Lapa

This is true - for whatever reason they pay 200-300$ less a week than any other agency. I applied with them, had a nice recruiter, spoke with her twice trying to figure out which agency to go with after my last assignment. Both times they quoted rates 200-300$ a week less than competitive agency, I asked about assignments in 3 states ( I am licensed in 3 states). I did not signed up with them, and I do not intend to call them again. i am surprised you signed with them in spite of huge money difference you could have made for the same hospitals with other agency.

Hi, SoaringOwl! You are so right about panhandle hospitals and mentality! I reside in Miami area, and I am originally Eastern European. I made a mistake taking a contract in Tallahassee, thinking Florida is Florida, right? Oh, my God. I was hated there from the day one. I felt like I am an exotic animal, put me in a cage and charge money, cause i had an accent. I am not talking about just friendly curiosity, like "where are u from" questions. There were NO questions, just very suspicious attitude from patients, no matter how hard I try, no matter what I did to please. I used to work in a large trauma Level I hospital for years, high acuity level. My attitude is direct approach, fast thinking, little small talk. Didn't work there. I ended up being terminated for really No significant reason, nothing went on my file, just not a "good fit". Never again i will pick assignment in North FL. I recently obtained NC and VA licenses - I love to hike - but apparently NC is out of question now, for the same reason - southern mentality. Unless, anyone give advice if bigger cities in NC are different. VA would be better fit, I think.

Dear raindrp I was in the same situation - fresh out of nursing school , first RN job, hateful preceptor, nursing supervisor of the floor constantly called me to her office and found something wrong with what i did. I tried so hard to prove myself, they didn't use me as a maid, though, i just did all work FOR them (i used to be LPN, i passed meds to ALL pts during my orientation, did all baths and so on). It just those people worked together for so long, they were not easy to accept new nurses into their team. I guess, if i stayed for a year or so, they would get used to me, but i've got fed up. I made a decision to quit, called my nursing supervisor, explained to her the reason i am quitting, and asked her i she wants me to put 2 weeks notice. She said "why would i orient you for another 2 weeks, if you are not going to stay in facility? if it is your final decision, well, you don't have to stay for 2 weeks". Made sense to me. Today, i am happy i have done this.

I completely agree with girl who works in nursing home. You DO NOT KNOW DNR status on 25-30 pts. And I wish there was a band of color or dots on charts or any other indications. But they are not there. you ask nurse you take report from - she knows ab. some pts who are hospice care, but probably not on all pts. and if you work in nursing home prn, you do not know pts that well. In real life you do go and check the chart before starting cpr. But, to tell the truth, if i see somebody that bad and about to code, i check in advance just in case.

Palm Beach County, FL. The starting rate not only depends on area, but also whom you are working for. Here we have several hospitals that belong to HCA. They start new grads from 17.60/hr. TENET hospitals, on the other hand, start at 21.14/hr (all rates full time day shift with benefits). I also work in LTC facility as PRN RN nurse - 25/hr.

Dear Bindy, I was in the same situation (well not exactly the same -- I quit), but I think I was bullied also from my first job. You know, it's really sounds strange to me how seasoned nurses (some) on this board trying to teach you here "you are in profession that requires this and that...", "you have to suck it in...".... you know, i am not 20 y.o. and have been in many professions and worked many jobs (in different countries). And it is all about people, that is it. No matter what you do, if you are new at it, you need help, end either other help you or they back stab you. When i was nursing student, i worked in well known hospital in my area as a pca for almost a year. I have never had problem neither with my co-workers nor with my supervisor (on THIS floor). After I've got my RN, i was accepted on another floor (med-surg) as new graduate nurse . I knew that floor had bad reputation (understaffed, bad management), but I always was hardworking, and wasn't scared. I am like you, very honest and direct. I liked my preceptor (very quite girl, when she spoke, she almost whispered, and I , in opposite have loud voice.) The first bell sounded when I had the first evaluation with nursing supervisor after about 2 weeks of orientation. She said that "i was giving hard time" to my preceptor, that i speak too loud, walk too fast, and how other nurses on the floor "perceive" me. Well, obviosly they didn't preceive me well. OK, i was kind of surprised, because nobody told me anything so far in my face, i said that maybe it's just first impression, and i think that with time we will know each other better and friction dissappears OK, the other 4 weeks past. I had the same preceptor. I've thought everything was going OK with my preceptor (of course, when you work side by side 3 12s, there is always some friction, but nothing major (at least she didn't raised any issues). One day i had really bad experience with MD: he prescribed the drug, the primary MD DC'd it and first one got pissed... well, anyways, i was there and primary wasn't and he screamed at me. I was defensive, but eventually situation resolved. It is not 1st time i was dealing with angry MD (i was lpn for 1 year prior that). The next day i was called to nursing supervisor for evaluation (my preceptor was there). I was told that i was "argumentative" with MD, i talk too loud, i sit wrong way , i stand wrong way, i should be carefull what i say, and they have "happy family" on the floor, and i "disturb" the happiness, and overall I have stinking personality. I was so overwhelmed, that i cried. Just couldn't help it. Didn't expect the blow. Anyways, after giving the situation some consideration, i started to look for another job. Found it in a week. More money, sign-on bonus. When I called nursing supervisor to say that i quit, she sounded surprised, she said she 've thought "i was over it" and "moved on". I guess, i wasn't over it. So, my point is: if you feel that you are not treated well, don't try to blame youself (unless you persistenly had the same problems in other jobs). There are hospitals where there are wiser supervisors, who don't bring up staff like that (although, there are always people who will badmouth you behind your back, i guess). I beleive you are a good nurse, you just started in a wrong place, that's it.

I work in LTC in FL, and was in the same situation. Our LTC has acite wing, and Pts there complex, they are not long term care, they are more rehab. A lot of amputees, post ops. I worked for them for about 4 months. I realized i can deal safely with 20 pts max. It is just my limit. They are ACUTE, full codes, a lot of times 911 is called. In this facility they admit anybody - stabl or not.Several times (last week 2 days in a row) nurses kept calling in sick. ADON just simply assigned 30 pts to the nurse instead of 20. In this facility they don't step in and work the floor. They just go home. Ok, maybe they might help with 5 pm meds, but, it doesn't really help. I have more meds at 9pm, and, when they pass 5 pm, they often forget to sign off meds. So, you wondering, did this "helper" give 25 units of NPH or not? Anyway, I just can't handle 30 pts, it is not safe, i PHYSICALLY can not do it. They say, well, state allows 40. I tried to find official info, but failed. And, honestly, maybe state allows 50, i care less, i can not safely do 30. End of story. I talked to DON, let her know i can not do 30 patients. I stopped scheduling myself either. I am per-diem - they need me they would call, and my question is "what is the staffing today"? I made a decision if i came and see i have 30 (or more) people again, i will walk away. I even stopped punching in,and unless i know the staffing, i don't take report. I realize, they will get pissed and fire me, well, touhg ****. I am not risking my license.

I work for one of them in FL as an RN. As for CNA go, I found their job much easier than in a hospital (used to work as a nursing assistant in a hospital - can compare). CNAs in HCR facility have 6-7 Pts, I had 12-20 in a hospital. In a hospital I, as an CNA, had to do VSs, CBGs, EKG and report it to nurse. In HCR CNA don't do these things, they just change th Pts and give them showers (they have schedule for showers, in a hospital I had to give EVERYBODY bath). As for facility goes, all they care about it is admittions. More money. Admit everybody, don't care if they acute, have to be in a hospital, not in a rehab facility. Only about 10% DNRs. Others full codes. We don't have even ambubag, for God's sake. Every day calling 911. I am personally sick of it, looking for a job in a hospital (at least i will have 6-8 Pts, not 27 ACUTE Pts). Always understaffed as nurses go.

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My first job in LTC was terrible. Facility was understaffed, roof was leaking, poor residents walked straight through puddles on the floor in their socks when it was raining. Nurses were so mad because of overwork, they never helped. You couldn't print out senses when come to work (no computer) - you literally had to write all residents names to take report. Supply room - forget a bout it - never could find anything. Every time i came to work -- i never knew when i could go home after shift was over. They used agency's nurses a lot -- and those nurses always were 45 min-1 hour late. I felt lucky they showed up at all. But the last drop that made me leave was supervisor attitude towards me concerning one patient. Here I am, LPN with 2 months exp., come to work in the morning and getting the following report: "pt so and so doesn't look very good, seems like in respiratory distress, might die in your shift, DNR, so monitor..." Well, first thing i go to his room -- diaphoretic, respirations 50/min, requested to go to the hospital. I ran to charge nurse, she goes "well, if he requested, send him off, but call the MD first". I was still terrified to call MDs then. I dialed the number, started to give VS, described pt's condition.. in the middle of conversation charge nurse showed up from nowhere, grabbed the phone from me "let's me talk to MD". And here she went "I just assessed the pt, he doesn't seem in respiratory distress, he is fine, sorry to disturb you, Doc". I was so humiliated, you couldn't beleive it. But how i can stand my grounds? Who am I? just a new grad... what do i know? Every time i and that sharge nurse work together, she always found the way to humiliate me. If i complained about next shift is not showing up, she would say with grin in her face "you don't understand nursing profession, my dear, you think you are going home when you shift ends?, you better get used to it.." anyway, i quit in 3 weeks and felt like i should come back to CNA duties. Only the fact that i put so much effort to get LPN license stopped me. After a month i got another job. Much better facility, helpful nurses. Supplies there. Doctors call back. Charge nurse treats me like her own child (what if get mad and quit! they need me!). it's still hard and crazy, but at least i feel comfortable. so, pont is: the h.. with your old job, you get better. they didn't deserve you

I don't have caller ID: just answering machine. It is funny though, how my atitude changed to those calls asking you to come extra. I used to need more hours, and answered every call. When I couldn' come, I called back and thanked them for "asking" anyway. So stupid... Now I realized, i do not have to call back if i do not wa nt to come. They made it clear, i don' have to call back if not coming. Oh, yes, something else has changed. After working for them for while, I DO NOT WANT to work for them extra hours anymore. I am PRN, and try to work my schedule 1week in advance -- so that to work, say,every other day - it is less stressful for me, i need one day of complete break after 8 hours of BS and work ovrload. And rather die from starvation than come to work on this day off. But recently i don't answer the phone. It's not that i have to justify why i am not coming or something... I just not feeling comfortable talking to them. Its getting rediculous - afraid of answering my own phone! I guess, caller ID is not a bad idea. after all.

I might try to explain to Z'Playa what real drugseeker is. Because my exhusbend was hooked on Soma + Codein. Since I lived with this person for number of years, i understand the problem better. First, i didn't know what the problem was and honestly beleived it was his chronic "back pain". When h used to passed out from overdose, i (fool) used to call for ambulance and delt with thousand dollar bills afterwards. He never stayed in a hospital for more than 1 night, though. We travelled a lot, and in EVERY state he managed to find a doctor who prescribed him Soma. YOu can not beleive, how easy it was for him. He showed up in doctor's office, c/o "chronic back pain", they asked what h usually taken, he said Soma, bum-bum -- he had got prescribtion. It is money for doctors, after all, he paid cash! He could cry in doctor's office because of "pain". But at home he was ok, no signs of pain, walking, talking. Then next minute he could passed out with food in his mouth (too many somas+codein). You can not do much, as a family member. You can not take away pills from him (they are prescribed -- legal). These people rarely seek for help -- well, drugs are legal, and not so expensive, if you have med insurance -- free. He has lost numerous jobs. He left the stove burning. He passed out driving a car. Now, i deal with drug seekers in LTC. Elderly white females, mostly. Say, they had that hip replacement 3 months ago. For God's sake, why would they need that Oxyconti/Vicodin EVERY 4 hours (you can check time on them) after 3 months? Pain? Exuse me. It is just addiction -- pure and sipmle. What about Restoril/Ambien that are supposed to be given max for 7-10 days? They never got off their "sleeping pill". I see the huge problem here. Dependance is real. Doctors tolerate it. Have you ever heard the doctor told the Pt in nursing home " this medication is addictive, i will prescribe it to you for several days just post-op to ease the pain, and that's it"? No way , Jose. They will get their Vicodin/Percocet/Oxycontin indefinetely. True?

Mine is heavy equipment operator. Once let me operate buldoser while i was sitting on his lap geee.. no nurses married to MD? or those nurses don't go to this website b/c we curse doctors a lot?

I saw it couple of days ago. So funny -- one of the best comedies. Much better than the first one. Recommend to everyone to. I liked Fockers family - very natural, no pretense. It is not about male nurses at all.

Dear findingmyway, i am completely on your side. i work in LTC and have to take care of 20-30 people (depends on shift). I DO NOT HAVE TIME to do aids ' work. And yes, i don't know how to operate THEIR equipment. It has nothing to do with "knowing basic pts' care". I worked as an aid in very busy hospital, and i knew how to operate their equipment, but my LTC has different machine. It would be nice to know, agree, but i never had chance to use it. With ANY equipment it takes 2 people to transfer and it is time consuming. IT IS NOT my job on regular basis, so, i don't know it. If aid needs help to clean poop i always help to turn and clean. But, i don't transfer pts, nor i give them shower. if my facility required me to give pts shower as part of my job, i would quit. or, while i am doing it, aids would have to give cardiac meds and call the doctors.