cndynf

Thank You guys for the INFO.

Hello, I wanted to find out something as far as taking care of pts. who's been getting chemo drugs. I work at this hospital but at times they float me to a medical floor. One night we were so busy at that floor, call lights were ringing at the station. At that time I was an LVN, I just happen to answer this one call light because I guess her/his nurse was busy. There was no sign saying that this pt. was on chemo. Anyway, I helped flush the pts'. urine that was in a urinal in the toilet. I only have my gloves on not thinking that the pt. was on chemo. I am concerned right now because I'm afraid that I was exposed because I did not have a mask on. There was no sign or anything that could have let me know. Am I ok or I should talk to someone at work about this. This happened many months back. Thanks in advance.

Hello, I wish I can help you but all I know is when I use to work at a Skilled Nursing facility, I know some nurses from the Philippines who works there that has I guess you call it "H 1" visa. I am not sure if they want you to have some experience working as a nurse before coming to this country. I guess it is best to just wait for your VISA so that way you don't have to deal with too many immigration stuff-- that's my opinion though. How long do you think it would take for you to get the VISA? I can probably call some of those nursing homes and find out for you. ::balloons: :balloons: :nurse: :balloons: :balloons:

Hello Joey, I've been reading your posts from the beginning. You have been through a lot. And you are a very, very strong person, Our Lord have given you strength and courage to get you through this stressful situations. I wish you good luck on the NCLEX-LPN. I wish you all the best that life has to offer you now and more:) .:) :) :) :) :) :)

hey thanks for your reply. i work in martinez. i didn't know that there are alot filipinos working in healthcare as rns,lvns,cnas when i started as a lvn 11 yrs ago. i went to nursing school here. i started working in nursing homes because to be hired in an acute hospital you need at least 1 yr experience in acute(which i didn't have). right now i am working in medical surgical as a lvn and waiting for a rn position. some hospitals can hire you as a per-diem (or on-call, which pays about $40-50/hr), but then for an on-call, there are chances where you can be cancelled more than one time in a particular month. also, you are mostly likely to be floated to different dept; but i guess that is why your a "per diem" and getting paid that much. well goodluck to you here in cali, you will love it here. :nurse: :nurse::roll

Hello!!! Just saying hi to all you guys!!!! I live in CALIF. I am glad that there's a forum just for Filipino nurses to get together chit-chat and share different ideas and comments. I work at the county hospital with a lot fellow filipinos and I love it; Although I haven't been back since '89 it SURE feels like home when I'm at work. :lol2: :lol2:

Hello, In what state did your wife took the NCLEX-RN?? I took mine in CALIF-- Because here in Cali we don't have any fast NCLEX result number or website to go to; I had to go to the board of Registered Nursing website in CA .the day after I took the exam (it actually takes about 2 days for your name to post) and what I did was I clicked on "permanent license verification" and typed my first and last name. Tell her to HANG IN THERE!! I know exactly how she feels and she's not alone, almost everybody who took the NCLEX feels the same way-- restless, very anxious, feeling really bad after taking the exam.

Sorry for the overreaction. I should have given myself time to think about where the writer was coming from. Thanks for everyone's input on this matter. :smackingf :icon_hug: :Santa3:

Like what I said before, If you are in my work situation you will see how it is. You really have to be there and typing all this stuff at this site will only give a small perspective. Believe me "I wasn't NICE at all with them". It is easy for one to conclude that but YOU HAVE TO BE THERE TO SEE HOW THINGS ARE.

Due to them changing the hiring policy this year of new graduate RNs,which will be ultimately changed next year to how it's suppose to be in'06 ( thanks to ME). Because I invested 5 years and decided to retire here in the county I did not take this situation lightly; NOT AT ALL!!! Ok, I was "willing to keep working as an LVN"--I felt that ok, this is how you guys are going to play it, well this is HOW I'LL PLAY IT: Instead of leaving and running away from this situation and moving to a different place to work, I am "willing" to challenge this head on with the management. I was able to get the DON to finally admit and apologize that that was a mistake in their part and I was the " unlucky guinea pig" with this new RN program thing. Eventhough I went to my LVN union they were ready to back me up but can only go so far. I was glad I have a lot of co-workers who are there to back me up. I have a RN position FINALLY this end of January. I know I fought hard for this (eventhough that I don't have to);but the irony of it is you DON"T LET THE BIG GUYS STEP ALL OVER YOU--- I don't care who they are, they were in my shoes when they started--and they shouldn't forget how it was. I told myself that I am going to retire for the county and whoever keeps me from doing just that, I just will NOT BACK DOWN until I get what I deserve.

Thanks for all your replies. Sorry for not elaborating further on what's going on with my situation: My first instinct was of course to get the hell out of that county hospital. I was the "guinea pig" from what the DON said after she realized that changing the new graduate hiring process was a mistake this '05; She did apologized to me and she said for me to just wait and I will eventually get a position. In my case, I somehow fell between the cracks of the "new graduate" system. Since they messed up on not getting me in the program, the DON gave me an opportunity to go ahead and bid for an entry level RN, and to just wait for a position to open, which she said will eventually happen. Right now, this is what I have to go through: the position will be posted first for an advance level/ experience level, then if none of them takes the position for 5 days, it is now offered to an entry level RN. The new grad nurses that were already working on the floor(from what the nurse mgr. is saying) has a contract for only 6 more months and it's only a temporary position. After the 6 mos, they will have to bid for a permanent position. Right now, I am recently offered a position which I can refuse or take which will start at the end of Jan. When the 12 months new grad program started last July, I did started looking around other hospitals. The only reason why I am still here is because of the county's Retirement package which I invested 5 years on. I did have a lot of support from my fellow co-workers who helped me in reversing the new grad program to how it should be again.

Hello, I'm sorry to hear about what's going on with you and your family. I want to let you know that I included you and your family in my prayer so that He will help you and your family get through this.

Hello again, Thanks for your reply. Well, here in California. I am still a LVN, until I am "hired" as a RN. I still put lvn after my name whenever I chart, eventhough I hold a RN license. Where I am right now is I think as an RN, I use my critical thinking skills everyday at work. The hard part is I have to be careful and not step over the line because I am still a LVN (working under a teamleader RN). I have to check with risk management about this because personnel and human resources dept. can't help me.

Hello again, Thanks for your reply. Well, here in California. I am still a LVN, until I am "hired" as a RN. I still put lvn after my name whenever I chart, eventhough I hold a RN license. Where I am right now is I think as an RN, I use my critical thinking skills everyday at work. The hard part is I have to be careful and not step over the line because I am still a LVN (working under a teamleader RN).

Hello, I have been an LVN for 11 years and have been working at this hospital for 5 years as an LVN. The last 5 years I also worked hard in trying to finish my RN and pass the NCLEX . When the the time came where I finally got it, I was of course SO happy and felt that it was a big acccomplishment for me. Then came for me to apply for the new graduate program at my work.There could only be about 10 new graduates to be chosen. This year will be a different thing from what I was told wherein everybody should go through an interview process even if you're already in the system and working at the hospital itself. SO, me thinking that it's no sweat, I'll go ahead and go for the interview and also thinking that I will get hired anyway because I'm already in the system. Well, I WAS DEAD WRONG!!! When I went to the interview I thought it was going to be one interviewer; but instead, it was 4-5 people taking turns asking me different scenerio questions. I admit I was in there for an hour and was mentally worn out when it was over. To make things short, I DID NOT GET IN THE NEW GRAD PROGRAM. I felt that it was really unfair for me to even go through the panel interview in the first place as an employee at the hospital. The other applicants that were hired where new Grad RNs just like me, who most did not even have the hospital experience that I have as an LVN. I felt really cheated and disappointed seeing some of the new graduate student being trained on the Med-surg floor where I work. I felt that I could have been one of them. Now I am still working as an LVN on the floor, waiting to be hired as an RN while those new grad students are already starting to work as a staff RN, some are even working on the floor where I am working. I've been fighting and have been vocal about this issue. Even my co-workers said that it was UNFAIR. I am a DARN good nurse and I just wanted a chance to be acknowledged for all those 5 years that I have worked there. I SHOULDN'T EVEN FIGHT TO GET AN RN JOB ON THE FLOOR. I spoke to the Director of Nursing and I guess she realized that what was done to me was unfair. So the hiring procedure for the new grad program will be changed back to how it was this '06. But for now I am still... waiting helplessly...