NurseMark

A nurse being an independent contractor is a great idea. I have met nurses who do this, and they make $40 to $50 an hour. They each obtained a business license, registered as a P.C., and purchased malpractice insurance. The costs of this is such out here in AZ: Business license $15 to $30, Registering as a P.C. $75 to $150, and Malpractice insurance $89 a year. Please note that nurses are very seldom sued. The malpratice insurance mentioned above is available in any nursing magazine and covers $1.5 million dollars a suit, up to $6 million dollars in a lifetime. Most nurses never screw up enough to actually incur lawsuits higher than that. Furthermore, your services can be used by a hospital as a tax rideoff. Why? Because a hospital can claim that your services were required to run the hospital, or to say it better, to stay in business. To make the deal even sweeter, everything you do is a tax rideoff. All of your uniforms, medical equipment, continuing education classes, and even all the miles you drive can be taken off in taxes because they were necessary to run your business. For those nurses that wish to bash this idea, I would like for you to answer a few questions in your response to me. 1. Are a nurse's services any less valuable than a physician's? If yes, why? 2. Why shouldn't an RN be able to contract out with a hospital? Are RN's not professionals? Should they not be able to contract their professionalism out like so many other professionals do? Support your answers. 3. Would you rather receive a check for $800 for a week of services (estimated at $20 an hour) or a check for $1600 for a week of services? Remember that when you are a personal corporation, it is only your corporation that can be sued and not you personally. So while your corporation can be sued and ultimately destroyed, as long as you don't lose your nurse's license, you can form a new personal corporation and continue your practice. Anyone who has ever taken a business course can back me up on what I have said. Let me know what you think. Do you think this would be a good way for nursing to go? Do any of you think you would be willing to try this? If you canprove any of what I am saying to be wrong, then do so in your response to me, as I assure you that I am right. If you ask why I haven't done this yet, it is because I am an LPN. State law says that I am not a true nursing professional, and because of my dependence on an RN, I cannot become a personal corporation. But when I become an RN, with my impending BSN, I will do this after 6 more months of experience. I will let you all know how it goes. Those RN's that do this say that they love it.

Olright Kday... And I am saying this jokingly. As a straight male nurse, wearing a gay white nursing cap on my head would be a little much. I did work at a place requiring an all white uniform. they let males wear white jeans, a white scrub top, and a white warmer jacket. White is not my color, but it looked professional and everyone knew I was a Nurse. The pin idea though is the best I've heard so far.

As previously stated, you use basic algebra, actually, more like pre-algebra to perform drug calculations. You do not really use anything more advanced like graphing parabolas, using slope formula, and other ridiculous stuff like that. Algebra taught in college is usually classified under "college algebra" and is very much considered a college course. I have taken calculus, and it will never help me in the field of nursing. Now engineering is a different subject... I hope this helps.

First of all, student loans, student loans, student loans. Paying out of pocket is way too much responsibility to attend a nursing school whose programs are almost always full time. If you earn $38,000 a year and have to pay $100 a month in student loans (assuming an ADN program of course), then its really no big loss. Secondly, seek out a roommate that you are compatible with - like one who is going to be going to the same nursing school that you will attend. Not only could you study together, but you could split the expenses as you will only have to work part-time. Third, consider some kind of part - time position in health care. Although the job can be hard, a CNA is not a bad idea. I knew an RN that worked weekend doubles (7A to 11P)as a CNA while going through nursing school - she worked 32 and got paid for 40! The only drawback was that she had to study and work twice as hard on weekdays to make sure that she had NO homework to be done on weekends. The point is here, that if there is a will, there is a way. Nothing is more important than perseverance. Your success will depend on you ... so start planning and make things happen now. Nursing school will require 150% of your effort. Good luck!!!

I am an LPN but still a professional. Suzy, I owe you an apology. I believe that you were honestly and innocently wondering why people choose to be an LPN as opposed to being an RN. Out of respect for you, I will answer this question. I went to a vocational school, have no intention of staying an LPN but used it as a way to break into the field, and have stayed an LPN for 4 years due to financial situation and disgust with the field (at times). After getting my RN, I will go back to school to complete out my BSCIS degree and will only use nursing for extra money. Fortunately, I should be able to get my RN this year through Excelsior College. I believe many of us misunderstood you and should have given you the benefit of a doubt. I also believe that many of us professionals hit below the belt. I hope that others will follow suit and apologize to you. To the other nurses: It is time for unity, not badgering. If we all stood together, we would be even more powerful than the United States Military (literally, we are bigger than the active U.S. Military in numbers alone).

I would love to be an FNP in a level one or two ER working with a diverse patient population making $70,000 to $80,000/yr. Although this sounds obtainable, in AZ, I have yet to see an ER hire an NP instead of a PA and have yet to meet an NP that makes over $60,000. But hey, I can still dream! Keep on smiling! Tell me what ya'll think.

Chris: How would you know if not being an RN first hindered your ability any? You have never really been a seasoned RN. RN's do the treatments and give the meds that the docs order, and therefore see firsthand what works and what does not. This in itself can be a great help once one starts prescribing. Also, well - developed clinical skills that an RN develops over time also aids in diagnosis done by the NP later. While I agree that you probably are an outstanding FNP, please do not entirely discount the RN experience. Many NP's say that it does help.

1.LPN 2. 4 3. Southwest 4. No 5. Benefits are substandard 6. Like the hours - only 3 12 hour shifts a week are great! 7. My supervisors are morons. 8. No - about as far as I can throw an elephant. 9. My institution has an excellent nursing education department. 10. Sometimes. 11. Yes. 12. Maybe once every 3 workdays - for approx. 15 min. 13. Nights 14. One - I was scheduled evry Holiday except Christmas - but I had to work 7P-7A on X-mas Eve. 15. Pro union baby!!! 16. Strike!!! The only way to make your point is by the absence of the most critical element in the hospital - the nursing staff!!! Besides, if you're not there, supervisors are REQUIRED to work - let them feel what it's like. Also, hospitals pay big bucks for strikebreakers, but can't pay like that forever. Healthcare is business people... forget that "oh, I don't want the patients to be without care crap"! If you want something, its all or nothing, not meeting the employer "in between" with a work slowdown. 17. Good questions Buck. Now what are your answers?

First of all, the question is hypothetical. If I were an RN, I would want $50,000 a year, as many "professionals" are paid that sum and then some. 9 to 10 % wage increases maxing out at $75,000 a year seems reasonable.

"Whew! It took all that for you to answer!" Condescending tone again I think!!! Are you people blind? Can you not read? Susy K. was and is being rude, and continues to perpetuate the negative responses she received.

I am not trying to add fuel to a fire here but would honestly like to know-where can an LPN push any IV meds? Not in our scope of practice the last time I checked.I can certainly start IV's-hang certain solutions and piggies.But run a code? If you mean hold that clipboard with one eye on the clock-well I have done that,too.(After I moved the furniture and family out of the way)Do you actually decide which meds to push? Call for the paddles? I am in southeastern PA-seems like I have missed out a lot... LPN's can do IV pushes in 15 states of the United States... Texas and Oklahoma are 2 of them.

You need to be an LPN to understand this. Susy K. had subtle undertones that were disrespectful. Reading is a good idea, especially reading critically.

Read the entire post, then comment. Thank you.

Again, RN's and LPN's do very much the same job except for a few subtlties. For example, I passed all the meds and gave all the shots on the floor while the RN had to do those oh-so-difficult assessments at the desk (sitting on her fanny no less). She really deserved $10 more an hour for that "skill". Oh, and I should mention that LPN's are taught how to assess a patient in school, but we need that high and mighty RN to cosign our assessments, because that nine months more of education makes them so much more qualified. In most states, an LPN can do more than just wipe a butt and take vital signs.

Susy, You are indeed being condescending to the individuals who posted their quotes. Iris was responding to CLO's comment, which was rude, unprofessional, and hurtful, not yours. Secondly, Realnursealso was a little rash, but in her area, LPN's might serve a function and jobs may not be scarce. Also, it may be just your hospital laying off LPN's. Let me give you an example: Out here in Arizona, St. Joseph's Hospital laid off all their LPN's but almost every other hospital uses them and continues to hire them. These nurses do not lack intelligence and neither do you. I have been an LPN for 4 years and learned that I made a mistake. The LPN level suffers much disrespect from RN's who have the disease known as RN-itis, which means lazy, holier-than-thou, my dookie - doesn't- stink attitude that a select few RN's possess. If I would have known that LPN's were considered so invaluable by co-workers and employers, I never would have become an RN. I am actively working on my RN through Regent's College because I want the pay and the conditional respect of my peers. i stayed an LPN for financial reasons, as I amke $34,000 a year as an LPN, and I almost left the profession because I was so disgusted at the way women work together. You may think me a pig, but I never worked in such a back-stabbing, lying, vengeful,power hungry profession. If you nurses stuck together, and viewed every member of the profession as whole as valuable, you would really be considered professionals. It is more than just schooling. Do you want to know why nursing is so lacking of respect and why you are not considered professionals? First of all, it is women dominated, and like it or not, women are still second class citizens. Secondly, look at what nursing started out as. You are nothing but a physician's lackey - you can't breathe without an order from your "master" - the doctor (Hyperbolically speaking). The nurse was created to assist the physician with his or her duties - like wiping butts, emptying urinals, giving baths, giving pills, etc. Thirdly, the public views nurses as "maids" that are supposedly paid very well. So why am I staying in the profession? easy, big money when you work for an agency (Registry) full time. And, because a very little part of me still enjoys helping people. As for the rest of me, well, many of the so-called professionals have ruined what should be a truly great profession for me. I can't wait to here the responses to this post.

ERICUEMS: You need to check with your state board of nursing on your scope of practice in the pre-hospital environment. I know that some states allow a prehospital RN to function under state paramedic guidelines because it is written in the state nursing practice act. Often the state board will issue an "Advisory Opinion" regarding pre-hospital nursing care by an RN as Arizona has. If the state nursing practice act or state board has not issued a position statement/ prehospital provider clause, then contact the appropriate members of the state board in your state about creating one... and ask to be part of its creation. Guidelines, nomatter what organization created them, are useless unless your state board adopts them... because as you know, your scope of practice depends upon which state you reside in. Well, good luck to you... I hope that I have been helpful. Let me know how it turns out.

I disagree with most of the nurses here. It is NOT okay to be screamed at, cussed at, or made to feel like something less than a human being by ANYONE including the patient or a patient's family member. I personally would have told the caller, "Sir, until you can speak to me in a civil manner, this conversation is terminated. Call me back when you calm down, and we will discuss this further." ... . I am a nurse, a professional, and a human being. I could care less what someone may be feeling, if he or she speaks to me in a profane manner, the conversation is over. Incidentally, I used to be cashier for a major supermarket chain for years, and I was NEVER spoken to in that manner. When I used to work in customer service, we had the support of the management to hang up on an abusive customer. Nurses take alot of flack and get blamed for so many things that are beyond our control... especially by doctors, administrators, and supervisory personnel. This is not something that should be taken lightly or responded to by other nurses with a "suck it up" kind of attitude. It is because of nurses like that nurses are used as punching bags. Do you think they put up with this in the business world? NO!!! But what do you expect from a female dominated profession where women spend more time stabbing each other in the back than helping each other out? I know this will offend some of you, and for that I apologize, but that is how I feel. So Pam, take my advice... don't put up with the abuse... and if you are terminated for not putting up with it, file a wrongful termination suit.

I.V. therapy is not really a big deal, and should be done by an LPN... after all, an LPN is a nurse too. I know this seems like a big change, but it's not that big. I wouldn't have been able to work in my ER had I not gotten the IV therapy certification. Get your RN, and none of this will be an issue. Good luck to you.

JD, My name is Mark and I am an LPN working in a busy ER. I would say to go for it!!! If you are interested in Nursing as a career, the LPN is a good place to start. You can always work on your RN right out of LPN school while working as an LPN. I am finishing my RN at home through a program at Excelsior College (www.excelsior.edu). I also work 48 - 60 hours a week and have a family. Moving on here, the LPN program you are describing is most likely a vocational program as it is only one year long. this program will most likely give you plenty of hands on training as well as plenty of practical theory. Most associate degree RN programs take much more than 2 years because of prerequisites. The ADN programs in Arizona require 83 - 88 credit hours to obtain an associate's in nursing degree. I work with many RN's that went to school for FOUR years full time just to complete a 2 year degree!!! Believe me, you do not have time for a program like that. Secondly, the hands on training you'll receive is second to none. During clinicals, I would have BSN students ask me how to do procedures that I learned during the first 12 weeks of school, and they had been students for over a year!!! Third, excluding nursing registries, LPN's make only a couple of dollars less an hour on average than their RN counterparts. But despite all the perks I have mentioned, DO NOT STOP AT AN LPN EDUCATION!!!! The really inspiring jobs are available at the RN level. So go for it!!!! And good luck!!!

Lorrie, Your comments made regarding your posting to the nurse trying to be supportive were a tad bit abrasive. I did not find the story humorous either... perhaps you should have placed your story under "Nursing Humor" as opposed to "General Nursing Discussion". In the future, I hope you would take a nicer and less critical tone when addressing a colleague trying to be supportive, even in error.