ElizaW

It depends. Do you have your heart set on working in a hospital? If you do, you don't want to bother becoming an LPN. If you think you could be happy working just about anywhere except a hospital setting, go for it. You'll learn a lot, and if you...

Don't bother with the CNA course. It will teach how to provide personal care, which is pretty far away from what you'll be required to know to get your RN license. Take a review course; pass the boars and get your license. Don't waste your time.

I got my LPN diploma last August. In September I started the pre-reqs for the local community college's advanced standing, LPN - RN program. I finished the pre-reqs with a 4.0, and applied to the program in June. The application period closed on June...

That's why I'm part time. I can work a full time schedule if I want to, but they can't make me work the extra shifts. My facility doesn't need to force people to work crazy hours. Many of us are eager to sign up for extra work. Maybe you're in th...

Thank you for being willing to see the issue through other eyes. It may seem obvious to you that what you are doing is putting forward the love of Christ. Never forget that there will be students in your class with deeply held religious convictions...

I'm a new LPN. I've been working in LTC for the past few months. Some of my residents are elderly people with illnesses or physcal limitations who require care. Some of them are dementia patiens who can't care for themselves. Some of them are eld...

If you really are a brilliant student, please understand that brilliance is a liability for nurses. It may be valued in other professions, but nurses just need to get things done. MDs are expected to be brilliant. Nurses are expected to gather per...

That answer might have cost you the job, but don't beat yourself up about it. Do you WANT to handle 49 patients by yourself? I don't. I think that's a ridiculous patient load even if there are no diabetics and very few meds. Personally, if someon...

Efficiency is wonderful, but are you sure you can't find something else to do? Is there a patient with anxiety that you could sit with and listen to? Does anyone need their hand held? Does anyone need a sounding board or a shoulder to cry on? Do ...

There ARE jobs out there in some parts of the country. I had a job offer two weeks after I started my search. It wasn't exactly my dream job, but it pays well and I'm learning every day. What more can you ask for? The newly licensed nurse might no...

Oh yes, I commit "abuse" every shift. The poor resident has to wait longer than she wants to get her snacks because I have to take care of the guy down the hall who is having trouble breathing and turning blue. One man's abuse is another man's prio...

Tomorrow has turned into today and I'm getting ready to go spend the 3 - 11 shift with my LTC family. Merry Christmas everyone. Now here's your insulin. I can't imagine a better way to spend a holiday.

I am married, no kids, and I love, love, love working 3 - 11. You can keep the early mornings. I will spend my days in the park with my dogs and roll into work at 2:30 as long as they let me.

This is wise. I'm going to remember it. I think you should pop over to the LPN Student forum and post it as advice that they ALL should follow.

I'm an LPN getting ready to apply to a bridge program that starts this summer. I have the option of applying to enter the 2nd semester of a 4 semester program, or, I can apply to the 3rd semester of the program if I pass Excelsior's test for Nurx 22...

I'm not really concerned about HACCs accreditation problem. I believe they will resolve the problems before it becomes an issue. They can't afford not to.

Do you really know anything about "That guy in Sandy Hill?" Was he a schizophrenic, following the commands of the voices in his head? Unless I see evidence to the contrary I'm going to assume that he was a very sick cookie - not a monster. Off topi...

OP, I'm trying to decide between applying for fulltime day clinicals in Lancaster and part time evening clinicals in York. I like the idea of taking classes close to home in York, but I would finish more quickly if I went to Lancaster. Do you have...

I treat homosexual patients the same as heterosexual patients. They are all human beings. No difference. Why should there be?

Ah union! I wish we had that south of the border. Canada is such a humane nation.

Most of my class cheated and the school tolerated it. We had a take home final in one class and 99% of the students checked their answers against each other. The scores were unusually high for that class. I'm amazed that the administration didn't ...

The instructor is covering her butt. You are working under her license. 170 is a crazy high number, and you should recognize that by now. I guarantee you won't make the same mistake again. From one point of view it's an awesome learning experience...

I don't feel like I was lied to by my instructors, but boy, do I feel like I was lied to (by omission) by the Director of the school during my admission interview. It's no biggie at this point. I love nursing. But she led me to believe that there ...

The valedictorian of my class was 52.

Yes. Be nice to new nurses, and remember that you were a new nurse at one time. Teaching the new nurse on your shift to be a better nurse CAN ONLY HELP YOU. The sooner the new nurse gets up to speed, the sooner he or she can pull his or her share ...