COVID-19: Pearson VUE test cancellation

[rnpediyuh]

I understand it. I respect it. I'm just... so sad. Hope everyone's holding on okay. We'll get through this.

[Sabrinasthename]

:( I was scheduled April 1st and mine was cancelled too

[Silver_Rik, ASN, RN]

I was scheduled for this Saturday 3/21.

[Nurse_RuRuTheGuRu]

Yep . I was scheduled to test next week . Now I don’t test until April 22nd and that’s still not set in stone fully .

[T_Petes, BSN]

http://chng.it/tpYhLSndYN

We've started a petition to get them to allow us to take the NCLEX. We need more nurses now than ever before. Please take a minute to sign!

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

On 3/19/2020 at 1:42 AM, T_Petes said:

http://chng.it/tpYhLSndYN

We've started a petition to get them to allow us to take the NCLEX. We need more nurses now than ever before. Please take a minute to sign!

I disagree with this petition. Things are closed for a reason- to keep people from gathering and passing the virus on. It is indeed possible to be infectious without symptoms. This is not about the individual person and their wants. It is about curtailing this pandemic.

Additionally, new nurses need a lot of guidance and support when they first begin their career. Nursing school does not teach you how to be a nurse. That is what orientation is for. However, orientation means taking up resources, taking more time, taking a lower patient assignment, etc. and that can actually be more of a hindrance than a solution. Some facilities are even suspending orientation due to the fact that it involves a gathering of many people, which is also a higher risk for passing on the virus.

There are also other resources out there that you are not considering: many nurses are seeing their partner/spouse unable to work due to closures. Those that are part time or PRN may find themselves requesting more hours to make up the lost wages. Nurses who are not working may find themselves seeking work for the same reason- and an experienced nurse can be up and running independently well before a new grad could. Nurses who are displaced, such as from ambulatory settings that have closed may also be seeking work, or those whose units (think perioperative and perianesthesia) who are seeing their work disappear due to cancelling of elective procedures.

This is about the bigger picture, not just the frustration you are feeling.

[beekee]

I agree with the previous poster. It totally sucks and I feel awful for you. I get that we need more nurses and that IS a problem.

However, nurses are stretched thin, supplies are low to non-existent and the mere thought of precepting someone right now makes me shudder. I barely have the bandwidth to take care of my patients. I can’t take on more responsibility, such as precepting. And it’s only started...

[toomuchbaloney]

Graduate nurses could provide daycare for health professional's children...that would help

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

While this does truly stink for those of you ready and eager to test I have to agree with Rose_Queen . Just about every health care setting is scrambling to adjust to new policies and procedures. Just the cancellation of non-essential procedures and appointments is going to displace a lot of nurses that might be looking to transition to different settings in acute care for the duration. They are at least experienced nurses that won't require too much training to get up and running.

There is also a real possibility that the system they work for might not have enough positions available to accommodate all the nurses that will see greatly reduced hours or even see their positions entirely eliminated short term by clinic's closing and some departments simply cancelling services. Shuffling existing staff instead of hiring and training new staff makes financial sense for both the hospitals and the affected nurses.

There's also the strain on an already overwhelmed nursing staff to consider. Expecting somebody to take on precepting new grads is not an acceptable solution to any staff shortages, though I doubt if hospital administration would take into consideration the nurses opinion on this.

Just strictly on an infection control viewpoint there's more than enough reason to put a hold on bringing in new staff unless necessary and I am reasonably confident for most areas that any current staffing needs can be filled by internal transfers. If hiring new staff becomes necessary at least filling those positions with nurses that won't require the level of support a new grad nurse needs to succeed will put much less strain on an already over-stressed situation.

[BiscuitStripes, BSN, RN]

So when do you realistically expect testing centers to reopen and hospitals to start allow new grads again? Summer? Fall? Next year?

[T_Petes, BSN]

1 hour ago, EDboundSN said:

So when do you realistically expect testing centers to reopen and hospitals to start allow new grads again? Summer? Fall? Next year?

My graduating class has been in touch with many of the Seattle area hospitals and so far no one is on a hiring freeze. All of the nurse residencies are going on, as planned.

As for testing centers, I am hoping they'll reopen in a few months. It took a little over 3 months for Wuhan to now report no new cases of Covid-19. That would put us right around June/July.

[Nurse_RuRuTheGuRu]

UPDATE : my Testing center updated the website yesterday saying ppl are now able to reschedule and if u already have a date (after April 16) be prepared to test as scheduled but with additional health and safety measures in place . I praying that we are able to stay on this schedule & can start back testing next month . I am LPN so I do have work I’m just ready to take NCLEX whole everything is still fresh on my mind . I do understand the seriousness of this pandemic & I’m really praying things get better soon !