AnieleiLPN

In our office the nurses scribe, we then step out of the room and have the patient stay, and while doctor reviews/finishes the note I have a chance to go back to the room to do patient education. Our doctors are very good at providing education and with our system I fill in any missing pieces. Usually that includes which medications to hold while taking a short term medication such as an antibiotic or teaching patients how to use an insulin pen. With our system it does give me a little time that my doc has scheduled into every visit just so we can provide teaching. I really love that and feel it does help provide better care and fewer return visits for things that could've been avoided (we used to have a lot of people come back with diarrhea after starting an antibiotic now we routinely address that when one is prescribed).

I just had to share this encouraging and heartwarming experience. I know as an office nurse sometimes we hear the ideas that "real" nurses work in the hospital. I've even heard that from one of the doctors in my office who prefers to work with CMA's. I assisted with an ingrown toenail for a very sweet diabetic. When we finished the patient and spouse both shook my hand and said "Thank you". The patient told me it was because of excellent office nurses that this patient did not end up in the hospital because we answer questions when they call and give advice when patients have problems. It's also the excellent way we assist the doctors who couldn't do the job without us. Finally the patient said "God bless you for sacrificing some pay to be in a setting that makes so much of a difference to people like me." I about cried, but I felt so encouraged and needed to share.

Continue to be the best nurse you can be while still at your current facility, polish your resume, and apply for other jobs you see. A lot of offices take LPNs. Even if the description for an opening asks for experience, apply anyway sometimes they take other experience such as CNA, clinicals, etc and getting a good review from your current job over someone with a year of mediocre experience. If they want to hire someone else the worst you'll hear is "No". Say thank you and keep trying; eventually it will happen.

We get that a lot with FMLA paperwork. Patients come in to their chronic conditions follow up and say "You remember when I came in 2 weeks ago for back pain? Well I have paperwork to be off work that they told me had to be turned in today or else I have to return to work". When I ask when they got it they reply "The day after my appointment when I told them I had to be off work for a while". So I just say that I will fill it out when I have time that obviously it's not too important or they would have brought it in sooner. Same thing happened when school started. Parents would call school starts tomorrow so I need my kid seen today cause the paper they sent home at the end of last year says they need shots! Seriously!? Plan ahead. My favorite response was "well I didn't wanna ruin his summer by making him get shots"

The medical group I work in we were given a choice of 4 top colors that we can alternate throughout the week if we want. Jackets and pants have to be black and undershirts can be either white or black though they aren't real strict about that if the shirt doesn't show. But yes we are required to buy a certain brand so that the 4 colors are all the same shade. It's not so bad, gives us some variety (can wear any style and anyone of the 4 colors any day of the week) and we all look professional.

I've gotten the LPNs aren't as good as RNs but I just let it slide off my back. I work in a large hospital practice group and we have MAs, LPNs, RNs, NPs, PAs, and Drs and I've noticed that no matter what credentials you have there is always someone "better". MAs get asked why they didn't become nurses, LPNs get asked why they didn't get their RN license, the different level RNs get asked why didn't get a higher degree, the PAs and NPs get asked why didn't become doctors, and our doctors get asked why they didn't pick a real specialty lol. So it happens regardless of what education you have; don't sweat it. Do your best and prove you're just as good as any other nurse.

I work in a busy office but we all do referrals. We work in teams- 2 clinical staff members (we have MAs, LPNs and RNs) to a doctor. Usually whoever is available when the doctor is finished will do the referral but if neither clinical member is available the doctor looks at the SOAP note for who roomed the patient and puts the referral info on their desk. And if the clinical staff are all busy the doctors sometimes do their own referrals. As a whole our office works as a team.

I am now in my fourth week at my new job. I work in a hospital based family practice office/walk in clinic. We have four doctors and lots of patients. The hospital has started a new practice of having patients on controlled substances sign a contract about doing drug screens randomly, being asked to provide the Rx bottles, coming in for regular medication checks, and it asks pts to call at least 48hrs before the med is gone, them they do a baseline urine drug screen. We have a lot of children on ADD meds and parents are complaining and some even transferring out to a new office because we require the drug screens. So what's your opinion? Is it ok to drug screen children? I will add that we have had at least one child's drug screen come back negative for their meds even when parent claims they had it that day. I'm ok with it but I would like to hear some other opinions.

Wow that sounds pretty bad! No, you're definitely right to stay far away from that job. It sounds like the things that doctor is doing and having his staff do is clearly in violation of a lot of laws and you don't want to be an employee when it catches up to him. You're right, nurses don't diagnose, we assess, and in some states MA's can't even assess patients beyond vitals let alone diagnose and order treatments/tests. I just started working in an office with MAs and they aren't allowed to give allergy shots or tests because they don't have the critical thinking training to help a patient who has a bad reaction. So I think you made the right decision in turning down the job.

Hi all! I am a new LPN and I recently got a new job offer and have a pending offer (I have to be approved by the staff I will be working with). I am currently working for a non medical home care company and have had some unethical activities brought to my attention (aids not trained to give shots but giving insulin, tax issues, and being asked to work off the clock and paid under the table so a client with Medicaid could get more hours Medicaid has not approved and some other issues too). My question is I don't want my license associated with that and would like to quit, can I just quit or should I give notice even with all that's going on? Here in Indiana it's "at will" employment so I know that's not an issue.

Thank you so much for your comments. I think it was very easy to build this grand idea of this job in my head and on paper I can do it... on paper though lol. I did feel very apprehensive about the offer because I wouldn't use many of my skills I just learned. I will keep applying and being patient; and maybe ask for a raise instead of a promotion. I guess sometimes it IS easier to see the right decision when someone else points it out to you. Thanks everyone.

Hello everyone! I am a brand new LPN, got my license 8/14/2012. I've been working at a non medical home care company for 1.5 years now as a caregiver, but since I got my license my boss and I have been discussing a promotion to case manager. Our administrator is an RNMSN and my direct boss has a background in hc administration. I have looked for other jobs but so far no luck (may be too soon to count my chickens) so I thought about doing this until I find something else or to see if I like it. I was a department manager at Meijer for 1 year before I went to nursing school so I'm not new to management, but I have some reservations about me being a new nurse. From what I know of the position I would assist my boss with new client admissions and Medicaid/insurance, home visits to supervise caregivers, marketing, reviewing caregiver documentation, and keeping track of client info like code status. Any thoughts since I'm a new nurse but have management experience?