Community Chat

[Penellope]

I'm also a Medical Technologist (now sometimes called Clinical Laboratory Scientist). I have worked my share of nights, weekends and holidays. I won't do it anymore unless by choice. I am on call in my current position though. 

I worked in Biotech for a while where I learned Next Gen Sequencing, and now I'm in a specialized clinical lab where I am implementing NGS for patients who need genetic testing for their treatment. 

[151949]

So many young people get a BSN and then go to work and when they figure out what nursing is really about they can't wait to find some other way to make a living. The future of nursing is in dire straits.The generation coming up now knows they don't have to work that hard to make a living.

[Lacey1]

Providing quality health care, (CNAs, LPNs, RNs, Techs, etc.) has always been hard work. It takes a special type of person to do it. Fortunately, those people still exist.

[lulu2]

I have such admiration for those who have chosen a medical profession.

[LTT1]

@sfnative@Penellope@Furgirl

My BS in Medical Technology served me well. Having started in the field when there was a great need for medical technologists, this allowed me to enter the field with a BS (major is considered Biology by my U).  Next, I worked as a Clinical Laboratoty Instructor teaching MT to undergraduates and graduates in the hospital setting.

This experience led to a job with lots of travel for a medical company.  It was a good experience for that part of my life.

This information might help someone when choosing an area of college to major in... I agree that surely the medical field will continue to be a field where one can be assured of a job... that is IMO, of course.

[Puzzle Piece]

OP, actually, after going through life and experiencing various conditions, I feel I am a medical professional. 

[wvumountiefan]

I have been an LPN for 17 years. I have worked in med surge, corrections (prison, which I hated!!!) and when my son was 5, I went to work in the public school setting. I was the first LPN hired in my county and many have been hired since. I was hired due to the high rate of Juvenile Diabetes. I have never regretted taking a pay cut to work in the public school setting because I never had to worry about holidays and weekends, nor did I ever miss my sons athletic events. As a single mom I was never able to quit and go back and get my RN and to help supplement my income I started working PRN at a nursing home when I was off in the summer and any other time I wanted to work. I have never regretted becoming a nurse. 

My love is geriatrics!! I love the elderly and I've been around them all my life. My mother had a personal care home while I grew up in the 70'sand 80's. My mom and dad had 14 elderly residents living in our home, and my mom and dad raised 9 children. My mother was and is an amazing woman with the patience of Job. She had many sleepless nights and never complained! I tell her all the time that her crown in heaven is huge. 

Anyway, thanks for starting this thread OP! I love these kinds of topics! 

[LTT1]

@wvumountiefan... You are a wonderful tribute to a giving life. It would take a lot of bravery to prioritize your life with pay cuts included so you could participate in attending your son's athletic events. Your parents also gave so much selflessly it's admirable.
I am not sure I would have been able to serve humankind in the ways you have. Thank you for loving the elderly!

[blackhole99]

As a Ward Clerk as we were called back in the day, I had a birdseye view of what was going on with all the nurses, docs, techs,etc. I can tell you the LPN's were the hardest working nurses and really knew their stuff. There was many a time if it wasn't for something one of LPN's caught concerning the  patients there would have been dire consequences. I always felt the LPN's never were appreciated because they didn't go through the extensive training the other health care professionals did. We had some really good RN's too at the hospitals and nursing home I worked. I was always disappointed in most of the docs because they were so full of themselves and treated the nurses like waitresses. My niece who is an RN BSN and works in the ICU says it's not like that for them anymore that the docs take them seriously now. She also says she would never work the regular floors because of the patient load, but that the unit is so stressful she wishes she would never have gone into nursing.

[sunshine&rainbows]

EMT, Ambulance driver, Fire fighter, Diabetic Community Health Representative, worked at a health center, having different responsibility's from Hospice to just being there for people in need.

Just wanted to thank all the ER Doctors and Nurses and volunteers I have worked with.

It is hard physically and mentally, I repelled down a 200 ft cliff, car crash, it is so hard when you know everyone working in a very small town. (1,500)

Do not want to say what I have seen and done, out of respect of others.

Take care of yourself you can take care of others.

P.S  I was also a volunteer firefighter, and I thank them also. I would be on call after I got off work at the health center Mon - Sun.

We fought a lot of fires many hours... especially living up in the mountains

.

And I want to thank CAL-STAR (Flight for Life) Weather permitting they would come over the mountains into our little valley, the Critical Care Nurses had many years of training and unfortunately we lost some in a helicopter crash, trying to save a life, they gave theirs... I will never forget that day... I of course knew who they flew in to save and the Pilot and Critical Care Nurses.

So when people want a charity to give to please think about the Volunteer Fire Departments, they also have ambulances and are always in need of new equipment.

Thank you.