pixie0413

Well, I did sorta get an answer to my question. I spoke with a navy recruiter yesterday and she told me that without experience it is very difficult to get accepted into any military branch right now. My only hope is to keep trying as well as look locally for jobs because getting experience on my application would help me out more than anything else at this point. The annoying part is that everyone wants experience in today's economy because they can get it with so many nurses returning to work. I'll just cross my fingers and hope as well as try to write better cover letters. Maybe I can convince someone to give me a chance. I'm a nurse. Now I just need the chance to work.

I'm in the same boat but with the Army. I was selected as an alternate in November and I'm unsure how things progress from this point.

I received a letter from the Army stating that I was selected as an alternate for army nursing. This has been my dream since entering nursing school to work as a nurse in the military. My recruiter tells me it is simply a matter of time and waiting for a position to open up and that would get me in. My friend, a Captain told me to try calling Fort Houston to locate a recruiter and see if they could recommend anything to help get me a position. I graduated this past December and earned my nursing license in March. The only good news is that some OR positions opened and my recruiter said she's putting me in for that position. I confused if that is another board... or if I have to keep reapplying each time a position comes available. Anyway, I guess I'm simply looking for encouraging words. I would hate to give up prematurely but perhaps it would be better if I had experience on my packet. Thanks.

I'm a newly graduated nurse trying to get into the Army, active duty. I was selected as an alternate after this past November board, so I'm unsure if I'll actually get selected.... Regardless, I'm excited about joining and until that happens I'm looking for other RN jobs locally.

I scored over 1000. Pretty much though, the score only is an indicator of your chance of passing the NCLEX and with any score over 850 you have a good chance of passing. I'm just happy that the semester is over. I'm starting to understand why people tell me nursing school was the hardest thing they ever did.

It's not unfair if you monopolize the conversation w/ only you're concerns. You are excited, but nursing school really can be all encompasing. We must all remember there is a world outside of school!

My partner says the same type of thing minus the curse words of course. He has little interest in nursing just as I have little interest in his particular job. So far we compromise by both trying to limit our evening dissusions in these areas. I'm learning that if he understands what I'm talking about he's alot more interested then when I start using too many nursing jargon. lol Hopefully you guys can find a balance on this. :) Good luck!

I really believe you can adapt to this. Oh, I do agree, if I don't know what the heck we're talking about before lecture... I'm lost 1/2 the time. Big thing is to prepare before, note what the teacher really highlights, and cover your basics. I usually make sure I can answer all the Chapter objectives and I also use all my online and written study guides and resources. Answering questions really helps me find what I get and what I'm missing. You'll get better. (PS. I'm sure clinicals won't be totally self study. No nurse in their right mind is going to let you hurt someone.)

Yeah!!!! Woot Woot Woot! I'm so happy for you! I will take your advice and I really hope I can do as well! lol

During our first clinicals, we were assigned a patient the day prior and expected to visit the hospital and study all the patient's information in addition to having all our care plans done before going to the hospital. Perhaps that would help if the nurses felt you were more prepared???

I am not currently a nurse but going to school soon. I've worked in the retail buisness since 2000. I would be besides myself to have any of the scheduling that you all have as nurses. I have not had a Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve off since I was in high school. The past five years I've had to go into work on Christmas Day to check on my store for about 3-4 hours. Maria, take your holiday and be happy. All of us should be happy with any time we get to spend with our families. Thousands of people never get to spend the holidays with their families because of their work. I work all the holidays so that my customers are able to purchase the things they need to enjoy them. Oh, by the way, the reason my work always schedules me for the holidays is just because of the reason that women gave you. They have kids and I don't. Well, six years later I'm starting to see they are full of (very bad things). :rotfl:

I'm very serious about getting into Psych nursing. I start school for it next August but I hadn't really heard how many patients are violent and need restraint. I'm currently a 100lb petite person and I know that currently I don't posses the power or training to restrain someone twice my size. On a second note most people I know ARE twice my size. Would you recommend any extra training I should look at getting besides my degree to be sucessful in psych nursing? How often do psych nurses restrain patients? Daily, Weekly, Hourly? If this job is extra physically demanding I would like to know so that I can attempt to prepare myself. Aggghhh! Thank you for helping me considered these issues I hadn't thought about yet!

I appreciate the advice so far. No, I don't currently hold any type of degree. I graduated high school and spent all of my time working my way up the "food chain" until I cleared a spot in management. The only problem was while I love the pay, I really don't like the position. Ever since I took the job I've had to work 50-65 hours a week. A short day for me is 10 hours. It has also caused some other problems in my life. When I decided to go back to school I knew I wanted to help people that suffured from metal illness. I lived with a girl, my best friend, for four years before I finally couldn't take care of her anymore. (Due to work) She suffered from schophrinia and manic depression, at least that was her diagnosis. I tried as hard as I could to take care of her but one day she disappered. Six months later her parents and I located her in Virgina, she was in a hospital and very sick. She suffered from malnutition and had tried to kill herself in a shopping mall bathroom. She had spent the last six months basically as a bum. She normally had to watch her diet, she has celiac sprue, and by living like she did she didn't get the proper nutrient intakes nor her medication to help with her psych problems. I really think I will love this new direction. I've just got so much to learn about medicine and the lingo. (It's a bit different.) I'm used to CAO, ISO, SIR, CA, and a bunch of other retail lingo. So that's my current take. I'm leaning toward breaking up my degree into the ASN then BSN just so I can get my feet wet. Any other advice is still welcome. Thanks.

I am currently a store manager for a grocery retail chain but August 2006 I'm returning to school to try for a degree with the plan to get into nursing, specifically phyciatric nursing. I need some advice about the best way to get my RN license. Is it better to split my schooling up and get an associates for LPN then work part time at that while getting my RN or is it better to just go the whole nine yards and get the batchelors first as an RN. I'm worried that as an RN, I'll have no medical work experience and may be at a disadvantage finding a job. I have seven years of retail experience with two years in management. Since everyone here is in the nursing profession any advice is welcome. I really value your experience and expertise.