Nursing student questions to new RNs

Tornadochaser · Aug 20, 2008

1) How quickly did you take the NCLEX and get your license? I was lucky enough to get my information sent in quickly; I got my ATT and temp in a week and a half. I then took NCLEX a couple of weeks later. My advice is to take NCLEX as soon as you can; although you will want to study alot for it, the longer you're out of school, the less fresh the material is

2) How quickly did you find a job? As your first nursing job, what kind of nursing did you do? Where I am from, I was offered a job a month before I graduated. It was nice to know where I'd be after I finished

3) Did your employer help with school loans? How quickly were you able to pay off you student loans? Kind of, you need to search around for different hospitals. Some offer sign on bonues, some offer "tuition assistance" and some will repay some of your loans. Toward the end of your program, you'll have hospitals coming to talk to you; I encourage you to ask MANY questions

4) What kind of classes are you taking for your required credit hours? How many credit hours are you required to take once you get your license? I am in CCU so I've been in many critical care/coronary class classes. To renew your license, you have to complete CEUs and get contact hours every 2 years. Honestly sorry, I havn't looked in to the amount yet

5) How often does an RN have to renew the license? Every two years

6) Has it been difficult to balance working full-time, taking classes, and managing your home life? I'll be honest and I want to hear what others say; A nurse told me once your first year as a nurse is the best/worse year of your life. I've enjoyed my job so far; still many questions and not enough confidence yet. Other nurses who have been out six months say it'll get worse, so Im just trying to learn all I can right now. My adivce to you right now is to get a part time job as an aide if you can. Most hospitals are very flexible since they know you are in school. I worked mostly through nursing school and felt more comfortable in the setting/with patients/with the equipment than others who did not work. Its almost like extra clinical time. Good luck and study hard!!

morgiemoo · Aug 20, 2008

1) How quickly did you take the NCLEX and get your license? I waited about 2 months. In VA you have 90 days from graduation to work as a RNa until you take the NCLEX.

2) How quickly did you find a job? As your first nursing job, what kind of nursing did you do?

I started interviewing 1-2 months before graduating and accepted a job prior to graduation. But even with having a job in place prior to graduation which was on 5/10, one of the local hospitals was not offering new orientation for grads until 6/15 and another was not doing it until 6/23.

I am currently in a new grad program. It is a 14 week program that rotates us around the various floors in the hospital. We have classes 2 days a week to reinforce some of the equipment and procedures they felt new grads need additional practice with and at the end of the program we can interview with whichever dept we want. Here in VA it seems that everyone tends to want at least one year hospital before you can do anything else. And many specialties require various experience as well. Mostly 1 year med/surg and some of the hospitals are requiring 1 year ER/Critical Care exp for L&D.

3) Did your employer help with school loans? How quickly were you able to pay off you student loans?

You have to ask. Some will offer it up front, others you will need to negotiate it. I personally did not have school loans but for instance one hospital was offering $9K towards loan repayment and the other hospital was only doing it for a nursing school they sponsered. I negotiated based on what the other hospital was giving and they agreed to a $3K signing bonus plus they payed for NCLEX, NCLEX prep class and a few other things.

4) What kind of classes are you taking for your required credit hours? How many credit hours are you required to take once you get your license?

You really need to check with what the state you live in requires. My state requires none. I could be wrong but I am pretty sure the classes you take are not like regular college classes, they are more like one day classes or some of them are things you can do on line.

5) How often does an RN have to renew the license?

Depends on your state. Here in VA it is 2-3 years but don't worry you don't have to ever retake the NCLEX just send in money for renewal. :)

6) Has it been difficult to balance working full-time, taking classes, and managing your home life?

No more difficult than nursing school.....

Sterren, BSN, RN · Aug 20, 2008

1) How quickly did you take the NCLEX and get your license?

I took it about 6 weeks after I graduated. I should have done it sooner. I second the suggestion to take it as soon as you can.

2) How quickly did you find a job? As your first nursing job, what kind of nursing did you do?

I got hired before graduation, started immediately after graduation, and I'm in ICU.

3) Did your employer help with school loans? How quickly were you able to pay off you student loans?

No, and I will be paying them off for a few years.

4) What kind of classes are you taking for your required credit hours? How many credit hours are you required to take once you get your license?

You can get the credits through all kinds of places but it seems that most new grads need to take classes as part of their orentation, so you probably will too.

5) How often does an RN have to renew the license?

Every 2 years.

6) Has it been difficult to balance working full-time, taking classes, and managing your home life?

MUCH easier than nursing school.

KourtneiNurse · Aug 20, 2008

1) I finished school in December 07 but procrastinated and took my NCLEX on April 25th, 2008.

2)I actually had a job before I graduated, two jobs to be exact. But I eventually passed them up because I didn't want any pressure behind me taking boards. I was hired on the premise that I was graduating and would pass NCLEX within 3 months of hire. I currently work on an ortho unit, been there a fews months now.

3) No employer help with loans, but my employer does pay 80% of getting your BSN if you choose (I have an ADN). I will be paying on my loans for some years or until I get an employer who will.

4) Um not sure. I don't think my state requires any since I haven't heard about it. I probably should check.

5) Q 2 years

6) Beats the amount of time and work needed for school!

cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN · Aug 20, 2008

hi! i am currently a nursing student, and i just have a couple of questions about when i graduate.
1) how quickly did you take the nclex and get your license?
i left for vacation after i graduated for 2 weeks, and then took the nclex when i returned. i took the test on a tuesday, and received the results on wed-and had the paper license in my hand on friday.
2) how quickly did you find a job? as your first nursing job, what kind of nursing did you do?
i graduated in june, but already had my job secured in march.
3) did your employer help with school loans? how quickly were you able to pay off you student loans?
no loans for me to pay off, but my employer does have a loan repayment program.
4) what kind of classes are you taking for your required credit hours? how many credit hours are you required to take once you get your license?
none, and none. no ceus are required for my state.
5) how often does an rn have to renew the license?
q4years
6) has it been difficult to balance working full-time, taking classes, and managing your home life?

being a nurse is difficult. managing home life can be difficult. but i've found a way to merge it all together...

drawnfromlife7 · Aug 21, 2008

I had no idea that you didn't need to have your license to get a job...

*mentally adding that to the list of things no one ever told me*

I took Intro. to Professional Nursing in my first semester and the woman never once mentioned what would happen in our senior year and first few months out of school.

So, I can get a job after graduation...then take the NCLEX and get my license? Is this correct?

Tornadochaser · Aug 21, 2008

Yeah I applied online to the hospital that I wanted to work. Where it asked education/licensing info I just my graduation date which was of course in the future. I left the license number blank. I also attached a resume that explained my goals/experiences, etc. I was called the next day to set up an interview. But yeah, I graduated, got my temporary license to work until i took the NCLEX, I also just realized that some states dont administer temporary licenses, so that may not be the case for you. I think some hospitals will hire you as a nurse tech until you pass nclex

Megsd, BSN, RN · Aug 21, 2008

1) How quickly did you take the NCLEX and get your license?

I graduated 11/17, got my ATT 12/6, and took my NCLEX 12/26, and started working 1/21. I think I got my license in the mail the first week in January.

2) How quickly did you find a job? As your first nursing job, what kind of nursing did you do?

I was hired by my hospital in October. I work on a step-down neuro unit

3) Did your employer help with school loans? How quickly were you able to pay off you student loans?

My program was kind of different and my employer actually offered me a stipend in exchange for full time employment. I would STRONGLY urge you to ONLY accept a contract for loan repayment unless you are 100% positive you will LOVE working for that employer, because being stuck at a crummy facility bites. (I love mine, but I know people who have been very upset about contracts)

4) What kind of classes are you taking for your required credit hours? How many credit hours are you required to take once you get your license?

In Ohio I need 24 credits every 2 years, but none in the first licensure period (only once I renew). As part of my hospital orientation I racked up just about 24. Every so often my employer offers credits, which is awesome because I get paid for doing them. :)

5) How often does an RN have to renew the license?

Every 2 years

6) Has it been difficult to balance working full-time, taking classes, and managing your home life?

The difficult thing for me has been being exhausted after a 12 hour shift and being unwilling or unable to do things like cook, clean, etc. The "classes" are really no biggie. There isn't usually anything to study (except ACLS) and sometimes not even a test. It's just sitting in a room learning about things that may or may not interest you.

And to clarify your last question, while you can "get a job" before you take NCLEX, in most states, you can't actually WORK until you have your license. My employment was contingent upon me passing NCLEX by a certain point so I could attend orientation. I had to let them know when I passed so they could verify my license and then officially offer me the job.

locolorenzo22, BSN, RN · Aug 21, 2008

]Hi! I am currently a nursing student, and I just have a couple of questions about when I graduate.

1) How quickly did you take the NCLEX and get your license? My school was fairly quick about sending out paperwork...took about 3.5 weeks after graduation to get my ATT and I took boards 1.5 weeks after that...so about 5 weeks after graduation I took boards and I got my license about 3 weeks later

2) How quickly did you find a job? As your first nursing job, what kind of nursing did you do? I was lucky in that I was offered the job on the floor where I was a CNA. I feel that ortho/neuro is a specialized med/surg floor where I will be able to take my skills and develop them fully

3) Did your employer help with school loans? How quickly were you able to pay off you student loans? My employer had about 5000 you could get each year in a scholarship in exchange for a year service for each year you took the money. I didn't want to be locked in. But I am still paying on close to 28,000 in student loans....so it will be a long haul.

4) What kind of classes are you taking for your required credit hours? How many credit hours are you required to take once you get your license? My employer does online pearls review....so I'm taking a lot of surgery/lab value/elderly/dementia/pain management courses. I must have 20 CEs when I go to renew in 2010

5) How often does an RN have to renew the license? it depends on state. Here in IL RN expires in may of even years.

6) Has it been difficult to balance working full-time, taking classes, and managing your home life? I've been doing it for the last 2 years of school. Nothing new here.

Thank you! There are just some things my school hasn't answered yet, and I'd like to hear from people who are out there and well into this career!

Sterren, BSN, RN · Aug 21, 2008

I had no idea that you didn't need to have your license to get a job...
*mentally adding that to the list of things no one ever told me*
I took Intro. to Professional Nursing in my first semester and the woman never once mentioned what would happen in our senior year and first few months out of school.
So, I can get a job after graduation...then take the NCLEX and get my license? Is this correct?

It depends on what state you live in. Some states allow new grads to work under a graduate permit that is valid from the day you graduate until you take the nclex. It expires when you take the test whether you pass or not. Some states require that you pass the nclex and have a valid license before you can get a job. Check with your school, they will know which one applies for you. You may still be able to secure a job though, you just won't be able to start until you have your RN license.