NerdyKnitter

42 and finishing up my first year in an ADN program. I'll graduate at 43!

I am still in nursing school so I can't speak from experience. I just didn't want to leave you with no replies because I'm in the process of possibly being diagnosed with POTS right now, and it sucks. I'm sorry you're going through this. What about school nursing, hospice, or administrative work?

Congratulations! I found your story via a google search. I went to the ER Monday with severe tachycardia (202 at it's peak). I've had tachycardia virtually every time I've stood up since Monday. I'm in the midst of all the testing, but so far POTS is the most likely diagnosis. I'm starting my 3rd quarter of nursing school on Monday. Your story gives me hope. It is soul crushing to feel like you can physically do anything one day and then the next you can't stand without tachycardia. But, I will prevail ?

Good for you! There is so much to learn from working in a nursing home ?

Where have you been applying for CNA jobs? If you don't have experience, it might be hard to get a CNA job at a hospital. I would be very surprised if you wouldn't get hired at a SNF or an assisted living facility. Both will give you a lot of experience providing care and interacting with patients/residents. It is hard work, but very rewarding.

My $1300 MacBook Pro that I bought 5+ years ago still works as well today as it did the day I bought it. Well worth the extra expense. It's the 13" and I love that it is small enough to carry around with me - since I start nursing school in September

In the places I've worked it all depends on staffing. When we are fully staffed I take my breaks. When we are understaffed I take my breaks if possible, but the safety of the residents comes first. I've taken breaks and been pulled off them for falls and once, even and elopement. Not worth it This week I worked a 16 hour shift with one half hour break. At least the shifts go by fast.

I wanted to piggy back on the post about working in home care to gain those CNA skills (which is a good idea). As someone who started in home care and then switched to LTC I wanted to share some experience. When I started in home care they paid for my classroom training, which was great, but they gave me ZERO in the field training. What I found was that I showed up at people's homes and had no idea how to approach clients who were resistive to care. "The Approach" is such an important skill to learn that I would suggest asking for in the field training. If they won't do that for you I would skip it, unless you're already comfortable convincing a depressed and ill client that they should take a shower even if they don't want to. Another option is working in an assisted living facility for at least 6 months or so and then switching to home care. An ALF would be less physically demanding than a skilled nursing facility. It is still very physically demanding, but a lot less lifting and transferring. I had planned to stay doing home care the whole time I was in nursing school but I found I simply wasn't able to learn enough without working alongside an experienced aid. My year in assisted living has been priceless. I love it and I've learned SO much from my fellow aids and the nurses I've worked under. Good luck! It sounds like you will make an excellent nurse!

I was accepted to my nursing program yesterday! I'm 41. I'll be 43 when I graduate ?

If you are willing to make me a pair I would gladly pay for your time too!

Just knowing the exist is a huge help! I'll call around to some other audiologists in my area and see what I can find. Thank you for bringing these to my attention!

Hi Emily, I have been searching high and low for ear pieces that will work with hearing aids. If it's not too much of an inconvenience, could you let me know the brand of yours and where I might find them? My audiologist doesn't have any idea where to find ear pieces to put on a standard stethoscope. Thank you so much for any help you can offer!

I am starting nursing school next year and I'm currently a Med Aid and Personal Care Aid at an ALF. About half our staff really care and make sure we provide all care tasks to our residents on each shift. The other half either call out frequently, don't do their showers, don't toilet residents often enough, or all of the above. Due to budget issues we cannot pay enough to attract even mediocre staff. We are piecing together shifts every month just to have NOC coverage. This is a horrible cycle to be in because people are stretched thin and know they can get away with providing poor care because the facility can't afford to lose them. I would like to see our administration begin writing people up for not doing their jobs. Particularly for repeated call-outs and failure to provide care (showers, toileting, etc...). As a staff person who picks up their slack it is very frustrating to see no consequences handed out. I cover so many shifts and I shower so many residents not assigned to me. How is it right for some staff to work twice as hard and still earn the same paycheck? That's a good way to lose good staff and end up with a full staff of crappy aids. I know this was more a personal rant, but I wanted to share what your hard workers may be feeling and thinking. Good luck!

The strangest I've ever come across was recently shared by a friend. Her daughter is in class with a girl named Metallica. Metallica's siblings are named Nutella and Lamborghini. Growing up a lot of kids in my town used to prank call a man in the phonebook named Harry Glasscock.

How can I get a pair of these?