lorrie

That's great. I 'll be passing that one along.

When I was going through LPN school I had every disease / illness known to man. After I finished I was a normal healthy human being. I am now back in school finishing my RN, and as I type I am convinced I have MRSA. And I guess from reading everyone else's post this isn't completely insane. Or either everyone that has posted is (haha) lots of luck and it should get better.

You know you're a nursing student when: The only clothes in your laundry basket are white uniforms and those hideous pentifores. I wonder if i can ever still wear my street clothes?

Pizza is the way to my heart, I would have loved that doctor forever. In alabama, we too have a tendency to use sugar, honey, etc. so i would have taken " good lady " with a grain of salt, smiled, and ordered pizza. The doctor I work for usually buys the office lunch every friday for the week's hard work. I really appreciated that too.

I have been a LPN for about two years, so I am not totally clueless of what's involved in patient care, although I am still very green. I am also finishing up my RN degree. We started our ICU clinicals last week for my RN. Oh my gosh, I was so lost. I felt as if I had never been a nurse a day in my life. I was so overwhelmed by ventilators, trach's, chest tubes, central/arterial lines. I always thought well what is the difference between an RN and LPN. I have a completely new outlook after spending a day on that floor. Is everyone overwhelmed by ICU at first. I thought I really had it together as a nurse before that experience. I know if I felt completely in control and unintimidated it would not have been a learning experience, but I have never felt like I was drowning. Will ICU ever be better, I hope so I have it here on out.

RealNurse, Thanks so much for the address for NFLPN. What a great site. Also thanks everyone else for the posts. The situation never seems as bad when someone knows where you are coming from.

I am currently enrolled in an ADN program and now feel GREAT about it. These posts were so encouraging. Thank you so much.

The other day I went for a job interveiw for a LPN position and was asked by the interveiwer " Now do you know how to take a blood pressure?" I probably looked like a truck hit me. I was so stunned by this question. I have also been in situations where co-workers have asked do you know how to give a shot? I just wonder what people think LPN's do, and if they have any idea of what the curriculum covers. I just get really tired of constantly having to reaffirm our ability to carry out the most basic nursing procedures. I sometimes feel that people do not look at LPN's as being real nurses, and that aggravates me so much. I am currently in an RN program, and people who know I am a LPN still make comments like " So you're going to be a nurse one day." It is said without trying to be demeaning, they simply have no idea. I have worked with some wonderful nurses both LPN and RN's and respect both, but some of the LPN's I have worked with share the same frustration as I do. Anyone else? Does anyone know of any LPN forums or bulletin boards?

When I took boards about two years ago, it was a little bit of this , and a little of that. It was pretty evenly distributed among all areas of study. Good luck!!

I did not see that ER episode. By the time I get home I'm like if I have to hear one more medical term or get emotionally involved with another patient I am going to scream. However, I have been unintentionally sucked into Gideon's Crossing. That is unfortunately a awesome series. I leaves me an emotional wreck. However, I too can take offense to things like that. Know where you are coming from.

know what. best place to look for these types of answers is the texas board of nursing. if anyone can give you facts it should be them.

LPN- licensed practical NURSE. I do not know about Texas in particular, but just about every other state in America allows LPN's to give injections. That was basically the idea of going to nursing school, having pharmacology and medication administration. Further more, why would the NP be responsible if the person is licensed by the state board of nursing to perform this type of procedure? So far as untrained personnel giving injections and medication administration, I would like to know the answer myself. They are pretty much phasing out nurses in walk-in clinics locally, and hiring untrained personnel they can train on the job and pay less. I have been told they work under the MD's license.

dixie this is very odd but this is exactly something i have been up against myself now for a while. it is very scary that unlicensed personnel are perfoming the exact same tasks as a nurse. a person off the street could watch a doctor do a cardiac cath for five years, eight hours a day and probably go through the motions himself after a while, but not knowing why he was doing what he was doing, or the consequences of a wrong move. i just feel a little uncomfortable with people "going through the motions" but having no idea why. i am currently putting in phone calls and e-mails regarding the legality of the situation and will definately keep you posted on the findings.

jd if you are interested in the nursing profession. GO FOR IT! As a male nurse you will be appreciated and have alot of opportunities thrown your way. I am a LPN and have been for two years ,I have chosen to go back to school for my RN degree because of the pay difference and broaden my opportunities. I would not go so far as to say LPN's do not have alot of opportunities because we do, so do not worry about not being able to find work as a LPN. If you have only got a year to spare and you are not completely sure you will enjoy nursing, go get your LPN if you can do it in one year(the program i went through was 15 months). You have nothing to lose only experience to gain by it. If you decide you want to stay in nursing there are LPN-RN mobility programs. It is only taking me three semesters to complete my RN degree. So go for it and best of luck. lorrie

first and foremost congradulations!! and settle down, don't drive yourself crazy. when i took boards i studied day in and day out and just about went bonkers. i took the board exam and afterward thought"why in the world did i kill myself for this" in my opinion you cannot study for board, it what you have learned throughout the entire program. just hits the hot spots and areas you are not comfortable with. do not get me wrong boards were extremely difficult, but just relax and feel confident in yourself. good luck lorrie

chili i will completely agree that CNAs do deserve a higher pay scale. they do have a very tough job. i am sorry that you feel that there is an injustice. but i will say this, it is not only CNAs it is everyone that feel they are shortchanged in the medial field. it is a hard job that alot times goes unappreciated along with underpaid. i also believe that any CNA that wants to pursue nursing, medicine, or any health related field will have valuable experience to draw from. lorrie

susanmary the term brainless comment was not at all intended to be a derogatory comment towards myself. It was intended to be funny. looks like it didn't go over well. but thanks for the reply anyways, and so far as brainless comments, I think you are right doctors probably take the cake. lorrie [This message has been edited by lorrie (edited January 18, 2001).]

I am in no way trying to belittle or put down MA's or MLT's..if I do so, my sincere apologies, that is not my aim. Having said that.... okay i am a lpn and was forced to quit my full time job to finish up my rn degree. i needed a low stress job so i accepted a position at a walk in clinic. this is where this otherwise boring story takes a turn. i am usually the only nurse there, the rest are medical lab tech's . they are referred to as nurses and carry out every nursing duty without limitations. they answer nursing calls regarding medications, call in medications. i was just wondering is this common practice in walk in clinics? I took a HUGE pay cut to take this job, and I am wondering are nurses being phased out of outpatient ambulatory patient settings for cost containment? [This message has been edited by lorrie (edited January 18, 2001).]

My previous job was in a very busy physicians office. One day we were really busy, I was seeing patients as fast as my legs would take me. After completing a patient, and on my way to call back another, I yelled to the doctor "The next patient is in the room worked up and waiting for you." After realizing what an incrediably stupid thing I said, I thought maybe "The next patient is completed and is waiting for the doctor." would have been more appropriate. Anyone else ever made a complete fool of themselves? Lorrie [This message has been edited by lorrie (edited January 18, 2001).]

Panther I cannot believe someone actually has the nerve to sign YOUR name to anything and justify it when confronted. I would not touch that with someone else's ten foot pole. My gosh, what if something grossly negligent happened or didn't happen that was ordered, your name is on it, and if you rebuted with " My charge nurse said she routinely signed my name to charts that orders had not been signed off on." It would still come back on you by " Well why did you allow this to happen." I would go to her again, then she has to have a supervisor and I would go immediately to him/her, then if no results, they too have a supervisor and I'd be paying them a visit too. Protect your license..bottom line. You can find another short staffed, place to work like a dog, and get taken advantage of but you cannot find another license to practice your livelihood once it is permantnently revoked for someones elses gross neglience. If it is so important that all the charts she checks have signatures why doesn't she make sure the orders have been taken off and carried out then sign HER name. Be careful and keep us posted lorrie afterthought: that's fraud. end of story. it is scary to know people like that even practice.

Valerie My advice to you....this is going to be everywhere...almost. I can't classify every LTC facility into one sterotypical prototype but, but more often than not this is the case, and in nursing in general alot of the times. The longer you work in that type of environment with those types of people the more you start to tune out negitivity and focus on the task at hand...quality patient care. I am actually grateful for all the "crappy" work places and people because it has made me a better nurse and a more focused person. In places like that if you worry about the negative, out of order things going on around you, your job would never be completed. So go back to work, focus on the task at hand, learn to be a better person, enjoy your profession, seize learning opportunities, and tune out the people who are happiest in controversy. Good luck and keep us posted. lorrie P.S. I have found in my experiences with negative people at the workplace, they thrive to feel the need to be more important than everyone else,so instead of letting them make me mad or upset, I make them feel silly. That is probably the most effective "ego busting, get off of my back" tactic. No one likes to feel silly, but they're trying to upset you or make you mad, so don't give in. [This message has been edited by lorrie (edited January 17, 2001).]

Rachel224 I think that it is awesome just the fact that you are 18 yrs old and have enough direction and forethought into your future to want to go into that field. I can remember when I was 18 and the only direction I had was what club or boy to go out with the next weekend. Alot of times people associate young age with immaturity, so that may be the obstacle you are up against. Keep trying and follow your dreams. No matter if you get into that particular field or not, eventually you will end up where you are needed and need to be. Best of luck in whatever you decide to do. Lorrie

Dear2B, Nursing is a wonderful profession,however; i feel that it comes with a lot of excess baggage. I love my job and what I do but the back biting, ego maniacs, insecure people are definately there. I know it is everywhere, but I will get some criticism for this one, nursing is for the most part female dominated, and that is our nature to be back biting B@#%&*s. Everyone wants to be one up on the other and sometimes forget, for goodness sake it is a JOB, not a lifestyle, not a marriage, not a subculture. You definately have to have a degree of commitment and dedication if you want to be a successful nurse, but bottom line it is a paycheck. Some people just can't get past that. They want to feel superior over each other. I personally have a pretty fulfilling life and don't need that type of reassurance that I am important but that is the reality of nursing. Again...I love nursing, would not even think about doing anything else. But get used to it sister. It will toughen you up quick. Lorrie

I have been browsing these discussions and I was horrified by all the negative, back biting comments. Eveyone wants to be one-up on the other. Sad. I just want to take this opportunity to say thank you doctors without you I would not have a job Thank you nurses aides what a hard, wonderful, appreciated job you do! LPN's (okay i'm a little biased here)you're part of the back bone of patient care. and RN's-I have learned so much and continue to learn from you. Three more semesters and I will FINALLY have mine. Now... if anyone reading this wants to argue about LPN's being better than CNA's and ADN'S being better than LPN's, and BSN's griping about ADN's and etc. etc. GO AWAY!!! There will be none of that here. Just Postive things for a change. Doesn't that feel better. Lorrie

I work in the pain management field. However, I have noticed that pain management usually is not represented under specialized practices. Pain management clinics are really starting to catch on. Any pain management nurses out there? lorrie