gbrentrn

I found this new software to REALLY capture CNA documentation CORRECTLY!!! I wish we could get it. You guys gotta check it out and see what I mean. I guess it was written by a MDS Coordinator. How perfect! Someone who understands what we actually need. It is called S-cores.

A POA only takes over making decisions WHEN YOU CAN NO LONGER MAKE DECISIONS FOR YOURSELF! Is this the case? If he can say anything that resembles his will to live, we MUST comply! Just remember....POA IS WHEN YOU CAN NO LONGER SPEAK FOR YOURSELF!

I was a bedside nurse as an independent contractor. I made $55 per hour, and at that rate if you work only 40 hours per week, the annual salary is $114,000.00 per year. I could have worked that much, but I chose to work only 72 hours (six days) per month. I completed the 6 consecutive days and then took the rest of the month off. It was a quick $4000.00 for the month, and a GREAT summer with my children! Independent contracting is the only way that I know of to make $100,000.00 per year as a bedside Med/Surg/Tele nurse. Most recently, I worked as an independent contractor in a small town ICU, and my rate was $42.50 per hour. I would work 32-40 hours per week by choice, and my salary at that rate at 40 hours per week would be approx. 88,000.00. It is possible without killing yourself as a bedside nurse. The only problem is that you have to pay for your own health insurance, and when you take time off you do not get paid for it. I didn't see this as a problem, because I was making so much money that I could just take time off with the money I have saved up in the bank. What I was tired of after doing this and travel nursing for 5 years is that I just wanted to belong somewhere and not be the "agency nurse" anymore. I just started a job as a Nursing Supervisor with all of the benefits and a salary of $60,000.00. I plan to do independent contracting again in a few years. I just needed a break from being the "outsider". Gloria Brent, R.N.

I am surprised on the postings that I have read, because they do infer that in fact many nurses do make $50,000 or more. That is not the case where I practice nursing. I live in Upstate NY, and the rate of pay for an experienced RN in the hospital setting is about $35 - 45,000. I am an independent contractor, so I have found a way to make more money, because I can't live on the average rate of pay for a nurse. The last time I interviewed for a position as an employee of a facility with 6 years of nursing experience (that was 4 years ago) they gave me an hourly rate of 17.50 ($36,000.00/year). I can't live on that with a family, house, etc. (My husband is a stay-at-home dad) I decided to go into travel nursing and then proceeded to become an independent contractor. Now I make $75,000.00 per year and I only work about 32 hours per week. What a big difference and I do the same job!!!! I have asked people what they make as a starting pay now for an experienced nurse, and I have been informed that the pay is about $20 per hour give or take 1-2 dollars. I don't know what the pay is for a new nurse though. Good Luck with your research!

I was reading your entry, and I understand what you are speaking of. I believe that using the Wong Baker Scale of Faces is extremely important when administering medications to people who are verbally unresponsive. I teach a Skills Enhancement Course for Nurses related to all aspects of nursing care, but one specific part of my instruction is regarding exactly what you are speaking of. I am brought in by facilities to offer education regarding specific areas of instruction that administration feels is needed. There are very few companies that you can call upon to do what I do, but they are out there. Better yet, you can ask them to teach about that and maybe some other skills that your nurses are lacking. My company is fairly new, but we are aware that some facilities need just what we have to offer.

Practice, Practice, Practice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!