Clinical Duty Hours

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My wife is in a Kaplan NCLEX RN Class in Dallas this week.

She has been talking to a person whom has an ADN and they told her they only had 2 months of Clinical Duty.

My wife had to spend 2 years doing (3) eight hour shift per week at her local hospital doing her Clinical Duty.

Did she misunderstand them?

How long does a USA educated person have to go Clinical Duty?

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Not all time in the hospital counts as clinical hours. Only time with a patient under the direction of a clinical instuctor counts. Prep time does not count or any task that isn't professional ( cleaning does not count as clinincal time).

I believe total clinical is over 1100 hours for ADN program.

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I believe total clinical is over 1100 hours for ADN program.

My wife has over 2000 Clinical Hours. I was thinking she had more than an average US trained student.

She rec'd her ATT last week and is reviewing for NCLEX-RN this week.

She wants to work, we are still about 2 months out on getting her green card/hopefully passing NCLEX.

I wanted her to wait a year before working, but she gets bored at home and Texas will not let her drive or get learning driver licenses until she has greencard.

So I am trying to figure the best way for her to negotiate her salary. She has no actual work experience but she has some other things which should allow her to negotiate a better deal than an average first time employee.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
My wife has over 2000 Clinical Hours. I was thinking she had more than an average US trained student.

She rec'd her ATT last week and is reviewing for NCLEX-RN this week.

She wants to work, we are still about 2 months out on getting her green card/hopefully passing NCLEX.

I wanted her to wait a year before working, but she gets bored at home and Texas will not let her drive or get learning driver licenses until she has greencard.

So I am trying to figure the best way for her to negotiate her salary. She has no actual work experience but she has some other things which should allow her to negotiate a better deal than an average first time employee.

I suspect with no nursing experience she will be looking at being treated as a new grad

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No negotiation for a new grad, the only new grads I have seen get extra money are LPNs with loads of clinical experience and even that is iffy.

A new grad requires a good orientation and lots of hand holding. I also advise my students not to accept a position just because they will pay you more, usually these positions do not have a good orientation and support that a new grad needs.

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Specializes in CTICU.

Why can't she get a Texas drivers license? Does she have a foreign license? She just needs to take passport, I-94 and SSN (or letting stating she's not eligible for one) to the DMV.

DMV website specifically says for ID you can use " Foreign Passport with a visa (valid or expired)"

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My wife has over 2000 Clinical Hours. I was thinking she had more than an average US trained student.

She rec'd her ATT last week and is reviewing for NCLEX-RN this week. "

Wonderful, one week review for the NCLEX is about right for a US graduate since they have been tested throughout the program, most foreign nurses require more. Suzanne has a wonderful program available for free but it takes several months to complete.

"She wants to work, we are still about 2 months out on getting her green card/hopefully passing NCLEX."

Glad she want to work, are you taking the NCLEX also?

"I wanted her to wait a year before working, but she gets bored at home and Texas will not let her drive or get learning driver licenses until she has greencard.

So I am trying to figure the best way for her to negotiate her salary. She has no actual work experience but she has some other things which should allow her to negotiate a better deal than an average first time employee."

I don't know why you think she will has better skills than others. She has not work experience and academic records don't account for anything in the job world. As a new graduate, she will be in the bottom of the barrel regarding shift rotations, assigned floors, and holiday. Also in the Philippines they do not teach IV therapy has she taken any courses to compensate for that? Basically all new grads are treated equal, if she tries to counter offer chances are they may rescind the offer. Also all jobs make new nurses take tests the first few weeks of employment, medication tests and a general knowledge assessments. If a nurse doesn't pass these tests they are asked to leave.

You also must be BLS. A driver's license is a must since being new she may have to stay longer to complete her assignments and work off shifts.

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Why can't she get a Texas drivers license? Does she have a foreign license? She just needs to take passport, I-94 and SSN (or letting stating she's not eligible for one) to the DMV.

DMV website specifically says for ID you can use " Foreign Passport with a visa (valid or expired)"

She has a SSN

The problem is her I-94 is/was only valid for 90 days, Per DMV it needs to have length of 1 year and have at least 6 months remaining.

A K1 Visa is only valid for 90 days, after she enters the USA.

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Alexk49:

NCLEX Review: I sent the Saunders Book from Suzannes Suggestion to he in PI about a year ago, She is doing Kaplan review this week, and she plans on getting and following Suzannes Plan as well, She has until March 1st to take/register for NCLEX.

NCLEX for me: My job or education or training has nothing to do with the Medical Field.

Driving for her: I bought her car before she arrived in USA, We are just waiting for GC to be able to get her DL or Learners Permit.

Better Skills: Never said she had that. What she does have that most people in the USA don't have is her education versus her age.

She is only 20 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and hopefully she will be able to add RN to that soon.

Our plan is for her to work 1 year, and then decides if she want's to go back to school to be able to further her career in Nursing.

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I hate to say this her age will go against her. I was 21 when I graduated, very quickly I was put in charge. Many people have issues with young person in charge. It will not leverage her any extra money.

My point she is taking the boards, their is no "we" in taking the boards. She will pass or fail the boards on her own merit. Ditto when she goes to work.

You are the one who said

"So I am trying to figure the best way for her to negotiate her salary. She has no actual work experience but she has some other things which should allow her to negotiate a better deal than an average first time employee"

I see her from a nursing point of view, not having experience with IV therapy and not experienced with modern techonology ( glucometers, wound vacs, CPM machines, computer charting, etc). It is impressive to be 20 and complete college, but her secondary education ended at age 16 so in reality that is the age people graduate college in the Philippines. My daughter is 23, college grad, has a MS in clinical research, completed 2 years of medical school, plus worked as a research assistant and that is about the norm for her age. My point she is a new grad nothing more ( of course she is a unique person with her own strengths and weakness) and if she tells her future employer that she is planning on leaving in one year they may choose not to hire her, since it is very expensive to orient a new graduate nurse.

Depending what she wants to study, one year may not be enough work history. Speciality areas such as CRNA, Midwife, NP all request clinical experience.

Most schools like nurses to be advanced beginner or competent level. It takes years to advance to this level.

https://allnurses.com/forums/f224/novice-nurses-111839.html

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She has IV Therapy Cert. from PI. (I don't know if it's valid in USA, but if not, surely it can't be that hard to obtain in USA)

In most business a employee only really has 2 chances to negotiate salary,that is when they get hired and when the leave.

Of course she would never tell her future employer she plans on leaving. I have heard some companies will pay for education.

In my opinion there is no such thing as loyalty to a company now of days, it's more of "make your best deal" that you can.

If you want to really make the money you need to sacrifice your time and money and be the person/persons whom own the company and let your employees make you the money.

But I feel like it is up to me do help my wife along and provide her guidance until she feels comfortable to make her own decisions.

As far as Nursing / Education / Work in the Nursing field, probably 90% of what I know has came from this All Nurse fourm. I am trying to educate and learn on my own as I go.....

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No need for IV training in the US since it is taught day one in the USA. If you are working in a non union hospital you can ask for a raise any time, I have when I have presented a case for more salary. Union position you are bound by the contract.

In my years of nursing, a new graduate salary is set in stone unless you have nursing experience ( LPN) otherwise even one is the same for better or worse. Based on what you have posted here your wife does not have any special circumstance and employers will not take kindly for asking for more money without a skill set that matches. In fact most employers avoid hiring new grads since their orientation is very expensive.

I agree with no employer is forever. Tuition reimbursement often requires a period of employment ( 6 months to one year) with an equal pay back period. I would not suggest a new nurse going to school while learning the ropes of the position. Also as new nurse it is hard to take classes since you maybe scheduled that day to work.

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