what areas do newly qualified nurses go into

ceridwyn · Jan 23, 2004

Hi, there is nothing like hearing someone who is enthusiastic about a career.

I finished last year and went into a grad. program. There have been a couple of nurses, that quit and have gone on to do specialities.

This has included taking up permanent positions in both theatre and ED so depends on your interest and if the ward area is keen to employ a newly qualified nurse. I personally like general ward work.

Another from my group in uni, has gone straight to a position in ICU and another went to dialysis.

Lets face it nurses are in very short supply, so if there is a position in any specialty available and a very keen newly qualified RN you are welcome. Except midi of course, but then they aren't nurses but midwives (thats what one midwife told me when I met her in the shared drug room, first day on the job)

It does also depend on the amount of experienced staff they already have on the ward to be able to be a new RNs mentor.

The world is your oyster I suppose when you finish.

I hope you enjoy it. As one professor told me, that he was not a professor because he was intelligent, he was there because he held on, by his fingernails. Remember this in the difficult times, because there will be.

Another good one I was told by an academic "P's make degrees"

No-one looks closely at the results in the end. Just the piece of paper from the nurses board.!!!! C

emmy · Jan 23, 2004

Thanks for your reply, I've found it really helpful .

What exactly does the Grad program entail and are you paid like a regular newly qualified nurse or are you seen as a student?

As you may have gathered I'm new to all this!

:)

ceridwyn · Jan 23, 2004

Hi, Yes you are part of the nursing staff, just "doing the grad program"

Early shifts, evenings, nights and all of that. Paid at the beginning rate which to some may be good pay at around 17.50 an hour.

All hospitals differ, usually you rotate to different wards up to 4 times, some you stay in the same ward.

This is not an official qualification, just a easier maybe way to enter prof. nursing. If you don't know something, you just say, I'm on the grad program, I'm new, tell me about it!

Mentors are always organised for you which you follow around for a couple of days then your on your own with your patients with them close by with their patients.

Study days are usually included where you may go through, epidural infusions, basic and advance life support, drug regulations, aand just debrief with everyone thats in the program.

You are are on the bottom rung for a year, so the grad program is a worthwhile course to get into and nearly all hospitals run some sort of grad program.

I'm off to do law, so nursing will be my back-up for money

Have fun C

emmy · Jan 23, 2004

Thanks, thats good to know.

Good luck with your law course, what aspect of law are you interested in going into?

I studied criminology as part of my sociology and social policy degree, I absolutely loved it. However Midwifery is my 'calling', so I'm hoping to do the 1 year midwifery course after I've finished my nursing degree and hopefully work as a nurse whilst I'm studying midwifery.

Anyway, all the best with your new profession, when do you start studying law?

ceridwyn · Jan 23, 2004

Hello Emmy, I would love to know about all aspects of law. Really keen as you are about nursing, it has also interested me most of my life, but as an oldie, I hope I do not stand out to much and can cope with the pressure of it.

I feel so ignorant at times, Family law interests me most at the moment.

So far I have done some background study, so not to be too far behind the "youngies" coming fresh from legal studies at school.

It has opened a whole new book of knowledge to me, finding out how the history and how the consitution, govt, courts, relate, to each other.

Enough of all this babble, I am so excited but so scared I will not make the grade. But still I got in, so I suppose that says something. seeya C

emmy · Jan 23, 2004

Well done C, I am a true believer that if you want something enough you will get it.

Don't doubt yourself as you bring something to your studies that the 'youngies' don't and that is life experience!

Good luck and again WELL DONE :)