eelise11

The day this all happened, the two aides involved kept saying they know I didn't throw them under the bus, they weren't mad at me, etc etc. Then after they actually were punished, then all of a sudden it was all my fault. And like one replier said, even if they had waited for me for 25 minutes, which didn't happen, it would be irrelevant because an RN is needed to assess a fall. I couldn't have done a thing besides got an RN, just like they are supposed to do. None of this is my fault and I didn't go tell on them. I actually stuck up for them and tried to get them out of it because I knew that if they got into trouble, it was going to be pointed at me and my life would then be hell. That is exactly what happened. I don't want to go back and my husband says I don't have to but we have a large family and small income as it is. I NEED to work, I just don't know where to go as there isn't anywhere around here. :/ This situation really sucks and it has me questioning if I want to stay in nursing. As an LPN, where I live, we only really get jobs in nursing homes and so far, my experience over the past two years has been that I never want to step foot in another nursing home again. That being said, I'm considering leaving nursing altogether. I love my job but not the environments I have to work in because of my title.

I'm going to try to make this as short as possible but I'm not sure it's the type of situation that can really be edited down. I just started a new job as an LPN in a nursing home. This particular home has a TERRIBLE reputation in all aspects but where I live, there isn't much option and the pay is really good for our area. After being out of work for nearly 5 months, I felt that I had no choice and I went to this home. On my second day on the floor, a staff member (non-medical) came into the room I was in and said, I need a nurse. I asked her if she could give me a minute and she said okay. I was in the middle of a tube feed. The aide in the room with me asked if I wanted her to see what was going on and I said sure. She returned approximately 5 minutes later and said "So and so was on his floor mats." I stopped what I was doing and was about to go to the room. The aide then said "It's okay, we put him in his chair." I asked if she had told anyone and she said "so and so (another aide on the floor) said that he is careplanned to be put back into his chair as long as he is on his fall mats." I figured they probably knew more than me but to be safe, I asked another nurse on the floor if I should do an incident report. She told me to ask the supervisor. I asked the supervisor who then threw a fit because these aides were supposed to have an RN assess the resident. (which I rightly assumed in the first place.) Recap: A resident slid out of bed, aides picked up him and THEN informed me of the situation. I didn't know what happened until it was over with. The supervisor reprimanded the aides, telling them they know better and the facility had just been sued over the same type of thing. The aide that incorrectly told everyone that they were allowed to pick him up said to the supervisor "I just didn't have an extra 20 minutes to wait for an RN" when she was asked why she didn't notify anyone. A few days later, on Monday afternoon, the aide that said she didn't have time to wait was fired and the other one was suspended for 3 days. I made it very clear to them the day it happened that I didn't want them to get into trouble and I meant no harm. I believed them when they said they were allowed to pick him up. I was innocently trying to find out if I had to complete an incident report and crap hit the fan. Fast forward to Tuesday. During the day, multiple people warned me that everyone on that particular unit was mad and out to get me. I was told how I might get jumped, how they're intending to find a way to get me fired, and to stay off that floor if I could help it. Wednesday: I was scheduled to be on the floor that this incident happened on but requested to be moved elsewhere. I was moved and things were great besides listening to people talk about me and the situation, even though they didn't realize it was me. This is when I found out that the aides are telling everyone they waited for more than 30 minutes for me and I never came. Thursday: I went into work to find out that I was assigned as a CNA, on the hall of the aide that got fired, on the unit that is out to get me. I went to staffing and requested that I not be placed on that floor anymore. I was told, in as discrete of a way as possible, that since she got fired, and it's being blamed on me, that I have to fill her spot, indefinitely. Needless to say, I was so stressed out I was having chest pains and I left work early. Now I'm sitting here thinking of calling off tomorrow. I haven't even been on the floor one full week and this is happening. I need a job because I have a family but is it worth this? I know how hard it is to find a job in our area and I just honestly don't know what to do. I need advice. Please, anyone. I'm so confused as to what I should do.

As the title says, I hate my job. I work in LTC. In my area, the pay around here is generally pretty low but I make in the high range. I also have to drive 50 minutes over a mountain that is regularly shut down in the winter because of the freezing conditions. I love my residents but cannot standout people I work with and certainly can't tolerate the administration. It's not just me, many people feel the same way. You can't speak to anyone and expect any sort of respect in return. People will flat out tell you to not ask questions cause they aren't gonna help. I'm a new grad and new at my facility so of course I need help. But when a new person screws up, all hell breaks loose. It's a lose lose situation. I am part time where I am but it's a large facility so I am able to get all the hours that I want. Which is nice. I was recently offered another position which seems to be a better place. However, it's part time and it's small so I'm only guaranteed 20 hours a week. I absolutely cannot live on that income. I don't have many options around here. I'm not sure what to do. If it were you, would you risk being short on money and bills to maybe be happy or would you stay at a place that leaves you in tears and physically I'll everyday? I'm so torn on what to do.

I was hired at a large nursing home in our area about a month ago. During that month, I completed all the physicals and other necessary requirements. I was given a 4 week schedule and was set to start next week. About 2-3 weeks ago, a few of my references told me they had been called about the job and all was good to go. I was even told that I was good for hire and then given a schedule. Yesterday, I got a call from HR telling me, 3 weeks later, that I was given a bad reference and they were retracing my offer. Funny thing is, I used the same references in the two other jobs I was offered and they all gave me a good reference. I asked about it and she just said "someone" gave me a bad reference and she couldn't elaborate. A few people that I went to school with work there. I am a new grad. In school, I didn't talk to but a few people there because of the drama, childlike mentality of a lot of the students as well as the instructor. Well, apparently, one particular person was throwing a fit on Facebook that I was even interviewing there. Then 2 days after that post, the schedule goes out and I get a call that they're retracting the offer. The DON herself hired me. She's a family friend and knows that I'm a good worker and I keep to myself. I made it known to her what was happening and she isn't thrilled. Not to mention that a girl from my class that works there had told me that hr asked her about another person in our class that worked there. She told hr not to hire her cause no one "likes" her. Well, they didn't. Although she's as qualified as the rest of us. Is there anything I should or could do about this? Is this something that you would report to someone or just let it go? This place has a horrible reputation and now I know why. It's not fair to good nurses that are eager to work that this "clique" mentality is running the largest LPN employer in our area. I'm just at a loss over this.

In my recent LPN school experience, it was very true for me that I had no life. But we were also in a 1 year program with 3-4 tests every single day. What made this hard was that we would literally take hundreds of notes per day, which was soley what our years were based off of, and we would be wayyyy ahead, by 10-15 chapters/subjects and then have to backtrack to study for an upcoming test on something we covered 2 weeks ago. This was on top of care plans, projects, homework, quizzes, etc. So for me, it was 100% true that for that year, I had absolutely no life. My friend is the the same program now. She was determined that she wouldn't lose her social life just because she is in school. She kept telling me if you just know how to study right, there is no problem. She completely disregarded the tips I was trying to give her. Now, she's 3 weeks in and has failed or barely passed every test she's had with her very minimum 30 minutes or 1 hour of study before each test. And it's only the beginning, so right now, she's only at one test per day. It's all about your program though. Some aren't as hard and rigorous as others, I hear.

I just recently graduated and passed NCLEX in 85 questions. For almost half of my LPN schooling, I had this same problem. First of all, you have to learn how to distinguish what is important and what's not as important. Our instructor made us hand write all of our notes or type them... The books were of little use because everything came directly from our notes. The problem I had, and it seems to me the problem you are also having is the critical thinking aspect. You understand the material in the book but on the test your instructor says "patient A enters the emergency room c/o shortness of breath, pink frothy sputum, and chest pain. What disease does this coincide with? Or, what would you do first, with a list of options... Etc. that's how ours were. I always felt like it never made sense. But it does. You read it, you studied it, now you have to apply it in the nursing sense. It's hard to learn but you can do it. Also, as the previous poster said, always go with your first answer. Usually when you change it, you ended up changing from the right answer to the wrong answer Good luck! You can do this. :)

It's every shift in 2 weeks. I honestly don't feel it's enough but all I can really do is ask for longer. When I mentioned it during my interview she said "two weeks is plenty enough to know what you're doing".

I am not a DON but a nurse who has been trying to find the answer to this question anywhere I can. I've posted in other places to no avail so maybe some of you can help. I have recently been interviewing with a few LTC facilities in my area. One very small LTC I interviewed with had informed me that they had just upgraded to EMAR because they were required to do so by the beginning of 2014. However, the facility I took a job with is still using paper and apparently seems to have no plans to implement electronic charting. I heard from a few sources that it is mandatory to upgrade to emar by a certain date. I'm just trying to find out what is really going on behind this. Should I expect electronic charting in the near future or maybe never?

This is just my opinion as I'm a new grad too, but when I was interviewing, I didn't "ask" for a certain pay. We really have nothing to fall back on in order to find ourselves in a position to negotiate pay. Most places will tell you what they set pay is and you take it or leave it. As I said, this has been my experience.

Thanks everyone. They said if I felt I needed more time, I could ask but they don't think I will. So we will see how it goes. :)

I used remar for my second attempt. I was lacking in content really bad... I passed the nclex with the least amount of questions after remar. I highly recommend it.

In starting my very first nursing job as I'm a brand new grad with no prior nursing experience. The place I got a job at gives 2 weeks orientation on all the different floors and areas, from wounds to trachs to meds and I even have to train as a CNA. Is 2 weeks enough? I told them I was concerned but they said its plenty. I'm worried.

Thanks everyone. Update: I chose Job number 3. It's semi close to home and after my final interview, here are the specs. 16.70 per hour (highest in our small area) with 1 dollar differential for 2nd shift and 1.50 for 3rd. It ended up being full time, rotating shifts. I asked for mainly nights and days and they agreed to do that. They offer 5000 total tuition reimbursement, give you money to offset the cost of medical insurance, and provide scrubs along with allowing you to wear your own. It's scary cause its so big and they only give 2 weeks orientation... But I'm sure if I asked for more, they'd allow it if I don't feel okay. I'm scared but very excited. Thank you all for all your help and kind words. :) Edited to add: they also are skilled and have every sort of care, from trachs to tubes, etc. so I feel as though I'll get wonderful experience there. Lets just hope the nurses are willing to help me learn as I'm brand new.

Near Johnstown/Pittsburgh PA. :)