tabbybear68

That worries me a bit as I am currently off on workers compensation and was hoping to go for my BSN in order to make myself marketable. Does this mean I am just flat out of luck?

Around where I live anyway there are a lot of less physical RN jobs more desk type positions. My brain is still valuable and I can still do some limited physical.

I was severely injured years ago and have since been working on the Excelsior ADN program. Though I have been unable to work I have maintained my LPN. I have been convincing myself that I could rehabilitate to the point of being able to do the CPNE. I have completed all the pre-reqs and nursing exams and am now CPNE eligible. It has taken years to get to this point and in that time instead of improving physically I have declined from the injury and ensuing surgeries as well as receiving several other diagnosis. I find myself having to admit defeat in that I am not physically able to complete the CPNE. I talked with an adviser who told me that I have 31 credit hours and therefore qualify for their bachelors program thereby by passing the CPNE. It would require nearly 60 more credit hours and quite a bit more money. She also said that I am pretty close to an associate degree in liberal arts which I don't think would really get me anywhere. I am at a loss. I have worked so hard and long and I don't want to give up entirely but I have to be realistic. Anyone have any thoughts or advise. I appreciate any in put. Thank you.

If it will indeed be the paperwork nightmare you are thinking then employers had best be offering the best insurance they can. I for one will take the best option available to me and my family regardless of how it effects my employer. I would really have to adore my employer to give a darn how my healthcare choices effect them. For a good many employers the $2,000 per employee fine will still be cheaper than giving us decent health coverage. I personally have not come across an employer that didn't take the cheapest route possible at least not so far.

What about an ombudsman? I have worked in a toxic environment and in that type of environment it is true your co-workers will turn on you and make your life a nightmare at work. I was working the night shift one night long ago with an older gruff former army nurse. She tended to think she knew it all and if one of the aids or myself went to her with something she tended to minimize it and brush us off. On this particular night one of our patients (LTC for profoundly physically and mentally disabled) was taking a turn for the worse. When the Aid reported the situation to her she told the aid to stop being so dramatic and to stop babying the patient. Said Aid caught me in one of the back halls and begged me to come take a look @ the patient which I did. She was indeed in trouble so I went to this nurse and explained what I had assessed. She became angry with me for " sticking my nose where it did not belong" being fairly new and insecure myself I backed down. Instead of confronting the situation with her head on I went behind her back and administered nursing care to the best of my ability for the rest of the night all the while praying that the patient would be okay until management arrived in the a.m. and that she would not catch me touching her patient. I am ashamed to say I was a coward, and a bad nurse that night. I did my best behind her back to keep the patient stable until first shift arrived and explained the situation, again behind said nurses back, to the on coming nurse. The Aid supervisor for nights who happened to be a friend of mine assisted me. I stayed and helped the first shift nurse get the patient transferred out. She was out of the facility in ICU for several weeks but she did survive Thank God. I caved under pressure and did not report her but my Aid Supervisor had courage and integrity and did. I was called in and interviewed but not reprimanded other than to never fear retribution from anyone when it comes to advocating for a patient. The gruff dismissive nurse was suspended. I have always felt and still do that I was just as guilty. I knew the situation was beyond what I could handle yet I put the patient at risk by trying to handle it myself for several hours before first shift arrived. I should have advocated for the patient with her nurse and if I still could not get her to listen to reason I should have called my supervisor in. It was a very hard lesson to learn but now I am a mama bear protecting her cubs when it comes to my patients or any other patients that need an advocate. You can do this, you must. Don't allow fear to stop you from doing your job report the abuse to management all the way to the top and beyond if you have too. You don't want to live with the guilt and regret should something happen that you could have prevented. JMHO