TeaPlease

It's so nice to see/hear "mox nix." Nobody around me knows what the heck I'm saying when I say it ?

I was laid off from a hospital that went "all RN" about twelve years ago. Decided to try another career. Went into an online business with a partner for about five years. The partnership dissolved in 2010. The business was closed as one person couldn't run the operation single handed. Back to nursing....I'm currently making a bit LESS per hour than my hospital wages twelve years ago. Frankly, I'd be delighted if the worst thing about my day was listening to complaints from staff and patients. I won't go into my job description as it's similar to most LPNs.....let's just say its very very busy, involves mucho complaining from staff, residents, family members.....and it's on a shift that I would detest if I allowed myself to complain. Count your blessings. Do the financial math. If you feel the need to try something else, go for it, but know that you might be leaving a great gig

The opportunity to attend nursing school will exist next year, and even later. Put yourself on the Budget From Hell. Save half of anything you can and put it in the nursing school piggy bank. Put the other half towards paying down your current loans. Did you know that your student loan payment is primarily devoted to paying the monthly accumulated interest? If you make a second payment right after the monthly due date most of the second payment will be devoted to paying off principle. If for some reason your desire to go to nursing school vanishes, you'll have (hopefully) a decent nest egg to devote to things like emergency expenditures or retirement. Best of luck!

First, take a deep breath. You're the professional, and you're taking care of your patient. You assess that patient, note your findings, and perform the needed tasks, and move to the next patient. You aren't forgetting components of said assessment, so you're doing ok. Nervous is good. Looking up policies and procedures is good. Requiring extra time to complete tasks and perform care is normal for AT LEAST a year. Ask your coworkers ANYTHING that you can't discover on your own. We all learn new things! I hope that there's a preceptor who can guide you with the required patience and humor.....but first, deep breath!

Watched the Lawrence Welk show with a dotty aunt last month.....she said, "oh, this must be a rerun, his hair is still brown!" Didn't have the heart to tell her that Lawrence is leading the band in Heaven.

Not knowing either resident, or knowing just HOW somebody can wheeze and cough up blood at will, I'd send them out. ERs have capabilities that mere nurses do not. (Not that I'm calling anybody "mere" here lol)

You did the right thing. Very wise of you to question an order, and to take your concerns to the nurse. Just curious -- as a tech would you be able to clarify the warfarin order with the MD? At any rate I applaud you for using good judgement.

I've worked with many cringe-worthy nurses who can be compared to the OP.

I hit JC Penney a couple times a year and have always found white leather New Balance shoes for half price. No particular season, just clearing out for new stock. Foam inserts, two pairs of thick cotton socks from The Sock Lady, and antiperspirant on soles make my feet happy most days.

I use my sisters' organic soaps and shampoo....and lotion...the "natural/organic" stuff is so kind to my tough old hide.

Not exactly pocket-friendly, but a cup of oatmeal/protein powder/raisins/craisins nuked before work and mixed with applesauce stay tucked under the nursing station desk in my bag. A few bites here and there and I'm no longer the cranky hungry nurse.

I know several STNA's who make more per hour than some LPNs and RNs. The reason? Longevity. Staff who work for particular facilities started out at a much better pay rate if their initial employment date is prior to 2007/2008. I was laid off in 2005 and went into a job other than nursing until 2010. When I went back to nursing in 2010 & applied at local LTC facilities I was truly surprised to learn how much the pay for new employees had dropped. Doesn't matter if you have years of experience, they just don't pay like they used to. As a new nurse, just remember that these "high-paid" CNAs have earned their pay rate by staying put. Whatever you're making is better than zero.

It's time for a reality meeting with Those On High. It's unrealistic to expect a nurse to have an uninterrupted break, sorry. Even more unrealistic (and unethical) to threaten nurses with withholding pay if breaks aren't taken. If your people On High can freeze time for thirty minutes to guarantee an uninterrupted break have them call my people On High. ETA we don't get paid for lunch and if we work through break it's "not their problem"

I have zero assisted living experience, but plenty of LTC. If assisted living implements care plans, and if family/staff agree, the "right to fall" can be part of the care plan. Essentially this allows the resident to pursue his own activities & habits without the indignity of being monitored all.the.time. Our policy is to document falls without injury, and incident report falls with injury.

This is in a nursing home setting. We've had several codes in the last month (compared to ZERO codes in the four years I've been there). We don't have nurses with the authority to pronounce on full codes...just follow protocol and get EMS in there. Considering that 5 out of 5 residents that coded had fairly similar comorbidities I thought it was interesting that EMS used whatever their protocol was to pronounce on this particular code. NurseGirl525, you've got a point, but when massive injuries are involved in an MVA there are different protocols for EMS, I'd think.

Interesting! I'd never heard of this before and was a little surprised that EMS could do that. Most of the staff not involved in the code were a bit curious today. Thanks!

I've worked in a LTC facility for about four years. We've experienced four codes in the last several months. The standard protocol was observed: call Code Blue, start CPR and call 911. Our local EMS team is very familiar with our facility. I heard that the night shift recently had a code and the staff followed the normal protocol BUT that the resident was pronounced dead at the scene by the EMS team and that the MD confirmed time of death over the phone. Resident was full code. I'm a little puzzled. Is this a normal procedure in your area?

I'm a float nurse at a SNF. The busiest floor I work has 23 residents, 14 + BP/AP checks,plus at least five residents with full vital signs for varying reasons. G-tube, maybe 8 to 10 glucose checks with routine AND SSC....you get the picture. I strive to streamline the med pass by noting each resident's code status on my report sheet. (hey, ya never know....) I list everyone who needs VS/BP/glucose and visit those residents who require vital signs, also assess pain/PRN meds requested. Takes maybe thirty minutes. Start med pass in earnest and dole out routine meds/PRNs around 8 or 8:10 AM. It just seems to work better having taken required vitals before the actual med pass. Depending on the number of PRNs requested and how many interruptions I can generally knock out meds and have a very brief but pleasant convo with each resident in about 2-2 1/2 hours. I'd rather be beyond the two hour window and ensure safety and have a few assessments done rather than feel like a slave to the clock.

The 90's weren't that long ago!

Scorpions. Oklahoma. Ewwwwww.

"on fleeK' = on point, chic, and/or beautiful. I think its passe now, like "gee whilikers" (darn it)

Congrats on using your nursing judgement! Please don't be concerned about "bothering" your supervisor, DON, OR the doctor when you feel that something should be held OR if you question an order. 99% of nursing education is learning on the job. Most supervisors and some doctors enjoy giving a little education in response to a question. As to giving routine insulin dosage to a client with a blood glucose reading on the low side----if I don't have parameters written with the insulin order, I'll recheck glucose mid-meal or after the meal and will give the insulin if the numbers improve. THEN I will ask for parameters during business hours...or will leave a message with the powers that be voicing my concern over the client, and will include a weeks worth of glucose readings so the MD can decide if an altered dose is appropriate. But if you have an immediate concern PLEASE don't hesitate to text your boss or call the MD.

Northeast Ohio, 27+ years experience, 20.20 after three years in a national chain nursing home. Benefits and pay increases are bare bones but it's a job. Most facilities in the area are just about the same re pay/benefits. Folks employed prior to 2008 have a much better hourly wage.

I've been an LPN for 24 years. My highest hourly rate was 23.65, in 2007. That was the going rate for most LPN's in hospitals and LTC settings in that era. I was laid off in 2007 when they eliminated LPN's from the hospital and I did not work as a nurse again until 2010. NOW the rate is 19.50......new grads are making 17 an hour. This is Northeast Ohio. (nurses that have been employed for 8+ years in my current facility are still at around 23.75). Happy to have a job but the face of nursing has altered. Obviously, so has the pay!

I've been an LPN for 25 years. It's a saturated field that pays very little. The few new grads that were recently hired at the facility I'm at say that they applied to dozens of places prior to landing a job. The workload is overwhelming and the training isn't there. DO YOUR RESEARCH. Find out if the education costs are worth the hourly pay. You might consider being an STNA and see what nurses do on a daily basis. It's not pleasant, but you'd make enough as an STNA to qualify for grants and scholarships. It might make you decide to go into another more rewarding field. If I knew at 24 what I know now, nursing would be at the bottom of my career choices. I ALWAYS wanted to be a nurse...until the last ten years. Times have changed. Nursing has changed dramatically. A Northern Ohio nurse.