Fireflynurse

Thanks :) I will.

Thank you for your encouragement LPN954. You make me good about questioning my current situation and not afraid to look for a new one. Yes, I think I am going to take time and look around patiently this time. Maybe after a year of experiences, I can go into home health. I love hospice nursing but I don't have enough experiences yet. :)

Dear RNBearColumbus, I fear that I cannot read into the interviewers words so I make a wrong choice from job offers. I want to find a place that I can work and grow in a long run but so far, I haven't found one. Current job has the potential of long term stability but there are questionable practices that I cannot go along with because I believe it can potentially harm the residents. such as overly medicated and cover up for skin tears and injuries.

Hi there, it is me again. After 6 months of working in three different places in three months , I start to question my ability to make the right choices when it comes to select a place to work after receive job offers. the first one it turned out the DON was lying about their PRN position being full time so after being educated by some nurses here, I looked for another job. the 2nd job was a part time job and they left me as a new grade LPN in charge of whole building without any support system so for the safety reason I quit. Finally, I found 2 jobs that are both full time and was promised that I would never be left along in charge of a whole building as a new grade so I selected one and thought I found a stable job. After two months, I realized that I chose the wrong one yet again. Yes they have all the supports and at least 2 nurses in each floor but I discovered that they are doing stuff that would put a nurse in jail. It is way outside of regulation and outside of ethical standard that I learned and want to uphold. It scares me and sadden me. Yes most people are nice and helpful on my current job but would I really want to get myself in trouble by continuing working there? if I don't, what would next employer sees my resume think? Would I even get an interview because on my resume , I jump around jobs. Does anyone have any advise on how to select a good offer and receive more than 1? I feel so stupid that I always make wrong choices when choose an offer. ugh!!

I am glad to report that my workplace doesn't care about my blue hair :) actually, I had blue Peak a boo highlight done two days ago and the first night when I was at work, I let my hair down , no one seems to notice that there was a little bit of blue highlight under my natural hair. Last night, I tight my hair so no one at work would really see my highlight although no one asked me about it, I think it is better to be careful. This morning, our AM supervisor noticed my new look but she told me the only thing that I need to get ride of is my blue nail polish. So I am going to clean it up later but it was fun when it lasts. :)

Wow they are beautiful~~ thanks for the suggestions. maybe I can do that :)

I suppose you are right. I should check with the management on the hair color first.

Hi nurses, I have been very well behaved since I was a little girl. I have kept my original hair color, original eye color, and act like everyone else wanted me to be for a very long time. Since I became a nurse, I feel so comfortable as it is my nature to care for others. I love my job and I love how my residents react to me. Finally, after over 40 years of my life, I feel that I am myself after become a nurse. So I start to think that I may be able to be myself just a bit more but I am a bit concerned. I am concerned about how my residents will feel. So I thought that I should ask experienced nurses , your opinions. What do you think the residents will react to me if I dye my hair blue? I don't want to stand out but I love to see my hair blue. I don't want to shock them or confuse them since I work on a dementia unit. Should I go ahead or should I stay the look that the residents know? Would you please give me your opinions? Thank you :)

Holly, I felt the same way in regards of the working environment that I had so I am going back to school for my RN this fall. Working in a hospital environment or home health care may achieve your goal to care for someone with a better quality. Sadly, I feel none of the residents get enough time with nurses or CNAs everyday but I know that I cannot change the understaffed conditions in LTC. It is happening everywhere. I hope you will find a job that is not so badly understaffed so you may have time to really experience caring for the residents besides med pass and treatments. Good luck to us, the newly changed career nurses. :)

Hi Holly2422, if I don't see your ID, I swear that I wrote this post. I don't have any advice for you but I want to let you know that I am on an identical path as you are. I too chose leaving corporate and going to nursing so I can make a difference in people's life. After 3 months of work in LTC, I am disappointed by what I have seen. It is not the residents but the co-workers. At my first place, nurses had clicks so they didn't welcome a new nurse so after training, I received 0 hours of schedule time . The 2nd place, things got weirder. this place couldn't never hold on a DON that stay long enough then I found out that ADON who were promoted from CNA hates when nurses report about CNA not doing their job. She did not want to listen to any opinions of nurses if they did not have experiences as CNAs. She would try to overrule nurses and doctors when emergency situation arise. It was a dysfunctional place. And it made me re-evaluate the reason that I came into nursing. Lower paid, unprofessional attitude and politics. I can go on and on. So I thought I am going to just give another place one more try and in search of RN program currently. The other comments provided great idea for you. A RN program will ensure you get a bit more paid, more freedom to do critical thinking and you will have more areas of nursing to choose from if that's your true passion. Good luck to you :) we will try it together.

It sounds like there is something more that they didn't tell you at your interview. When a place asked specifically about handing conflict yet couldn't find a DON, they probably have issues in the management level.

Yes they should have so they would have proper care. Now, we haven't had a DON for over a month and with a CNA promoted ADON managing this place, this place is chaotic. Because ADON does not have knowledge of medication, she often questioning me if I gave enough meds and when there is a problem, there isn't anyone to help a new grade like me. So for my license, I have two offers line up from non assisting living place. If you are a new grade and you have to be the only nurse in the building for your shift? this job is not safe.

Just be yourself and smile. Ask the tough questions that will help you later on. Good luck :)

I am working in an assisted living right now as a new grade LPN. It is like the previous posted stated that most of time, you are the only nurse in the building. Which is not exactly safe for a new grade even a DON would be available for me to call if I have questions. I pass meds to 40 residents around 4 and again at 7-8 to about 15 residents. I take care of falls, reports, orders ,charting and emergencies. Sometimes, I will need to give the CNAs a hand if they are all tight up. In the mean time, I keep my eyes and ears open to door alarm in case someone wonders out of the door. It is not as easy specially when a facility takes in 2 assist when it is not advisable by the state. Most of time, I find this job rewarding because I can put a smile on the residents faces and make them feel cared. :) Good luck on your choices.

Yes it was and everyone there was ok with it. Since I finished training ,they never gave me any hours due to my PRN status. Now, I am working in a better place that I am very comfortable with. Nobody gave me a hard time because of who I am. I just want to let the OP know what I went through and hope she can see when someone tries to correct her mistake , it is for her own good. :)