Taking tests is a skill and nursing exams are a little different because they are preparing you for the types of questions seen on the NCLEX.
A good way to get better as with anything else is to practice. It may seem a little early, but I highly suggest purchasing some NCLEX review books. The books come with suggestions for answering these types of questions and are divided into sections to correspond with what you are currently studying. Practice the NCLEX review questions as part of your regular routine. It will help you get better at test taking and reinforce content.
One of my professors suggested this to me when I was in nursing school. Myself and many others in my class found it to be really helpful. Plus we all passed the NCLEX on the first try with the minimum questions because we had lots of practice.
I am also a new grad and had to sign a contract for my position. My contract is two years.
It is really expensive to train us newbies. They have to pay two nurses to do the job of one during the entire orientation period as well as pay us to go to multiple classes. The contract is simply a way for the unit to make sure they are getting a return on the all of the resources they are investing in us. I can completely understand this.
Truthfully, I don't think there is anything you could have done differently. These types of contracts seem to be standard when working in the hospital environment.
I sincerely hope that you find a way to resolve your situation that you are happy with. redbeathe:heartbeat
my apologies! i just typed and didn't read all the posts! i was referring to heels or not, show up early, etc.
I just wanted to let you know because I would hate to see anyone lose out on such an amazing opportunity for posting or asking questions on a website. It would be a real shame if that happened. Good luck with your interview!!!
I graduated over the summer from a BSN program and set my sites on moving just as you are. I applied online at the hospital websites for new grad positions in states where I wanted to live. I had two interviews, and had to travel there and pay my own expenses for both. I did end up with an offer from one of the hospitals that I accepted!
As the previous poster stated you really need to interview in person. It is important for you to see the area you may be working. Also, the way I saw it I needed to go in person to prove that I was really serious about wanting the job. You can assume that if they are calling you to interview, than you have as you stated, a fighting chance for the job. It is a gamble, but it can definitely pay off. I landed my dream job.
I agree with snusnu. It sounds like you are just on a negative floor. My first med-surg rotation was on a floor just like this. When I was in this situation my classmates and I found ways to work together as a team to help each other and seek out learning opportunities to share.
My next rotation was on a floor where the staff really worked together as a cohesive team. This group had a really positive attitude, valued themselves and each other. It was my favorite clinical experience because of how great the environment on the floor was.
There will always be areas of the hospital that people are miserable because unfortunately there will always be negative people that "sour the milk" so to speak. Sometimes having clinical in this kind of environment is not such a bad thing. It is a learning experience just like everything else. You are learning how to communicate with difficult people, how to maintain a positive attitude for yourself and your patients, and what to look for when you are looking for a job when you graduate. All of which is very important.
Hang in there and to focus on what you can learn from the situation. Try not to let one experience on one floor color your entire view of the profession. Best of luck in school!!!
I waited until I found a job first. I do not have my license from a compact state. I felt it was too expensive and time intensive to get everything transferred without having a concrete job offer. I think it's a personality thing. Good luck with your move. I am currently packing..UGH!!
Like everyone else has said the job of a physician and a nurse are totally different.
One huge difference to consider is the 'quality' time spent with patients. Compare an RN on a med-surg floor who has maybe 4-6 patients to care for as opposed to a physician who has roughly 30. The physicians come in assess the patient ask the nurse for input and then write out orders. The nurse is there all the time to monitor the patient, and get to know them to plan for their care not only while they are in the hospital, but also for when they leave.
I was a lot like you. With a 4.0 GPA I could have gone to medical school, but I decided that my passion in health care had to do with treating the patient rather than treating the disease.
Like a lot of others have suggested shadowing would be a perfect opportunity for you to spend some time getting an idea of the differences in philosophy and duties between the two professions.
I recently had to take one of those. I had no problem with it because I did end up getting the job. I am a positive glass half full kind of person, a team player, and someone who likes to get involved and give back to the community/organization I work for. I answered the questions in such a way that these traits were what was highlighted.
Just let your sunny personality and positive attitude shine through and you will do great!!!
I agree that this is a sad situation for someone who seems so dedicated to the field. Despite my feelings, the simple fact of the matter (no matter how insensitive it may sound) is that higher education in this country is a privilege and not a right.
At some point in our lives we all must live with the repercussions of mistakes we make, I certainly know I have. In this case I have sympathy, but getting in to nursing school is not a God given right. Sometimes the price we pay for immaturity is mighty high indeed.
I also used the John's Hopkins guide as my primary source for preparation. The behavioral questions are fairly comprehensive and got me thinking in the right direction.
The link below is a really wonderful interview guide for nurses from John's Hopkins. It has plenty of behavioral questions to get you thinking about your clinical experiences. Good luck!!!!!
I just wanted to re-post this link. It is a directory of Nurse Recruiters from all over the country. Another member kindly posted it a few months ago. Very helpful to have when you are job hunting.
I am still a student myself, but I was thinking DKA. The patient is diabetic and the stress of surgery can cause increased blood sugars leading to the acidotic state.
Taking tests is a skill and nursing exams are a little different because they are preparing you for the types of questions seen on the NCLEX.
A good way to get better as with anything else is to practice. It may seem a little early, but I highly suggest purchasing some NCLEX review books. The books come with suggestions for answering these types of questions and are divided into sections to correspond with what you are currently studying. Practice the NCLEX review questions as part of your regular routine. It will help you get better at test taking and reinforce content.
One of my professors suggested this to me when I was in nursing school. Myself and many others in my class found it to be really helpful. Plus we all passed the NCLEX on the first try with the minimum questions because we had lots of practice.
Good luck with whatever path you choose!
I am also a new grad and had to sign a contract for my position. My contract is two years.
redbeathe:heartbeat
It is really expensive to train us newbies. They have to pay two nurses to do the job of one during the entire orientation period as well as pay us to go to multiple classes. The contract is simply a way for the unit to make sure they are getting a return on the all of the resources they are investing in us. I can completely understand this.
Truthfully, I don't think there is anything you could have done differently. These types of contracts seem to be standard when working in the hospital environment.
I sincerely hope that you find a way to resolve your situation that you are happy with.
I graduated over the summer from a BSN program and set my sites on moving just as you are. I applied online at the hospital websites for new grad positions in states where I wanted to live. I had two interviews, and had to travel there and pay my own expenses for both. I did end up with an offer from one of the hospitals that I accepted!
As the previous poster stated you really need to interview in person. It is important for you to see the area you may be working. Also, the way I saw it I needed to go in person to prove that I was really serious about wanting the job. You can assume that if they are calling you to interview, than you have as you stated, a fighting chance for the job. It is a gamble, but it can definitely pay off. I landed my dream job.
Best of luck in your search!!
I agree with snusnu. It sounds like you are just on a negative floor. My first med-surg rotation was on a floor just like this. When I was in this situation my classmates and I found ways to work together as a team to help each other and seek out learning opportunities to share.
My next rotation was on a floor where the staff really worked together as a cohesive team. This group had a really positive attitude, valued themselves and each other. It was my favorite clinical experience because of how great the environment on the floor was.
There will always be areas of the hospital that people are miserable because unfortunately there will always be negative people that "sour the milk" so to speak. Sometimes having clinical in this kind of environment is not such a bad thing. It is a learning experience just like everything else. You are learning how to communicate with difficult people, how to maintain a positive attitude for yourself and your patients, and what to look for when you are looking for a job when you graduate. All of which is very important.
Hang in there and to focus on what you can learn from the situation. Try not to let one experience on one floor color your entire view of the profession. Best of luck in school!!!
I waited until I found a job first. I do not have my license from a compact state. I felt it was too expensive and time intensive to get everything transferred without having a concrete job offer. I think it's a personality thing.
Good luck with your move. I am currently packing..UGH!!
Like everyone else has said the job of a physician and a nurse are totally different.
One huge difference to consider is the 'quality' time spent with patients. Compare an RN on a med-surg floor who has maybe 4-6 patients to care for as opposed to a physician who has roughly 30. The physicians come in assess the patient ask the nurse for input and then write out orders. The nurse is there all the time to monitor the patient, and get to know them to plan for their care not only while they are in the hospital, but also for when they leave.
I was a lot like you. With a 4.0 GPA I could have gone to medical school, but I decided that my passion in health care had to do with treating the patient rather than treating the disease.
Like a lot of others have suggested shadowing would be a perfect opportunity for you to spend some time getting an idea of the differences in philosophy and duties between the two professions.
Good luck in whichever path you choose!!
I recently had to take one of those. I had no problem with it because I did end up getting the job. I am a positive glass half full kind of person, a team player, and someone who likes to get involved and give back to the community/organization I work for. I answered the questions in such a way that these traits were what was highlighted.
Just let your sunny personality and positive attitude shine through and you will do great!!!
I agree that this is a sad situation for someone who seems so dedicated to the field. Despite my feelings, the simple fact of the matter (no matter how insensitive it may sound) is that higher education in this country is a privilege and not a right.
In this case I have sympathy, but getting in to nursing school is not a God given right. Sometimes the price we pay for immaturity is mighty high indeed.
At some point in our lives we all must live with the repercussions of mistakes we make, I certainly know I have.
I also used the John's Hopkins guide as my primary source for preparation. The behavioral questions are fairly comprehensive and got me thinking in the right direction.
The link below is a really wonderful interview guide for nurses from John's Hopkins. It has plenty of behavioral questions to get you thinking about your clinical experiences. Good luck!!!!!
http://www.son.jhmi.edu/resources/ca...view_guide.pdf
I just wanted to re-post this link. It is a directory of Nurse Recruiters from all over the country. Another member kindly posted it a few months ago. Very helpful to have when you are job hunting.
http://www.nahcr.com/Members%5CDirec...CDirectory.pdf
I am still a student myself, but I was thinking DKA. The patient is diabetic and the stress of surgery can cause increased blood sugars leading to the acidotic state.
Just a thought...
This is amazing! Thank you so much for sharing!!!
