Are there MD-RNs here? Pls share ur experiences...

lawrence01 · Jan 12, 2007

I don't know the job market in Maine is but you do not need experience to be hired. Try to go to their websites or walk-in and see the openings for new grad or RN 1. You can be hired as new grad and will undergo the hospital's new grad program w/c is usually 2-3 months.

The way I see it you have everything going for you since you are a permanent resident already. You do not need to be petitioned anymore and even do the Visa Screen as most foreign-educated nurses do.

Also, if another foreign-educated nurse is being considered and a US hospital is choosing between you and her you will be prob. get hired as you are a permanent resident already.

You are lucky. People who don't have any form of US visa will have to go through the long wait of being petitioned via consular processing. And, yes they get petitioned even w/o nursing experience. If they can get petitioned you can be hired as it it less of a hassle for employers to hire you.

Cheer-up !! You have everything going for you IMHO.

I recommend going to allnurses.com's sub-forum on Nursing Career Advice and our Maine Nurses sub-forum.

https://allnurses.com/forums/f87/

https://allnurses.com/forums/f151/

Advanced Practice Columnist / Guide · Jan 12, 2007

Like Lawrence said, consider yourself lucky that you've already hurdled many steps in the process of getting employed being that you are not only a licensed nurse but also have the employment eligibility as a permanent resident in the US. Many hospitals will hire new grads with no nursing experience. Look around your area and make calls to HR departments or visit hospital websites. You won't find any difficulty at all.

Don't worry too much about your own perceived "in-competence" as a nurse. We all had to start somewhere. If you end up working in a hospital, you will not be left to work by yourself right away. There is always an orientation period for new a RN and the length of it depends on the unit or department you get hired into. This is precepted orientation which means an experienced nurse is assigned to you alone to oversee your learning needs. When I was working in Med/Surg, the orientation period was six weeks. In the ER, it was 10 weeks for me. There is some variation in the length of the orientation depending on the hospital. But the bottomline is you will be adequately prepared before you start working on your own.

manangmdrn · Jan 12, 2007

Lawence01,

Thank you very much for the info, links and the encouragement! I am on my way now to the nearest hospital to submit my resume! :)

lawrence01 · Jan 12, 2007

Welcome. Keep us updated.

manangmdrn · Jan 14, 2007

Like Lawrence said, consider yourself lucky that you've already hurdled many steps in the process of getting employed being that you are not only a licensed nurse but also have the employment eligibility as a permanent resident in the US. Many hospitals will hire new grads with no nursing experience. Look around your area and make calls to HR departments or visit hospital websites. You won't find any difficulty at all.
Don't worry too much about your own perceived "in-competence" as a nurse. We all had to start somewhere. If you end up working in a hospital, you will not be left to work by yourself right away. There is always an orientation period for new a RN and the length of it depends on the unit or department you get hired into. This is precepted orientation which means an experienced nurse is assigned to you alone to oversee your learning needs. When I was working in Med/Surg, the orientation period was six weeks. In the ER, it was 10 weeks for me. There is some variation in the length of the orientation depending on the hospital. But the bottomline is you will be adequately prepared before you start working on your own.

PinoyNP,

Thanks a lot for your reassuring words. I badly needed that.

Sorry I was kinda late in replying...maybe I posted my last reply at the same time you posted yours...

I am seeing more jobs for home health care or long-term care...but I applied (online) to some Med/Surg/Tele positions and Rehab...not sure if these are the right moves. I tried to drop my resume at the nearest hospital but the receptionist told me she would forward it (make sure it will reach) to the HR...I am getting paranoid that she might just be getting nosey and might be saying something bad to the HR (like she might say I had a bad attitude. I have read some HR likes to ask the receptionist about the attitudes of applicants) Well I was very polite, but I can't help being paranoid. I will try to follow up on Tue (coz Monday is a holiday). If I will not get accepted there, I will be desperate enough to consider working somewhere more than 30 mins away from my house).

Many of the jobs require CPR, but I went ahead and applied, saying that I am scheduled to take the CPR Professional Rescuer Class (by ARC) this Feb (or March, if there isn't enough attendees).

In relation to the above posts, should I consider applying to graduate nurse position? There is a hospital 1 hr away that posted that. Am I selling myself too short?

Advanced Practice Columnist / Guide · Jan 15, 2007

PinoyNP,
Thanks a lot for your reassuring words. I badly needed that.
Sorry I was kinda late in replying...maybe I posted my last reply at the same time you posted yours...
I am seeing more jobs for home health care or long-term care...but I applied (online) to some Med/Surg/Tele positions and Rehab...not sure if these are the right moves. I tried to drop my resume at the nearest hospital but the receptionist told me she would forward it (make sure it will reach) to the HR...I am getting paranoid that she might just be getting nosey and might be saying something bad to the HR (like she might say I had a bad attitude. I have read some HR likes to ask the receptionist about the attitudes of applicants) Well I was very polite, but I can't help being paranoid. I will try to follow up on Tue (coz Monday is a holiday). If I will not get accepted there, I will be desperate enough to consider working somewhere more than 30 mins away from my house).
Many of the jobs require CPR, but I went ahead and applied, saying that I am scheduled to take the CPR Professional Rescuer Class (by ARC) this Feb (or March, if there isn't enough attendees).
In relation to the above posts, should I consider applying to graduate nurse position? There is a hospital 1 hr away that posted that. Am I selling myself too short?

Technically you're not a graduate nurse anymore because you are licensed. If their definition of a graduate nurse is the same as here where I am, then that means that's a nurse who graduated from a nursing program but has not passed the NCLEX yet. Just be patient. I'm sure the hospitals will respond once the appropriate personnel receive your application. The way HR works, your resume is sent out to nurse managers in units where there is an opening for an RN. The managers review your resume and will ask the HR person to call you for an interview if they are interested in hiring you. In some instances, you get an interview in many different units in a particular hospital. I doubt if the receptionist will ever have input on whether to hire you or not so don't worry about that.

Med/Surg/Tele and Rehab are good places to start. I have worked in both and find rehab easier for a beginner because the patients are more stable medically. However, it can be physically challenging as patients require more ADL assistance. Med/Surg can be overwhelming because of the acuity of patients and the nurse-patient ratio being usually at 1:5 or more. Some places have lesser patient load than that but you will still need a lot of prioritizing skills in order to finish your tasks during your shift. Don't let that scare you, as I mentioned previously, you will receive adequate orientation regardless of which unit you end up working in.

Usually, home health care jobs for RN's require some kind of in-patient experience in a hospital or LTC. Long term care is an option for you but also remember that most LTC units have one nurse assigned to 20 or 30 residents (that's what clients are called in those places). That can also be overwehlming for someone new to nursing as typical tasks perfromed in these places include assessing patients, passing meds, changing wound dressings, and documenting nurses' notes. You will depend a lot on ancillary personnel such as CNA's to help you through in these places. But don't totally rule LTC out if you can't find a hospital job. Many RN's actually enjoy working in this setting.

A CPR card is not an absolute requirement when you are applying for a job because this course is offered by all hospitals in the country on-site. Just be upfront with the HR that you do not have a CPR card yet. That shouldn't prevent them from hiring you.

Again, good luck to you on your job search. I am pretty confident that you will get calls anytime soon.

P.S. there is a delay between the time the posts are entered and the time the post actually show up in the Philippine forum so that's probably why you didn't see my reply right away.

suzanne4, RN · Jan 15, 2007

Graduate nurse program is a new-grad orientation and suggest that you go that route since you have no experience as an RN in the US, or anywhere.....they usually start two times per year in many cities......if you can get into one now, great. If the nurse is starting as a new grad, it means that they have at least an interim permit; the key is that they do not have any experience as an RN in a health care facility.

Best bet is to go for hospital only and stay away from long term care or even rehab until you are really comfortable with what you are doing. Ratios are usually higher in rehab, and much higher in LTC. Better orientation will be in a hospital.

To take a Home Health position without any US experience will not help you at all. You are expected to be well aware of all responsibilities of the RN and all procedures that they are responsible for, including all of the paperwork, HH is notorious for tons of paperwork on a daily basis.

Which part of ME are you in?

manangmdrn · Jan 16, 2007

Hello lawrence, pinoyNP, and suzanne,

First off, thank you for all the tips/insights that I have found very reassuring and informative (for someone like me who has absolutely no clue on how to start in this new career).

Okay, I left my resume at the nearest hospital (15 mins away) in Skowhegan, ME, and applied online (the only way to apply there) at the next nearest hospitals, both in Waterville, ME (30 mins away). There is another hospital 22 mins away which I am considering applying to but there are no ads for RN aside from those for LTC. Based on the above posts, I am putting LTC positions as a lower priority as I don't feel it is the best area to get my first experience in.

Today I got a positive response from one of those in Waterville where I applied for Med/Surg/Tele positions, and one Rehab position. I was asked to schedule an interview. I am predicting it will involve, among other issues, choosing which one - Med/Surg or Rehab. Based on the above discussions, it seems that Med/Surg will be the best option. However, the position is for night shift (36 hr/wk, e/o wkend and holidays) as the day shift was already given to another applicant (I also applied for that previously).

As for the walk-in resume submission at the nearest hospital, I decided to follow up today at 12 noon with an e-mail, also saying that I left my resume last Friday at the recptionist. I plan to call later this afternoon to follow up on my application.

I have not set an appt with the hosp in Waterville.

Any input as to what I should expect:

1. during the interview?

2. during the night shift? (what am I really getting into?)

3. specifics on Med/Surg (usual cases, usual tasks, etc.)

The reason I like the one in Skowhegan is because it is nearest, and I already know some Filipino doctors, a PT and a nurse working there, so it would be like family to me. I have met them briefly, and they all seem to be very down-to-earth and have really, really pleasant personalities.

I also like the one in Waterville because it is not too far away (30 mins) and the thing that sets it above the former is that it is a larger institution - so many potential for growth.

Any reactions? Further advice? I feel so inept at this time.

Thank you so very much in advance!

Advanced Practice Columnist / Guide · Jan 17, 2007

During the interview:

First off, dress professionally. I have seen a Filipino nurse show up for an interview in jeans. Business casual attire is usually acceptable - nothing too flashy or fancy. Avoid strong perfumes and heavy make-up. In all the interviews I've been subjected to early in my career in the US, I remember a battery of questions that I was asked and I think they are used to gauge your personality and critical thinking skills.

The questions I remember were: how do you see yourself five years from now? can you give me a specific experience in your past when you were able to make a difference as a team player in achieving team goals? can you tell me of an incident when you were able to advocate for a client? can you give me an example of when you faced a conflict with a co-worker and how you were able to resolve it? So, the questions tend to ask for specific examples from your work history. If you have not been an RN, it is OK to cite examples from school or other work you have done in the past.

Try to relax during the interview, I know this is the hardest thing to do because you are being scrutinized and you feel intimidated. I also feel that you will do well expressing yourself. At least, I can tell by your perfect written English.

About the nightshift:

Unfortunately, many nurses end up working the graveyard shift for their first RN assignment. Of course, dayshift is desirable and when a dayshift position opens, it is usually offered to those RN's who work the nightshift and have requested to transfer to days when a position becomes available. You can do the same by accepting the nightshift position and asking the manager to put you on the list of nurses who prefer to work days when a position opens. This list will be based on seniority. Ask the manager if it is 8-hour (11P-7A) or 12-hour (7P-7A) shift. If you do get hired on nights, your first few weeks of orientation will be on days. That's because the routine in both shifts on a Med/Surg unit are different so that will give you an idea of how the dayshift goes.

Aside from having your sleep-wake cycle being disrupted, nightshift is not necessarily easier than days. There is not much tests and procedures to be done on patients, not a whole lot of direct admits (there may be some ER admits), and many patients will be sleeping. However, patients can still become unstable and many adverse events do happen on nightshift.

Specific cases on Med/Surg units:

This is something you may have to ask the manager interviewing you. Bigger hospitals separate medical units and surgical units. Some medical units have telemetry monitoring so that means they admit patients with cardiac problems such as arrhythmias and EKG changes or are at risk for developing these problems because of their medical condition or medical treatment.

I would also advise you to move out of the Philippine forum for a while and check the forums on this site addressing Med/Surg nursing, or beginning careers in nursing. You will learn a great deal from these forums as well.

manangmdrn · Jan 17, 2007

pinoyNP,

Thank you so very much for the very useful tips (and the encouragement)! You have answered more than what I have posted.

A friend of mine told me about looking for a day shift, because during that time, I would have more learning opportunities (vs night shift), so that was the reason I first applied for that position, which was given to another applicant. But I was wondering how the orientation/preceptorship would be, and if I would be left on my own (without much mentoring) if I were indeed accepted for that position. You have just answered my un-posted question -- that I will have orientation on days. Thanks for the tip about requesting for a day position when one opens. I was really worried on whether I will learning anything during the night shift, and the only reason I applied for that position was to try to get into the system and get my foot on the door. So I really appreciate the advice you gave.

I have started browsing the other threads you suggested and I am learning a lot! I now wish I had done things differently from the day I received my ATT!

Five years from now I am also seeing myself as a nurse practitioner, although I am not quite sure what type will be in high demand in my area. I will do more research (in allnurses) on that later.

Again, thanks a bunch!

manangmdrn · Jan 21, 2007

Hello all,

I had my first interview with the HR last Friday (despite a snowstorm -- she said she appreciated my not cancelling. I thought it would not make a good impression if I canceled because of a bad weather. Appearing on time despite the bad weather ~ going to work on duty no matter what.)

First I would like to thank you all for the useful tips. I had a business attire but wore slacks (that was the most I could do with the weather condition). Not only that I looked professional, but I also projected more confidence easier if dressed in such manner (the same way I did in my past experiences). I also browsed the net for other questions that may be asked and which I could ask.

The employees there were all polite (maybe because of their quality policy? Or maybe they were really happy?) that I really felt relaxed during the entire interview. Even the recruiter/retention specialist was so not intimidating. She attested to her satisfaction as an employee in that she has been working there for 26 yrs now (also an RN).

Questions/Issues I remember being asked/discussed:

Which of the positions was I pulled more into (M/S/T vs Rehab), then she went to explain how each ward differed. We talked about the shift.

How I see myself after 5 years. After giving my answer, she talked about how the direction of the hospital plans are going (as if to say that my career plans go with the hospital's growth direction).

How I handle conflict (personal first then immediate supervisor).

What to do when understaffed (prioritization and delegation; team nursing is what they do there, she said.)

How I found the transition from being a MD to a RN (not much difference actually). I used this to express past experiences and limitations as a GP in PI.

I asked about orientation, training (she said structured and individualized; usu. 12-wk), continuing education incentives (many in-house; reimbursement is available), scheduling, N:P ratio (1:8, RN working with CNAs; this is when fully trained).

She gave me literature on hospital's Mission/Vision/Quality Policies, and the job description.

I am about to set up another interview with the nursing unit manager. The HR would have arranged for the meeting that same day but NUM was not available. I got a message that afternoon for setting up the appointment but unfortunately I was out. Gotta call her early Monday morning for that. There is a possible facility tour.

Need your help again on this. What should I expect during this meeting? What questions should I prepare to ask? What answers should I be prepared to give when questioned (i.e., what do they usually ask during this interview?). I browsed topics on Nursing Career Advice but there is not specific post on the interview with the nursing manager of a specific ward.

Thanks a lot in advance!