I graduated from LVN school last year..Hospitals are no longer hiring LPN/LVN..You will be working at a LTC/SNF..You will have 30 residents to care for or less if you are lucky..That is if you are lucky..Depending on the shift you get, either you get AM, PM, or NOC shift, AM shift is the hardest..If you have that shift, prepare to fight for your life to survive in that shift..It is like a war..You will have to care for 30 residents, pass medications, do treatments, take new MD orders, chart important information, prepare for the unexpected, supervise CNAs, do new admissions, etc..LTC/SNF are understaffed because of company greed and the company will not care if you lose your license if something happens....Managment will expect you to finish all your work at the end of your shift on time.The turnover rate is very high in LTC/SNF for a LPN/LVN, especially if you work the AM shift..In some LTC/SNF for LPNs, it is a revolving door and new nurses come and go more than the CNAs come and go....If you are the lucky ones, you might get an easier shift like PM or NOC shift, those are the lucky ones..Everyday when I go to work, I feel like it is some kind of war to survive with the workload in AM shift..I dont take lunch breaks and I never get out on time..Management will get mad at me for not getting out of time or completing all my work duties but I tell myself to ignore it because I am concerned about patient safety and my license..And I know that the next nurse that will replace me if I do quit will go through the same things..Nothing will change..
I have read your posts in the past and saw that you have been having a difficult time with employment. I can only recommend that you try out home health where you only have to deal with one patient at a time; or see if it is possible to go onto night shift. Other than that, remember that every day that you survive your present job, is another day under your belt, and it will get easier. I hope that you are able to find some satisfying experiences outside of work that allow you to destress and better cope from day to day.
There are at least 4 hospitals in my area that hire LPNs and the wages are decent. Here many doctor's offices will hire also but most of them do not pay good. I knew that RNs had far more flexiblilty before I even started the LPN program.
: ( i just started new at a snf and its hard work. i have 40pts/1lvn. its so hard. its like immposible to even give them alll 9am meds. its like working like crazy. i am so overwhelmed. its like and you got to do everythng too. i dont know why they just dont hire more pns. its like we are initialing stuff thtaa we didnt even do or check. theres simply no time. so is the pm really so much easier and less meds and paperwork??? does any ones rn/don yell and get all dramatic during report? itsl ike the first time i see that with where i am at?
I have been working in LTC forever, seems like...since 1989, and you are right..NOTHING CHANGES. Overworked, understaffed, under paid. Putting up with all the "crap", it's all politics anyway. I did leave LTC for almost 3 yrs, and was a correctional nurse, just to take a break. Unfortunatley, I went back to LTC and have regretted it since. I am returning to corrections and am very thankful. Sure, the pay is less but the benefits of working there out weigh the pay/headaches of a nursing home. I am getting too old to put up with being a "paid babysitter" for some of the cna's, not to mention you can't do anything for fear of being reported. If a cna doesn't like something you said, like telling her to do her job, she/he will report you and guess who gets reprimanded? Certaninly not the cna. Most of my cna's, in the past, have been wonderful and couldn't do my job without them, but enough is enough. I'm just ready to take things a little easier. I'm not nearly as young as I used to be, turning 50 on Sunday, and I don't plan on "killing" myself until I retire, for the almight dollar. Nursing homes really need to be re-vamped.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
I can't speak for all nursing homes, but the one I did work for is for the birds, when I was an aide. I can't imagine doing it as a nurse. I remember that at night, there would be one LPN with 3 aides, and 60 patients. This is too much. My conscience would not be clear taking care of those poor elderly people who are counting on me to save their lives and keep them comfortable. The administrators and owners of those homes really need karma to bit them in the butt.
In my area, hospitals aren't hiring LPNs. No need to even apply.
It's so sad to hear about your LTC experience. Sad for everyone involved. Hope things go better for you, and somehow the LTC problem gets the attn it deserves.
I just got a job a the VA long term care wing of the hospital in South Dakota. LPN's are working such a diffrent roll there than any other place. It rotates medication, and patient care. We have no more than 12 patients usually. However there are the exception to the rule days. I have seen the nursing homes that the 1 charge nurse has to do EVERYTHING like a crazy lady. I refuse to do that. I have also looked into working at a LTC facility and will only work at the ones that have extra help from their Medication Aids. Its not easy, its actually crazy but in the end...I was an CNA/MA for years and I knew the level crazieness i was getting into.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
I just got a job a the VA long term care wing of the hospital in South Dakota. LPN's are working such a diffrent roll there than any other place. It rotates medication, and patient care. We have no more than 12 patients usually. However there are the exception to the rule days. I have seen the nursing homes that the 1 charge nurse has to do EVERYTHING like a crazy lady. I refuse to do that. I have also looked into working at a LTC facility and will only work at the ones that have extra help from their Medication Aids. Its not easy, its actually crazy but in the end...I was an CNA/MA for years and I knew the level crazieness i was getting into.
I have been hearing this about the VA. There is one a few blocks away from where I live. I might consider going there myself. I don't want to have 50 patients and be responsible for each and every thing...that is inhumane to both, the patients and the nurses. Thanks for sharing.
i havent had any issues finding a job as an LPN, i just passed the NCLEX a few days ago, but even before i took it i was offered jobs. Now I have a few offers on the table, i feel i have a wide variety of choices. I am in NJ, I dont know how it is elsewhere.
Im In The Same Boat Here I've Been To Nursing Homes,nursing Agencies, Did That Post Your Resume Online And Applied At Hopitals And I Get The Same Response "when You Get A Year Of Experience Come Back And Apply." ....i Think You Have To Know Someone In Nursing To Get Your Foot In The Door.
I am a new grad and want to work in the prison system. I want to work nights and I am interested in psych. Do you know if they hire new grads or how much experience you have to have? I am also from CA. I just got my notice that I passed the NCLEX and am waiting for them to send me my license in the mail.
caliotter3
38,333 Posts
Bala
I have read your posts in the past and saw that you have been having a difficult time with employment. I can only recommend that you try out home health where you only have to deal with one patient at a time; or see if it is possible to go onto night shift. Other than that, remember that every day that you survive your present job, is another day under your belt, and it will get easier. I hope that you are able to find some satisfying experiences outside of work that allow you to destress and better cope from day to day.