CarmsOU25

Thank you! And good luck with the moving process... we love it over here and hope that it will be a good experience for you too As for transferring licenses, the Red Cross never asked me for anything but a copy of my current license (state of Oklahoma). Same went for the substitute job with the schools. As far as the hospital goes, I have no idea. Sometimes it's best to wait until you arrive here before you start the paperwork process, b/c I hear it's quite lengthy. For my application with the school system, I had to complete a 20 page background check which took over 6 weeks to process.... it might be the same for the hospital jobs. It might be a good idea to make sure you have a good list of employer references and up to date info just to be prepared. Sorry I can't be of more help with this! -Carmen

They do hire civilian nurses at Camp Lester Naval Hospital in Okinawa. They do post job openings online... http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/nhoki/Pages/CivPers(old).aspx A lot of the job openings say they require 1 year experience, but you can get around that. They may have you go through the Red Cross and volunteer at the hospital first to get more hours during your application process... it depends on the unit and job you're applying for. I chose not to work at the hospital as my art hobby has turned into more of a "business" since being on the island. I did apply and was approved to work as a substitute school nurse for the RNs at the schools, but didn't actually get called in very much. My husband and I have a baby on the way in March, so being on-call will probably not work for me in the near future, haha. Best wishes!

I do have them, but I'm on vacation right now for a few weeks. PM me for more info if you'd like.

Sorry if I sounded snippy in the previous reply (didn't mean to), but it's been a frustrating week trying to take care of all of this. I'm on a little island in the Pacific, far away from family/friends, new house, cars, culture, job hunting, my first earthquake (yikes) this week, etc. My nerves have been a little up since I arrived here and having to deal with this on top of everything is not what I had planned on. It takes me awhile to feel comfortable in new clinic settings (when I'm the patient) and the military thing is different from the usual family practice settings in the states. I'm hoping that the doctor tomorrow will actually listen to me and not tell me that my situation is "weird" like some of the med assts that work there have been saying all this week. When I told them I had been monitoring my own pressures at home, the guy actually laughed and said "well we can't accept those unless a licensed professional does it". Hopefully tomorrow I'll talk to something other than a brick wall in uniform.

Well, today was my last day of my 5 consecutive day readings at the military clinic. I went for a run this morning and then did some relaxation exercises before I went to the clinic and my BP was so much better- 124/82 and 126/83. I'd still love to get them under 120/80 like they are at home, but it was a big improvement. I have an appt with the doctor tomorrow to talk about all of it, so we'll see what he suggests. At least today showed some signs of improvement

So basically you're saying that taking blood pressure medication to make my BP levels normal at the doctor is the best option, possibly resulting in hypotension at home 95% of the time? I'm willing to try anything to improve my situation, but yes, things other than medication may not completely work. This clinic here makes me uncomfortable for some reason. During my last 2 doctor's appts in the US, I felt comfortable with my PCP and my levels were normal. Here, it has been a different story. My husband and I love to be outdoors on little weekend trips, hiking, snorkeling, etc. Having low blood pressure during those times does worry me if BP medication was the route I should happen to take.

Thanks for all of the replies. I really just need some reassurance about this whole thing. I have not even spoken to a doctor yet, but the med assts/techs (a.k.a. military airmen assigned to the clinic) keep telling me "Wow, you do have hypertension! That's really high". Then I try to explain to them that it's nervousness and I get the deer in the headlight look from them and just a "I'm sorry maam... see you tomorrow". It's sooo frustrating. I really miss my doctor from back in the states. If my BP was high at the beginning of the appointment, they would chat with me for awhile or do other assessments, and then check it again and it was always lower. Military clinics apparently don't have time for this. They have me relax in the waiting room and then get me up and walk me to a different room, then immediately take my BP, which pretty much ends all relaxation for me. I don't smoke, my BMI is good, and workout regularly. I'm going to sign up for some yoga at the fitness center if they offer beginner classes. Maybe that will help me to learn some breathing techniques that will combat some of my anxiety at the clinic.

I've known since college that I have white coat hypertension and experience anxiety when it comes to any sort of "test". I graduated from an accelerated BSN program in July of '07 and then went on to work at a job I just loved in Women's health in Oklahoma. My husband is in the Air Force so we just relocated to Okinawa, Japan in April. I really like it here, but it has been a stressful adjustment at times. You can't spend all day relaxing at the beach I haven't found a job yet, so I have a lot of free time on my hands, which I'm not used to, haha. I am working on an application for a nursing job and am going to be volunteering with the Red Cross soon, which will keep me busier. Anyway, my birth control prescription is about to run out, so I went to the military clinic last week on one of their refill days to take care of it. They proceed to tell me that they don't have the pills I use and that they might not be able to order it. I ask them for a different brand and they make me an appt for about 2 weeks later (when I'll already be out of pills, haha). So, by this time, I'm a little stressed and ready to leave when I find out that they need to do a physical/health history.... umm alright. Before I even sit down, in the chair, the tech/med asst has a BP cuff on me and I get a reading of like 150/95 due of nervousness. I was not expecting a physical and had just been told that my prescription couldn't be refilled, so I knew that this reading was a product of nervousness. I asked if they could wait a few minutes and redo my pressure when I calmed down. No, they wanted me to come in for a 5 consecutive day hypertension screening. Well, great. So everyday that I have come into the clinic, I get high readings. Today, I really tried to do some different breathing techniques in the waiting room, but then they move me to a different exam room and the nervousness takes over. First reading was 142/94. Then, the guy talked to me for a minute and the reading in my left arm was 124/82. Finally! Well, then he said "That's really odd? That's a big difference." He seems bewildered when I tell him that I suffer from anxiety when I'm "the patient" and having any kind of test done. He almost couldn't believe that a RN could have this problem. Well sorry, I am human. Then he tells me that more than likely they will want to put me on blood pressure medication. I just don't know what to do. I speak with the actual doctor next week and I have all of my pressures I've taken at home manually documented. My average BP at home is around 117/79. I also have an Omron monitor that I use to have more "evidence" that I don't suffer from high BP chronically. I even took a reading after I left the clinic to show that it was higher than normal at that particular time. I'm so very frustrated about this though. I'm in a new place halfway across the world and unfortunately my husband is a pilot and busy (if not deployed) a lot of the time and cannot accompany me to appts like this. We are wanting to start a family while we are here, but now I'm worried about what the OB clinic will say about my situation.

I too am having the same issues with my blood pressure. I've known since college that I have white coat hypertension and experience anxiety when it comes to any sort of "test". I graduated from an accelerated BSN program in July of '07 and then went on to work at a job I just loved in Women's health in Oklahoma. My husband is in the Air Force so we just relocated to Okinawa, Japan in April. I really like it here, but it has been a stressful adjustment at times. You can't spend all day relaxing at the beach I haven't found a job yet, so I have a lot of free time on my hands, which I'm not used to, haha. I am working on an application for a nursing job and am going to be volunteering with the Red Cross soon, which will keep me busier. Anyway, my birth control prescription is about to run out, so I went to the military clinic last week on one of their refill days to take care of it. They proceed to tell me that they don't have the pills I use and that they might not be able to order it. I ask them for a different brand and they make me an appt for about 2 weeks later (when I'll already be out of pills, haha). So, by this time, I'm a little stressed and ready to leave when I find out that they need to do a physical/health history.... umm alright. Before I even sit down, in the chair, the tech/med asst has a BP cuff on me and I get a reading of like 150/95 due of nervousness. I was not expecting a physical and had just been told that my prescription couldn't be refilled, so I knew that this reading was a product of nervousness. I asked if they could wait a few minutes and redo my pressure when I calmed down. No, they wanted me to come in for a 5 consecutive day hypertension screening. Well, great. So everyday that I have come into the clinic, I get high readings. Today, I really tried to do some different breathing techniques in the waiting room, but then they move me to a different exam room and the nervousness takes over. First reading was 142/94. Then, the guy talked to me for a minute and the reading in my left arm was 124/82. Finally! Well, then he said "That's really odd? That's a big difference." He seems bewildered when I tell him that I suffer from anxiety when I'm "the patient" and having any kind of test done. He almost couldn't believe that a RN could have this problem. Well sorry, I am human. Then he tells me that more than likely they will want to put me on blood pressure medication. I just don't know what to do. I speak with the actual doctor next week and I have all of my pressures I've taken at home manually documented. My average BP at home is around 117/79. I also have an Omron monitor that I use to have more "evidence" that I don't suffer from high BP chronically. I even took a reading after I left the clinic to show that it was higher than normal at that particular time. I'm so very frustrated about this though. I'm in a new place halfway across the world and unfortunately my husband is a pilot and busy (if not deployed) a lot of the time and cannot accompany me to appts like this. We are wanting to start a family while we are here, but now I'm worried about what the OB clinic will say about my situation.

I will agree with Phil that you are expected to do a lot on your own in this program as compared to the traditional students. It's important to find a group of fellow students to work with in regards to projects, study guides for tests, or just general peer support throughout the program. Also, this program was about my only option to go with in order to graduate and then get a few months experience working as a RN before my husband and I received orders for our next military assignment. I had a feeling we'd probably be heading overseas and managing school would be a big hassle on top of that. Sure enough, we're headed over to Okinawa in April.

Hi there- I graduated from the ABSN program at OU in July '07. Overall, it was definitely a busy, but manageable program if you are good with time management. Since the program is new, at times things were a little unorganized but we all got through it :) Most of that had to do with the online class system being changed after our first semester but I doubt your class will have to deal with that issue. If you have taken online classes before, that may help out some. I never had and I did just fine though. The busiest semester as far as class schedules go was the first summer semester b/c there are several different lab sessions to attend since you will be enrolled in both Clinical I and Health Assessment. Actual clinicals will not start until the first part of July and I believe that those were on Thurs and Friday from 645am until about 3pm. The fall and spring semesters are not as hectic, but the material is more in-depth and specialized. Acute and Chronic Care I and II (human physiology of disease in relation to appropriate nursing care) will take up a lot of your time, but the professor is wonderful (if it's Moran). As far as NCLEX goes, the program does prepare you well but most likely you won't feel that way when graduation comes around, haha. Practice NCLEX questions helped me very much and knowing your basic lab values is also a must. I passed NCLEX the first time, so the program must have done something right Also, I have many, many study guides on my computer that I'm willing to share with you or your classmates if needed. Best of luck! -Carmen

Thanks so much for the replies. I work in a Mother/Baby Unit right now and was planning to move into L&D next year, before I found out about our assignment to Kadena. If I could find an RN position to visit moms and newborns to provide education (like you had mentioned), that would be ideal since all of my experience has been on a postpartum unit. Any more info about that would be greatly appreciated. If not, I'm sure I'll find out more when we arrive there and get settled. Also, best of luck with your NCLEX in April! Thanks again!

Hello everyone- I'm just trying to get some information about the possibility of working in Okinawa when my husband and I get to Kadena in April '08. I graduated from a BSN program in July '07 and so I will only have about 7 months experience as an RN in Women's Services when we arrive. I heard that you need at least 1 year of experience as an RN to be considered for any position there and I just wanted to verify if that is true or not. Honestly, I do not "have" to work while I'm there... my husband is an officer in the AF and his salary covered us just fine while I was in school. But because it's so early on in my career, I would hate to not use my RN license for the 2-3 years that we are in Japan. Any advice or information would be appreciated. Thanks so much and God Bless Our Troops!:redbeathe -Carmen

I passed!!! YAY :) Thanks to everyone for the encouraging words... I really appreciate it.

I took the NCLEX this morning at 9AM and I am more than just nervous right now. I prepared as much as I possibly could... practice questions from Saunders, pharmacology reviews, and Kaplan tests. Several of my friends have taken it already and passed with 75 questions. So, I'm taking the test... sitting at around #60 and thinking "Hey, this isn't that bad". I figured just 15 more and this computer will shut off and I can go home!!! Ummm no. I hit #76 and it all went downhill from there. I probably had at least 10 alternate (SELECT ALL THAT APPLY)questions, a lot of medication questions, and also several orthopedic topics having to do with traction and internal fixation. What!!?!! I hit #125 and I was not a happy camper. I did stay focused and kept hoping and hoping that the thing would just shut off. It finally shut off at like 185 questions and I just wanted to cry... uggh. The test administrator said that the number of questions doesn't matter, but it seems like that everyone who does well and seems confident about passing gets 75! I was not expecting this many questions and I'm soo nervous about getting my results. Anyway, I really needed to vent! Any comments to boost my confidence would be great! Best of luck to everyone!