LemonAide

The state trained me and I am a certified lactation counselor. I just got lucky the class was offered two weeks after I hired on. My own life experiences have really helped with that component a lot.

I currently do home visits. I am in Wyoming there are a lot of PHN jobs here as they don’t pay well compared to hospital nursing. I decided to leave floor nursing and try and office job with good benefits. I have an ADN only and more than five years experience as a RN thats how I got my foot in the door. It’s a really fun job. I can do home or clinic visits for prenatal Postnatal and children up to age 3. I provided lactation consults education and referrals to other programs. Like any nursing job you need thick skin because not every family is going to have the same priorities as you and you need to be really flexible and open minded so you can offer healthy support to people that might have really different backgrounds. Not everyone wants to change and you have to be able to support that decision as well. I am sure rural Wyoming home visits are much different than California ? I think most states require you to bilingual ?

I think a lot of this depends on what state you are in. Come to Wyoming lots of jobs for new grads.

When I was a CNA I worked in a locked Alzheimers unit. One of my favorite patients was this cranky old doctor most of the other staff couldn't/wouldn't care for him cause he was on the violent side. He was always talking to people or things that weren't there. Anyway one night when I was tucking him in he said I have a message for you, "your husband wants you to know he's okay and that you are a good mother". Chances are that could have been random but my husband had been dead two years when he told me that. Took everything I had to keep my cool and not cry. I never and still don't bring my personal life to work there's no way he had any idea I was widowed at such a young age. It was really weird.

I love psych! The facility I work at uses handle with care. It's not just the training though you need have good working relationship with your co-workers. You have to be able to work as a team. You have to be patient and try to be as solid and consistent as you can. I make patients stay kicking distance away from me for the most part. If I can kick them they are to close. I never say this outloud I just do it. Don't deviate from the limits you set. I've had my ass handed to me twice and both times I learned from it. I got my ass kicked by a six year old lol really and it was totally my fault. I deviated from my limits and tried to be comforting since we were ending up hands on every night with the same pt. Lesson learned work with your head not your heart. First time was by an adolescent boy same sort of scenario. I work with all ages of pts. Good luck my family constantly worries about me.

LOL I just bought the trashiest trailer ever :) Really......Totally excited to have my own place.

Mines kind of sad. My spouse died in 2011 after a horrible two years terminally ill. I was a housewife 21 years. I had to figure out a way to support myself pretty quick and while applying for nursing programs I became a CNA. When life gives you lemons you make what? So yeah I was a lemonaide :) I'm now an RN

Next time or for anyone else with anxiety....Go to the doctor! Or you can always try a little benadryl for anxiety. Getting in to a nursing program is contingent on passing a drug test. Sorry this situation can't possibly warrant a good outcome.

I work in an acute psychiatric facility. Our ratios are on adult 5:1, adolescent 4:1 and children 3:1. Those ratios include all staff on the floor. They do ours hospital wide so they count the number of adults, adolescent and children and base staffing on the big picture. Childrens unit is the only area where I see staffing true to ratios.

I'm in Wyoming. I worked as a CNA in LTC before getting in to nursing school and while I was in nursing school. The put me on the floor as a nurse the day I had my GPN. Worked as a LPN through my RN program at the same nursing home. I swear working in the field helped me with pharmacology and cares and gave me more confidence than any classroom or clinical setting ever could. I did my preceptor at an acute care psych hospital and I loved it! They offered me a job before I was done with my preceptor for ten dollars an hour more than the LTC facility ad offered me relocation money. When I told them I didn't want to move they offered me a travel position that includes lodging and what I see as an amazing wage. I went to work 5 days after I took my finals....My contract offered hired me as a LPN with a pay raise at my GN status and another raise when I passed my RN. I took my nclex today and tomorrow I hit the floor at a higher wage than I ever dreamed straight out of nursing school.

I got 8 hours, but I worked as a CNA at the same facility for a few years. Wasn't enough time but I learned as I went along and now I am comfortable and confident in my position. Now I train new hires seems no one else wants to do it. My lack of initial training actually makes it helpful when I train new staff as I remember all the things I didn't know or wished someone would have told me. Most of it had to do with charting/paperwork. What I did was grab every opportunity I had to do paperwork. I did paperwork for labs, end of month changeovers, filing just anything to learn. I love my job! I try and help out the new hires so they will love their job too we have such a high turnover rate I try my hardest to make the work enviroment a positive place!

Ugh I am here for the same question! Two test this semester and I have failed them both despite studying and feeling like I understood the material. Three months from being a RN and I am failing

Work there as a CNA while in school. Knowing someone that already works there helps at my facility.

I love long term care!

My facility is having the party at the facility this year so that everyone can enjoy it. Employees only this time. 4-7pm shift change is at 6 so if you are working either shift you don't get left out.

Depending on which med pass it is I can do it in a hour and I have 29 patients. Supper pass yes, HS pass takes a little longer due to treatments. When you have a high patient load time management is key. I know my patients well. I know who needs a pulse check and who needs BG. That I do first and I can get that done in 15 minutes before the pass and while I am doing that I check on anyone who frequently needs PRN's so I don't end up back and forth. That leaves 45 minutes. I do meds for the patients who come to the nurses station a lot or ring call bells for meds first to save time if I get to them before they ask it's much more efficient. I also try and do my whole pass from my station I pay attention to who heads to the dining area first and get the meds ready so I can catch them on thier way down the hall. Anyone who needed sliding scale insulin is next and I have asked my aides to swing them by the nurses station on the way to dinner. I don't do insulin in the dining area ever other nurses might but I don't. I'm not sure I am explaining this well but it works. The best time saver for me is close attention to patients needs if they obsess over meds I attend to them first (if I can) heck I try to find them before they find me it is a HUGE time saver. Also if I know patient A is always going to ask for biofreeze and a pain pill before supper I promise I am in that room with the pain pill and biofreeze ready to go before they ask. I don't help the other nurses with their duties unless they ask or a patients asks. I will answer a call light on any hall after all good patient care is what is going to guarantee my job. If I do have free time I read to patients and hang out in their rooms and talk to them. I file things no one has time for and I set up labs MDS and things of that nature for the next shift.

I've seen pressure ulcers start 30 minutes after repositioning with end of life care. Thats with a air bed and heel booties.

What about long term care? I worked as a CNA in LTC through school and am currently 20 days from taking my NCLEX test and have been working with the grad license as a GPN since the day I got it. Long term care needs nurses and its a good way to get your foot in the door.

I work as a CNA while in nursing school. I've been kicked out of rooms for all sorts of perceived inadequacies more times than I can count. Even by family members who tell me I don't know how to do my job and what horrible care their loved one is getting. Don't let it get to you and don't take it personal. Sometimes when a person is sick being a jerk is the only thing they have control of. You lose control of a lot of things when you get sick. I think the biggest thing is keep going and keep doing your best. What if it was you and what if you didn't understand the education or role a CNA or even a nurse has in a medical setting. The patient really could be scared you don't know what your doing. It's hard to deal with but just let it roll off your back. You can't please everyone, but you can set a good example for your co-workers by not playing in to the what a horrible patient gossip. If the patient has asked you to never some back your problem is solved I don't know about policies where you work but usually patients have the right to refuse care. Move on to the next room and use your skills somewhere else.

I am about in the same boat as you. Straight A student.....until now! My test average in theory is a 78 with two more tests to go one of which is a comprehensive final. I failed my electrolyte fluid test to and I studied for weeks. I have to get a 75 test average to pass the class or find another profession. I am ok with not getting an A for an overall grade. These classes are the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. Ugh! Guess I should get off the message boards and start studying!

Just my opinion..and don't get offended. To get through life you should learn to multiply and divide competently. Even if you decide nursing isn't for you it's a needed skill. With that said...life is life ....relax and breathe You are young and it will all work itself out just the way it should.

Congratulations to you and everyone else here that got their acceptance letters this spring!

Strong core muscles! Try yoga its low impact and it works

I am so excited to be able to post here! I scored a 74 and have a 4.0 GPA. I was accepted into all three programs I applied to, but I live in a smaller state. I only competed with 150 students for 1 of 26 spots. Good luck to anyone trying to get into a program. My best advice is study hard and don't put all your eggs into one basket. Apply to more than one school.