any idea?

suzanne4, RN · Oct 6, 2005

You need to first decide in where you would like to work and live. That should be first, not green card in your eyes.:wink2: And be choosy. There is no reason to settle for anything less.

What specialty do you have any experience in? What area would you like to work in? You mentioned Central Florida, but is east coast accepteable, as well as west coast, or just the Orlando area?

Do you want a large teaching facility, or a small community hospital?

Not sure how you were responding to the other job searches, but give me some answers to the above, then we will go onto the next step for you.

sonja81 · Oct 6, 2005

oh THX suzanne for your reply!!!!

I would like to work and life in central florida (BEST would be kissimmee/orlando because my parents are living there) but I'm willing to move to other areas in Central or South FL if there is a good job opportunity.

What specialty do you have any experience in?

during my 3 years of nursing school I worked in almost every area. Psych, ER, Med Surg, oncology, ophthalmology, labor & delivery, home care, geriatrics etc. (for 2-3 or more months)

I'm mostly interested in ER and Psych but willing to work in other areas.

The size of the facility doesn't metter... (don't they need a minimum bed count to be able to apply for GC?)

I think the main concern is, that I'm a newly grad more or less.

I received my german license in 2002 and only worked for one year and passed FL-Board July 1005.

THX so much for your help

suzanne4, RN · Oct 6, 2005

As far as job applications, training during school doesn't count as work experience when you are filling out your application...........just a thumbs up on that.

There is not a specific bed size requirement, theoretically you could be working in a physician's office and get a green card, but most doctors are not going to go thru the scrutiny that comes along with being the employer.

Do you want a large trauma center or a community facility? 8 hour shifts or 12 hours? Days or nights?

You are essentially going to be treated as a new grad, and should be, so that you get the full orientation that you will need to the US system. Do not let them tell you otherwise.

jonRNMD · Oct 6, 2005

Do you want a large trauma center or a community facility? 8 hour shifts or 12 hours? Days or nights?

hi suzanne, 8 hr shifts in the philippines is 6am-2pm, 2pm-10pm and 10pm-6am....is it also the same in the USA? what about for 12 hour shift? do most hospitals in the US or Northeast (NYC) offer 12 hour shift? are newly recruited nurses (esp. newly grads) allowed to choose their shift? usually, how long would a chosen shift last, for a year?

suzanne4, RN · Oct 6, 2005

8 hours are usually 0700-1500, 1500-2300, and 2300-0700. This doesn't incldue the 30 minutes at the end for shift report, so you would actually add thrity minutes on to the finish time. But they may vary in different facilities.

12 hour shifts are usually 0700-1900 and 1900-0700. But depending on the unit, you may find 0300-1500- and 1500 to 0300. Many Emergency Depts, especially in the bigger areas, have shifts that will vary around the clock.

In a Recovery Room, or PACU, it is not uncommoon to see shifts from 1100-2300 or 0900-2100.

New grads can get these shifts as well, usually after orientation, though. The shift can last throughout your career at that facility, unless you request a change.

cali_nurse · Oct 7, 2005

8 hours are usually 0700-1500, 1500-2300, and 2300-0700. This doesn't incldue the 30 minutes at the end for shift report, so you would actually add thrity minutes on to the finish time. But they may vary in different facilities.
12 hour shifts are usually 0700-1900 and 1900-0700. But depending on the unit, you may find 0300-1500- and 1500 to 0300. Many Emergency Depts, especially in the bigger areas, have shifts that will vary around the clock.
In a Recovery Room, or PACU, it is not uncommoon to see shifts from 1100-2300 or 0900-2100.
New grads can get these shifts as well, usually after orientation, though. The shift can last throughout your career at that facility, unless you request a change.

Hi Suzanne,

First of all let me thank you for the wonderful job you are doing. The information and advice are priceless. Keep up the good work........

I am in a new grad program. The preceptor has the same number of patients as the other nurses. Its hard for the preceptor to finish her job on time and also teach, explain and answer my questions as well. Does this happen in all hospitals? Just curious....

sonja81 · Oct 7, 2005

training during school doesn't count as work experience

I feared so

Do you want a large trauma center or a community facility? 8 hour shifts or 12 hours? Days or nights?
You are essentially going to be treated as a new grad, and should be, so that you get the full orientation that you will need to the US system. Do not let them tell you otherwise.

THX Suzanne 4 the info!

Well, a smaller hospital would be nice but I really don't mind if it's a bigger facility.

I would like to work the 12 hrs shift, mostly nights and/or mornings (1900 - 0700 or 0700 - 1900).

THX for helping out!

suzanne4, RN · Oct 7, 2005

Hi Suzanne,
First of all let me thank you for the wonderful job you are doing. The information and advice are priceless. Keep up the good work........
I am in a new grad program. The preceptor has the same number of patients as the other nurses. Its hard for the preceptor to finish her job on time and also teach, explain and answer my questions as well. Does this happen in all hospitals? Just curious....

Thank you for the kind words..............:balloons:

Now to your question, your preceptor is there to precept you..........what type of assignment are you getting, or are the two of you working together? What type of unit are you on? How many weeks have you been there?

If the two of you are working together, you should be taking several of the patients and doing all of of the work for them, and increasing the number of patients as you feel comfortable. The preceptor would take care of the others, and be there as a resource for you.

Without knowing more of the specifics, it is hard to comment on this. The preceptor still normally counts in the staff numbers, but the orientee should not.

suzanne4, RN · Oct 7, 2005

I feared so
THX Suzanne 4 the info!
Well, a smaller hospital would be nice but I really don't mind if it's a bigger facility.
I would like to work the 12 hrs shift, mostly nights and/or mornings (1900 - 0700 or 0700 - 1900).
THX for helping out!

With any schooling, no matter for which type of degree, the training part where you are paying to learn, does not count as work experience. During that time that you were a student, you were not taking legal responsibility for the patient. You were functioning under someone else's license.

Still be more specific as to what you are looking for, I need much more info before I can make any suggestions to you.:)

cali_nurse · Oct 8, 2005

Thanks Suzanne. I work morning shift 3 times a week now as a trainee. The nurse is responsible for changing linens, most of the baths(its better to do yourself than waiting for CNA), accuchecks, note the I and o, chart in the computer, and also all other nursing duties. The hospital I worked before had CNA do all the above except charting. Here the CNA does only vitlas which makes no sense to me coz I often repeat the vitals if the patient is on antihypertensives before giving meds.

Becoz of these reasons me and my preceptor is running around all the time and I see most of the nurses too, very stressed. Feels like I am helping my preceptor to get her things done on time by helping her to do whatever needs to be done. Its a community hospital and we get 5 patients most of the time. The patients are assigned according to the acuity level. I feel If the CNA in this hospital could help doing more stuffs, we as nurses have more time focussing on treatments. The hospital needs to hire more CNAs I guess. And a new grad like me would have more time focussing on patient's problems and treatments with my preceptor.

I am just writing my story coz as a new grad I was pretty overwhelmed for couple of days. I am there to learn as an RN, learn to think critically and take actions, call the doc but there I was, changing linens and doing other stuffs that CNA could have done easily in that hospital.

Hope things will get better...............

Thanks once again Suzanne

Thank you for the kind words..............:balloons:
Now to your question, your preceptor is there to precept you..........what type of assignment are you getting, or are the two of you working together? What type of unit are you on? How many weeks have you been there?
If the two of you are working together, you should be taking several of the patients and doing all of of the work for them, and increasing the number of patients as you feel comfortable. The preceptor would take care of the others, and be there as a resource for you.
Without knowing more of the specifics, it is hard to comment on this. The preceptor still normally counts in the staff numbers, but the orientee should not.

suzanne4, RN · Oct 9, 2005

Sounds more like it is a time mangement problem for both you and your preceptor. With five patients, even doing total care, unless a patient is literally crashing and going to be transferred to the ICU, there should not be issues with getting things done.

California actually has staffing ratios which doesn't permit more that five patients, in many other states, you would have seven patients on average.

Out of curiosity, where are you located? If you do not want to post it here, feel free to send it in a pm to me.

What types of patients are you actually caring for? The I can offer some suggestions which will make your day run more smoothly, for the two of you.