Oklahoma Nurses

JaneQ · Jan 17, 2004

I am a surgery nurse currently working in the Shawnee area.

I used to work L&D in OKC. I have worked in a lot of areas with the exception of ICU and ER.

I too have noticed that a lot of nurses don't respond to this site from Oklahoma. That is sad, because it is a very good resource for information. If you want to just chat, respond by e-mail. I would be happy to start up a conversation.

Oh, I forgot to let you know, I have been an RN for 9 years. I have also worked in other states.

Hope other nurses respond.

ladytraviler · Jan 18, 2004

L&D nurse. Worked ardmore for little over a year. home base madill. just for the lake. would be glad to exchange email

GEO · Jan 29, 2004

I HAVE BEEN IN NURSING FOR 23 YEARS. WORKED AT ST. ANTHONY'S IN 1985-88 IN ICU. LOVED IT, JUST COULDN'T TAKE THE CITY LIFE. MOVED BACK TO NW OKLA. PRESENTLY WORKING IN LTC. OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE SPECTRUM......... JUST AS GRATIFYING............GEO

Cubby · Jan 30, 2004

Norman. LTC Nurse and love it! :)

marilynmom, LPN, NP · Feb 11, 2004

OH wow I had no idea there was an Oklahoma section here!!

I am 30 years old, married for 8 years, 2 girls ages 2 and 5. I live in SW OKC

Right now I am in school full time at Rose State (anyone go there?). I am *trying* to decide if I want to to nursing or become a doctor. At Rose State they are accepting applications for nursing now through sometimes in March I think. I might apply and see if I get accepted and just take it from there. They go by a point system and last semester the minimum was 126 points. I have all the maximum points to apply with but I'm still not sure if it will be enough (people who have experience do get about 2 more points but that can make all the difference when you have over 300 applying for 20 spots).

Does anyone mind if I ask what are the starting salaries for nursing in OKC area? I called Integriss and they said they start nurses at $16 an hour--is that accurate. I have friend who told me you can make $20 hr to start but I find that very hard to belive.

Man I have so many questions, Ill have to get back on here later....lol

Marilyn

sweetyjen · Feb 11, 2004

Hi! I am currently in nursing school at UCO. I'm a second semester junior. I currently work at Mercy as a nursing assisstant while I go to school. I am also doing my OB clinicals there. It would be great to hear from all of you all for advice or whatever!! :)

OHHNURSE · Feb 15, 2004

OH wow I had no idea there was an Oklahoma section here!!
I am 30 years old, married for 8 years, 2 girls ages 2 and 5. I live in SW OKC
Right now I am in school full time at Rose State (anyone go there?). I am *trying* to decide if I want to to nursing or become a doctor. At Rose State they are accepting applications for nursing now through sometimes in March I think. I might apply and see if I get accepted and just take it from there. They go by a point system and last semester the minimum was 126 points. I have all the maximum points to apply with but I'm still not sure if it will be enough (people who have experience do get about 2 more points but that can make all the difference when you have over 300 applying for 20 spots).
Does anyone mind if I ask what are the starting salaries for nursing in OKC area? I called Integriss and they said they start nurses at $16 an hour--is that accurate. I have friend who told me you can make $20 hr to start but I find that very hard to belive.
Man I have so many questions, Ill have to get back on here later....lol
Marilyn

I have been in nursing only since 1997 and I think the $16 to start is accurate in this market. $20 to start may be something that you DO NOT WANT TO GET INTO (If you don't know what I mean that is long term acute care which is what you may eventually want to do, but a very difficult starter area.) They work you till you wish you had gone to school to be a truck driver!!!!! Another place that pays a lot for nurses is nursing home, but that is usu to LPNs and their workload/responsibilty level there is horrendous. If I may suggest, you should start with Med/Surg and get some experience there - so much more varied than ANYTHING else and get used to caring for multiple patients rather than start in an ICU/CCU. You will learn so much better time management, which you can then lose when you move to ICU/CCU (Ha Ha -- that's what I did!!!!!) Some may disagree with me on this, but avoid anything HCA/Columbia, as they are out for the money, honey. I do understand that they are a for profit business, but I had a brief and quite terrifying ordeal at a local HCA hospital with an ICU mgr that was at best scary and at worse an idiot.....nice guy, and a real go-getter, just had some scary practices in his staffing/patient assignments.

I will also tell you this. I have been a professional musician (vocal) and a computer programmer. This is a job that not only is tremendously fulfilling, but pays well and has good prospects for future. The best thing that ever happened to me was when a lady who I took care of and who'd had too much pain medication in recover kept breathing, because I gave her Narcan and kept her awake for about 2 hours until the narcs wore off. She came back to the floor I worked on for another brief hospitalization and said toher son, "Honey, this is the nurse that saved mommy's life," when she saw me. I almost broke into tears that very minute. I even saw her at her job at a local business ( I didn't know she worked there) and she told all of her co-workers about me saving her life. That REALLY felt good. It makes me wonder sometimes how all the filthy rich people that do nothing for ANYONE else can sleep nights!!!!

Soonurse1 · Feb 17, 2004

I first got interested in nursing as a pizza delivery driver in Durant, while in my senior year of college, I didn't know what I was going to do when I graduated but fortunately my manager was married to a nurse, and he told me lots of good stuff about it. I learned about the shortage, and he made it sound like the money was pretty good, so I decided to transfer to OU and go for a bachelors in nursing. I worked as a CNA in a LTC for about a year and a half before I actually started the nursing program at OU, and right now I am a final semester senior waiting to graduate in May. I plan to pass the NCLEX and join the US Air Force and have tons of great experciences in life and in nursing. I don't really have a favorite area of nursing, I want to try them all first then I'll decide.

Ali'smom · Mar 7, 2004

Hi everyone! I just found the thread.....Hx about me, I have been a nurse for 6 years. I started out in CCU/ICU and moved on to the ER. Now I work for DOC in a max male prison. I love what I do and find it very facinating as well as challenging. :) of course me being crazy helps too...:chuckle

MyReign1 · Mar 25, 2004

Hi! I am currently in nursing school at UCO. I'm a second semester junior. I currently work at Mercy as a nursing assisstant while I go to school. I am also doing my OB clinicals there. It would be great to hear from all of you all for advice or whatever!! :)

Hello All!! Hey SweetyJen, I also attend UCO. I was just accepted into the nursing program for Fall 2004. I have so many questions for you. You say you're doing your clinicals at Mercy. Were you able to pick that particular hospital? Do you go to different hospitals for different clinicals? How would you rate the program? Ok that it's for now, I don't want to bother you too much...LOL

shotnbum · Mar 26, 2004

Hello UCO nursing students! I graduated from UCO with my BSN. I could probably help you with whatever questions you may have. I currently work as a RN Recruitment Consultant for INTEGRIS in OKC. and love my job!

If you should ever need any help or have nursing questions...please dont hesitate to ask!:chuckle

Hello All!! Hey SweetyJen, I also attend UCO. I was just accepted into the nursing program for Fall 2004. I have so many questions for you. You say you're doing your clinicals at Mercy. Were you able to pick that particular hospital? Do you go to different hospitals for different clinicals? How would you rate the program? Ok that it's for now, I don't want to bother you too much...LOL