victoria3594

Thank you so much for your reply! I have to ask - how do you like being an FNP? That is so cool! ACLS was absolutely terrifying. I was the only new grad and everyone else were very experienced critical care nurses. I did manage to pass but the instructor was very keen on telling us how much she loves to fail people - that didn't help with my nerves. I've had almost 15 shifts now and I am definitely starting to feel more comfortable but after my last few shifts I have felt absolutely horrible. I do feel like because my anxiety is so high I am having trouble remembering things and just feeling crummy overall. I can't even relax between shifts because my anxiety is so bad about having to go back. I know I shouldn't take things home with me but I can't help it. I have noticed a few nurses speaking really horribly about certain vulnerable populations and it really did make me feel sick. I didn't say anything because I know that these people are bullies and I didn't want my time here to be affected by speaking up - I also haven't really found my voice yet. I know that it's wrong that I didn't say anything but I didn't know what else to do. After seeing this behaviour it really made me wonder what is said about me when I'm not around and I just felt awful for my patients. Since I've seen this as a repeated behaviour I do feel worried that management has the same type of attitude as I have picked up some red flags from him too. Do you have any suggestions on what I could do? Have you ever experienced this?

Thank you so much for your reply. I did complete my ACSL and have been working in the ER with a preceptor for the last 3 weeks. It has been a really tough transition and I do have doubts but I feel like that's normal. For the most part, everyone is very kind, reassuring, and knowledgeable. I have noticed that some staff have very awful attitudes towards certain vulnerable populations and it is really hard to watch. Some of the comments I have heard people make honestly made my stomach hurt. I know I'm part of the problem for not saying anything, but it just made me see everything a little bit more clearly & maybe this place isn't what I thought it was. I spoke to one of my coworkers about it (from my previous job) and they had said that if I've seen a lot of staff act this way, odds are management will likely be the same. Have you experienced anything like this/do you have any advice on how to handle this? I have been really anxious and scared between shift sets because I feel that the environment is a bit toxic.

Hi everyone! I am a new grad & I started my ER residency program this week. I'm anxious and nervous and scared. I have had my unit orientation and the team feels very welcoming and supportive but I am just feeling like I know absolutely nothing. I know that everyone has to start somewhere and I was so excited and confident when I first got the job because I knew I could do it - but now it feels like reality has set in and I am just terrified. I am getting my ACLS this week and just completed some other learning like an ECG course and patient safety etc. I'm scared to fail my ACLS and I'm scared to fail once I start on the unit. I feel like I'll be the least experienced person in ACLS and I know I shouldn't compare myself to others but there is just so much to know. I am studying with my ACLS textbook and doing practice questions but man, there's just nothing else to say other than I'm scared and overwhelmed. Are there any other new grads here who started in the ER that could tell me about ways to prepare or even how your experience was? I would love to hear from ER nurses or anyone who has made the transition into the ER from another speciality. Thank you :)

Hi everyone! I am looking for some advice. I graduate with a BSN degree in April, and I am thinking about looking for a job in critical care. My plan since I started nursing school was to go into public health, but I did not enjoy my placement there and honestly, I got pretty bored. My thing is, I am not overly in love with the hospital environment and am feeling lost, but something about the ER excites me. With that being said, I feel I would be overwhelmed at a bigger hospital and would much rather enjoy some place smaller. I live in a small town with a small hospital, so I'm wondering; how different would my experience be? I know we could still get some crazy stuff, but has anyone else worked at a large and small ER? Positives? Negatives? All advice is welcomed. Thank you!

Oh okay, I didn't go to the open house so that makes sense. And I also haven't heard about that but I live about 4 hours away from campus so it's a little tougher for me to get out there. I do like that the orientation is on September 4th so I'll already be moved in by then thankfully!

3rd week of October? Wow! That seems really early. When did they tell you this? I haven't really heard much from anyone in my program

Congrats! I'll be attending their Brockville campus for my BScN in September as well. I haven't heard anything about it either, and judging by their website it sounds like they do clinical in first year!

congrats everyone!! im an RPN student hoping to bridge once i've graduated and written my nursing exam. what was your average when applying and any general tips you could offer?! thanks!!

I live in Ontario and I'm currently entering my first year of RPN school. Over here, once you've completed the nursing exam and are a licensed PN, you can apply to a school that offers a bridging program - in order to apply you must hold a 75% average minimum. They will look at your previous grades but it is not fully dependent on them, they mostly care about your RPN grades. I'm not sure how different it is in the states but that's how it is here. Several of my friends have been accepted into bridging programs and most schools send a template for a letter to explain anything you'd like; whether it be your poor grades from previous programs, volunteer experiences, anything. So perhaps it's the same in the states, but I'd definitely suggest speaking with someone who could help you out. If you ask for help and are on good terms with your professors, you could always ask for a letter of recommendation. Hope that helps! Ps, great job on your average! I was wondering if you had any tips in terms of studying or how to achieve a 4.0. As I stated above, I will be applying to a bridging program once I've graduated, and minimum is 75%. Do you think this is doable with a lot of hard work? Any advice would be great! Thanks, and good luck.

Thanks so much for your thorough reply! Here in Ontario we have several sexual health clinics which are more specific to STD's. If family planning clinics here are as you described they are in the US, I would definitely love to work there too. I've read online that several clinics require a masters degree in public health on top of a nursing degree, however I'm sure it varies depending on the clinic. Thanks again for your help!

Hey everyone, I'm looking to get some questions answered by anyone who could share some insight from experience or even knows anything about becoming a sexual health nurse. I'm currently entering my first year of nursing school and I'm very interested in working in a sexual health clinic. Could anyone tell me some of their experiences with this and if they enjoy it? As well as the qualifications and schooling needed for it (I live in Ontario). Thanks!