Passed NCLEX, but I feel frustrated anyway

[livtek]

Hello,

I passed my board last week and apply already for a jobs at the hospital. Next week I got interviews and this week I had 1 too, they want me to work on med-surg. but I want peds or L&D, maybe oncology.

To find job in L.A. CA is not a problem. My problem is I finnished school 8 years ago in Slovakia and my exp. is public health nurse, preventions and taking care of babies-teaching but not hospital experience.

I'm going now to skills- lab at our community college and learning how to do the I.V. and venipuncture and so on..

I never saw this equipment in my life,in my country we used everything different and I'm scare to go to work because I will look like stupid.

Of course I'm going for New grad program but I have no idea about clinicals.

The new grad program will help me?

I hope I will not feel so frustrated..

I know my theoretical nursing but practical is zero.

What should I do?

[MissJoRN, RN]

You haven't had any nursing school in the US? Many areas have programs designed for nurses who have been out of nursing for a while, maybe raising a family etc. Maybe that would be a good fit for you? They assume you know basic nursing but need to be updated on new technology and refresh skills. (maybe more skills than you're getting now??)

Good Luck!

[suzanne4, RN]

This is why they want you to work on a med-surg unit first, to get your basic skills up. Starting an IV on an adult is much, much easier than trying one on a crying infant or small child. Same thing for inserting a feeding tube, or NG tube. I would highly recommend that you go thru a new grad program on a med-surg floor first. There are so many new skills that you are going to need to learn as well, such as the type of nursing assessment that is done in the US...it is quite different from your country.

Wait until your comfort level is up with how we do things here, then move on to a specialty area. You will feel much better with yourself then.

Most hospitals require foreign trained nurses to begin on med-surg first, before any of the other areas, especially since you do not have any current hospital experience. This is not anything out of the ordinary. There are also many terms for you to learn, as well as equipment.

Let us know how the interviews go for you.

[mandrews]

Hello,

I passed my board last week and apply already for a jobs at the hospital. Next week I got interviews and this week I had 1 too, they want me to work on med-surg. but I want peds or L&D, maybe oncology.

To find job in L.A. CA is not a problem. My problem is I finnished school 8 years ago in Slovakia and my exp. is public health nurse, preventions and taking care of babies-teaching but not hospital experience.

I'm going now to skills- lab at our community college and learning how to do the I.V. and venipuncture and so on..

I never saw this equipment in my life,in my country we used everything different and I'm scare to go to work because I will look like stupid.

Of course I'm going for New grad program but I have no idea about clinicals.

The new grad program will help me?

I hope I will not feel so damm.

I know my theoretical nursing but practical is zero.

What should I do?

If it has been 8 years I think med surg would be a good place to start and get your skills back and learn the equipment. I would mention during the interview that I an extremely interested in ld, and oncology they could probably help you get some inservice in those areas.

melissa :)