TXNurse77

I'm not sure if Omnicare, formerly APS will certify LVN's unless they work at a LTC or they are sponsored by a LTC. Now this bit of info isn't stone, just what I heard. I'd be interested in reading what ltbaby found out. Any updates?

As long as money is an issue we will always have a deficiency somewhere in this area. We're human and we can not be worked to death like robots. There is no way to get everything done in our shift per "the right way". Now, as far as the misappropriation of documentation, negligence on patient assessments, and medication errors, there is absolutely no sense in that.

I work nights at a SNF. Presently my ratio is 1:65 with 2 CNA's.

When he stated, "yeah, I know im being naughty" I would have stated, "No, you're being nasty. Who is your Infection Control Nurse/Coordinator"? Now, I totally understand that you may have felt you couldn't say that because you're a student and that may get you in trouble with your Instructor and the facility, however do not feel like you can't say that when you get your license!

No, no, no. There's no working it out with the charge nurse first since she clearly has displayed this behavoir. Going to her after she has shown her tail to the OP and especially in front of others only makes the OP look weak in this charge nurse's eyes. Lord knows, I've taken a many psychology classes to know how to play the game of life and how our ticker's tick. Secondly, it's not her reponsibility to go around pampering the charge nurse's emotional outbursts. CN should be ashamed of herself. She's getting paid to take care of patient's, not her charge nurse. She's made it dang clear to the OP that she isn't about to talk to her in an adult manner about such. Personally, she wouldn't be worth my precious breath to try to have a conversation with. Hell hath no fury... Okay so this has been reported to the Supervisor and still there's problems. Go over their head as need be.

This happened to me too! Does your company have an "Employee Dispute Resolution"? If so, start there. It's like an Employee grievance form that goes to your supervisor and they have to act upon it and provide you with an answer on how it will be corrected. If you don't hear from them in x amount of time (whatever the policy is), the charge nurse retaliates afterwards, etc. then you go back to your Sup and even over their head if necessary. You may have something else called a Corporate Compliance hotline that you can call up as well. I advise you to take part in your Employee Assistance Program too for whatever thoughts you have been having due to her assy-ness. You are worthy, you don't have to be disrespected as such, and somebody needs to knock this @$%^ off her pedestal.

Okay, I think the OP has had enough salt poured in her wounds. OP, live and learn.

Go over your budget and see how much your monthly costs are. If you got a job for $16/hr as a CNA in a LTC you would be able to have access to getting guidance and first hand experiences from befriending nurses to let you see a little more than just what is seen on the surface. I say this because the two CNA's that work under me do not have a clue about what I do, nor anything to do with my job although we work closely together for 8 hours. What they see is me charting, taking vitals, passing meds, g-tubes, blood sugars, etc. They don't see the nitty gritty of it all. So with your budget here is what you need to ask yourself. Can I work as a CNA for $16/hr and what would the cost of LVN school vs 1 year of preq's for RN be? What financial aide support may I receive from the school if any for the LVN program vs preq's? There's a whole big picture to look at here and beyond. I do wish you luck and please just take my words in a caring way. I love nothing more than to see someone make positive advancements in their careers. I enjoy giving others advice for the long term, not just for the here and now or the immediate gratification that each of us so dearly want.

In no way would I get involved. That's the problem with people and how all the gossiping/rumors gets started by someone not tending to their own business. Not you of course, but the other nurse that found the job posting. I say this with sincerity, she was in the wrong and being quite "messy" when she came to you to ask about this. She should have just applied for the position and went on about her business. She took it upon herself to involve you by nosing around about such. As for the male nurse, I understand life happens to people. As much as we like to play "friend" and save people's days, I would allow management to handle this as they have obviously started to and save this guy from the embarassment of everyone being aware that his job was listed on the internet. Nursing is a small world and we have to guard our reputations every moment of the day and at all costs because it will follow us for the rest of our lives.

I'm an LVN in LTC that had it in my heart to do this until I got on the floor. Now I'm scrambling like mad to get my classes finished up for RN so that I will hopefully never have to step foot in another LTC for the rest of my life, not as a floor nurse anyways. Unfortunately, the world and HIPPA would never allow someone to be able to shadow a LTC nurse on the floor to see if this would be a career field for them. If I could change how I did things, I had rather work 2 jobs doing something totally different while advancing forward with my RN. Give it some thought and manipulate all possibilities for yourself in your mind and on paper before making the decision.

I am so sick of working in LTC. There isn't any other jobs here for LVN's that are not in LTC. I work with some really filthy mouthed, cut throat, and ruthless nurses. I can't report them, been there done that and that got me nowhere but making the situation worse. Everyone is out to get the other one fired and there's just nothing but total chaos at this building. Everytime I turn around I am having to write up witness statement's for CNA's and other nurses. All I want to do is go in and do my job which is patient care, not this other bs. But, I don't want to go to another building because this has been the same every other building I have worked at. I'm bridging over to RN and I need the steady income for mortgage and bills. It's not like I can take a different position somewhere for less. I just want some peace in my life and not to feel so anxious, resentful, and depressed when I get off work everyday. Give me some healing words ya'll! I need them.

Here in DFW, TX LVN's have been phased out to working in LTC. MA's are the choice for Dr's Offices and RN's are the choice for Hospitals. The only reason LVN's have not been phased out of LTC is the facilities can not afford to convert to RN's, especially after this last 30% cut Medicare made. All they would be able to offer is $23-28/hr for RN's here in TX and really, why work as an RN in LTC with a ratio of 1:30+ when you can be in a hospital making more money with a

A sure way to know is ask yourself, "Why after going to an LPN technical college for 18 months would I be able to just study from a book to get my RN which is more advanced?" and there's your answer. For me to bridge in TX from LVN to RN I had to have 8 prerequisite classes, sit for a skills refresher course and a class for transitioning from LVN to RN before starting the RN program and that was this year, not a long time ago.

I work LTC - Nights.. and this is the ONLY way I will work in a LTC. Yes, I have 60 residents but I only interact with 15 of them (but check on all) and that includes 5 g-tubes (1 bolus, 1 flush only, and 3 pumps), 1 BS at 12a and 1 at 3a, then 11 meds at 5:45a which are all Synthroid. What I chart - MCR (only have 3), G-tubes, ABT, Hospice and anything out of the norm. I do not like working nights but I'm willing to make this sacrifice to maintain some sanity until I finish my RN. Otherwise, I rather work in retail or a restaurant if I had to work days or evenings in LTC.

$19.50/hr in SW Fort Worth, TX No Holiday Pay No shift differential Can not use PTO time until after 6 months employment Staffing Coordinator calls at all hours of the day and night several times a week which is annoying! Insurance is just okay, but really what insurance is great these days? Effective 30 days after hire. I honestly feel like I don't make enough.