salinajd

does benefits count? When my husband got sick and was disabled I got my lpn license for the health insurance. Am I a caring, good nurse? YES! Do I love my work, no, but I do love people and give them the best care and attitude possible. MY patients NEVER know I am there for my loved ones first and foremost.

OK, I don't normally answer or write to this forum although I read it on a regular basis. I went into nursing(LPN) for the health insurance and then the money after my husband became disabled and I had to be the main provider. I had a small grooming shop and loved what I was doing but had to have health insurance. Ya'll mention that there are other careers out there where you can make more money, but please tell me what work(legal) I can get into, go to school for one year, have great benefits, ample leave time, good retirement and make in the mid thirtys in the state of Arkansas! I do work hard for my paycheck but I can't make that money anywhere else without several years of school. Now for the other side I'm a darn good nurse. My patients all seem to like me, I give them the best care I can. I've never worked beside an RN who wouldn't want me hired back as her team partner. I care deeply for all my patients, will throw a fit if they are not properly cared for and can't stand to see a patient kept waiting when they need pain meds or anything else for that matter. I've got my acls, went to classes to learn to read telemetry monitors, push Iv meds, and other classes. All I'm trying to say is I'm a good, caring, compassionate nurse who had no calling to do this. If I could get health insurance, good reitrement, plenty of paid time off, work the schedule I want, and this good of pay working with dogs that would be where my calling is. BUT, that does not make me a bad or uncaring nurse!

Central Arkansas, the shortage is here. I am an LPN and can find a job anyday working the hours I want. I left a job recently offering weekend option, I worked 12's Fri and Sunday night and was paid for 36hrs a week, I'm now working M-F, 8hrs a day, could've worked 12's, weekend 16's, mixed, whatever I wanted. I have great bene's, 11 paid holidays, 13 vac days to start, 13 sick days, good insurance, good retirement, and all the overtime I could want. If this bores me I could find a new job today. Interviews here are pretty much, "do you have a license", if you answer yes, 2nd question, "when can you start?" I work tele floor, and med surg but the opportunities are unlimited, and RN's are even more in demand. There is a big turnover in all the hospitals here because its so easy to change jobs for any little reason. The only reason a nurse doesn't work as a nurse here is that she/he chooses not to.

My advice, do it silently. That way the family can't be offended by what they don't know and the patient sure isn't going to care. I pray for my patients if the pt requests it, I never hesitate to mention my Lord in front of patients, he is the reason I am there. If patients state they don't want to hear about God I abide by their wishes and silently pray that God will show them the way when he is ready, if that be his will. Because of bringing up my Love for Jesus I have heard some wonderful testimonies to the Lord and have got to know some of my patients much better. My only concern with your prayer is that the family needs your prayer more than the deceased. The deceased has already made the decision where they will go, the family needs strength to deal with the death of a loved one and its not too late for them to find salvation if they aren't already there.:)

I am an lpn, I left primary nursing about 3 months ago. Liked my job well enough but wanted to work someplace where they would pay for me to continue my education. Found that place but I am not sure I will ever like it. At S. hospital I was assigned a max of 7 patients, working nights. I did assessments, meds, treatments, etc. The Rn's had to do the pushes and admission assessments. They also had up to 7 pts. We had cna's also. At S. I was able to peek into my patients rooms at least every two hours, chart resp. etc. Knew the pts were alive. I knew what was going on with my pts. Now at V. hospital I am a "med nurse" I pass out meds. Period! The rn's do assessments, sometimes on some pts that is all they do, one assessment, they don't see the pt the rest of the night. With up to a max of 28 pts for me, I sure don't make rounds. If the pt. doesn't have meds during my shift, I never see the pt. I work midnight to 8am, so some pts don't have meds. The rn's have up to 14pts. each, have to do all the computer charting which takes some time. Not to mention they are cardiac pts. several on monitors. The aides also have up to 14 pts each, the only time they may see some of the pts is the one time that they do vitals in the am when they are doing their i&o's. So some pts never see anyone during the night, not that we don't care but when do you find time? I am just very thankful that I am not the RN who is responsible for these people, and to think I changed jobs so I could become an RN! Wait a minute, something just ain't Right.