LTCNS

Many people associate obesity with laziness as well, but that's just not the case. I'm overweight and far from lazy, and many of my co-workers who are overweight run circles around their thinner counterparts. I have been overweight my entire nursing career and have not gone over two months without employment, even being picked many times over nurses who others would consider a "normal" weight. I'm 51 years old now and am still getting job offers

Four months lol! But that was because they had put a hold on the position until after the first of the year so I didn't get an offer until four months after my first interview. I had one interview in October of last year, a second interview in November that went very well and then...silence. I was offered the position in late January and started February 1st of this year. In the meantime I was doing agency work and had even accepted a full-time position at another job. Sometimes it just takes time :)

OP, I was exactly like you when I got my first job in LTC with 4 whole hours of orientation because the facility was horribly understaffed. I was always the "go to" nurse because I too worked 80+ hours a week because I couldn't say "NO." I worked 21 days of mostly doubles straight without a day off and became so exhausted I was dangerously close to being hospitalized. You know what made me start saying "NO" though? When the DNS and Administrator came to me one morning after a 16 hour shift and made me the oh so generous offer of buying my lunch if I would stay and work the day shift. I told them that not only was I exhausted and would not put my residents or myself at risk, but what they were asking was illegal. They did not care one iota about me or the residents. They just needed a warm body with a pulse. I had no problem saying "NO" after that. You wanna' know what kind of thanks I got when I finally wised up and put in my two weeks notice? I got black balled by the Administrator. I could not get a job in any other LTC owned by that management company although I worked out my entire notice. Start saying "NO" because you are just a warm body to them. They obviously do not care about you or the residents. I wouldn't feel one tiny ounce of guilt. Just say "NO!" Got that?

I can count on one hand in my 20 years of working in LTC how many residents I told I loved them, because I truly did. I had formed a bond with those particular residents and was, in most cases, the only "family" they had. I was like a daughter/granddaughter to them.

As a LPN of 20+ years, I have had many, many skilled nursing home patients go "bad" on me. Taught me how to think on my feet and with experience I learned how to care for critically ill patients. Now as a Clinical Documentation Specialist and still a LPN, I am REQUIRED to critically think and know all about ABGs, how to "see" sepsis and acute renal failure (Just two examples) just by looking at labs. Don't be afraid of taking care of critically ill patients. It can be very rewarding.

At the hospital I am employed in HIPAA violations are taken very seriously. I was reprimanded by the Privacy Officer for taking a picture of some training books I had piled on my desk. Just the books...No titles or pictures showing, no patient info. visible whatsoever...just thick books...I was given a very stern warning to never do that again. ETA: It was my first day on the job and I wanted to show the hubby all the training materials I had to read.

Sometimes people have things going on outside of work we have no idea they are dealing with, so they may come across as overly dramatic and over reactive to every little thing. You never know.

If I turned down every job offer I have received as a LPN over the past 20 years based solely on hearsay about the SNF, clinic or hospital, I would be a housewife Give it a chance and find out for yourself. Every place has it's "issues." You just might love it :)

Think of it like this. If someone else witnesses his disgusting, twisted behavior and you are in the room with him & making no attempts to stop him, then he gets reported, you will go down with him because it would appear as if you are condoning his actions. By NOT reporting him you are putting your livelihood, license and freedom at risk. What this jerk is doing is a crime. I would not risk it if I were you. This is serious and needs to be stopped.

I'm in MS. and have 20 years experience. I make $52,000 per year. No longer at the bedside. I work 7am-3:30pm Monday-Friday.

$27 an hour in MS. with 20 years experience, no longer at the bedside.

Patience grasshoppa' :) It took me almost 4 months to hear from HR with the job I have now and it was worth the wait. I doubt it will take that long for you to hear anything. Just echoing the PPs

All that and the judge didn't sign his papers on Thursday. They were backlogged with emergency commitments and he was on the bottom of the pile. The next pick up is on Wednesday. I'm devastated. Because he hasn't hurt anyone he is not an emergency. I feel terrible knowing he could have been on his way yesterday if I had just pushed them.

Long story short, I have a 30 year old son who had everything going for him, then lost everything over a year ago. Since then he has become increasingly depressed, refusing professional help. He hates my husband and holds a grudge against me for marrying him. There have been outbursts of screaming and threats, but no violence towards my husband or myself. He recently had to move back home and does not come out of the room, he sleeps all the time and has no motivation to get a job. Fast forward to this morning. He came out of the room as I was getting ready for work and absolutely lost it. He called me a ****, a whore and a *****. He overturned the couch and kicked a huge hole in the wall of the foyer. He is angry because I haven't left my husband and gotten a place for he and I to live together. He absolutely hates me and said I chose a **** for my ***** over him. He's always been protective of me but now he hates me I went to the courthouse and filed papers to have him committed because jail will not help him. He has issues that I cannot help him with. I love him and want him to get help but am now feeling horrible because he will be picked up Friday morning and taken to a treatment facility. Please tell me...Did I do the right thing? Or will it make him worse? What if they decide he is "okay" and don't keep him? Please help me. He probably won't even want me to visit him while he's there

In my area there are 2 hospitals hiring LPNs in med/surg & telemetry, but the majority hire LPNs in hospital affiliated outpatient clinics. I work in a hospital as a Clinical Documentation Specialist, but it is strictly non-bedside with about 80% of my time spent on each floor/unit reviewing charts and EMRs.

"I know you've already worked 16 hours, but if you will stay over just 4 more hours I'll buy your lunch." Umm...yeah...no.

Ignore it. I imagine he's just trying to stir the pot. Don't fall for it

I haven't read all the responses OP, but I did want to stop in and offer my support and ((((HUGS)))). Thank God I was raised to be color blind. I truly do not see race, I see the person behind the color. Go with your heart and keep your chin up.

It does the same thing to me. I discovered awhile back that if I take it to help me relax it does just the opposite, but for allergies it works well. The one time I took it for sleep was the longest night of my life. Never again. My husband thinks it's all in my head. I think I'll show him this thread

What's so very frustrating for me, as a chronic pain sufferer from fibromyalgia, grade 2 spondylolisthesis, horribly painful idiopathic neuropathy, bone spurs in my neck and degenerative cervical disc disease, those who drug seek make it very hard for people like myself to get the relief they need. There are times I am in excruciating pain and probably should be treated in an ED setting, but I find myself not seeking help for fear of being labeled as a drug seeker. I feel as those like myself who genuinely suffer very real pain are punished because of those who just want to get high. Most physicians these days are scared to write Rx for pain meds. for fear of being taken out in handcuffs for abusing the system. With all that said, I am extremely sympathetic to opiate addicted patients. Someone very close to me is opiate addicted and it breaks my heart to watch it. I know how addictive opiate pain meds. can be because of the way they make people who take them feel, and how hard and scary it is to try and get clean. My heart goes out to those who are dependent on them to get through the day.

Exactly. Good job :)

Good on you for advocating for your resident! A temp. of 101 would've had me sending her to the ER as well. I would rather deal with the PTB than find myself sitting in court answering as to why the resident was left untreated when she clearly showed s/s of a UTI, then rapidly declined and died from septic shock. Not on my watch. I'm curious...What was her blood pressure before you sent her out?

I work five 8 hour shifts a week Monday-Friday and I love it. Thankfully my manager is flexible and will work with us in the event of docs appointments and such :)

Oedgar, it is unreal how much you and I have had in common in our job situations! Your new job/environment is so similar to mine it is uncanny, except I'm working as a Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist, but in the exact same situation as far as office dynamics as you are, and I too am a LPN . I'm also working in HIM LOL!!! Congrats! Those pee and lunch breaks are nice huh?

I 100% agree with sallyrnrrt and oedgar as to your mom keeping her license active. I have seen many LPNs in their late 60s/70s working PRN in very fast paced clinics and loving every minute of it. I just turned 51 years old and since I have finally been blessed with a fantastic opportunity with a major hospital, I can easily see myself working into my 70s as long as my health allows me to do so.