

I got in!!!! I called as you all did and Mckenzie said letters probably didn’t post until Monday, but she gave me the verbal that I made it! Such emotional news. Have been an LPN for 8+ years, am a single parent to two young children, and have felt so down about ever getting my RN so I could move up the career chain. Beyond excited! GeeGee, I’m so sorry this was not your year! I have been in your shoes and know the disappointment. Your time WILL come! Do not give up!!!

Fingers crossed!! ?? Unless there were a lot of applicants with straight A’s and who had the rollover point, I’ve got a good feeling about admission chances!!

@nurseuhlisuh Yes, the repeat deadline extension worried me too. I’m glad more folks got the chance to apply, given the seriously last minute notice they gave in the first place. But, selfishly I also want the best chance possible of getting in with less applicants. Lol. Per the scoring grid on the site, the max points possible one can score is 9. I just got my application review letter and was excited to see I’d scored 8/9 points. They gave me a rollover point for having re-applied years ago. Expecting a decision letter in November. I'm just soooo jazzed they reopened the TADN cohort, it’s a great program and the instructors I had were incredibly knowledgeable. Good luck and keep me updated if you hear anything!

Hi! I got in in 2012, but was dropped towards the end due to my own lack of focus. Now, years later I’m way farther in my career, have two kiddos, and also applied for the 2020 cohort. I wish I could remember what score got me in years ago! Although, when I retook the Accuplacer, my score will get me two points for that alone and the lady in the testing center said that would likely make the difference!

That just depends on your definition of "hard"... I can only speak from working in LTC and having done clinical rotations in the hospitals. I find LTC much more challenging as you generally lack a lot of the support staff that hospitals can provide. LTC isn't for those who struggle with working independently. Good luck!

That's rough, but a common problem. I'd recommend getting on top of your time management and organizational skills now if you want to survive. The only way I function working the floor is by having a checklist of sorts to remind me what I need to do. Hold on, once you get the hang of it you will feel like super woman! :)

Look up your state regulations on your scope of practice as an RN. In Washington state, RN's can pronounce death, but LPN's cannot. EMT's may not pronounce in my state either, the paramedics generally call the medical director on call for the area and tell them the signs of death and he pronounces over the phone. But, not sure about paramedics in my state, though I believe they can. This is one of the many reasons I dread deaths for those that are not already on hospice or have no code status in place.

For an RN, I wouldn't work in a SNF for less than $27-28/hr as a newbie. As an LPN, I made $21/hr just starting in an ALF and knew LPN's making $24/hr in SNF's.

Welcome to the world of LTC! Most nurses have no idea the difficulty this field presents on a daily basis until they are in it. Hope you find a more satisfying situation!

I would recommend calling your state's elder abuse line. If he is a danger to other residents you have a right to protect them. Also, I'd give a discharge notice. As long as you have plenty of documentation showing you've tried interventions for his behaviors and he is non-compliant, discharge is fine. That is, if your administration allow it. You can also call a designated mental health professional and ask for him to be evaluated. Looks good for documentation purposes, even if that's all that comes from it. Good luck!

I have dealt with administrators like this before... It's usually based on wanting to keep their census up and not lose money when the resident is out of facility. Very sad... It wouldn't hurt to call adult protective services. They keep your identity confidential, but will investigate situations like this.

Oh wow... I'm so sorry to hear there is a nurse still working with that attitude. I would have a discussion with your DON about these events. They aren't acceptable and would be considered abuse and neglect. As you already know, we are all mandatory reporters to the state. In the instance of nurses, I always try to give the facility a chance to iron out the situation before calling state, but in the end you have to look out for your residents-- not coworkers. Good luck!

I found myself in a very similar situation when I first got into nursing a couple years ago... I gave it a solid year because I know that changes often have ripple effects for many months. It was exhausting, frustrating, and crazy every day, but I'm really glad I did. After a year and a half at that facility, I left feeling that things were settled and my residents were in good hands. And onto a promotion elsewhere I went! However, sadly not every situation is like that. Good luck!

LPN here in the Puget Sound area of Washington. Starting wages were $24/hr as agency in a clinic and $21 in LTC.

In Washington, the starting is generally $20. I had two jobs when I first got my license, one paid $24/hr and the other $21/hr. In my experience, confidence in the interview translates into higher starting wage. Almost two years later, I'm over $31/hr. Anything is possible! :)