nightwatchlpn

Love it!!!

"If you feel so compelled to complain, whine about and defend your choice to be an LPN, you don't exactly sound proud OR happy. You sound wounded, unhappy and defensive. About your choice to be an LPN. EMPHASIS on "your choice." I'm so tired of LPNs crying about being LPNs. Seriously. I love LPNs and think they're great! But so many around here have a such a chip on their shoulders because they're not as educated as RNs or WHATEVER. Guess what? The truth sucks! You aren't as educated as an RN! What, isn't that obvious? You might be a better, more experienced nurse, sure! I know lots of LPNs who could nurse CIRCLES around RNs. But circle away.....you still don't have as much education. If you have a problem with that (or have a problem with OTHER people having a problem with it), then get back to school and fix it. Crying about other people's "RN" isn't putting it after your name. " Wow... I sure hope that I never have the unfortunate experience of coming across someone like yourself when I'm looking for support. You're about as supportive as a wet noodle! It sounds to me like no one ever taught you the very important lesson of "don't judge someone until you've walked a mile in their shoes." I am sorry that you are so very judgmental, and the very epitome of the type of nurse that nurses speak of when they say "nurses eat their young." You really need to put some of your self righteousness in check, as your poor attitude and insensitivity makes me seriously wonder how you managed to get yourself in the field of nursing and fear for the emotional health of those entrusted in your care. You really should be ashamed of yourself. Tisk, tisk.... While you may have a list of credentials that display your education, so do a lot of LPN's. A lot of whom hold degrees in other fields, rendering them quite educated. This site is intended to be a place where nurses of all types and tiers can come together, find support, often where they are lacking it in their jobs (Hmm... Possibly working with people like yourself???) and find information, resources, and people who are understanding to their plights. All that said, I'll express one last thought. You have no idea the circumstances of people's lives that dictate their choices. I'm happy that you had the choice, really I am. However, you might think about humbling yourself just a bit as we aren't all so blessed to have the opportunities, the finances, the circumstances or the choice to go back to school. Honestly, you should be ashamed of yourself. Don't think for a moment that feeble attempt to avoid classic passive-aggressiveness falls on deaf ears in the nursing community. You are again, the epitome of what nurses hate about nursing. I guess you skipped the class on self awareness? Maybe they only taught that in LPN school...

I work in a residential school for severely dev. disabled kids. It very much resembles LTC in a lot of ways and I can tell you that I have been told on NUMEROUS occasions to not document certain things. I know that at least in my case it's more a case of administration trying to avoid parents filing lawsuits. However, to speak to the patient advocacy subject; I am in the same boat. I have a pt with a chronic venous ulcer, several years now. In trying to advocate for better wound care, different dressings (none were being used) and a possible consult with a wound care specialist, you would have thought I asked for the moon! I have received more flack for advocating for these kids than I am willing to admit. I had to make a report of child neglect to DCFS last year, and as a result, a direct care employee was terminated for neglect and a charge was found against him. I can say that my life here has been nothing short of miserable ever since... At least 2 of my pts currently have wounds that would benefit from some real wound care, regardless of who performs it. Getting such simple things as orders for wound care, clarification on a lack of orders, dressings, etc is nearly impossible. I'm happy to say that student number 1 (the one I first mentioned) is now finally seeing a wound care specialist regularly (after one year of my 'advocacy' being ignored) after we hired a much needed RN who suggested it strongly. I have to say though, she said all the same things I had been saying for a year! The important thing though is that he's getting tx now. Student number 2, I guess we'll see. I still document what I see, what I do, etc but have learned to work within the confines of such a facility to protect myself as much as possible. The question I always ask myself is "would the board of nursing back me up on this?" If the answer is "no" then I don't do it. Sometimes I guess it comes down to knowing that another job, I will find. Another license, I will not. As a supervisor, I encourage my staff to do the same as well.