New Grad Info!

[beachgirl220]

Hi, I am going into my senior year of nursing, and would like to move to Charleston, SC when I graduate in May 2008. I have been reading through the threads, and have not seen any information on the new grad programs for the hospitals in the area. I have been looking at the MUSC, Trident, and Roper websites, but haven't really found that much information on orientation for new grads. Are there any nurses in the area, experienced or people who have recently graduated, that have any information on the hospitals? I am especially interested in the length of an orientation for a new grad, the general reputation of each hospital relating to their treatment of new grads, hourly wage and shift differentials, 8 hour or 12 hour shifts, and if there are any that will hire new grads into specialties, such as NICU, ICU, etc. Thank you for any responses!

[Soonstudent]

I just graduated last May and started in one of the icu's at musc. It's a great place to work. With the teaching hospital I think you have a lot of autonomy and great opportunities to learn. It's one of the only level one trauma centers in the area. If you have any questions let me know. I can point you to some of the better areas to live also.

I had 16 weeks orientation. In my experience I felt well recieved as a new grad, but I had worked for three years in my area as a tech. I think the specialty areas prefer experience as a tech or nurse extern, but I have heard of them hiring new grads without this experience.

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

Just watch out for those steps at the front door. They're like climbing a mountain! Don't forget there are other cities in SC that have new graduate internships. And the cities are just as beautiful in their own way.

[momof4ndocswife]

I completed a med-surg internship at Lexington MEdical Center (.... just outside of Columbia), and am now working on the general surgical floor. The internship was 12 weeks long and my nurse manager gave me an additional 4 weeks of orientation after I took the job on this floor. I'm just short of my 90 day probation period for the new job on this floor. It's tough work, but I'm working hard and the night shift crew has been very supportive and accepting....although most are 20 years younger than me! I only interviewed at LMC b/c of their internship program. Our leadership/management prof insisted to look for one. I've known other new grads who have been thrown to the wolves after simply a brief orientation.

Real world nursing is a FAR CRY from nursing school clinicals. There is SO MUCH MORE beyond nursing skills and nursing knowledge needed to take care of acute care patients. It's pretty overwhelming. I've many times felt like quitting, but other nurses tell me they felt the same way the first few months, so I'm hanging in there.

I have a fellow grad who went to MUSC to work in a specialty area. (I don't want to get specific on the forum). She was an excellent student and did very well in clinicals. 'Was the first in our class to take NCLEX after our May graduation and passed with 5 questions. She was "asked" to turn in her resignation after only a couple of months of work b/c they felt she wasn't "pulling her weight." She was blown away! She said she felt forced to resign and the nurse manager, as well as several others on staff, have left since her resignation. She said she wishes she'd demanded more of an explanation b/c it all came as a surprise to her. They really hadn't encouraged her along the way.

Make sure you carefully inquire about where you are going. Don't let location be the only deciding factor. Who you work with and work for is important! My hubby is a physician and I've seen many of his office nurses come with one year of hospital experience b/c they signed on for a bonus at a hospital and learned it wasn't a good situation. They fulfilled their contracts and the whole experience ruined their taste for hospital nursing. THey say they'll never return to the hospital environment all b/c they felt abandoned, were given too much responsibility too fast, didn't feel supported, etc.

Look for hospitals with good orientation and internship programs. Visit them and talk to the nurses there. See if they are happy. Find out from the nurse recruiter how many nurses have left in the past year and why. AND don't let $$$ be the deciding factor. Oftentimes, the hospitals paying the most are doing so b/c they HAVE to in order to recruit nurses.. b/c their reputation keeps wise nurses away

Have a good senior year and good luck on NCLEX.

You'll soon be an RN! yea!

[lukb42]

Hi,

I was recently hired into "Critical Care Nurse Residency" at Trident Medical Center in Charleston. Basically this is a job in the ICU (28 bed all inclusive, meaning no differential for SICU, MICU, etc.) It is a 16 week orientation for the program. Base pay is $22.75 shift diffs are evening 2, nights 3, and weekends 3 I think. Hope this helps with basic info as to what to expect. Let me know if you have more questions.