Graduate in Dec, need advice from everyone

[TipitiwichitRN]

hello!!

i am graduating from my final semester this fall from an adn program. i am getting nervous- even sick- about what lies ahead.

1st, i thought getting a job as a pca/cna in a hosp may help me get a job when i get my license in 2011? i was thinking foot-in -the-door thoughts. is this right?

i have the summer off, and decided to look and i found one- at a hospital- as a pca (patient care assist). the floor is "acute med" per hr, and "mostly nursing home" per nurse manager.

but---i shadowed another pca for a shift this past weekend. i was told that this particular floor is chronically and purposefully understaffed. for example, she had 15 patients- (2 c-diff, 1 vre pos, 2 mrsa pos with wound vac, 1 new admit with hip fracture, 2 total care obese pts with ng tubes (wrist restraints on one of them so he would stop pulling the ngtube out), 1 cerebral palsy with a peg tube being drained into a foley, 5 or 6 incontinent of bowel and bladder one person assists, and a few self cares, of course...)the lpn had 14 med passes... (what?) the rn had 11 patients with a new admit on the way.

she said that they will float a pca or nurse if they ever have less pts. she actually said "this is the black sheep floor of the hospital".

the facility has a policy that you have to have been there one year to transfer to another floor, too.

good things:: i am ok with the pay, the hours, the rn manager said she would be flexible with when i could work, they called me back!!, etc...

so do i take it since jobs are hard to come by?

do i take it to get my foot in the door for the day that i get my license?

is it easier to be hired as an rn from a pca rather than as a new grad off the street?

also- i dont want to do med surg in the end.. not for geriatrics, anyway...

do i take it- risk locking my experience in and will it dictate the nurse i am going to become?

2nd- sooo, considering the market and the mass amount of new nurses who are struggling, do i take this even if i feel so unsure? what if i dont make it past my orientation and they deem me a 'never hire her again'- and then that takes a hospital off my list when i am an rn..

last- am i interpretting the patient load incorrectly? i know as an stna in ltc i had up to 15 pts when we were short- and i allllwaaays thought i was going to die. (i am a good aide, though- i worked agency for a year without a problem- as long as the pt load wasnt more that 7 or 8 if we were dealing with total cares)

i am scared, so i thank you for making it to the end of this long post that may or may not make any sense at all. also- maybe i am not looking at this the right way, or maybe i am missing a vital perspective...

all opinions and comments welcome!!!

-nervousnelly!!!!!

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

Take it, take it, take it. It's a foot in the door! :) And you will ultimately dictate the course of your nursing career -- once you have that much-coveted year of experience, you'll be able to look elsewhere.

[TipitiwichitRN]

Thank you for your response!! I appreciate your opinion and am going to take your advice. Deep down, this IS the right thing to do, I think... but there are so many negative details.... foot in the door, right!! :)

I am thinking of taking CEUs and extra classes in order to get a better chance at the specialties that I am interested in....

Again, thank you. Waking up and seeing your response helped so much. I have followed this board and truly value your opinion.

A Little Less Nervous Nelly :)

[Serlait]

You will learn SOOO much you'll be amazed. This is how I got my job as an RNA right out of school. During my first year of NS, I took a job on the float pool as a PTC (patient care tech) at my local hospital, ended up doing mostly 1:1 sitting and clerical which I really didn't like. While working on float pool though, I did get to work on many different units when not sitting 1:1 and found a unit I really enjoyed. As soon as I was allowed to transfer, I moved to that unit. I worked my bum off whenever I was scheduled and thanks be to God, was offered a position as an RNA after graduation. Graduated on May 15 and start as an RNA on May 24th. But during the time I worked I learned an amazing amount. The nurses were wonderful about explaining everything they were doing. I began to look at each workday as a clinical experience. Even when it's been crazy busy, there's been something to be learned. Go for the job! It will get your foot in the door AND be an educational experience! Best wishes and Good Luck!

[TipitiwichitRN]

Serlait, Congratulations on your position :)

Thank you for your story- it sounds like the one I want to have!! I am excited, and am can't wait to learn all I can. Plus- getting into the company is a lucky thing considering all that are out of work.

I am awaiting the final call from HR, and I think I may die in the meantime!