clamchopz

To be on the safe side, you can renew now and then change your last name afterwards. They said I could do that too. But talk to them first. Good luck!

They actually changed my name on time. I submitted my paperwork online & it took them about 2 weeks to process. Once that went through, I renewed my license & it was effective immediately. I did call them a few times & was able to speak to someone. I was on the callback queue & they actually do call back. Best time to call is right when they open their phonetics, get on their callback queue, & they will call back, depending on where you are on their queue. Do you have tourbsicial security card? I believe that is a valid ID, need a copy of marriage license scanned & sumbit it online. You can always submit your new DL later as well.

Hello my fellow nurses! I am seeking some advice. I got married a few years ago, before passing NCLEX, but never changed my name due to the fact that I wanted to establish a job first and/or wait for my California Driver's License to renew at the same time. Now, 2022, it is time to renewal everything. I have legally changed my name with Social Security Office and the DMV. Now, everything is legal, and I have all of my cards/documents ready. As I was beginning to renew my RN Licensure, there was a STOP since I had to legally change my name with the BRN. I have already submitted everything online. But, my RN License is due on 8/31. Processing times might take a while (2-4 weeks)... I am trying to see what the best route is so that I don't have a delinquent RN License. I have tried to call the BRN, but was unable to get through the phonelines and I have a sent them an email. I'm not sure if I will get an answer back. What should I do? Renew under my maiden name? But, I'm afraid of getting in trouble for doing that as well, since I am signing that all of the documentation is current and up-to-date. I do have more than enough CEs to submit, both under my married name and maiden name to correlate. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I used UWorld & went to a very extensive 3 month review course. At the time, it was in class, I beleive it's held in Zoom now. After class, I would review questions from UWorld relating to what was went over. Every night, I would review minimum 10 questions. If I felt up to it, I would do another 10. Max each night was 30 because I was also working & have family obligations. After each question whether I got it right or wrong, I would review the rational. Sometimes I felt that I learned more from the rational more than the actual content itself. It also helped with other questions related. If you are in Los Angeles area, I can refer the review course that I took. He has a 95% success rate. Good luck!

Whatever the outcome is, it's not the end of the world. I passed the NCLEX on my third try. Passing is passing and I can put RN after my signature. I hope that you passed on your first try, but there is no shame in taking it again. Things work itself out for a reason. Best of luck!

Hello everyone, I'm hoping to seek some advice. I graduated with my ADN in Dec 2015. I have a Bachelor in Science degree in another field. Shortly after graduating from nursing school, I got married. 4 months after my wedding, my father suddenly passed away. I feel into a deep depression, and I had issues with my grieving mother, etc. We were finding ways to cope with our loss and had different point of views. Shortly afterwards, I had suffered two miscarriages. So, it took me a while to "screw my head on" correctly and pass NCLEX in May 2019. I took time to grieve my losses by going to counseling and took a wonderful NCLEX review course that set me on the correct path. All the while, I continued to work for a magnet hospital as their phlebotomist. I was there for 10 years. They passed me on twice in their New Grad program. I continued to work per diem as a phlebotomist and took up an RN position in a "sketchy" LTACH. On my third try for the magnet hospital's New Grad program, I was hired into one of their specialty units. I was so thrilled to be able to stay at my hospital. I quit the LTACH after 2 months from being there and began what I thought was going to be my dream job. Unfortunately, my dream job turned out to be not-so-great. I was bullied by my preceptor and did not receive much support the rest of the staff. I tried my best to do what I could, but it seemed like whatever I did, it wasn't good enough. My feedback was always "negative." I never heard anything positive and I asked my Clinical Educator, "Was there even anything I'm doing correctly?" She couldn't answer me. I have told my Clinical Educator that I was feeling anxiety from my preceptor and struggling with night shift. She told me, "This was the position you signed up for, so you should deal with it." My preceptor made me doubt myself as a nurse and she went as far as asking what my NCLEX score was. When I told her how well I did, she was shocked. Towards the end of my probation, my Director told me we were going to have a meeting with HR. I have worked at this hospital long enough to know that you never go see your boss in HR without a Union Rep. So, I did. The union tried their best to save my job, but ultimately, I was let go for not passing probation. I was crushed and it took me a while to recuperate from that. Two months after I was let go, I was hired as a New Grad Nurse into a smaller, less known hospital for their Emergency Room. I never thought of myself as an ED Nurse, but I was willing to take anything. I was hired into a Day shift position! Almost unheard of for a New Grad! My coworkers embraced me into the family and I had wonderful preceptors who were patient and nurturing. I flourished in my department and learned a lot, especially throughout this pandemic. This was not the perfect hospital, of course we lacked a lot of resources and had to improvise. But we made it work. I was enjoying nursing again and I thought I found my place....I have been working on my own for about 3 months now. A few days ago at our monthly staff meeting, the director of our department spent an hour and a half telling what we need to do to improve our department, how we need to keep up with our certifications, sepsis protocols, etc. She then stated that our CEO was going to join the meeting in a little bit. The CEO almost never comes to join the meeting. When he came, he dropped the bomb stating they are going to convert our Emergency Room into a 24-hour Urgent Care. They are closing our L&D dept and Cath lab. Everyone was in so much shock that it took a while to process this information. We met with our Union rep yesterday, and apparently the company that owns our hospital system is re-vamping all of our hospitals. They are also converting other our sister hospital's ED into a 24 hour Urgent Care. Our hospital will convert into a Psych/Jail hospital. Each sister hospital will convert into a specialty hospital - one hospital will specialize in L&D, another will be a surgical hospital, another will be Cardiac ICU/Trauma, etc. They are not offering any transfers. They have already started laying off a bunch of people. The union is negotiating a new contract and talking about a strike. How can we negotiate when we're not even sure if there's a job for us? Once the transitions are complete, will there still be a Union? I am 3 classes away from finishing my BSN.... I have 6 months of Emergency Room experience (during this pandemic), 2 months of experience from the LTACH, and 3 months of experience from the other specialty. At this point, I don't know if my position is "safe." No one knows who will go and who will be able to stay. My gut tells me to start putting out my resume out there. Do I still qualify as a New Grad? Am I still hire-able? I have posted my story about being fired from that specialty unit in the past, and received great feedback. I deeply appreciated all of your positive encouragement. Thanks again for reading my post and letting me rant my frustrations. Please pray for me and my other colleagues!

I have been in your shoes before. I thought I was doing well on orientation, and towards the end, the preceptor gave nothing but negative feedback to the managers and creating a lot of anxiety for me. The manager gave me 3 shifts to "improve," but eventually I was called to meet with her in HR. I've worked long enough to know that you never go to HR without a union rep. My union rep heard my side of the story and agreed that I had a poor orientation and a bad preceptor. But because I was still on probation, the union was "not allowed" to interfere as much, and I could be fired "at will." So after a good fight, I was still fired. I guess it was a blessing in disguise because that department was definitely not a "good fit" for me. It took me about two months to find another job. Orientation in the new hospital was completely different, with much more positive learning. Like what everyone else has been saying, do your best. If you can involve a union rep, please talk to one. Whatever happens, you have tried your best. Unfortunately, not all first nursing jobs are ideal. Nurses eat their young. You are not the first, and only person that this has happened to. If you end up leaving in whatever terms, you will be able to find another job. It is best to include this job in your resume. During your interview, just say the unit was not a "good fit." You mutually decided to part ways. You have learned a great deal and decided to move on. Some nursing experience is sometimes better than NO experience at all. Never speak badly about anyone or any place. Good luck! Please keep us posted!

If you feel that you can flourish with preceptor #2, then it wouldn't hurt to ask. But be sure to ask in a positive way. Say something like, "I have learned a lot from (Preceptor #1), but I heard that she might be taking off again, so I would like to have a more consistent Preceptor (name the second one), as long as it's OK with her." Make sure you thank the first preceptor for their time as well. If that doesn't work, then just go with the flow and make the best out of the situation. Always thank the preceptor for their time- whether it was good or bad!

It does not sound terrible. It takes time to find "the right fit." Not everyone is lucky to land the ideal job first time around. And unfortunately, nurses do eat their young! We learn from every event. It is what we do with that lesson is what makes it count! Nurses should always support each other no matter what skill level we are at. It's a shame not everyone thinks that way. But, we must continue to lead by example as best we canA

Just do your best. That is all you can do. It is very unfair that you received negative feedback so late into the orientation and having so many inconsistent preceptors. I can see why that is so confusing. Make sure you write down a list of events happening and how they have treated you. Best of luck! Don't let anyone tell you what kind of nurse you are. You know yourself and what you are capable of!

I am so sorry that you are struggling. Never let them take your confidence away! I had a similar experience. I was hired in my dream hospital & had a bad performance review partly due to my preceptor being a "bully." I never had the option of transferring to a different unit and was terminated. I had the union involved and they tried to save my position, but the hospital was adamant in letting me go. It was a bit of a blessing in disguise. I was able to get on unemployment & I spent time working on my confidence & whatever I felt I was lacking as a nurse. It was also sort of an "extended vacation." Two months later, I was offered another new grad position in a different hospital. On top of that, I had a choice of choosing which shift, and I chose day shift! I am currently in my third week of orientation. I feel more much at ease and the nurses I work with are much nicer and helpful. My advice for now is start talking to your union rep. Maybe your union rep can talk to the department in helping you transfer, if that is what you would like to do. I was struggling with the other nursing job, realizing their unit was not a good fit for me. I feel like I am thriving in this current department. Maybe I got lucky in finding a job that fast. Do your best. I agree that counseling will help. Family is not always helpful. I never told my family members that I was fired from my last nursing job. I don't plan to tell them. I will tell them that I found a day shift position elsewhere because I was tired of working night shift. But I am waiting until I pass probation first. Unless they are helping you out financially, it's one of their business! I wish you a lot of luck. There are plenty of nursing jobs out there. Even for new grads. Some places say less than 6 months experience is still considered a new grad. After 1 year experience, you are golden! Please keep us updated!

I was in a similar situation where I passed NCLEX 3 years after graduation. Life got in the way- I got married, my father passed away 4 months after that, and I had 2 miscarriages.... Passing 7 years after graduation is very commendable... CONGRATS! I also struggled in finding a job, but I did find a job. My first job was at a questionable LTACH, which will be nameless. They took so many shortcuts, I didn't feel comfortable. But it was good experience and I was able to recognize what "should" and "should not" be done. My second job was a New Grad residency program at a Magnet hospital, but unfortunately that did not work out because the unit was not a "good fit" for me. Let's just leave it at that... On a positive note, I am about to start another job and they will continue to train me as a New Grad. After speaking to the Director, she told me to come directly to her if I have any problems. I have really good feelings about this position and I know I will learn greatly. There are many jobs out there. As previous posts, I do agree Outpatient Dialysis is a good opportunity for someone who just wants an 8 hour Day shift job. I couldn't do it because it reminded me too much of my Father, and I'm still dealing with his passing. Maybe after some more time, I will consider it. For now, I am happy with the upcoming opportunity. And yes, beggars can't be choosers, so apply EVERYWHERE, and consider what is offered. Believe that you will find something. I did consider some RN refresher courses, but in my area, I was not able to find a good "legit" one. So... if you decide to go that route, be sure to do a lot research on the courses. Look through this website and Yelp... read the comments, etc. Best of Luck!

@NurseBlaq Thank you! It has been rough. I needed time to grieve & screw my head on correctly before I would be capable of caring for others. ?

First, since you said you haven't done anything since you have graduated, have you been cleared by the board of nursing in your state to take the NCLEX? That was something my school had helped me set up. I'm surprised that your school didn't do that. You have also stated you had a big move. Did you move to a different state? Then that means you have to be cleared by the BRN through your school to be eligible. That means you might have to get a live scan background check, passport pictures, etc to send to the state. You might have to contact your nursing school for transcripts, etc. Once you have done all of that, look into a really good NCLEX review course. Don't take one of those 3 day classes. You have been out of school for too long. You need a good solid 3 months to review. I live in Los Angeles, CA & I found a wonderful NCLEX review that had a 95% pass rate. It did cost $700 for 3 months & worth every penny. With this pandemic, I think the teacher has switched from in class to live online. So it is possible to take him from a different state. I can give you his information if you are interested. Let me know. After you take & pass NCLEX, then you can pursue a BSN online. You can't do any of this unless you have followed all of the above steps in that order. I can see why some previous comments sounded "judging" because you left out a lot of information & it sounds like you are seeking for a lot of help. We are not judging. I think I can say this for everyone: we needed to know everything first before giving you the proper advice. I can tell you that after 3 years, you still can pass the NCLEX. But it will take a lot of time & commitment. After I had graduated from nursing school, I had to finish planning my wedding & get married. 4 months after I got married, my father suddenly passed away. A year later, I suffered 2 miscarriages. The last one was the loss of twins. I fell into a deep depression. Losing my father one year & 3 babies a year later can do that.. I took the NCLEX 3 times. I passed on my third try after taking that class. I am taking BSN classes online. I did work as a new grad nurse, but the place was not a good fit. I'm still looking for jobs & I am getting interviews. Most good jobs out there want that BSN. I know something will pop up. Hang in there. Life does happen. But you also have to make the effort to make things happen. It will not fall on your lap that easily. Good luck! I hope this helps!

After a few weeks of looking for a job and interviews, I've re-enrolled into my online BSN classes. I have followed up with emails and phonecalls to see if I received any offers (other than that Covid SNF) with no answers. With that, I'm assuming that I did not get the positions. So I'm not going to waste any more time and decided to finish the BSN degree. I will continue to try to apply for jobs, but I will not be as aggressive about it (just enough to satisfy unemployment office). During my search, I have discovered that a BSN degree is highly desired and I do believe it will open more doors. I have been looking into RN refresher courses. I have been scouring the internet and even called a few places listed on the BRN website. Most of those phone numbers are very outdated. I am located in the Los Angeles, CA area. The most legitimate RN refresher course that I have found is located in San Diego, which is offered at certain times of the year. Their next cohort starts in January 2021 because I just missed their orientation for Fall 2020. I have read old posts regarding the RN Refresher programs from Santa Ana College and Azusa Pacific University. Unfortunately, they sound very disappointing. So, I went ahead and signed up for an online RN Refresher course through Nursing.com. They had a sale going on and I receive access for 1 year. I can refresh some nursing skills/concepts while working on my BSN classes since I have been staying home. Does anyone have any further advice? I hope I am on the right track. It is unfortunate and disappointing that I have to be in this position. It is what it is. I am not going to stop. I am moving forward and hopefully things will turn out for the better. If anyone in Southern California knows of a good, legitimate RN refresher course, please let me know!