Gilead86

Thank you very kindly for all of your input. Sapphire18 - I was afraid to fetch nurses/CNAs to inquire after the call light, not turn it off, after I was reprimanded for encouraging call light use by just stepping out and trying to get someone. I must confess I did not bring a water bottle with me, since I thought I will be allowed to grab a cup at least twice in my shift. I'll keep your counsel in mind, thank you. Susie2310 - You are very kind, and that is exactly the attitude I seek to employ in all my endeavors, not just nursing. I will remember how many facilities are different and not all people/nurses are the same. Saysfaa - I reassured the lovely, old lady for a minute or two before she insisted she wishes to go to bed. I had to get someone to do that (since I'm not qualified and was rebuked some for it too) but after I spoke to her she seemed much consoled. I don't know her circumstances either, but I was more stunned by the lack of effort I perceived to be taking place around me. Sun0408 - I am not the kind to want a loo break/10 minute break every few hours or so, no. But I am human despite being a healthy gentleman; how can it be justifiable to not be allowed a bathroom break even once throughout your shift, and more importantly why should one have to seek permission for the basic necessities such as a restroom break? The place has a 8 residents to one ratio so I understand it is not a big facility with no severe shortages especially with a good amount of CNAs around. I do however think it is a bad facility, and yes I read most of what others talk about here when they are venting and this place fits the bill nicely. I understand nursing is not all about compassion and caring (and far be it for me to judge a nurse before stepping in their shoes) but I still believe one must make an effort. For that effort and courage I have decided I will continue to pursue this line of work. As others mentioned there are many other places which are different, and judging therefore from what others wrote this was a bad experience at a bad place. I will not allow it to deter me. Thank you very much, everybody. I wish I can relay properly in words how much your input means.

I mentioned how a few of them were chatting at the nurse's station. I may not be familiar with the much but I understand if they are free enough to chat and a call light has gone off, they should be attending right? Even if I ignore the fact how I was chewed out for "encouraging call light use". This is according to state government's website. "In general, when an employee works for a work period of more than five hours, a meal period must be provided no later than the end of the employee’s fifth hour of work (in other words, no later than the start of the employee’s sixth hour of work)." Plus, how can there be any excuse for not taking my health condition into consideration when I specifically mentioned it i.e low blood pressure, or refusing to even allow me some respite when it comes to using the restroom? Since I worked with the HR for awhile at the place, I was also able to confirm how they have a good bit of staff there including both CNAs and Nurses, the nursing home is for profit after all. I am not foreign to the concept of business practices, in fact I believe the profitability factor is something that helps such an establishment to provide quality in most cases, yet I also believe there should be certain regulations. However if this is the standard that they adhere to like you said then I really am going for the wrong line of work and far be it for me to disturb all the compassion and selflessness in the world when it comes to nursing.

I'm in a pickle here. For about a year now I have wanted to be a nurse. My previous career was in finance and I hated the hypocrisy/duplicity, and after a few subtle changes in my life I decided I wanted to be in a career of caring and compassion, plus the fact how it is modest to high paying doesn't hurt. Recently I joined up as a resident sitter at a nursing home. After the educational videos during orientation the HR manager took a liking to me and asked me to work on the more administrative side of things i.e matching employee records, filing, standard HR stuff, etc for the first couple weeks until he'll be able to find me sitter's hours; he was very kind to offer me proper sitter shifts for the next four days eventually this Thursday. The sitter shift however was a disaster; every time the resident (who I was sitting for) needed help, CNAs or Nurses would hardly respond to the call light, and when I will leave to fetch them I was reprimanded for 'encouraging' the use of call light. I was refused my ten minute break, and not allowed to have my unpaid meal until six hours of the shift had passed despite my informing them how I suffer from low blood pressure if I hadn't eaten in awhile and how California Law insists on a 30 minute unpaid lunch after four hours of service unless turned down by the employee) I wasn't even allowed to consume a snack. To even go to the bathroom I was to fetch a CNA to sit for me, and every time I tried to flag one for me, they would either disappear or refuse to lend me an assist whilst I can clearly see they were all sitting at the Nurse's station either chatting or using the internet/computer. To make matters worse, when I finally got my 30 minute meal break I heard the CNAs rebuking me for not having taken it within the first two hours of my shift. Is it really fair for me to be expected to do so when everybody else is doing as they please? I understand perhaps sitters are not the most important people but I believe some of us are trying to make it in healthcare for the first time. During our orientation the administrator of the facility came over to us and explained how he firmly believes how each of us should receive three times the amount we are offered, but healthcare if about selflessness. On my first shift as a sitter I saw a Nurse walk in to give meds to a resident; he turned the lights on to wake her up, offered her the meds and then left without turning it off despite her calling for him to do so. I helped her, and feared for the next hour if I will be reprimanded for turning the lights off for a resident. I saw a senile woman on a wheelchair who kept asking where she is and how she needs to go home, yet nobody offered her any help, consolation or assurance... heck didn't even speak to her! Anytime I will come over to the nurse's station they would hardly look at me, and with their eyes on the computer screens they will ask "what do you want?" What about the lessons of selflessness and compassion and how we deserve so much more in compensation our administrator went on and on about at length during the orientation, isn't that hypocrisy/duplicity? That was the whole reason why I left my previous career! Is this what it is about? I know there are good and bad people everywhere. I have been a part of this Allnurses community for some time now so I understand that, but my resolve has been wavered; do I really want to be a nurse, should I be a nurse? I do not understand. I will gladly appreciate your input, thank you very kindly for reading through this rant.

I used to be in in finance, well audit. The salary was great, however lately all the external audits we have done those companies either go under or lay off a LOT of people. I simply decided one day I don't wish to be in a position where you tell businesses 'in order to churn a profit or make money, you lot must get rid of all these sods under you.' Honour and all that, so that's why I love Nursing. I am proud and happy of the fact how the salary is great, and there are advancement opportunities out there. I honestly don't know if there's a shortage or not as I haven't even started schooling yet (I do work as a sitter at a local nursing home for very little money so I can appreciate how grueling it is having spoken to people, and I have done rough studying before) but nonetheless, I love how caring for people can carry a good chunk of money too.

Thank you very kindly, I'll do just that. Much obliged. =)

Hi Guys, had a question regarding new admissions. I recently immigrated to US after marrying my sweetheart and am very interested in BSN. I am looking into getting an admission into Associates at a local community college, but can't seem to quite grasp how I'd be tested, I mean some colleges have wait lists, others have a criteria that assess your ability in terms of how capable you are, etc. I am 26 so I highly doubt they would accept my high school diploma from Britain (which was a concentrate in finance anyways) so what should I be expecting in this regard? I do know for a certainty I would have to take the four pre req classes... however is it possible to apply and stay on the wait list whilst I take those classes? Say, if I don't get into the program another semester in, can I still take other Nursing related classes (except for the fundamentals, of course) such as Anthropology, College Composition, Public Speaking, Nutrition, Psych, etc? Thank you very much for your time.