[Galilea]

Hi,
My name is Mayra I am from a really small town in texas i am 22yrs old i am a little confused i just started my first semester in the nursing program to get a associate degree but i am having doubt about if this is what i want to do. I also was wondering if its really difficult for a nurse fresh out of school to get a job and i was also wondering about. The travel nurse program everyone talks about i am really curious about that so i would really appreciate it also what is the start pay for a RN is austin texas does anyone know? thanks

[suzanne4]

You need minmum of one year of experience before weven considering working agency or traveling. Most companies now require two years of experience as you will be functioning on your own without an orientation, perhaps a day or two if that much. You literally hit the floor working.

Whatever the salaries arenow, they won't be the same one year from now, let
alone three or four years from now. There are plenty of nursing jobs out there. I would be more concerned with finishing your training and getting some experience under your belt.

Good luck

[EvelynRN-BSN]

What you are going through is completly normal. I went through it myself and I still go through it. I just graduated May 23, 2004 with an associates degree in nursing. I have asked other classmates of mine if they were feeling the same thing. (They all were!) You are not alone, just ask your classmates. It is a big step toward your future and you want to make sure this is what you want to do, especially putting all your money into school. You have to love what you do, otherwise you'll be miserable.
To answer you questions about getting jobs as a new graduate nurse....not hard at all. I had many offers from several hospitals and I was offered the position at all of them, but even if your not offered the position don't feel bad. A lot of my fellow classmates did not get job offers at first. Go on several interviews to get the interview experience. One thing I did that was different (as I was told by the interviewer) I brought a list of questions and interviewed them, plus a portfolio of all that I have done, letters of recommendation, etc. Make the interview worth your while. The more you ask them questions, the more they know you are interested in the position. Put the ball in your court. I was offered a postion in NICU, L&D, Nursery, ICU, PACU, CCU, and ER. I took the ICU position because my goal is to become a CRNA. There are many options in nursing.
I wish you the best of luck! I am sure after the first couple of semester you will begin to enjoy nursing. I did not like going to the nursing homes and cleaning up poop. I do not have a stomach for it. That was the hardest thing for me. I am sensitive to that smell, but anything else....I love it! I love invasive stuff. Why don't you call your local hospital and talk with a head nurse on the unit of your liking and see if you can shadow an RN for a day. I have done that myself. Good Luck!
Evelyn

[Mark T.]

I'm a guy, 47 or 48 y.o. (forget which :-), and one semester away from an ADN nursing degree (that's Associate Degree in Nursing, like you). You're making the right moves. I got a 4-year degree BA degree with concentration in computer science 20 years ago, but couldn't get that first job. As a RN, after 2-1/2 years of school I'll be able to make mortgage payments if I want, or travel and work, or work a little and volunteer a little, etc.

Personally, I felt it was honorable work to clean poop from old people's butts when I worked at a nursing home, but my father had just died in home hospice where we had done the same for him, so there may have been some cross-motivation. Now I drive an hour each way to work at a major, university medical center. That's great experience, too.

I'm beginning to believe that the nursing jobs are really out there, though I'll reserve final judgement until I get the check (and it clears) -- that's just some my character based on previous hard experience.

Right now, study hard and keep passing each semester's classes. Also, use your summers to study ahead while reviewing past material to keep it all fresh for the NCLEX.

Working at a nursing home is *excellent* experience for at least two reasons:

(1) You'll get a lot of basic experience in terms of ADL's and being able to "settle in" a patient without even thinking about what you're doing. Then, when you start working at a hospital, being able to do this will earn you the respect of experienced nurses, as well as the simple fact that these basic nursing tasks will be so second-nature that you'll be able to do them while thinking about and performing the higher-level assessment stuff.

(2) You'll learn if you really like being up close and personal with people in a caring position. Frankly, I really like the patients and find honor in doing for them things that they cannot do for themselves.

P.S. Keep learning those meds!

[Mark T.]

Forgot to mention--I got into nursing because, as I said, my father died. At the time, I was living in Chicago, but not really getting anywhere in terms of career. After Dad passed on, I was very concerned about my Mom's living alone in the country. She had already had one stroke. So, I moved out here. Got a job as a CNA in a nursing home because that seemed like a sure bet--out here, there really isn't much else. I was there about one month when I realized that I would need a nursing license to advance in responsibility. Fortunately, I found a community college that would transfer in my previous classes as pre-requisites, even though they were 7 or 8 years old.

Just wondering, what "small town" in Texas? My parents are from Littlefield, TX, near Lubbock; and Lee County, east of Austin. Velly, velly small towns. Here, we live on the county road halfway between a town of about 50 people and another of about 200.

Nursing is a great choice--it will pay well. Anyway, you don't have to do anything for the rest of your life. If you want advice, mine would be to stay with it.

Mark.

[Galilea]

Originally Posted by Mark T.

Forgot to mention--I got into nursing because, as I said, my father died. At the time, I was living in Chicago, but not really getting anywhere in terms of career. After Dad passed on, I was very concerned about my Mom's living alone in the country. She had already had one stroke. So, I moved out here. Got a job as a CNA in a nursing home because that seemed like a sure bet--out here, there really isn't much else. I was there about one month when I realized that I would need a nursing license to advance in responsibility. Fortunately, I found a community college that would transfer in my previous classes as pre-requisites, even though they were 7 or 8 years old.

Just wondering, what "small town" in Texas? My parents are from Littlefield, TX, near Lubbock; and Lee County, east of Austin. Velly, velly small towns. Here, we live on the county road halfway between a town of about 50 people and another of about 200.

Nursing is a great choice--it will pay well. Anyway, you don't have to do anything for the rest of your life. If you want advice, mine would be to stay with it.

Mark.

Hi,
Mark i guess you are right about the pay well and dont have to do anything for the rest of my life. but like always things seem to never go my way and it really sucks at least i am glad to hear that someone out there cares and knows how it is to be in the nursing program i cant wait really i cant but it always seems like somethings bound to happend i am having to drop my classes cause my car broke down and i am having to drive 45 miles to go to school the lil town is monahans really little u probably never heard of it well i know that nursing is what i want to do and i guess i am hoping my car gets fixed before july first that way i can go back to school for the summerII sesssion i cant believe this i hope its never to late and i think i am going to have to re apply to reenter the program aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh someone shoot me right it seems like the more motivated and the more i want this is like something is bound to happend aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!! well its nice to have people that care i hope i wont have to re apply for it cause its so hard to get into it and i have tried so hard for this the more i want it the less i get i guess its part of life right i dont know wether to drop the classes and i dont know i am so confused but i have to drop the classes man this really sucks!!!!