Sanuk

I can completely sympathize with what you are going through (except for the pregnant part!). I think that securing preceptors is the most difficult and frustrating part of my FNP program. My advice would be first to keep calling. This semester after exhausting the "list" our school provides which is completely outdated, I googled practices in my region of North Texas and started making cold calls. I also looked for NP professional associations that had websites - many of them had NP locator functions that provided lists of specific specialties and several had email addresses for those NP's. I probably made about 100 calls and sent 50 or so emails before being able to secure sites for this semester. Please don't give up yet on staying close to your husband and home. I hope you are able to find something - I have spent hours crying and even had my first-ever panic attack over worry that I would have to drop because I couldn't get clinical hours.

Threads like this are depressing to me :) When I tell people that I am going to school to be an FNP, they all respond that I must be excited about making more money. I have to tell them that in all likelihood I will make less than I currently do (38/hr plus 0.60 per certification plus 5/hr night diff and 9/hr weekend diff). Very sad.

We get double pay on 12/24, 12/25, 12/31 and 1/1 plus the weekend diff which is $9/hr plus my night diff which is $5/hr. And we also get paid the 8 hrs of holiday pay (if you're off that day).

My advice: take it. Have you read all the posts here about new grads who can't find a job a year after graduation? If you absolutely hate it, you're at least gaining valuable experience you can use to move to another position later.

I'm kind of appalled at a lot of what I see in "education" lately. Way too many schools that will accept (and pass) people who can pay the tuition but have learned absolutely nothing and now have the title Nurse. Scary. So many threads here with the title "passed NCLEX on the fifteenth try!!!" What is your school teaching that you couldn't pass NCLEX on the first or second attempt? :chair: Nurses are going to have to set some standards on what is acceptable preparation for our profession.

This thread has been a reminder of why Press-Gaineys shouldn't be tied to reimbursement. Some people will never understand why the ER can't cure them. :hdvwl:

I've always really liked the Incredibly Easy series of books. I'm not sure I know of something that would lay it out better for you. If you have a few weeks, you should be able to get through it. Or, if you have a more specific area that you have a question about??

OP, I am glad that your manager called and cleared you for work, but be prepared for them to look for a new avenue of attack. I agree with the other poster above that you should put some feelers out for new employment.

I can remember when they increased our load from one patient to two thinking "how can I possibly get all this done?" It's a normal anxiety to have when you are getting ready to graduate and be responsible for your own practice. Give it time, and definitely don't quit one semester away from graduation! Worst case scenario, you graduate, get licensed and don't like it. Like you said, there are other options with a nursing degree - you don't have to work in the hospital or even doing patient care. Best of luck to you. Don't let this instructor derail you.

From what I read on these boards, you would be lucky to get a hospital to hire you, let alone pay your education costs back to another hospital that you ran out on after they put you through school. I don't get that. Why would you take money from them knowing you didn't want to fulfill the terms of the agreement?

I will concur with dixieredhead that ER doctors usually work more collegially with the nurses - we're all in it together kind of thing. If you demonstrate competence, they learn to trust you and value your judgement. As to whether that makes them nicer, not so sure. As far as TNCC, if you have a big hospital system near you, just call up and ask for their nursing educater / department and ask if they allow non-emplyees to take TNCC there. Usually they do, they just charge you more. Good Luck and let us know how it goes!

With the disclaimer that this is JMO: 1. Qualities: I would say assertiveness - you need to be able to anticipate what will be done as more times than not by the time the physician is there, you've done most of the workup. 2. Aside from those, maybe TNCC 3. Can't answer that for you. It will depend on how you cope with stress. All nurses have stress, just different ones. 4. :lol2: 5. Eh. Family can be horrible on the floor too. At least in the ER you don't have to deal with them for long (fingers crossed) 6. Again, I can't speak for you. I love it, but it's not everyone's cup of tea. Try it though, it can't hurt and you may love it.

That stinks. Unfortunately most places won't take any returns that have been personalized or monogrammed. I've had hit or miss luck with allheart and think their shipping is ridiculous - I prefer amazon and they have a ton of nursing supplies plus good reviews so you know what you're getting. Sorry you wasted your money, but congrats on finishing your BSN. :)

Am I the only one who has always found it serendipitous that the badge lands face down?