copnlpn2

At our 99-bed LTC/SNF facility, admin has us over a barrel. We are at work for eight and a half hours, 30 minutes of which is supposed to be for an unpaid lunch break, and are "entitled" to two 10-minute breaks. I work steady 11-7 five days a week and rarely, if ever, do I get to leave the floor for a lunch break. So for nearly four years, I've "donated" a half-hour overtime nearly every day to our corporate's pocketbooks. The facility's "policies" are 1) Nurse MUST take a half hour lunch or get written up because there is to be no overtime. (but admin it totally aware that most nurses, especially day shift nurses, get no lunch break at all.) 2) There is to be no eating at the nurses' stations (but admin brings "goodies" to the nurses' stations for the nurses to eat during charting because it's obvious they're too busy to leave the floor) 3) Nurses cannot leave the facility during their lunch breaks (no even to walk around the parking lot for fresh air) 4) Nurses can be terminated if they are caught napping during their breaks. (Admin says its because we must be "readily available" at all times, even during lunch breaks.) Not long after I was hired, I got fed up after a particularly rough shift and turned in a slip to our administrator saying I had worked through my lunch time and needed paid for the time. That ended up in me getting chewed out because of the Must Eat Lunch/No OT rule. And my co-workers , especially the charge nurse, got reamed outbecause they had not "made provisions" for someone to cover for me so I could leave the floor and eat. (They hadn't gotten to tak a break, either!) I spoke with a nurse who's worked our facility for 10+ years and asked her why the nurses don't punch out for lunch. She said they used to punch out for assigned times to eat, but it didn't work out very well. She reminded me there's only one time clock (longest distance from the break room) and nurses were expected to get to the time clock, but not pass by any call lights needed answering, eat their lunch and get back to the time clock, again answering any call lights they encounter on their way to punch back in. She said it left very little time to eat so when admin "suggested" no set lunch time and no punching out, the nurses thought it would be a good idea - but boy were they wrong! I am the rebel in our facility and the admin knows it. I worked many years in administration myself and am very aware of labor laws. I've spoken to the labor board who says all any nurse has to do is document for one month the number of times she works through her lunch break and submit it to them and they will be in our facility in a flash to check it out. I decided befor going that route, I'd try to get our administrator to change some of the policies, but her statement was to remind me that "nurses who make waves don't last long here." Now I'm damned if I do go to labor board with documentation and damned if I don't. Please don't ask why I don't seek employment elsewhere, because I have several legitimate reasons why I choose not to at this point in my career. I know, as long as I fence-sit, I should just suck it up, but maybe I just needed to vent a little...it's been a long, long week!

Thanks for the recent info! Yesterday I spoke with an highly skeptical EC nursing advisor who told me that IF my school was "really" accredited, which she really doubted was the case :angryfire , I would receive credit for 9 to 12 hours of my LPN course work. What ensued was a flurry of phone calls on my part - and with good results! I found out for sure that my LPN school (at a technical center in Oklahoma) was indeed nationally accredited. As proof of it's accreditation, I will soon be receiving letters from my school's administrator and from the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission. The lady I spoke with at NLNAC was truly indignant when I told her EC said the NLNAC accreditation wasn't acceptable. She said the NLNAC actually accredits EC so they darned well better not say that the NLNAC accreditation of my school is "not good enough" for them to recognize! My next battle will be regarding IV certification. Students in my LPN school had to be IV certified to graduate. After moving from Oklahoma to Ohio and got an LPN job at a LTC/Skilled facility, I told the DON I was IV certified but she wasn't sure if my certification was "good enough" for Ohio. I've never pushed the issue since LPNs at our facility don't get a pay differential for doing IVs, just the extra responsibility/headaches. But now that I want to become an RN, I want the matter resolved so I'll know now whether I have to take an entire "Ohio approved" IV certification course or my IV certification is "good enough" for Ohio. (I'd still take a refresher course since it's been a few years since I used my IV skills). Anyone come across this issue before? Still haven't signed on the dotted line with EC yet. I fully intend to have answers to all my questions before I send them a penny. Just hope they don't get so tired of my questions that they stop taking my calls! Wish me luck in my endeavors!

bssshroads - Small world! I grew up in East Liverpool and later spent 18 years living in Oklahoma, where I became an LPN. I moved "home" three years ago and now live in East Palestine. I'll be enrolling Wednesday in Escelsior's RN program...wish me luck!

Talked with an EC rep yesterday (still trying to decide whether to enroll with EC) and asked which of my LPN courses would be accepted toward my RN degree through their program. He said "probably none because you went to a vocational school and they are rarely accredited." The vocational center where I graduated in Oklahoma is indeed accredited (I checked and had it verified) and told him so. He still couldn't tell me which of my classes would count toward my RN degreee and said any of my classes that counted would be determined by an advisor once I was accepted and enrolled in EC and after I paid the $895 enrollment fee. I'd like to get an idea what to expect before I sign on the dotted financial obigation line, not after I've forked out money from my humble savings account. My LPN classes were the following: LEVEL 1: 1) Nursing Concepts I - 36 Theory hrs., 24 Clinical Hrs. 2) Body Structure & Function - 90 Theory hrs. 3) Nutrition - 12 Theory hrs. 4) Growth & Development/Life Span - 18 Theory hrs., 24 Clinicial Hrs. 5) Nursing Principals & Skills - 90 Theory Hrs., 90 Lab hrs., 96 Clinicial hrs. LEVEL 2: 1) Pharmacology - 27 Theory hrs., 18 Lab hrs., 72 Clinicial Hrs. (We had to be IV certified to graduate from our school) 2) Med-Surg Nursing I - 42 Theory hrs., 18 Lab hrs., 72 Clinical hrs. 3) Maternity & Child Nursing - 39 Theory hrs., 48 Clinical hrs. LEVEL 3: 1) Mental Health - 30 Theory hrs., 24 Clinical hrs. 2) Med-Surg Nursing II - 144 Theory hrs., 12 Lab hrs., 224 Clinical hrs. 3) Nursing Concepts II - 12 Theory hrs., 64 Clinical hrs. I graduated with honors and am a member of the National Vocational Honor Society. I've also taken a college-level Psych class. I am asking my question to better determine just how much my RN degree will cost me. I don't care overly much for paying out $895 without knowing all the details - like how many more classes I'll to take and budget for. (Anal retentive, I know!) Sorry about the length of this post but I thought that by giving complete info on my prior classes, it might expediate informed replies from past or current EC students. As always, I appreciate the help! Cindy

In a post similiar to this on another thread, I just posted how I learned to adjust to steady night shift. I sleep from 3 to 9 pm, get up, have breatfast and then go to work. I have lunch at work and supper when I come home from work. I've just turned my body's clock around so that I do like any person working dayshift does...I get my sleep in the hours before I go to work, instead of sleeping right after I get home. Works great for me because I still have energy left at the end of my shift...

I work in a long-term/skilled nursing facility where any of our 99 beds can be skilled beds. Last night I had 32 patients under my care and of that number, 21 were skilled patients and 7 were residents with behavior problems related to Alzheimer's disease. I had two patients fall and I sent another two out to the ER in respiratory distress.

I've worked steady night shift five alternating nights a week for nearly five years. When I tried to sleep just after I came home, no sleep aid helped me and I was miserable. I realized that I couldn't sleep in the daytime because I crave/need sunshine (SADD) to feel human, especially in the winter. So I started thinking about it...when your work daylight, you sleep, get up and go to work and you still have energy left after you get home in the afternoon. So I tried sleeping the 6 or 7 hours before I when to work and found out sleep aids were no longer necessary! Now on the days I work, I go to bed at 3 pm and sleep until 9 pm., then get up, eat "breakfast" and get ready for work. On my days off, I stay up until 7 or 8 pm, and then go to bed and sleep until I wake up "naturally," which is usually around 8 or 9 am. I feel totally rested now when I go to work and I'm not the least bit sleepy when I get off work. And I have all day to get stuff done. The hardest part about changing when you sleep is the first few days. You have to make yourself stay up until 2 or 3 in the afternoon and then go to bed. It gets easier every day and soon you'll have your body's clock adjusted to sleeping in the afternoon/evening. Once you get used to it, you'll discover that you have plenty of energy to last throughout the day until around 3 pm., when your body begins to tell you "Hey! It's bedtime!" Best of all, you won't need a sleep aid! I must mention that I am divorced and live alone so I can sleep whenever I choose. My co-workers on nightshift who have families find it impossible to sleep in the afternoon/evenings like I do and are rather envious of how much energy I still have at the end of the shift. Maybe you could give it a try...

Morning everyone! Grueling night at work, but that's nothing new to any of us, is it? I received the following in my email yesterday: Dear Ms Fletcher, Excelsior College is accredited by New York State and therefore you would be able to sit for the NCLEX for an RN exam in Ohio after successful completion of the program. There is some controversy over this program and several states do not allow graduates to sit for the NCLEX with a degree from Excelsior. The controversy is primarily that there is not adequate clinical experience within the program. It is unclear at this point whether you could endorse into one of those states as well after obtaining a license in Ohio. The Ohio Board of Nursing has discussed this program and for now has chosen to continue to allow graduates to sit for the NCLEX. Good luck in continuing your education! Norma Selders RN MS Manager: Education, Licensure and Nursing Practice Ohio Board of Nursing 17 South High Street Suite 400 Columbus, Ohio 43215 direct 614 466 4816 fax 614 466 0388 Make it a Great Day! I know circumstances can change, but I fully intend to live in Ohio throughout my working years. I left Ohio and lived in Oklahoma for nearly 20 years and swore once I moved "home" that I'd never leave my family nor the state I love again! So the issue of where my EC license is acceptable is rather moot for me, now that I know the OBN wil recognize my degree. In addition, I am not pressed for time to graduate, except that I'm getting older everyday that goes by! I am divorced, financially stable (not well-off by any means!), in good health and am seeking the RN degree as an end to a means - to explore areas of nursing other than the "traditional." If you've read my posts, you may have noted that I am an adrenaline junky who thrives on the new and exciting, even at my "advanced age" of 56. I love geriatric nursing but that was too "calm" for me for long. So I solved that by studying everything in sight on wound care, which is what I "specialize" in now. But the itch has returned and I'm ready to move on to something new. The problem, as I previously stated, is that those things I'm interesting in pursuing (wound care certification, legal nursing, forensic nursing) all require an RN degree. No matter how much outside knowledge and skills I obtain, I cannot advance to those areas without being an RN. So ....it's off to school I go! I have learned so much useful information from all your posts and appreciate hearing the pros and cons, which present a much more balanced picture of distance learning, in particular EC. I have checked out Indiana State U after reading txspadequeen921's post and still feel that EC will be my school of choice. I will keep everyone posted as I progress toward enrollment, for I'm sure I'll have more questions - we anal retentive types always do, you know! Please continue to send any pertinent info you may have for my consideration. I truly appreciate every one of you for taking the time to help me. Cindy

DYatesRN - I was thankful to hear of another mom who puts her kids above all else. I didn't start pursuing things I really wanted to do until I, a single mom, could get my son and daughter through college. Was it worth it? You bet! I've requested that an information/enrollment packet be sent to me fby EC and really hope it gets here before the 30th of this month. If it doesn't, I'll print the necessary info from off their website to take with me to my meeting. Still trying to check on ISU... Thanks for the post, "D". Cindy

jsteine1 - I can appreciate where you're coming from! But I don't think I will experience the same problems because I've done all the moving around the country that I plan to do. I'm wanting to get my RN degree not so much to work as an RN but to be able to get certifications in forensic nursing or legal nursing or wound care or something "more" and/or different than RN duties. The RN degree for me is more of a "means to an end." Everywhere I turn there are things I would love to do, but in the medical field, trhey all say I have to be an RN to enroll. So my only alternative is to become an RN or leave the profession of nursing entirely and choose a different career path. It certainly wouldn't be the first time I've every done that in my life...insurance agent, newpaper editor, hospital central services director, firefighter/EMT, police officer, nurse. It's the challenge that draws me toward a job, more than anything else. Hope that doesn't make me sound like a poor nurse! Believe me, I would never have posted on this board if I didn't intend to carefully consider every bit of information/advice I received. You've all been so very helpful...Thanks! Cindy

willtm - Since I've only taken a pysch course (in additional to a zillion classes for various certifications and licenses over the past 30 years!) I would imagine that I would take somewhat longer than you to complete the entire course, right? Even so, I study well and testing doesn't worry me because I love the challenge it presents. And except for work, there's nothing pressing right now in my life that would prevent me from devoting all my spare energy toward getting my RN degree (except my annual Caribbean cruises in October!). Now if I can just get an few more things settled in my mind, I'll be ready for my Aug. 30 meeting with the corporate exec! Thanks, all!

FROGGYLEGS - Thanks! I'm glad I know how to surf the net and have been an eBay user for many years. Now I'll know where to look for my "own" textbooks and study guides. Does anyone know if any of the textbooks or study guides ae published by McGraw-Hill? My sister works for MH and I could get what I need there at a discount. LPNtoRN - Thanks for clarifying the time factor for me. I notice lots of things at my age and one of them is that time passes by very quickly. So a year and a few months won't be too long a wait for me to graduate. I just don't want to go the route of driving to classes, spring/Christmas break, cancelled classes, etc., so distance learning is more suitable for me. Okay - give me an example. Let's say I'm already enrolled in Excelsior and want to take English Comp I and don't want to pay EC for any textbooks or study guides for the class. Approximately how much would I have to pay EC for the course? And when it comes time to test, do I pay EC for the test or do I schedule it independently at an approved test site and pay for it myself? Hope you all don't tire of my endless questions. I just don't want to sign on the dotted line until I know I'm not being fed a line... Cindy

Thanks to each and everyone of you who've taken the time to reply to my query! After absorbing all the info yu've provided, I'm leaning heavily toward enrollment in Excelsior, once I confirm Ohio will accept my degree. (Thanks for the heads up, willtm, RN34TX and nd_mom!). If I'm correct, I could keep my EC costs down by purchasing used books, study guides, etc., from previous students (Thanks, srigg!) I would have to keep on top of what info I send EC and what they need to send to me, as well as be prepared to wait for a test date at a nearby location of my choosing. Right? (Thanks, SRiggRN320!) If I took all my classes through EC, I won't have to deal with having EC accept or reject any previous credits. (Thanks jsteine1!) And if I bite the bullet, I could be done in a year or less. Right? Kent State University has a branch nearby where I could get my RN BSN in the "conventional" mode. However, I don't want to be in school that long and certainly not with kids just out of high school again. Been there, done that. (No offense, but at my age I'm in school to learn and get out and am not in the least concerned with the current fashion, who's the cutest teacher/doctor/student or whether I have a date for the weekend.) txspadequeen921 - I did go to the ISU siteyesterday and only found info for RN to BSN. I'll check again today or call them for info before I make any firm decisions about EC. (Spadequeen - On a personal note, I can certainly sympathize/empathize with your comment about marriage. Tried it a couple of times and each were huge mistakes so I have no desire or need to every attempt it again!!!) Any additional comments, suggestions or warnings will all be reviewed, researched and appreciated! Cindy

Thanks for your reply! I'll consider all comments and research some more. Once I finally feel ready to make a commitment, I'll let you all know. I work steady night shift five nights a week. I'm one of those oddballs who sleeps before I go to work ( 3 to 9 pm), rather than sleeping in the mornings when I get home. I truly believe my work performance is better because of it. I've stayed up past my "bedtime" to read these postings and find out more abut Excelsior. But I can suddenly hear my bed calling to me - sleep, sleep.... For now, off to sleep I go!

Do you recall how much it cost you (the very first payment) when you started with EC? Once I would complete all my classes, can I select where to do my clinicals (Columbus, OH is their closest) or does EC make that determination? If all the books, study guides, etc., can be purchased online or elsewhere cheaper and testing is paid by the student out-of-pocket (is it), then what exactly is EC's role? Why couldn't a person obtain those same books, manuals, study guides, pass CLEP tests and then apply to take the clinical test? I know my last question sounds rather dense, but I'm trying to determine what exactly is EC's role outside of providing printed material, support and counseling. Are they just an "umbrella" under which you receive an accredited degree? I'm happy to have two such opposing views of EC. Hearing both sides of the coin will actually help me make my decision, when I make my decision. One of my faults is researching a subject to death so once I make a decision, I don't ever have to look back and say "if only I'd known...". Any additional comments from current EC students or EC grads will be equally appreciated! Cindy