opdahlamber

I was terminated for reporting a coworker for abuse for stealing medications. Retaliation is real. While not supposed to happen, it does sometimes. That said, I would do it again in a P-wave.

Just my opinion here.. coming from 13 years as a CNA in LTC, then LPN, now RN.. all in LTC. You. Do. Not. Deserve. To. Wipe. Butts. Yep, that's right. You truly are not deserving. Please find exit to stage left. Please never come near my patients, even to take a blood pressure. Hell, even to watch them for a respiration rate. You do not deserve to be in medicine at all. You are the type of nurse that is hateful and horrible and the reason nurses in my field have a bad rep. No, I don't normally rant AT someone like this.. however, I find you disturbing in the extreme. Go be a fry cook.

God, the Q-word. I ask if it's been a boring day when I get in. Full moon. If I was DON or anyone doing a schedule, I would totally schedule at one extra person in each department during full moons. An extra CNA, an extra nurse... No joke. Trying to explain this set of phenomenon to my husband and son. They don't get it. Think I am full of poop.

It's a choice where I work too. Most of the support staff wear street clothes. Administration does business casual. DON and Nurse Managers..also do business casual unless the DON is actually on the floor, then she wears scrubs. The CNAs kinda waffle depending on personality. We nurses, we ALWAYS wear scrubs. We all know what's on them. And personally, I would like the visitors that come in to know that yes, I am a licensed professional, am am competent to care for their loved ones. We also made a fuss until our titles were put on our name tags. CNA, LPN, RN, Activites, etc. I think that is a big deal.. to know who to ask for mom's morphine.

'LOL?

Personally, if Brad Pitt, George Clooney, or any other male nurse, doctor, or millionaire dreamboat showed up at my door wanting nothing more than my body, they would get a door slammed in their face. My husband is THE MOST gorgeous, sexy, darling, kind, loving, PERFECT man in the world and I would die before I cheated on him. You are a very nasty person. And I am quite sure you are not ever going to be popular with any group of women.

I worked in a really small LTC care center as an LPN. We all know that does not mean not busy. I was able to bring my hubby to work for a shift once. He got to see me be all charge nurse and professional.. . He has not once since that God awful night complained. I think he saw me fly by the desk a few times and that was it. We got home and he even let me pee first! I don't think they understand the difference between their wives (or husbands, partners, etc) and the NURSE. He told me at the end of it I was a completely different person at work, but he loved me and appreciated me a lot more. Thank God for my husband. :)

Just started my last class for my RN. I worked as an LPN for a little over a year before going back. My initial goal was to be a teacher someday when I grow up. That goal is now dead and stinky by the roadside. My school has a 5 point grading scale; as in an A is 95%. To get into a Master's program to be a teacher (where the true shortage is), I have to have a certain GPA. Guess what? I'm passing with B's and will not have that GPA I need to be a teacher. So I either pay out of pocket for a BSN (or find an employer that can help with tuition) and ROCK those classes so I can get more financial aid, or I give up on my nursing teacher dream. IT IS HARD!!! Nursing school is incredibly difficult. I'm the girl all my classmates hate; I don't have to study, I am good at tests and I can get very difficult concepts quite easily. But those test questions... they definitely are not for the faint hearted. One good thing to remember. In two years, you will look back and laugh at yourself now. This too shall pass.

My husband and I have this discussion. Our decision thus far is as follows: I make more money than him. He finds a job that works around my schedule. Or he doesn't and stays home to be Mr. Mom. He didn't go to school for 6 years to be able to do a job that he absolutely adores. Therefore, my schedule trumps his. See if your husband can maybe tweak his schedule. Will he work with you so that you can fufill your dreams? Seriously, nursing was important enough to you to go thru nursing school (aka HELL). Asking the person who loves you more than anyone else to make a sacrifice is NOT unfair or wrong. Talk to him. And btw, night shift rocks socks. And yes, I love it even with a child.. that way, your child gets the best part of your day, the most energy from you; instead of the leftovers.

Iowa IS doing this. As of 2015 (April), if you have not already taken RN Boards, you will be getting a BSN. They are doing this by licensing restrictions. The first renewal is at 2 years, so at that time you must be ENROLLED in a BSN program. By the next renewal (3 years) you must have GRADUATED that program. If these requirements are not met, you will not be granted your license. RN's that take their Boards before then are obviously grandfathered in but a lot of the hospitals (even rural) are just flat out not hiring ADN grads anymore. It's a tough situation.

I think we should question every single order that we see that makes us feel all funny inside (nurse's instinct). There is not a dang thing wrong with calling the MD and saying, "I saw this and was wondering..could you explain to me why this is, because I am not sure." Be tactful. Saves our behinds, saves their behinds, and best of all, saves our patient's lives.

I have to say this. I completely feel the thanklessness a lot. I totally get the cynical feeling we all have at times. But ladies and guys, if we really feel this way most of the time, why do what we do? Why be nurses? I think that our patients, our families and ourselves are much better served by getting out of the field if we feel this way. I tell my family and friends that if I won the lottery tonight, I would still be a nurse. I LOVE BEING A NURSE. I hope we all feel this way, or honestly, we shouldn't be doing it. I hope this doesn't offend anyone, but rather make us all evaluate. Are we really unhappy about our jobs most of the time? Or are we rather more like what I feel; love my job, but sure do have moments like, "Are you seriously making me work this short-staffed?" and "Gee, sir, I know your toe hurts at a "10" but my patient in the next room is actively dying of pancreatic cancer, and pretending he's not in horrifying pain". These moments are way behind the moments where a family member who just lost a loved one gives me a hug and thanks me for caring for them with grace and dignity.

GrnTea, again, you are always my fave poster. Perfect! I think one of the very first lesson that should be taught in nursing school is very easy: LISTEN TO YOUR PATIENT. This will always have exceptions but most of the time, they are right. I have had it borne out time and again, both as a patient and a nurse. I think there does need to be some EBP research on this, though.

Oh hell yes! That is exactly and completely true and wish we had a totally love button!

A 6-8 page paper instead of a test? Sign me up! Here I will write the paper for you. Caring: We become nurses because we care. We care abut people, we care about their health.... etc etc. Seriously? College requires you to write papers. If you can't hack it, don't go.