SissyLyn

? ? This dosen't really qualify as a creepy ghost story...but more of an after death connection...you decide...its one of things that got me going to get into school...just got my LPN...one more year and I'll have my RN I was a CNA for 8 years. My first job, actually the place that I got my training as a CNA through was a ltc...they had a ward called SCU...special care unit...it was a psycheward. It was the scene of the most endearing and rewarding years. I worked with pt with schizophrenia, ocd, Huntington's chorea, and all types of mental and behavior disorders....I never had any problems...I took the time to get into their world and find out how to communicate with them. We had one pt in particular that was brutal! He had lung cancer that had metastized to his brain. He was ONRY! We had to take his cowboy boots away from him because he would put them on , holler he was going to kick everyones @##!...and he would try. He also had a colostomy that he was fond of ripping off and throwing at the wall if you pushed him to hard or if he was just in a mood. This poor guy always looked awful, because and I don't blame them, dayshift was too affraid to shave, bath, or do too much with him. It took me several months, but he did let me in...he talked kindof like a robot...when he did talk..with me he acutally said "Ma'am" and so on. Anyway he would let me shave and clean him up either during my pm or night shift...we would talk about fishin and ridin horses and all kinds of things...the first time he threw his colostomy at the wall and told me to @##@! off Ma'am, I got him out of bed and made him clean up the mess...he actuall smiled when he got back in bed and said to me "Boy, you don't take my ##$! Ma'am, I like that about you...my mama never took it either!" He would onlly eat for me in the night, and it wasn't much...I could tell his end was near...He did manage to dump a chocolate milk shake over my head at one time...I don't know how to explain it, but I think he was more therapy for me than I for him....I know, a crazy for a Crazy...I was the joke of the staff..but I didn't care...anyway he passed away on a Friday...I had the weekend off and I had a feeling he wouldn't be there Monday...but that Friday night, before I knew he had passed I had the most wonderful visit from him...my dream was this I found myself in a cafeteria....could not figure out why I was there, I was looking through the crowd and the people and just couldn't figure it out..suddenly I see "him, my pt" waving me over...I walked over and he looked fabulous...all duded up from head to toe, including his favorite cowboy boots...he had three trays of food in front of him...all his favorites...He grinned ear to ear and looked as I imagine he did before he was riddled with disease.....he grinned up at me and said "Howdy Ma'am...I just had to let you know I am okay.....after all these years I am okay...you were my friend and I will never forget if you won't" and he winked and went back to eating....I woke up and was smiling and crying at the same time....It was especially great to see him in clothes, he had to wear these one piece jumpsuits because he had a habbit at one time of getting naked and wondering around.. I think of him often and feel that this is probably the most important type of job we as nurses will do....just to be there for somone who has no one, and take the time to find a way to communicate... Thanks for your time...Tammy, LPM

Hi! I am currently in an RN program and I have been a CNA for 6 yrs, and became a PCT in January...I am continuously surrounded by the constant battle and controversy of the NURSE EXTERN vrs the LPN..it's really a matter of opinion..I was encouraged by my teachers to go for it, but was told that for me it would be easier because of the many transitions I had been through in the health care field, my clinical instructor from this last block, block 2 said I did wonderful in seperating my nursing role from my PCT role.. Also, most extern programs do not allow you to pass meds, for me I want as much experience with that as possible, I know I will be looking up meds for a long time, but if I practice for a year before I am an RN, I am hoping to have a heads up in that aspect of my duties.. I am also very fortunate that I am with a hospital on a PCCU (progressive coronary care unit) that will employ me as an LPN, because I am in an RN program...I will keep my current schedule and shift...my preceptors and RN's are very excited to "teach me" and all advised my manager that they thought this would be a great idea...maybe it won't be the best..but I am taking the gamble....I know in the first block forgetting what I saw and practiced was very hard...becaue alot of times that is not the way it is supposed to be done, but at the same time it was a great learning and is still a fabulous growth and realization process.. You will know what is for you...trust your heart and your gut!! Also, the externships I looked at (at least 7 places) wanted a contract that I would stay with them for x amount of time after I obtained my RN...for me that was not happening.....I want to be free to do what grabs me when I graduate...I have not seen enough yet to commit to any one specialty.. Like I said, trust your heart and soul...it will tell you what to do! I am waiting for a test date for my LPN now, certificate was sent out yesterday....I can't wait! Good luck!!

Hi Nina, I just wanted to let you know I am in the same boat! :) I completed the LPN portion of my RN program 05/13, scored comfortably above 950 on the HESI...registered with NCLES early, got my app and fingerprints in early to the ASBN....and I have OCD-like been checking the website for my test date...nothing was happening and a few of my classmates, who lagged on their paperwork had already set dates, and now are LPN's...well I did some investigating and found out that my school had "misplaced" my official transcript from the other college wher I took the Pathophysiology class...so here I am 6/9 and my certificate of completion was just mailed to the ASBN on 6/8...I am sooooo frustrated because on two earlier occasions the school had told me the certificate was sent... But, I believe everything happens for a reason...so it was meant to be! However, though I did really well in school, I am very anxious about being out of the loop soo long before my test...I have been doing Saunders NCLEXPN review on all subjects daily until I pass with an 80% on three quizzes in each subject, and bookmarking things I never heard of in class...those bookmarks I plan to review heavily right before the test....I am like a "very hungry rat in a cage"...and tired of sitting at my computer!!! Another suggestion, I did purchase the Saunders NCLEXPN review notecards...these are nice for early morning because I can sit outside and review in a nice peaceful atmosphere...away from the computer! We will do fine, I know it...I am going to take the day before I test off completely...it worked like a charm in school...study daily for hours and then take a breather... When I hit that room, I am taking the earphones....and getting in the grove, going to my special happy place and jammin!!! We are going to do this, I know it!! Good luck and my thoughts are with you Tammy :) :)

Hi! I have to agree with everyone, I have never seen hospitals supply scrubs...though I am new to the hospital atmosphere. During clinicals and at the hospital I am at now, only OR scrubs provided...I too cringe at the prospect of what color and style would be provided Just a funny note....I worked for a Veterinarian who performed intense orthopedic surgery...one day he was doing hip replacement and discovered he did not have they proper pair of plyers that he needed. Well, we all know how bloody these types of surgeries are...my scrubs had plenty blood on the top, some on the pants, and some even on my shoes (fortunately the vets provided scrubs just for these types of surgeries..we wore ours into work and if we helped we could change into some cheapies that they provided, and after surgery we changed out of them and they were washed)...anyway he sheepishly asked me to drop everything and run accross the street to Home Depot...I did without even thinking or changing...I was quickly greeted at the door, asked what I needed, told to stay put, and the man retrieved the plyers and I was back....BEST SERVICE I HAVE EVER GOTTEN AT HOME DEPOT! :rotfl: Tammy, RN student, PCT on PCCU