cyb3rRN

Agree 100%! I couldn't do my job without my CNAs!

I'm not pregnant. I am working in LTC right now, graduated a little over a year ago and I'm looking to go somewhere else. I was also thinking of baby #3. Just nervous about interviewing while pregnant though. I'm worried that would work against me.

Interviewing while pregnant. Just hoping for some input here. Has anyone had experience with this? Heard of anyone or you yourself having trouble getting a job while pregnant? I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences. :)

I have been working in LTC for almost a year now, started there as a new grad. It honestly was on the bottom of my list, but the first place after months of applying that gave me a chance. Im thankful for that. I don't mean that to sound offensive, I love the residents, my coworkers, (for the most part;) and the clinical part of my job. It's just not my cup of tea. That being said, we do care for some pretty acutely ill people, but I just feel that my brain is turning to mush! I crave education, challenges, growth, the ability to perform more skills. I wont lie, I'm scared out of my wits to do many things for the first time, but so excited to one day master them! Most days honestly I feel all I do is push pills...I look forward to dressing changes just for the change in pace. lol I've been considering reading my NCLEX review book to stay "sharp" on the things I'm not using at work. I guess I'm just wondering if anyone has felt/is feeling this way and how you "stay up" on your education/skills when you're not using them? I'm going back to school online to obtain my BSN this fall and I'm hoping that will help me get into a local hospital where I won't feel like a pill pushing zombie. Just wondering what to do in the mean time.

Sorry I hit send too soon. lol Didn't get to proof read or finish... I think that pretty much summed my story up. Just something to consider when making your decision. Good luck! :)

I second sweetpea. Get your BSN if you can. Im cant speak for Texas, but when I went to school for my ADN here there was no talk of "needing" a BSN unless you planned to do management. Here I am a few years later and most hospitals in my area, including the small county hospitals ate "strongly preferring" BSN RNs.(not to mention how saturated the market here is with new grads due to 3 new nursing schools in the area) I've been trying to get another job for a year and have had no luck. I think that's playing a large part in my struggle.

Pneumo, I think you're right. There must be some reason I am where I am. I'm working in LTC now...just trying to make the best of it. It's just REALLY, REALLY hard sometimes! lol

Thanks! I'll try calling Monday.

Thank you all fur your responses! I hope I'm just being paranoid. Bec, I didn't realize I could call HR and ask why I wasn't chosen. We did have a couple speakers come in during school to talk about applying and getting jobs, but they never mentioned following up after you've been turned down. If I call who would I ant to speak with? A recruiter? Just ask them for feedback on why I was not chosen for the position? This would make me feel worlds better knowing the reason, good or bad!

Trying to make a long story short... I worked at a hospital as a PCT for many years. Had wonderful reviews, good attendance, ect. I was/ still am (years later) in love with that place! The last few months of my employment I had lost 3 family members, was trying to go to nursing school full time, work full time, i could go on and on, but guess my sob story doesn't matter I realize we all have things that are hard to deal with and I handled this situation wrong... I kept good communication with my manager as to what was going on at home. He was wonderful thru my trying times. One day, feeling literally on the edge of nervous break down, I called my manager and told him that I wished to quit and was afraid I wouldn't be coming back. (Goodness if I had realized then what an awful mistake that could have been/is!!!) my managers response was "Ok, I'm going to take this as your two week notice that way if you wish to be employed here again in the future you won't have a problem." So, here I am. I haven't been employed there for years. I have been working as a RN in LTC for close to a year now and Have been looking to get out for most of that year. I have applied to several positions at the hospital I was previously employed with, with no luck. I did hear from a recruiter that said they "strongly prefer" BSN now. I have recently started a BSN program so that has been added to my resume, in hopes that I'll get back to my "dream facility". I guess I'm just asking for thoughts/advice. Please no harsh words, I realize now how unprofessional I was in my actions and I believe I've developed excellent coping skills since then. This truly is one of my biggest regrets. I'm wondering if it really is that there are that many more "more qualified" candidates or if I could have been placed on the do not hire list. Is there a way to find out if you're on such a list? Is it unprofessional/are you able to call facilities and find out? Like I said this place is what I think to be my "dream facility" and I'm just so discouraged and down about not even getting an interview while I've applied for about a year now. I guess I should add too that I've been turned down over that last year at numerous other facilities and I hear countless accounts of other nurses in my area taking up to a year to get a job. The market is very saturated where I am. Just looking for your thoughts.

It has been about a month since my post here and I just wanted to update everyone. When I went in the Monday following my error my ADON approached me and asked about the error asked if I knew how it happened, how to prevent it from happening again, and was going to let it go lol I was in tears and asked her if I could talk to her in her office. I told her how I was making myself sick over my error and she assured me that it was human, that it was taken care of corectly and that I was silly to make myself sick over it. LOL I am so relieved! I have since then tried to become more organized with my meds, really sticking to one system when checking my rights and rechecking any time I get interupted. I just wanted to thank you all for your responses...you all helped me thru what was a very scary experience for me! You have no idea the impact your responses had! Again, thank you!

Thanks all for your responses. I am just making the best of what I have right now. I've decided that I'm not going to do anything that I'm not comfortable doing alone (like some things for the first time) I'm going to be safe, slow down and breathe and take my time as much as possible, try to get more organized, start working on my resume again and looking another job, and until then try to keep my chin up. Thank you all for your responses, they are more helpful than you know. Its wonderful to know that I am not alone in these feelings I have. I'm just going to keep showing up and give it my all! :)

Hi all! I come to you once again despirate for advice. I am a new nurse, and have been working in a LTC facility for 2 months now and I AM MISERABLE! I had 10 days of training, 20 residents (at the least) to care for, I could go on and on with whats wrong there, but that would take all day. Basically I feel totally unprepaired, overwhemled, unsafe, there is not much help as all the other nurses are so busy, my schedule is a horrible mess, and I'm ashamed that I don't have more time to see the residents. I am working over probably 8/10 days that I work just barely getting things done. Its just a huge mess! I applied to hundereds of jobs, this is the first place to accept me after 3 months of trying so I basically felt I had to take the position. I have told myself over and over again that its just becasue I'm a new nurse and becasue its a new job and it will get better...ITS NOT! I guess my questions are...is this how all nursing is?! If so, I don't think I can do it! Its been my life long dream, as I'm sure it has for many of you, but I just can't do this forever! Is it better in the hospitals? I keep thinking that I would love to be in a hospital setting where things are more organized, there is a little more support, and goodness me a little more training! I am pretty sure that I have come to the conclusion that I need to find another job...should I let my DON know that I plan to look? She already knows that I want something full time (which they can't give me there) but how do you (or should I) tell her that this job just isn't for me? How will it look to other employers if I am looking for another job after being somewhere only 2 months? I appologise for my ranting, but as of this minute I am hours from going back in and have been crying on and off all morning...I feel stuck and helpless. Any advice at all would be much appreciated!

Thank you all for your responses! I think I just need some time. I know you all know where I am coming from when I say that I have worked SO hard to get here and then to mess up in such a short amount of time is just heart breaking! I'm so glad you all are out there in cyber land to support me as I am not yet close to many of my coworkers yet to be able to vent like this! I appreciate it so much that you take time to read my post and respond! LoBot, that article hit the nail on the head! It couldn't be more perfect! Thank you so much for sharing! I think I need someone elses persective...mine is out of order right now. lol

Wow! This has been such a blessing today! Thank you SO, SO much for sharing this! I made my first med error yesterday and I have been "just sick" (No pun intended) about it! I have been trying to talk myself out of all the thoughts of quiting and quiting nursing all together! I'm already feeling a teeny bit better having read this! I think I need to use someone Else's perspective until mine come back around! Thank you again for sharing!