Eric Snell, a Licensed Vocation Nurse (LVN), works for an agency that provides private duty nursing, or in other words offers in-house nursing care for a medically stable patient. In the following interview, Eric explains how he got into nursing, the demand his jobs entails and some personal anecdotes.
Q: Why did you choose to become a nurse?
A: I became interested in nursing when my mother got a rare liver disease and spent a lot of time going in and out of hospitals. At the time I was a little lost trying to figure out what career path to take. I took an anatomy and physiology class at a local community college and it came natural to me; while others spent hours studying, I would pick up the material quickly. I then decided to enroll in a LVN (in some other states called it is Licensed Practical Nurse - LPN) program.
Q: How did you become a nurse?
A: I attended a Licensed Vocational Nurse program. I chose this program because it offered a faster route to enter the nursing field; it is usually a yearlong as opposed to the two to four year Registered Nurse program. The program is intensive; therefore I attended classes, which included clinical days at different facilities like hospitals and nursing homes, Monday thru Friday from 8 am to 5 pm. During clinical days we received hands-on experience and put into practice what we learned in class. After finishing school, I had to pass a state board exam to become licensed to practice nursing.
Q: How were your first weeks or months as a nurse?
A: My first job out of school was at a hospital. I worked on the telemetry floor, where cardiac patients get their hearts monitored 24 hours a day. I was pretty busy all the time because the hospital was always understaffed. Eventually, I quit because I wasn't able to provide each patient with the care I wanted to give and also the care they deserved.
Q: How would you describe a 'regular' day at work?
A: I perform a medical assessment to include vital signs, administer medications and treatments, provide for mental and physical stimulation, as well as attending a special needs program with the patient within the local elementary school.
Q: What was the most difficult day at work?
A: It was during my first job out of school. The hospital floor was understaffed and I had a full patient load, and then received 2 more admissions which put me way behind. I stayed 2 hours after my scheduled time off catching up with all the paperwork that needed to be filled out.
Q: What don't you like about work?
A: About the only thing I don't like about my job right now is the lack of benefits and high cost of medical insurance.
Q: What makes you feel good about the work you do?
A: It is very rewarding because I know I am making a difference in someone's life.
Q: Are you required to get additional training periodically?
A: Yes. As part of keeping my license current, I need to complete continuing education courses. I also attend different in-services that my agency provides.
Q: Where do you see yourself professionally in ten years?
A: Ultimately, I would like to earn my Registered Nurse License and continue to work with pediatric patients.
Aurelio writes for jobsinhealthcare.com Health Care Jobs, a top job board connecting professionals with jobsinhealthcare.com/s/find-all-jobs-in-usa jobs in health care.
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