charisma01

Wow, I've had a long day. I thought you typed "loss of renal function" LOL! I'm soooo glad I have the weekend off from work. It's been a long week:)

I agree with the above poster, a lot of those samples stood out because they were so loud! lol However, if you are able to re-format them (minus the bold colors and fonts), it might work to your advantage. And as you already mentioned, I agree and definitely would not pay for those services. It might give a prospective employer a headache trying to read through some of those resumes. :)

I really appreciate everyone's encouraging words! Today actually went pretty well. One of those days where it feels great to finally be a nurse:) And Maremma, your advice is really helpful. Tonight I actually caught some discrepancies between the MAR and the medications that were available. Had I focused too much on speed, I would have missed it; however, I am making sure to go over the 5 rights in detail since everything is so new to me. Majority of the staff that I have come in contact with have been very supportive and helpful. I really do love the facility and am glad to have been offered the opportunity to be a part of the team.

Thanks for responding. I really do feel blessed to have this job. I interviewed with the facility right before I took the NCLEX, and I was officially offered the position within a week of my initial interview. I have to remind myself that they hired me for a reason. Although I have my education, my skills will get better with time. I will definitely remind myself to take everyday as a learning opportunity.

Although my shift ended at 10:30pm tonight, I did not clock out until 11:20pm; however, staying over doesn't bother me. I'm having a hard time falling asleep tonight and wanted to get some thoughts off my mind. I'm a brand new LPN. I graduated this past May and work at a long term care/rehab facility. I have had 7 days of training so far and am not yet finished with my orientation. I'm feeling so discouraged tonight. I had the med cart to myself tonight and began my 8pm med pass at 7pm. I didn't get finished until 10pm. I put the CNAs behind because they were trying to wait for some residents to get their meds before they helped them to bed, but they ultimately couldn't wait any longer. We have pictures to identify the residents, but I am still learning who is who and the pictures can be somewhat misleading. This facility does have several halls to it and this was only the second time I've been on this particular hall. I keep running the shift through my head. I had one CNA ask me if resident A, B, or C had their meds yet and I had to meekly say "no". I managed to stay calm throughout the shift, but I can't help but feel discouraged. I was a CNA before I became an LPN (I worked at a different facility though), but I wonder if I have it in me to supervise the CNAs and be a more authorative figure. I can be very soft spoken at times. I realize I have only been a nurse for 7 shifts and some days will be better than others. I guess I just needed to get some things off my chest tonight so that hopefully I can get some sleep. Thank you for listening to me ramble. Nursing has always been my passion and I really want to do my best and be an advocate for the residents. It will be nice when some of this "newness" wears off:)

The facility I used to work at as a CNA had a "stayover" system. It applied to the RNs, LPNs, and CNAs. So if a nurse called in or they didn't have enough staff coverage for the next shift, the person who was designated as stayover had to work an additional four hours to their shift. The same applied to the CNAs. If they refused, this would count as an occurrence, and multiple occurrences could get you terminated. However, all of this was addressed during the interview process. All I can say is, I hated that system and I am so glad that as an LPN I work at a facility that utilizes agency staff to cover shortages and call ins.

I agree with the previous person. Relax your brain. I took the NCLEX on June 28th. I did not study the night before the exam nor did I on exam day. You have been through so much schooling and have gained quite a bit of knowledge. You have already studied, so spend the time before the exam relaxing your brain and remaining confident in yourself. Also, on the day of the exam I did not pick up my cell phone. I did not talk to anyone and remained in my "zone". I had a two hour drive to the testing center though, so I listened to the radio which helped settle my nerves. Also, make sure you eat a good breakfast with protein. I wish you the best of luck!

I worked in a group home setting for people with developmental disabilities for 3 years and have been an aid for 1 1/2 years. I graduated from nursing school this past May and have started training for my new career as a nurse. It seems trivial to compare jobs to see who has the "most demanding" one. Each and every person in a healthcare facility has a very important responsibility from dietary, human resources, social services, therapy, activities, nursing (which includes both CNAs and nurses), ect. Each and every department is demanding and challenging in its own way. However, what makes the environment more pleasant for both residents/patients and staff is teamwork. Understanding that even though we each have different roles, we would not be successful as a healthcare team if we did not work together. If you have an issue with your facility, perhaps you should bring them to the attention of your immediate supervisor and the director to get it resolved. Good luck with your career. I always find the accomplishments of the patients and residents to be extremely uplifting and reminds me of why I chose to work in healthcare:)

I do not have any advice as I am a new grad preparing to begin my new career. However, I want to wish you luck in resolving this matter. Her actions do seem suspicious and that is a really good idea to keep a record of your upcoming meeting with her. You seem like a strong person who stands up for what they believe in. Keep us posted!

I used to have the exact same problem. It stayed with me through childhood and ended during nursing school. A long time ago I couldn't even be in the same room as someone who even *thought* they were going to vomit or even watch someone faking it on television. I slowly desensitized myself by exposing myself to a little at a time. I didn't block myself from seeing it on television when it was fake and eventionally when it was real. Ultimately, that helped me, but everyone is different when it comes to handling their weakness so I'm sure someone else will give you some good tips to use. I will say this, I was so excited with myself when I was able to hold up an emesis basin for a patient for the first time, lol. Also, try not to think too much about what is occurring. I still feel a lump in my throat with the burp sounds; however, I then shift my focus on how I can improve the individual's comfort level.

My mother, brother, and I spent a week in southern California. It was great to be able to relax, and I can relax even more now that I have passed boards. I start orientation for my new job next week!

I really thought that the Kaplan strategies book helped me. It goes over how the NCLEX is set up and how to actually answer the questions. I feel like there are only so many practice questions you can do. It really does help to know how the exam will be set up and how to reword the questions to narrow down your choices. Good luck to you!

I'm a current new grad (passed boards this past Thursday!) and at the present time work as a CNA in a long term care/rehab facility. Even if you do not get offered a position at the same place of employment, I believe it helps to get your foot in the door somewhere since you will be familiar with the overall environment of working with the geriatric population. My current employer does not have openings at this time, but they are willing to create and open up a PRN position for me which I am considering since I know the residents, get along well with the staff and upper management, and it would be nice to have extra income. However, I have my third interview at a different facility tomorrow that looks promising and is closer to me. Good luck to you! It is definitely feasable, but keep in mind it all depends on available positions and whether or not they prefer experience.