Latest Comments by AlaBro2010

I am already behind one year due to so many rejections for preceptors. Any nurse practitioners in Virginia that may run across this? I'm willing to travel and stay at a hotel. I need about 2 weeks in a primary care setting (family medicine or internal medicine) in the Fall.

I was in state so I am not sure if it is different but University of South Florida's RN to BSN is inexpensive and an online program. It was great! Also, look into if your state offers tuition assistance/loan payoff for undergraduate and graduate coursework. Good luck!

I would totally apply for this job and that is because I have worked for FDOH before and the benefits are awesome!

They pay your malpractice insurance, travel, and training. They allow you to use a state vehicle for training and pay your meals/hotel accommodations for trainings.

In addition to that, no state income tax! You get pre-tax healthcare and retirement contributions among other things (pension plan). I paid $180 for family health insurance! That is PER month.

I also know that the work is highly specialized and routine, especially in women's specialty clinics.

Edited to add: For example, in the state I am in now, working for the state as an NP- benefits more expensive, there's an income tax, and the long term gains like in Florida are not there (less pension plan monthly payout) so an 75,000-80,000 here would be the same in the long term as a 60,000-65,000 salary.

Have you tried rural health clinics like FQHCs? An old colleague was hired right after graduating.

I've made a med error before. My colleagues told me that a good nurse reflects on their mistakes, learns, and never makes the same mistake again (versus someone who just says oh well). I've made a med error before and you bet I quadruple check now.

In between Brooksville and Orlando you've got Sumter and Lake County. Lake is a bit more suburban- Sumter is rural. I'd say look in Clermont. South Lake Hospital is nice.

I am currently looking at other options because it's not enough take home with two kids. I may be in a "the grass is always greener on the other side" scenario though. I lived in FL and made 46,000 with on call add on, benefits were cheaper, cost of living was super low and no state income tax. I'm hurting at the moment.

Although- if I stick with it, the retirement and benefits are pretty awesome. We get a lot of days off and leave.

I'd suggest logging into your old school account and going into library resources. Search evidence based and women's health and pick a topic. That's what I would do anyways. I've worked in women's health, previously worked with an OB and taught a prenatal course.

I don't even want to share but I'm going to. I should have never taken the salary offer but I was excited to move.

1] East coast Virginia

2]RN-BSN with 3 years public health experience. I work communicable disease. No idea about Union- I work for the state.

$23.70 an hour.

I get insurance for around $300/mo.

3] I rent a two bedroom for $1250. You can find cheaper places around $1000. I think the COL is high for what I make. Utilities aren't too bad around $140 a month. If my kids went to daycare it costs around $1800 a month :O

Do you live in an area where LPNs typically make more? I made $19 as an RN starting out, this was at a clinic and hospital RNs started at 20.

I started in public health as an RN doing all programs maternity, lactation counseling, family planning, STI, TB, peds, etc. I left there after 2 1/2 years to be a community health nurse only working 3 programs, was too slow paced so I went back to the clinic public health nursing.

The best place to start and see what programs/info to look at is your local health department. They usually follow US government guidelines- CDC, etc.

There is no specific book because it's all connected. You learn about STIs in medsurg, you learn about Pap smears and breast screening in women's health etc.

I do believe years ago you could be certified in public health. Public health also varies by county, like some may have a dental program or primary care while others do not.

I had no experience when hired 3 years ago. I now work as a specially trained STI nurse. Different places have different ways of titling their positions. I'm now PHN whereas at my last position I was RN. Our department has community health vs public health. I can try to figure out the difference if you supply a link with an example.

I didn't find the ADN to BSN bridge at all challenging. I took 18 credits the last term to finish a semester early. I also was a single mom at the time. I guess it depends on the program. I could do my Clinicals at my place of employment.

I completely agree with the poster who recommended pediatric home health, you can try that PRN status and see if you like it and add onto your resume! I worked in a peds clinic at a health department in the past- we sometimes saw 18 patients in 3 hours. Does that sound easy? Was my least favorite clinic- drawing blood on babies and vaccines. Never want to do it again.

It did build my skill set though.

I'd say thanks but no thanks for $15. I worked as a new grad at the health department (low stress, good hours, learned so much) making $19 and some amount of change. No thank you. The nearby hospital was offering new grad residency for a dollar more- wasn't worth it to me. No contract and it was in a rural area in which cost of living was low. However, if it truly goes up to $22 like I think I read after a couple of months I would go for it, if it is in line with your long term goals. Let us know what you decide and good luck to you!