StevieNae

Time to turn up the overhead music so other customers don't walk out or get sick and blame the food. No filter on these students! I mean really, who can talk about the best way to empty a colostomy bag and still be shoveling chocolate pudding in?

Are there any RN's out there that began as LPN? I'm an LPN and I'm trying to decide if I should quit nursing all together or further my education. I've been an LPN since 2010. I've been in medical since I was 18. I'm 39 now. Medical is all I know. I've struggled to find my place in nursing. I love geriatrics, thought I'd found a home in Memory Care. Loved the job. Loved the field. Loved my residents. Hated the drama fest and back stabbing that came with it. I'm seriously considering giving up my LPN. Problem is I don't know if I should just give it up and change fields all together or go for my RN which will open other doors. At this point in my life as much as I've struggled with finding a place as an LPN I don't know if going through RN would be worth the time, trouble, effort and sacrifices. Anybody been in my position? Help.

I work in Assisted living for memory care only. I love it. We also have a resident with roll upon roll of toilet paper issues. Only my resident is causing plumbing problems with it and the cardboard center. The best we can do, as difficult as it is, try try try to redirect. The confetti is a good idea. If your resident is thinking there is a rash it won't hurt to advise him the doc changed the treatment from the use of toilet tissue padding to a special cream. Use barrier cream. No Rx needed. Not harmful. And you are not medicating your resident. We only use medicine when the resident is uncomfortable or a harm to others. Yes, visiting other apartments can become a larger issue, but avoid meds. Ask the family what might he like to do. Checkers, dominos? Get as much info on him as you can to use to come up with a valid redirection that is good for this resident. Lots of luck!

I've been in the medical field since 1994. It's all I know...and LOVE. I have experience in billing, transcription, reception, medical records, and insurance referrals/authorizations. Since obtaining my LPN in 2010, I've struggled with it grealty. Graduated 3rd in my class, Nightingale Award and perfect attendance. I've worked 12 weeks on med surg-stroke floor, 4 months in a nursing home (love geri patients) and a year for a general surgeon in the office. I'm currently taking a break from nursing b/c frankly, I'm sick of the way I've been treated by employers. I've not found 1 employer that would give any credit for my past experience b/c it is not "nursing" so I've been forced to take jobs that pay so low I can't have a car and a house payment at the same time, if I want to feed my kids. I recently got remarried and started taking service calls for my husbands computer business- just one service call (one hour) is what I can make in a full day as working as an LPN. I've left a career that I LOVE b/c I cannot support a family on loving my career. It's very frustrating. I considered flipping to RN, but the loans and bills still wouldn't be worth the salary and I do not want to lock myself into 12 hour shifts, nights and weekends only to be overwhelmed by nurse to patient work load. At this point in my life, I'm going to train at a locally owned physician's office (not owned by a large company, doesn't even accept assignment or file insurance, except Medicare) just to cover for sick leave and vacation. I want to keep my skills and license up. I COMPLETELY understand where you are. I wish I'd never have gone to nursing school. I felt I was making a career advancement, instead I started ALL over! It was a horribly tough decision, because I loved nursing, but for now I'm happy staying at home with my kids and helping with our home business.

I am a LPN, but I had never heard the Decadron slow IVP. I've never had to push IVP it so I was unaware. I had to go to our local ER last night for an anaphylactic reaction. I'd already had 50 mg crushed Benadryl and 50 mg swallowed followed by 2 Epi-pen injections. (yes, I'm as bad as every nurse when it comes to being a patient). Since I'd had to use the Epi-pens for the first time (well I really didn't have a choice. My husband wouldn't have it any other way. Guess in all the excitement he forgot he'd be missing out on my life insurance) despite my symptoms clearing the nurse line advised I should go ahead and go to the ER. When I got to the ER the only thing they really needed to do was monitor me until it completely subsided and ordered Decadron IVP with a steriod Rx to follow it with. I am here to personally attest IVP Decadron should never be given fast unless medically urgent. The nurse flushed, pushed and flushed and OMG instantly I felt a burning going through my back, down my spine and got very intense running from the front of my pubic area straight through to my rectum. It was very weird and luckily it was gone as quick as it came. I don't blame the nurse, but I can certainly attest it should be given S....L....O....W......IVP unless medically urgent.