NurseJoy33

Yes to all of the above. I vaguely remember being taught that it's a felony to attack/harm a nurse while she's on duty.

Upstate NY 18.95 per hour. Ped Homecare. Graduated one year.

My thoughts exactly - suction equipment bedside is the proper set up. The facility is severely lacking, and you/your license are in danger by working there. Try hard to find another job even if it pays a little less. I left a better paying job for a lesser one due to issues that were threatening such as this. I never regretted it. Much to be said for piece of mind.

@ Cyde : I guess I got lucky with this agency, they also train you on the case before you start on your own. Keep trying something will come together.

What state are you in?

I am working HH, my first job out of school. I really love the quality care I get to give my patient. I do use my skills- assessing, gtube, vitals, complete care. I work two five hr. and one 12hr. shift. It's good for me as a part time gig till my boy gets older. The money is decent, and I love the family too.

It's so disheartening to realize that pain management is not being met for our patients. She's on hospice, she should be made comfortable. During her dressing changes. Like someone else mentioned - pain management needs to be addressed in your facility. That's really sad.

I am not understanding why YOU signed for meds that you did not administer?

I too am a home health nurse with no facility experience. As I read your post I could just imagine this happening to me! It must have been very scary for you. First of all they shouldn't have had you do the day shift after working all night - I know that I wouldn't be able to handle that. It's really so easy to make a mistake, just learn from it, and it will help you in the long run. I give you Kudos for landing a job in a facility, just know that this happens quite a bit, I'm sure. Don't let it stop you, just move on.

I work home health and am a new grad. The agency trains you on the case until your comfortable on your own. The agency that I am with is heavy into pediatrics. I love it.

I live in upstate NY. I think all of my class - graduated Dec. 2012 - is working. Some landed in LTC facility, I am in home care. Some HH agencies hire new grads. This agency provides orientation to the case with training, which I really like. I worked home health as a CNA before nursing school. I like the flexibility with the hours, pay is better than most Doc offices.Some agencies pay better than others. Mine is more on the low end of the spectrum at $19 per hour. There was one agency that was paying $22 -$30 per hr. I took what I could get. My first job out of school , I got my Medicaid provider #- paid better at $24.72 per hour, but the patient's mother was a bit of a flake so I left it.

I'm a fairly new gad LPN, and started in home health right out of school. There is orientation to get you comfortable with the case. So far I have oriented to several, and nothing that I can't Handle. One case I needed more time, they gave me four hrs to see if I liked it, but I need at least 12 more. The patient had a lot going on - trach, vent, cath....I have been doing Pediatrcs, it's nice, love children. I am happy with it so far. Flexible hours too.

I just snip the very tip off with a scissors, and squeeze.

I'm a fairly new grad with minimal experience and two agencies picked me up. Like you said I got a feeling that one is better. The better one tested you first - two tests that you must pass, pediatrics and geriatric. They give you on the job training, a full day orientation as per the agency rules and guidelines. The other agency, no test - seemed very unorganized, no orientation as yet. Always go with your gut feeling. Remember that Vagus nerve

I am a new grad LPN, graduated from a technical school. They were very strict on dress code, finger nails no longer than top of finger, hair up always no exceptions, uniforms neat and clean. We had to perform "complete" nursing care. Head to toe assessments everyday, bathing, dressing everyday. Meds were assigned usually every other day, due to instructor had to supervise as per policy, and with 9 students within 3 hours it was impossible to do them everyday. When we completed our assignment, if we had time we could sit in the designated area to do our care plans. We could then grab the chart, research the patient and so forth. I noticed the students were definitely lacking in certain areas that was very surprising to me. I am 50 yrs. old, so I thought it was due to my age, but after reading some of these posts it's clearly not me. The lack of good studying habits, compassion, common decency was truly disturbing. One student applied for the police force , and was called to take the physical during school. Failed physical due to drug test came back positive for marijuana. My feeling was number one that a nurse shouldn't be smoking pot on a daily basis ( she came to school high quite a bit). Secondly wanting to become a nurse, and also a police officer is kind of odd, totally different spectrums. Just a very odd bunch, made me fearful for the future patients out there, if this is what is filling up nursing classes.