crazy4Him

Good for you. Correctional nursing can be very rewarding but working for the county can be less than satisfactory. Good luck.

You need to really stay on top of them. Call them, email or whatever you have to do. The normal time, I understand, is 6 - 9 months. That is just how the county works. I have worked for 2 years for them. Good luck. Can I ask why you want to work for the LA County Sherriff's Dept? Just curious.

I am an LVN in Southern CA, graduating in July of 2006. I currently work as a hospice nurse and was hired right out of school. I too heard that same requirement after applying at several places. But several of us were hired by this same company and several other new grads were hired by another company, all doing hospice. Maybe you just need to keep trying and applying. I wish you luck with finding a hospice job. It is very rewarding.

Hospice.

I've been a hospice nurse for about a year now. Got the job right out of LVN school. I've done vists as well as crisis care. The visits are going from home (or facility) to home visisting the pts, taking vitals, reordering prescriptions, general assessment of pt for new problems and DX management and progression. I may also need to call the Dr to change orders. I then call the info in to the care RN and then on to the next pt. If there is family present, which there usually is if they are at home, I am a welcomed support to those taking care of them. They look to me for a lot encouragement and letting them know that they are doing a good job. (not always but I can't do much about that other than teach some more). I usually have 4-6 pt a day and unless there is a problem I only work about 5 hours a day (get paid for 8 because I'm on call should one of these pt have a problem later in the day) The visit could intail a new foley or irrigation of the foley, bandage change, and a lot of teaching. I also do what is called crisis care. That is where the pt is some sort of crisis, usually resp. distress, pain management, needing further teaching, or they could be actively dying. In crisis care the pt is on around the clock nursing care until the symptoms are under control. I am with the pt for 8 to 12 hours. Some days are extremely busy if symptoms are raging and other time I feel like I'm just babysitting while monitoring. When a pt dies I do the pronouncing, DC any oxygen, foleys, clean the body up some if needed, etc., call the coroner (needed in some counties and cities), call the mortuary, call the office to have the death broadcast, dispose of all narcotics and support the family if they need it. I really like my job. There is a great deal of satisfaction in helping a pt die without pain and anxiety and in peace. Also, we hospice nurses are an incredible source of comfort for the family. This is a very scary time for them, pt's too. I actually just had a pt have me sit down with him and tell him what it is going to be like at the end. The information seemed to bring him a great sense of peace. This is probably more than you ever wanted to know but I really love my job and could go on and on.

Citrus College in Glendora also has an LVN program with no waiting list. You only need to qualify by being the top 40 students in an intro class. I graduated in July '07, am working and continuing with my pre-reqs for the RN. Citrus has just started their RN program this year and I will be ready to start in '08. I also met with the coordinator at Chaffey. Once my pre-reqs are done I can apply by taking one class. They told me that so far no one has been turned away. They also start their programs twice a year now which obviously increases your chances of getting in. They have a great reputation for their RN program. Good luck.

I don't know where you live but Citrus College in Glendora has an LVN program. I finished in July '07, am working as a hospice nurse while I continue on with my pre-reqs for the RN program. The cost for Citrus College was about $3500 for the year and you only have to qualify by being the top 40 students in a Introductory class. There is no waiting, no requirements, no high GPA needed. I will be ready to start the RN program in 2008, which Citrus College has just started this year. Good luck, mom2many

After reading the posts I must admit that I was very blessed. I am 50 years old, been out of school 30 years and graduated the past July with my LVN. Our class of 45 worked well together. There were all ages in my class, with the majority under 25 years old. We were a family, so much so that when we had our graduation many were crying because they wouldn't be together on a daily basis anymore. We DID have our groups that studied together. But in clinical we all helped each other out. I think that most of us all got to do it "all". I made sure that I was very visible and let all the nurses (where ever I was) know that I wanted to do anything and everything. I did foleys, bed sore packing, trach suctioning, well, you get the picture. Ieven got to help deliver a baby and did the first assessing and apgar. I even got to insert a foley in a women who was over 400 lbs. It took 6 of us...two for each leg, one holding a flashlight and me doing the searching and inserting. We were very well prepared, so much so that every one in my class who has taken the NCLEX has passed the first time, mostly with only 85 questions (28 so far). So like I said, I feel very blessed. In my school, I found that I was responsible for making my education and experiences what I wanted it to be. I'm sure they aren't all like that but like I said I made sure I did as much as I could. Yes, I doubted myself at times. As a matter of fact, several of us had a joke when we were overwhelmed and thought we couldn't do it, or when we were sure that we just bombed a test, that we were going to start a window washing business. Our joke kept our instructors puzzled for quite some time. So I think some insecurity is normal, just don't let is cripple you. Now that it is all said and done, I never once doubted that I would pass the NCLEX. I look back and see how much knowledge I've gained and how much I've grown. I also found out that I really enjoy learning; so I think I will keep on going to get my RN. Keep you eyes on the goal and good luck to you.

Hi Jennie, I am new here but I felt strongly that I needed to reply to your post. First off, you certainly are NOT going to hell. I had a very similar situation with my father. Although he was much older he too didn't want to go on. He had many health issues and was on dialysis. After my mother died he had a very hard time with it emotionally and mentaly. He developed a staff infection, his shunt becomed clogged and just wanted us to let him go. The doctors suggested that if we were ever considering taking him off dialysis this would be the right time. I told him that "there was No Way, he would die. "I couldn't play God". The doctor's response to me was both hard for me to take but a huge revelation, not to mention very freeing. After my statement he told me, "Why not, you played God when you put your dad on dialysis?" I was speechless, I never thought about it like that. Needless to say, after much discussion with the rest of the family and my father, we all decided to not continue with dialysis. He died 8 days later. As I pondered on all that was said and what I watched with both him and my mother's last years here on earth, I realized that modern medicine can be good and bad. For healing purposes it is wonderful and amazing but for those who are chronically ill and the elderly I am not sure that modern medicine is always in their best interest. I am currently in the LVN Program here in S. CA and doing my clinical in an extended care facility. I see the majority of patients there that are being kept alive by modern edicine and technology. Most are miserable and wish to be let go. Most of them would not be alive and in their present condition just 30 years ago because we didn't have the technology then that we have today. I believe that sometimes we need to leave things alone and let them take their natural courses. Please don't get me wrong I believe in the technology today; it has saved and kept people alive, it's is just that for those whose life has no hope of being independent, productive, etc., it needs to be reconsidered. I hope this all makes sense to those reading it. I don't believe in euthanasia but I do believe in letting nature taking it course. Allison

Thanks for the encouraging words. I am new here also and not quite sure what I'm doing. I am a returning student, having been a stay at home mom for the past 23 years. I am currently enrolled in the LVN Program and started my first clinical 2 weeks ago. This rotation is at an extended care facility and it was extremely hard on me emotionally. Thursday was the worst and I found myself questioning my decision to become a nurse. I cried the entire way home and later that night and again the next morning. My husband is very supportive and tried very hard to encourage me and cheer me on. I am doing well in the class portion and in clinical but what I am having a hard time with is the treatment of the elderly patients. No abuse but neglect, harshness and humiliation. These people have no dignity left and are treated not like people but like problems with great impatience. It is heartbreaking. My teacher told me that this was a "good" facility which is even more discouraging for me. I am more than frightened by what the future clinicals hold for me. I don't believe that I will be back in an extended care evironment but still........ Having said all that, the quote was strengthening for me. I have printed it out and put it on the bulletin board in my study area where I can read it on a regular basis. I have felt called into the nursing field for many years and was just waiting for my youngest two to be old enough where I could do this. Now I think I'm a big chicken, questioning my choice to go into nursing. I am planning to continue on with my RN which will probably hold a whole other set of insecurities. Anyway, thanks for reading and letting me vent a little. Allison