Cape, Anyone?

joules300, BSN · Jan 23, 2004

RN-PA, I haven't worked med surg in a while but I think nurse to patient ratios on a med surg floor vary. We have a lot of floors with tele and I think they probably have a 4 - 6 pts per nurse, on a basic med surg maybe 5 - 8 pts. I know the ER has as many as they can fit in your rooms and the hallways--anywhere from two to eight per nurse--sometimes more!! It can get out of control at times. The ER uses travelors in the summer and I think the main hospital does too. But that probably won't happen this summer. They are in a big budget crunch and getting rid of overtime, travelors etc.. So I'm sure we will be working short, AGAIN!!

RN-PA, RN · Jan 23, 2004

Thanks, mother/babyRN and joules for the info. Sounds pretty much like the ratios in PA, unfortunately.

AHarri66, BSN, RN · Feb 14, 2004

I miss Falmouth Hospital! I worked the Med-Surg/Tele floor, and even though some days were rough, it was far better than where I ended up. (I moved South, and the hospitals here are verrrry different.)

I can't wait to come "home" to the Cape for a visit...

CapeCodMermaid, RN · Mar 5, 2004

I love Cape Cod and have vacationed there, based in Orleans, but have explored all over the Cape for the last 10 years. My dream is to live there one day (mainly a nice dream, but HEY-- you never know! ) and I wondered about job opportunities for a med-surg nurse on the Cape. When I've done a little searching, it looks like there are plenty of LTC positions out there, but I wondered if anyone can tell me anything about working at Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis. (You can PM me, if you'd be more comfortable.)
I'd also appreciate getting some idea where the less expensive areas to live are located.

LOL...there are NO less expensive places to live on Cape. The hospital is OK...unionized if that's your thing. Worked there in the 80's and it was just ok. Was a patient there several times...seems most of the nurses had attitudes about patients who knew anything. Same as any other place...some good and bad. And you're right...there are always jobs for nurses in LTC on Cape..especially those with subacute/rehab units.

LittleWing21, RN · Oct 14, 2005

I'm hopin to go to CCCC next sept., and I'm already pretty sure that I wanna start my career as a nurse on the Cape!

I know how crazy the cost of living is in Cape Cod now, do the wages reflect that at all? I'm really hoping I'll be able to afford living there!! About how much does Falmouth and CCH pay?

ZASHAGALKA, RN · Oct 14, 2005

Didn't you see the Incredibles?

NO CAPES.

~faith,

Timothy.

(OK, it's only a little humor.)

sunshine9 · Oct 16, 2005

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Hi everyone,

I'm so lucky to be living on the Cape for a year. Long story, but it's great to be here for the off season. I'm a mid-life career changer who feels an inexplicable (kind of) call to nursing. I'm exploring taking prereqs at CC Community College -- they have an Associate's nursing program that feeds into/works with UMass, I believe. I would love to know anything and everything you might know about

CCCC as well as other training opportunities!

I've got an undergrad BA in English and a Master's in Counseling Psychology so quite a few credits will transfer.

Thank you all in advance!

I took prereq. at CCCC for the last year and a half and I am currently enrolled in the nursing program at UMB. I did not get accepted into CCCC so I transferred over. I don't know about the nursing program itself(but I have always heard wonderful things) but I thought that the professors were excellent. I did not have one bad professor and the science professors were incredible. As far as getting into the nursing program, it can be kind of tough. To get into the general day program, you need to make sure that you have already completed Chemistry and Ana. & Phys. I cannot remember if there was another prereq. that you needed. I would also have as many of the courses completed as you can (with as good as grades obviously) because a lot of the people that got in last year had all of their courses completed besides the nursing courses themselves (Micro, Ana 1 &2, Engl 1 &2, etc.)

Besides some of your credits will transfer, hopefully it won't be too bad. Also if you have completed any of the sciences make sure it's within a certain time limit. They only accept the sciences within a certain amount of years taken. Last thing. Make sure that you turn in your application early. A co-worker of mine have exactly the same GPA and she got into program and I didn't. One thing that helped her out also was that she had two more classes completed than I did. Last but not least, keep other options open. It was my first choice because I get to learn in teaching hospitals and I have heard that they have excellent clinical training at UMB, but it was my last because now I have to commute from Pocasset to Boston five days a week. But I would not trade it for the world. I guess that you end up where you are supposed to be. Good luck with getting into nursing school and your nursing career.