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Hi again, I have been working in a rehab (nursing home) since the hospitals cancelled the elective surgery we only been receiving our own residents who visited ER ( falls, other health issues) the policy is that we're supposed to accommodate them all in our units for 14 days since they were exposed to hospitals with known cases of covid-19, all the staff in our unit cannot pick up any additional schedules in other units that means they're not filling up the schedules of those who are having off days, and we have to work as a CNA most of the time, they're paying us the RN rate but it was so difficult and really rough, they give us bonus this 3 weeks (40$ bi-weekly)! and some of the staff are really complaining but we feel stuck, they're not giving us enough PPE as well so we end up re-using our PPE for the whole shift, now they gave us the plastic-like gown ( looks like table cover!) and they're being wash every now and then (recycling ) other times the arms area are still damp, sometimes there's no string to tie it up at the back, its crazy, then they sent a letter to some of us asking for donations to fund the nursing home, I was thinking what the heck is this? we are overwork, lack of PPE and yet we're still being asked to donate our hard-earned salary to help them? any comments will be appreciated. thanks to all.

I am a new RN here in the US, and I am still struggling with my charting,back with then when I used to work in Saudi Arabia in a private hospital with less staff nurse, we tend to do more (hands on) rather than documentations, especially when we're being assigned in Dr where we have 5-6 deliveries and I or 2 of them will be CS, we hardly had time to document accurately we just write the time of the delivery and the intervention etc. short and simple. The nursing home where I work now seems the same, we are 2 nurses on the floor and 1 nurse aide, I am assigned to giving medications and treatments and hardly have much time in charting since I am the one who always help with the 2 assists patients, by the time I sit down and start my charting I almost forget what I did (interventions etc.) but yeah, keeping a pocket notebook helps a lot, writing down even the keywords to remind me about what happened during the shift with the assessment has been really helpful.

beekee, I'm assigned at rehab SNF, in one of the nursing home and since the elective surgeries are being put on hold during this time of Covid-19 pandemic we are not receiving many patients from the hospital, so normally we only have 2 staff ( 2 RNs) 7-8 patients/residents in the unit, the management said we don't need a CNA since our census is low, so we ended up doing everything! I think they're trying to save money also but its hard on us because the pts in rehab can be really demanding at times.

Exactly, just checked in my SNF website to know the latest announcement in the nursing home where I'm working, the resident who was Covid-19 positive from our independent living/cottage that was hospitalized few days ago died in the hospital today, and we have one PUI in our unit right now, this is becoming really alarming.

Hi Waufah, Was reading your advice and it was very helpful, I am a new nurse here in the US, I came form Asia and worked in the middle east (Saudi Arabia, Jeddah for 2 yrs) I was assigned in dif area when I was there, ER for 6mos, ortho for 3-4 months, then the nurse manager assigned me in OR for good 3 months and finally in the Internal medicine clinic where we normally do endoscopy and colonoscopy, I still bring my patients to ER and when they're busy I usually start IV insertion. then I decided to work in Abu dhabi, (United Arab Emirates) I didn't get a license there because I was planning to marry my BF then ( now my husband here in the US) so I worked there as a company nurse in the nursery/early learning center from 2mos old until 4rs old, nothing much to do with the ages oral meds and usually monitoring if the kids are sick etc. then when I got here and decided to take my NLCEX exam, failed the first time but was able to concentrate and finally passed last year September 2019, I am now working as a RN in the nursing home (rehab unit). I am not very confident with myself as I always think that I am prone to make a mistake being a new nurse in my new field of nursing (geriatric nursing), although I knew I am capable of doing many things with my background in the hospital but I feel like I still lack the confidence I needed to do my job.

Hi, I'm getting an RN rate, but I don't see many RN and Lpn going through the same situation as mine, like the last time I was told I would be assign in other unit (Long term care) as a CNA there was an Lpn working there as a nurse and I have to work alongside with the other CNA lifting 2 assists Residents etc. then these last few days, that I was working in rehab unit since our census are low (due to cancellations of elective surgeries from the hospitals because of Covid-19) the manager pulled our CNA and assigned her in other unit, so me and the other senior nurse were there, the supervisor said we do not need a CNA as we can take care of all the 5 residents, I mean I wanted to do other things, like doctors orders, scheduling and assessments but as always, they expect me to work on the floor answering call bells while passing medications etc. and my senior nurse rarely help at all, it's kind a frustrating sometimes, the reason why I am planning to look for another place/ facility where I can work as a nurse rather than partly nurse and CNA.

Hi I'm working in Rehab nursing home and we are not getting many post-op right now but the unit is being prepared for our own residents who would be admitted with covid-19, or those from the nursing home LTC for observation, the thing is we have this resident who had her pacemaker battery changed and has been in and out the hospital for 2-3 times, we were thinking she will be on isolation as she develop sepsis (and probably been exposed to the dif. staff in the hosp. with known cases of covid-19) but she wasn't put on isolation or even for observation...the mgt. doesn't want us staff to use any mask on as it will "create fear to other resident" so, hope and pray that we won't be exposed...yeah out PPE are being locked too.

Hi, I hope I can get some advise here pertaining to my situation at the nursing home where I'm working as an RN in the rehab unit, I started working there as a CNA for 6-7 months (while reviewing for my exam )then I was able to pass my exam (NCLEX) I'm a registered nurse in my country (Philippines BSN since 2010) and have a license in Saudi Arabia also as I worked there for 2 yrs in the past. I have been working for 6mos in rehab unit but on and off the manager still assign me to work as a CNA in other unit if there's a shortage of staff, being a new staff I am hesitating to say "no", so my question is am I allowed to say "I don't want to work as a CNA because I'm already an RN" and it's not my job description anymore to work as a CNA, I asked other staff and they said they're being called to work or fill-in also in the past, but I was thinking I'm too respectful to my supervisor and manager that I didn't want to say no even if I knew I have the right to say so, I am now looking for other place to work and I can't wait to make a resignation letter because of this. thank you.

Hi, I'm from the Philippines also, BSN RN (batch 2010) I came here 2016 to marry a US citizen, I went to BON PA in 2016 to enquire about the requirements for me to take my NCLEX exam, they were really nice to me ( I guess because my husband was with me) she gave me a blank form for application and asked me to get CES certification evaluation services from CGFNS (they're the one who send the letter to my school where I took my nursing degree in the Phils. they also verified my RN license from the PRC it was a long wait (and expensive) but thank God I was able to get all the paperwork done, the CGFNS compared my units and number of hours of training to what their nursing schools required here and it was the same as BSN here, they did not required me to take IELTS or CGFNS qualifying exam because I told them that all our textbooks are written in English. anyway, I did CNA class to begin with while waiting for my documents passed the CNA test and take part-time job while reviewing for my enclex exam, thankful that I was able to pass my NCLEX exam and now I'm a US BSN RN. Btw, I used to work in Saudi Arabia Jeddah before I came here, I took my prometric exam also and was able to work in KSA for 2 yrs. I suggest you should try applying in other states where there will be less requirements, most of the nurses here in the US doesn't have 4yrs Bachelors degree like we do in the Phils.

Hi Akam, Terminating you is up to them, but reporting you to the state will be a bit too harsh, it wasn't that big of a deal error, compare to what happened to one of my co-RN staff at my workplace, he used to be LPN actually he started as a CNA too then got an LPN course then decided to take an RN exam and was able to pass the test, he consider a senior RN in my unit, one morning he and the other nurse split the floor ( 6 or 7 patient each) in the morning medication pass he mistakenly gave 6-7 kinds of medications to the wrong patient, he said they're almost similar looking older ladies, they like to sit together at the same table for a meal, he asked the name of the wrong pt and she replied to him only then he realized that he supposed to give the meds to the other patient in the opposite table! the medications were all for CHF lisinopril, potassium chl. etc. he ended up putting the patient in alert charting for 24hrs for CHF s/s, such as elevation or sudden drop of BP, HR greater than 100/less than 50 etc, SOB, all kinds of sudden changes LOC and all that, but then since he is considered "senior nurse" (and the management favor him) they didn't do anything (as far as I know) so it's kinda unfair for new staff to make error, its another reason that's why I'm a bit disappointed too but anyway, your case is somewhat nothing compare to the mistake the senior nurse committed in my workplace. so take heart look for another job somewhere and treat it as a learning experience. Good luck.

Hi Whitesranch, Thanks for your comments, I did say that the order (to check the INR) prior to administering coumadin wasn't there, I was assuming that this order (that was discontinued by the other nurse) will be there but it wasn't there that day, we normally check it the anticoagulant flow sheet (the latest INR) and there would be new orders and/or new doses or new orders to hold coumadin BUT, for some reason, it has been DC, so I was assuming it was still standing order, oh well things happens/errors being made even with nurses with 20-30 yrs experience, thanks a lot again.

I have this experience just these last few days, the patient's INR was 2.5 (labs was drawn that day) he has a coumadin order 5mg it was scheduled to be given at 1700 and I started giving medication earlier, (1646) I double check with the day shift nurse if there is any orders that can affect my medications pass that afternoon (prior to the incident) and we didn't have any new orders, so I went ahead and gave meds to all of my 13 pts. then the doctor came 1725 and started writing an order, he asked me to hold the patient's coumadin that day, I was so nervous because I already administered the 5mg coumadin, I told the other nurse about it and asked her about the other order that says " check the PT INR before administering the coumadin" ( this order has been DC by one of our staff c/o doctor's order, it usually there to block or to remind us to check the PT INR result in anticoagulant flow sheet and it also tells us what dosage of coumadin needed to be given at certain INR result, I am a new nurse, I just want to know is there a med error in my part? the other nurse admitted that he was wrong for discontinuing the order "to check the PT inr prior to giving coumadin ". any comments will be greatly appreciated. thank you.

Good day to all, I was actually waiting for this message as my good friend who actually applying there sent me a text message regarding the raid sadly one of them wasn't there she was the head consultant as she said she still have her text message in my inbox and according to my friend there were about 60 complainant who were there last monday the staff are now imprisoned at the camp crame awaiting for the trials or whatever will be happening to them, to those who were once hoped to have a bright future through this agency, I'm sure now you'll know what we we're trying to say...sadly they may not be able to take back their money...God bless to all

Good day to all, I guess you're right I had the same thought as well although they still sends me some text msgs and the fly noe pay later promo is definitely tempting but hey I knew two applicant who are now trying their best to refund their money! so I'm sure they really trying their best to get applicant who are desperate enough to give it a go, im dealing with a person in that company with this cp # ***********

Latest news from a friend of mine who is applying to the USA-CIS she was asked to sign a waver not to withdraw any money from the bank account they opened for her they said it was merely to show the immigration that she have that amount of money in the bank, unfortunately, there are some so-called professionals who have and are still going for it, its just too bad some people wants an easy way to get ahead...I agree with you, there is a big difference between being A POSITIVE THINKER and wise RN.