Newly grad and needs advise...

Lorodz · Aug 10, 2007

Actual bedside nursing is where the money is. Especially in the big hospitals..
what field of specialty would you like to recommend then? I want to be an OR nurse, but i THINK there is no growth in that area, because you don't talk to patients under anesthesia right? I've been pondering, shall i venture to the ICU world? my rotation in the ICU unit was fun.

RNHawaii34 · Aug 10, 2007

is taking exams both at the same year possible? i asked my professors and my aunt who is a nurse in saudi on leave, they said no. was i told wrong?

first, ask yourself, what do i want to do next? if you want to take an exam, you better be prepared for it since it is expensive, and failing it will be a big disappointment for those who paid for your exam. i don't see any reason why you want to take both exam because you are not going anywhere..if you are contemplating of coming to america for work, then forget it, that will not gonna happen in a year or two. i suggest focus on getting a job there, earn an experience, even if your experience is not as comparable to us work experience, at least try to learn the basics, or see what it's like to be a nurse in the real world. personally? i cringe to see those new grads who rush to take their cgfns, toefl or nclexrn...you have no idea what will happen next after you take those exams because there is visa available for anyone who wants to work in the us. i say, get a job there first, not volunteer work, not a call center, but a real job, even if it is in a small clinic..you have to start somewhere, somehow, right? to answer your question, is it possible to take two exams in a year? it's totally up to you.

crossbow · Aug 10, 2007

There is growth everywhere. It depends on how you want to grow or what direction do you want to take.

OR: One direction is into management. OR and then OR Charge Nurse then OR Clinician and then OR Nurse Manager. You have the advantage of not talking to either patient nor relatives. But the disadvantage of dealing with the irks and quirks of the surgeons. Still a specialty.

ICU. You have several. MICU (Medical Inntesive Care Unit - General Intensive Care Units), CCU (Coronary Care Unit - Heart Attack, Patients requiring stents), SICU (Surgical Intensive Care Unit - Trauma secondary to MVA, Fall requiring Surgical Interventions etc) and CTICU (Cardio Thoracic Intensive Care Unit _CABG, Thoracic Surgery, Lobectomies, believe it or not sometime they reopen at bedside if required). then become either Manager or Unit Educator.

Med- Surg: CACU(Step down from CCU), Telemetry (step down from the other units and ER admissions not requiring ICU but requiring telemetry monitoring such as rule out Acute MI)

ED - Emergency Nursing - another specialty requiring a different brand of nurse. You can be certified as a Certified Trauma Nurse or Certified Emergnecy Nurse. then take the exams and become a Certified Flight Nurse (CFRN). Independent and sharp. Because in a split second you need to make a decision, so you always have to be on the lookout gathering data to help in that decision.

Hope this helps

Actual bedside nursing is where the money is. Especially in the big hospitals..
what field of specialty would you like to recommend then? I want to be an OR nurse, but i THINK there is no growth in that area, because you don't talk to patients under anesthesia right? I've been pondering, shall i venture to the ICU world? my rotation in the ICU unit was fun.

g_l · Aug 11, 2007

first, ask yourself, what do i want to do next? if you want to take an exam, you better be prepared for it since it is expensive, and failing it will be a big disappointment for those who paid for your exam. i don't see any reason why you want to take both exam because you are not going anywhere..if you are contemplating of coming to america for work, then forget it, that will not gonna happen in a year or two. i suggest focus on getting a job there, earn an experience, even if your experience is not as comparable to us work experience, at least try to learn the basics, or see what it's like to be a nurse in the real world. personally? i cringe to see those new grads who rush to take their cgfns, toefl or nclexrn...you have no idea what will happen next after you take those exams because there is visa available for anyone who wants to work in the us. i say, get a job there first, not volunteer work, not a call center, but a real job, even if it is in a small clinic..you have to start somewhere, somehow, right? to answer your question, is it possible to take two exams in a year? it's totally up to you.

i was referring to the nle-pi, not such different exams. i am not rushing to get out of this country, either. i am rushing to get my local license in order to work with my aunt legally here, as a nurse. i found out that this field is like a foreign language course. i may have the knowledge, but my skills are getting rusty.

nursemich · Aug 11, 2007

hey there i just want to share my experience.. i also took June NLE and still waiting for the result too...i felt so bum and furious waiting for the result so i applied as a volunteer nurse and was hired immediately. i started last Aug 1 and was assigned to General ward. After a week, the nursing management conducted an evaluation exam for all the volunteer nurses, old and new.. luckily i got the highest score and the Resident Doctors suggested that i should be trasfered to the OR.. wow what a opportunity for me... im so happy!!. Now, I am scheduled for a transfer to the OR on Sept. 1..

The point is even though im not being paid for what im doing, i gain experience and that is what i believe newly grads should have... Don't worry if your not getting any monetary compensation for what you are doing... Experiences and providing service are valuable than money and i believe the compensation that you are looking for will follow after that...:balloons:

JunRN · Aug 11, 2007

Just make sure you're getting the 'right' experience, not just the number of years. The Philippine hospital setting and nursing practices are very much different from the US. When you get interviewed by the US hospital, you will know what I am talking about.

To get the right experience, I am talking about St. Lukes, Asian Hospital, etc.

mushymash, ASN, RN · Aug 11, 2007

hey there i just want to share my experience.. i also took June NLE and still waiting for the result too...i felt so bum and furious waiting for the result so i applied as a volunteer nurse and was hired immediately. i started last Aug 1 and was assigned to General ward. After a week, the nursing management conducted an evaluation exam for all the volunteer nurses, old and new.. luckily i got the highest score and the Resident Doctors suggested that i should be trasfered to the OR.. wow what a opportunity for me... im so happy!!. Now, I am scheduled for a transfer to the OR on Sept. 1..
The point is even though im not being paid for what im doing, i gain experience and that is what i believe newly grads should have... Don't worry if your not getting any monetary compensation for what you are doing... Experiences and providing service are valuable than money and i believe the compensation that you are looking for will follow after that...:balloons:

nice!

what hospital is this....?

nursemich · Aug 11, 2007

uhm im sorry but i want to keep the information about that a lil bit private to protect my identity... some might determine already that it was me...

i know that in each hospital theres always a difference in its settings, especially here in the philippines, most of the hospitals are not practicing what is ideal...though im not sure if im getting the same experience as those with the us... i always keep what i do by heart- compassion and very eager to learn...i am fresh grad, an advance beginner, i want to experience applying the basic theories to actual practice..l but i believe il get to that "same experience" soon, just a strategy and approach how i perceive what i learn... thanks for the comment.. i wish i could have an opportunity to work in st. lukes, asian, heart center,etc..soon i guess.. step by step il get there.. just need to be competent first.. and be positive..

nursemich · Aug 11, 2007

:mortarboard: So for newly grads like me. Don't waste your time... Explore your career options if your having a hard time to decide which nursing career you want to pursue.. Try out the intended job/s immediately through internships, part time jobs or volunteer opportunities.

Gaining experience in an actual work role is one of the best ways to determine if you will really "fit" in that particular work in terms of not only being able to perform the job well but finding satisfaction in it too.

And pls DONT just desire of passing the exams or earning big bucks.. Desire and strive to be competent and compassionate nurse..:loveya:

Many are called but few are chosen... :nurse:

God will always see our objectives and he will do the rest!! :saint: :balloons:

killuwa · Aug 11, 2007

Reading all these posts make me so down. I will soon graduate this october and planning to take the local board this december. Then next year maybe march or april. I'll be leaving for nclex exam in washington. without any experience at all, except for the OJTs of course.

suzanne4, RN · Aug 11, 2007

Reading all these posts make me so down. I will soon graduate this october and planning to take the local board this december. Then next year maybe march or april. I'll be leaving for nclex exam in washington. without any experience at all, except for the OJTs of course.

Please rethink your plans if you do not already have a visa in hand. There is also no reason to test in the US, it should be done before you even come to the US, especially when there is a testing center right in your country. Only reason would be if you already had a visa to live and work in the US.

There is a retrogression in place and expect it for sometime in the future. Also, do not expect to be able to sit for the NCLEX exam in March of April if not taking the NLE until December. If you write that exam, you need to provide proof that you passed it before you can take the NCLEX exam, and Washington also has specific requirements before they will even look at your application. There is much that you need to know before you can even consider being in the US next year.

Suggest that you have a look at the requirements for the foreign grad on the website for Washington BON. And then have a look at the Primer on the International Forum. There is much information that you need to know.

suzanne4, RN · Aug 11, 2007

Just make sure you're getting the 'right' experience, not just the number of years. The Philippine hospital setting and nursing practices are very much different from the US. When you get interviewed by the US hospital, you will know what I am talking about.
To get the right experience, I am talking about St. Lukes, Asian Hospital, etc.

Question to you: Since you keep posting about how we do things here in the US, but are still in the Philippines, can you elaborate from where you are getting your information from? Perhaps it will help some us understand this? What type of experience do you actually have with working in your country, or the US?

Vert few hospitals in CA have been petitioning for some time, this is not anything new, especially for graduates from your country, and it has nothing to do with you. But due to issues that have occurred in the past at the facilities. They are just not willing to do it, and then with the retrogression in place it makes things harder. Even if you find an employer, it does not mean that they are starting the processing right away, there are certain procedures that need to be followed before even the I-140 can be submitted. It is never an instaneous process. And when the facility has to be the one paying, and they have no idea of when the nurse will be there, many are going to be very slow.