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To any of you working in LTC facilities -- are you accepting new admissions, or has your building put a freeze on them?

I'm using Matrix right now -- never used it before and not really a fan. I like PCC way better -- but that's just my opinion. Maybe it's because I know PCC better.?

Hi, I am sending you links to a couple of websites. I think they might help -- take a poke around. Also, there are plenty of travel nurse boards on FB -- Gypsy Nurse has a couple, one even devoted to LPN travelers. Good luck! https://www.thegypsynurse.com/blog/new-rn-ready-travelnurse/ https://www.highwayhypodermics.com/

Thank you, guys. You know, I own my decision/mistake, which is often the hardest thing to do, I am my own worst critic. I appreciate your feedback! My motto is Give me the truth, whether it hurts or not. I believe in learning from your mistakes, and I think that maybe this situation was meant to be a little eye opener...maybe I've been on auto pilot, resting on my laurels. "Ok smarty, time to be put back in check!" I truly appreciate your feedback. Hope all is well at work for you guys!

haha and YEP!

Ok, you guys...I am currently nursing my sorrows in a beer...I just knocked out a double (3-11, 11-7), and have now officially been up since 630 yesterday morning. So, here's my tale of woe (and ignorance)! I worked 3-11, was due to be back on 1st shift today. Nights had a call off, so I stayed over for the double, and they replaced me for this a.m. Mind you, I had called off sick the day before, and wasn't feeling quite "up to snuff," but figured, what could go wrong on nights? Well, plenty. I truly messed up. At 915pm, I (SURPRISE!) found out I was getting an admission who was supposed to come over the w/e, but never did. OK, yeah, that put a snafu in my night (he came during med pass, on a skilled unit of a bunch of A & O folks who are relatively demanding (and lots of prns requested, etc). So, I'm trying to juggle my assessment of the new guy, knowing I'm gonna have to call Doc to verify orders, etc, while trying to knock out the med pass...(don't you DARE be late with their pills!). So, this guy had ppn (as opposed to tpn) and came with the bag and tubing, just needed to be hooked up to a pump. Here's where it gets sticky. I'm not iv certified, and the other (and only) 3 nurses are lpns like myself, 2 of which are certified. Sticky #1 was that before we realized none of us could mess w/tpn (even though it was through a picc), one of the nurses tried hooking him up to the pump, but we didn't have the right tubing. I should add that by the time she could could come over to try to connect him, it was after her med pass, pushing 11pm. Well, after realizing the tubing wasn't jibing w/the pump, it was now after midnight (d/t interruptions, etc). We all "pow-wowed," and it dawned on me...(DUHHHH) were we allowed to hang it, even if the tubing was right? We weren't initiating the first bag...blah blah. Well, after hunting for tubing, which took up some time (sounds like a terrible comedy/tragedy, doesn't it??) that's when we busted out the good ol' policy book. Lo and behold, we can't mess w/tpn...just monitor. At this point, it's getting to be around 1a.m. Here's the Sticky situation, "DUH" moment #2: someone suggested I call the D.O.N., but then, we rationalized that the guy would be ok w/o it til 7am. We figured as such b/c he wasn't npo, and that the reason he was receiving the fluids was b/c his appetite was poor; otherwise, he was on a regular diet (as one of my coworkers pointed out, "we don't eat at night, it won't hurt him to go until 7," when an RN would be in the house), and wasn't diabetic. I never thought to call pharmacy to drop ship tubing, and didn't want to wake my D.O.N. over this. Well, I should have. The ADON came in, and I told her the situation, and she about ****. Called the D.O.N. to get advice, and proceeded to talk, hang up, and comment that she (D.O.N.) was pissed. UGH. The ADON called the Doc, who wasn't mad. But, I left out of there feeling like a complete, blithering idiot. I'm smarter than that! what the hell? And, I know there's a write up in my future b/c of it. I'm sooo frustrated at myself. I've been around tpns, but its been awhile. Then, of course, she had to say something to the effect of-and I KNEW what she was going to say by the way she started speaking- what was gonna come out of her mouth "I'm not trying to pull the "rn-lpn thing, but this is why there's a difference. We've had longer training. The ****** part is, she's partially right, but that was a hard pill to swallow, and I had no leg to stand on in my defense. On the same token, she's a new grad who's on a power trip, which really frosts the cake. GRRRRRR!!!! >>>DUMMY!!! And, I think that was a low blow...I just screwed up. I swear, believe it or not, I know better. Where was my head??? I'm sorry for this being so long and drawn out. I'm just so disappointed in myself. I just wanted to vent. Go ahead, put me on "stupido" blast...just please be gentle!!

lol yes, my friend went back to school but a more traditional route and she laughs and says she loves it..how funny, cuz when we were in regular school back in the "day" we hated it w/every fiber of our being...now we r nerds lol...youth is sooo wasted on the young! thank you for your help, maybe we can keep in touch, as i would love to hear how its going for you!

thank you much...makes me feel better before taking "the leap"...how do you like NC? i lived in SC near greenville...beautiful country!

Hi everyone, I am a new user to this site and am looking for some answers that seem to be eluding me...OK, so i have been an lpn for quite some time and have decided to finally get off my duff and go back to school.I came across rio grand and am interested in the lpn to rn hybrid program (i live in the cleveland area) my question is this..is rio on the "up and up?" i know they are accredited by the nln but i am lost regarding regional vs national accreditation...it's my understanding that regional trumps national? or does it matter which as long as its through the nln? i ask this b/c my goal is to move to another state when finished, but I want to make sure I will be employable. also...anyone out there been through the lpn-adn hybrid program? thoughts/answers/opinions would be GREATLY appreciated!