denles

I'm sorry to hear that you are going through this. I know of a few nurses who had this difficulty. Their passion for nursing kept them in the program, but I have to say...they quickly found that it followed them into the work field. I know of one out of about 4 that still is working as a nurse and like you said, is needing medication to get her through the shifts. I think that sometimes, what we want and what we can do is two different things. I mean no intention of discouragement, but please re-evaluate the situation and put yourself and your health at the top of the list. Maybe a less hands on career but still in health care is the answer. Have you considered Unit Management (HUC)? Just a thought. good luck..we are all praying for you.

As the nurse...YOU CANNOT let this type of behavior go on. No..they will not like you because you are doing your job but that isn't the issue. The issue is you have a facility of vulnerable adults who are not able to care for themselves and rely on the staff to take adequate care of them. This obviously isn't happening. I would look into your facility discipline policy as well as consult with your supervisor. Sounds like a performance improvement plan needs to be put in place and real quick before one of your residence developes a complication due to poor care.

As an LPN...I can tell you...the schooling is no Cake Walk. It is intense and you must be able to advance quickly. I'm sure RN schooling is more intense and even harder. If you are looking for a quick "in" to the profession, be prepared for 1 year of intense LPN training. Since you already have a great number of pre-req's under your belt...it may be the way to go. Once that is achieved, consider continuing on. Good Luck in what/which ever route you deside. Its a great profession :)

I'm new here...so I'll try to tag on to this thread appropriately. I've been an LPN since 1985. Even back then the threat of phasing out LPN's was talked about. We where told "there will alway's be a place for LPN's in the health care field". Some went on to get their 2,3 or 4 year RN degree's right away.....some like myself went right to work(I was a single parent with a small child, I needed to work at a job with benefits right away). I've been working pretty much full time ever since. Sure....I took what I could get but really enjoyed every position. I was able to get into a State position right after graduating. I stayed there for 6 years and learned so much (I was in one of the first Expanded role of the LPN classes offered). I was able to insert NG's/GT's right away, do phlebotomy for lab tests, as well as become a Charge Nurse. Since then..I've worked in just about every aspect of Health Care including Managing a Home Medical Company as well as an ADON. Today, I live in the midwest and have started to hear these things again. Just the other day while at work, my boss was telling me about a meeting she was in, in which a group of RN's where appauled that I...ME .. ..an LPN! was doing the job I do. They went on to ask my boss why..she wasn't afraid to let me do the job I do (I'm a Community Nurse...part of a team where RN's and LPN's work together as a whole..really no difference between us...we are all introduced as "NURSES"). She (my boss..who by the way has a Masters in Nursing) proceeded to tell these RN's that I was more than capible to do the job ...probably better than her. I've come to the conclusion that maybe..possibly it is a FEAR that this mentality has..a FEAR of just maybe an LPN may take the job that they may want some day. Also...there is a bit of anger possibly because they went to school longer than LPN's and they feel that makes them "Better". Sorry....you may be more book smart...but you are not BETTER. Experience is the key. You learn so much more by doing it than reading it. I've had to show BSN RN's and MSN RN's how to insert a foley catheter...I've been asked what simple medications such as Colace is used for.....I've had to deal with families who have lost a loved one because they couldn't do it...and why??? Because I've done these things over the years.. I've been lucky. I've been able to work often with people who do not judge the letters that follow my name. They have allowed me to grow as a person and as a Nurse while keeping me within the scope of practice allowed. I personally have no desire to work in a Trauma Unit or Teach or Manage a department. I just want to be a NURSE..plain & simple. I'm 40 now. I have no desire to go back to school. I truly hope that Nursing as a whole gets a clue. There is a Nursing shortage. Lets all bring something positive and good old experience to the table. Lets cut the "I'm an RN and you're only an LPN" way of thinking. There is a place for all of us in this field.