OneChattyNurse

i tend to lean more towards disposable needles rather than autoclaved. the state inspector only checks the autoclave once or twice a year. if the shop does not do their checks properly they have no way to know when/if their machine malfunctions. my husband is a tattoo artist and is extremely conscientious when it comes to infection control. i would suggest looking at the studio to see how clean the area is. also note the ink bottles. are they covered with ink or nice and clean? my husband never touches a bottle without clean gloves as you don't want to contaminate the ink bottles with someone's blood or body fluids. also ask if they use disposable tubes and needles or if they autoclave. if they use disposable, as to watch them open the packages. if they autoclave, ask what their schedule is for verifying the proper function (i would even ask to see the book they record the information in). aftercare is also really important. ask your artist what kind of aftercare they offer/recommend. there are things you can put on them that will draw the ink. it is really important to follow the instructions your artist give you. i love my tattoos (have only been tattooed by hubby) and do plan to get some more. have fun, just be safe.

our local community college offers a 2 year rn program. after the first year you can sit for your lpn boards, and at the end of the second year you sit for rn boards. this way if you choose you can work a little as an lpn while you finish your adn. this same school also has a partnership with a university and they offer the university classes at the community college campus. just another option.

hello tanzanite, i work at pella in the ltc unit. i just wanted to say hello and congrats on your graduation next week!

Alert and oriented to person, place and time. FLK

our information systems department has nurses on staff to help with the wide variety of software that nurses use. these nurses do the training with new hires, education of staff on new upgrades or enhancements, and research and test new software products. another option for you might be in the education dept of a facility. there you may teach/recertify bls, acls, pals etc..., maintain education/licensure records of staff, and offer ceu opportunities to nurses. i wish you the best in whatever you decide!

i am allergic to the serum and end up with a 6 inch bright red circle on my arm that itches like crazy. it usually lasts for about 3 weeks. i now do not have to do tb tests anymore and my employer does not do cxr's either. i go to our occ health office and they take my bp and ask about chronoc coughs and that's about it. i don't have the two employer issue, but how about having your physician give your tb test every year then supplying each employer with a copy? maybe they would both accept it from her/him more readily than another employer? just a thought.

i always re-cap the needle because if you pull the sheath up to hard it will lock into place and you won't be able to use the medication.

i work in a hospital based ltc. our facility offers the cna class and also reimburses you once you are hired. it would be great experience for you to work as a cna while you go to nursing school. good luck to you!

sometimes these things can go too far. i was working at a facility with a group of staff that were notorious for gossiping and causing problem for those that were outside their clan. i once went to a convention and while i was gone someone decided to call my husband and tell him that the reason i went was to cover up the fact that i was having an affair. (i absolutely was not) he then started getting emails graphically detailing my supposed infidelity. there was one employee that had my husbands email address (because i gave it to her so she could forward on a joke to him) but she was the only one. this actually went on for a few weeks and worsened in intensity. the joke was on them as my husband and i have a very strong relationship and this incident only made it stronger. my point is though, this type of behavior can escalate into much bigger problems than "just gossiping" if left unnoticed. i ended up getting a great job offer and left this job abruptly as i just could not take any more. i really don't think that was the best solution for the actual problems, but it kept me sane. i am quite sure after i left they targeted someone else and the problem continued. good luck with your co-workers and just remember things can get out of hand if allowed to.

i know first hand of a nurse that is on probation (with the bon) for an owi. she has to call the bon every day and find out whether she has been chosen for a urinalysis and she has to check in with someone else at the bon monthly to let them know her status. this was because she did something illegal (drinking and driving). i am thinking if the bon thinks this strongly on operating while intoxicated they just might frown on illegal drug use!

i don't know if this has been brought up or not as i did not have the time to read all of the posts but i would consult your infection control department. i worked at a facility where we had a nurse that had a huge boil on her thigh (this was actually the least of her problems). it did not bother her at all that she had bloody drainage seeping through her white pants (like a tennis ball sized area). when out nurse manager saw this she was sent to employee health and was told she would not be able to return to work until she was treated with antibiotics and could contain the drainage. huge infection contorl issue. i would think employee health &/or infection control would definitely be on your side with this one.

reminding a dementia patient that her husband is dead several times a day and watching her horror and shock (because to her this is the first time she has heard it) is not only wrong, it is mean, cruel and inhumane. we had a husband and wife that shared a room they had been married for over 60 years. the first few times she asked about him she was reminded that he had passed away. if you could have seen the absolute horror in this womans face each time she was told this you would realize what everyone is trying to tell you. she was never going to get through the grieving process because she could not remember long enough to get through the denial and shock let alone the rest of the steps. from that point on i instructed my staff to not tell her again that her husband had died. in their younger years her husband was an avid fisherman. from then on we reminded her that he was "up north on a fishing trip" never again did she have to grieve for him. treating a patient/resident with respect is about more that being truthful. it is about treating them in a kind, compassionate, humane manner.

i bet the next size up might be too big. i read somewhere (i think it was the crocs website) that you can lengthen the straps by holding the middle and pulling your fingers down the strap stretching it as you go. my toes touched in mine when i first got them but after a few days it was like they stretched out a bit. i don't usually wear the strap, i just fold it up over the top of my foot. i love my crocs! btw have you seen all the new styles on the website (crocs.com)? they even have a mary jane style now!

acute cardiac life support.

i don't agree with this. we are going further and further into the computer age in the nursing profession. by the time you get to boards you should have had some exposure to a computer. even if you have never touched a computer before, you know going into the nursing program that you will have to take boards on one. students have alot of time to prepare themselves for taking boards. you know what types of questions are going to be asked and what areas to study. schools are designed to test using the principles used in the nclex. there are also many tools out there to help you prepare. i will probably get flamed for this, but i am not so sure i buy into the "i am a poor test taker" theory. if you can make it through the many tests in nursing school then this one isn't all that different. when i graduated in 1993, my class was one of the first classes in the state of texas to take computerized boards. no one fully knew what to expect at that time but we have come a long way since then. i tend to agree that there should be some sort of limit. i like the idea of getting 2 chances then having some sort of refresher course required. you can be sure of one thing, this debate will continue!

dixie ems (@ dixieems.com) has a version of this steth called the "potbelly" that i purchased approximately 13 years ago and i am still using it on a regular basis. the only thing i have had to replace is the ear tips. i absolutely love the fact that i can hear anything with it. when i bought it the description stated you can hear through eight layers of clothing and also fetal heartbeats.

i was chosen as an alternate as well. i was really bummed that i did not get selected for the class but 2 days before the class began i got the call that a spot had opened up for me. needless to say i was very happy. i don't know how they went about deciding where i was on the list but at that point it didn't matter! good luck to you and think positive!

i used this system at a previous job and my current facility is gearing up to initiate this as well. my last job was at the va and i worked on a ltc unit. we had trouble with the ink wearing of the armbands really quickly (sometimes after only a couple of days). we found that if you covered the barcode on the new armband with a strip of scotch tape it would last much longer. it is aslo nice that you can run a "missed meds list" at the end of your med pass to be sure that you administered all of the meds that were ordered. just another way to double check yourself. i really liked this system and am excited to get it going at my current job.

my facility requires a three week notice. from what i have seen anywhere from two to four weeks is the standard. as far as notifying your manager that you are looking for another job is absurd. i do not know of any professional that doesn't keep their eyes and ears open as to what is out there. you never know when you will find a freat opportunity and whether you are actively looking or not is your business. the reason facilities require a notice of resignation is so they can attempt to find your replacement before your last day. i guess i kind of thought this was a "no brainer"! p.s. good luck in your new position!

It is nice to hear that you are going that route as I have been considering that myself. I'm sorry that I don't have any information for you but I certainly wish you the best. Have you liked this program so far?

i went to del mar college in corpus christi in 1993 so some of my information may be outdated. at that time you could do the "bridge" program after you had worked 6 months as an lvn. i did not go through the program as i ended up moving back to iowa about 6 months after i graduated. i lived in corpus for 2 years and during that time there were "cycles" at the hospitals. for a while they would allow lpn's in acute care and even the speciality areas like or, ob, etc. then they would get rid of the lpn's and only have rn's and tech's or cna's. when i graduated it just so happend to be during the time they were not hiring lpn's at all in the hospitals. i applied at all of them anyway but did not even get a call for an interview. it took me about 2 days to get a job in long term care. i would say that ltc would be your best bet for a job right out of school. i know there is an awful stigma attached to this area, but you really do gain some valuable experience. you might also try subacute or snf. that is also a good area to get your start. i would also suggest getting your cna and working as an aid while you go to school. that will be some of the greatest experience you could ever hope for. you might even be able to get a job as a cna in a hospital which would get your foot in the door for when you get your rn. which ever route you take, good luck to you!!!

we don't have a designation on our license here in iowa, i was just curious about other states. i figured it was state specific, just about like the differences between scope of practice for iv certified lpn's in other states. thanks for your replies, i appreciate the information!

cole said patient care is the heart of the issue. "they can be assured when they come in and have a physician treating them, or seeing them ... they are achieving a higher standard and quality of care by having physician involvement," he said. the last few lines of this article are unbelievable! i cannot fathom the nerve of this guy. physicians are very important to out healthcare team, i cannot imagine this one would have very many patients. maybe that's why he has such strong opinions against the np's; he needs more patients of his own.

we are currently reviewing our prn policy at our hospital. does anyone have a prn policy that you could fax to me or know of some specifics to your policy you would be willing to share???

are there any lpn's out there who are iv certified? if so, do you have a special designation on your nursing license to verify this? and, do you have this designation on your name tag at work. i took the class and am using the knowledge to start iv's and hand meds, but there is nothing on my nametag other than lpn. i was just curious if things are done differently anywhere else? thanks!