SerenityRN2006

I just graduated in December and started orientation at my hospital this week. I have 200 hours of class and 600 hours with a preceptor. I also have a mentor ( from another unit) and 8 support group meetings. Pretty comprehensive new grad program. But I start in the ER..................and I am nervous:uhoh21: . During my rotations in school this was the rotation where my personality fit in better and I was like "Oh Yeah". Well I have read many posts that have said starting out in the ER was awful. Is there anyone out there that stuck it out their first year in the ER or maybe even liked it? Thanks for any feed back. Also advice would be nice.

Hi, Congratulations Adam and what a relief it is to hear from people who are enjoying their careers in nursing. I started this week but only in orientation and then I will be on the floor, ER 7pm - 7 am. The question I have is, out of all of you that love your job do any of you have nights? This is a fear for me and so many people report hating it so bad. Let me know. Thanks

Hi Haunted, this is one of the reasons I got into nursing. I really wanted to get involed with Forensics and checking into SANE and death investigator. I think what your doing is amazing. Please continue with your posts. I still need experience under my belt before I can start training for anything, so I will live vicariously through your stories and posts. I just start ER next week, so I am a newbie. Wish me luck.

Southern California - $27.00 + diff. for new grad. ER doesnt get paid more but sign on bonus is $1000.00 more. Cost of living here is CRAZY, I will probably never be able to afford a house here, and I have lived here my whole life, so it depends also on cost of living.

Hi I will start working 3 12-hour night shifts also in about 2 weeks. Can you tell me what is the best way to prepare for it. Should I try staying up all night and sleeping all day a couple of days before I start. Just looking for a smart way to transition. Thanks

congratulations!!!

HA HA, It is funny that you put it that way, but I did feel like it was some evil monster that was waiting for me and I guess I did whoop its butt :smiley_ab Thank you guys so much for all your congrats. What a load off. I am on cloud nine and I will pray for all those that are waiting for their results and getting ready to whoop butt too.

congratulations. it is one of the best feelings, good for you!!!!!

I took my test in California on 1/30/06 and found out exactly 3 days later. My results showed up on 2/2 at 2:57 in the am. So I guess I am one of the few that found out in three days. Another one of my friends found out in three days too but for someone else in our class it took 9 days so you never know. CONGRATULATIONS MARIE CLAIRE. Good luck IS Fizzle, I will send you the good vibes and prayers.

Thank you so much Lady in Red. I was just getting ready to pm you to tell you I passed and there was another reply from you. I am so tired of crying and feeling sorry for myself. I just couldnt be happier. Miracles do happen. Thank you for your support.

blue2day: that is great. congratulations!!!!!!!!! i found out i passed today too.............

you guys are so awesome for all your support at a time that i needed it the most. well.......i passed............. :chuckle i found out at 2:57 am. yes i couldnt even sleep until i found out. the test seemed pretty easy which tottally confused me and because i was expecting monstrous questions. i guess i just kept thinking it would be so much harder. they werent questions that would try to trick you or anything. i thought for sure i bombed it but i had faith in the lord and thank goodness he had faith in me. . i believe i had angels with me that day or some higher power helping me get through each question. thanks for all your info nursemomruns, that was a pretty amazing breakdown. and now my family will be fine. thank you for caring. i feel like my life has just begun and i can finally afford to live decently. skatebetty - i started kaplan two week program on 1/3/06 and i studied everyday from the kaplan book, kaplan online lectures and services, all of their tests and from the nclex reveiw book endorsed by nsna. oh i also did the cd from nclex made incredibly easy. i averaged about 100-300 test questions daily, with a break of a day inbetween. a little overkill probably but i didnt feel at ease unless i was doing something proactive towards gaining more knowledge. also kaplan tests are way harder than nclex. so i start working 2/13, the hospital i start at doesnt except ip that is why i was in a rush to get my license.

Thanks ericenfermero, The questions were too easy for me to be baffled and I am not getting much feedback on this thread so thank you so much for your words of enouragement. I cant get out of bed. I just cant understand with all the studying I did how I didnt even get harder quesions. I couldnt of went inthere calmer and confident. Well nothing for me to do now but wait and prepare for the inevitable. Thanks again!!!

I took my NCLEX today, actually felt confident, went for an early morning walk and to Jamba. Got there on time and my test shut off in 75 questions. Wish I could be happy about that. Everybody who passed said they either got multiple multiples or a whole bunch of prirotiy. I didnt get any multiple multiples and only a handful of priority. The majority of the questions were basic knowlegde and pretty easy. Nothing too complex. Most people who pass say they think they failed because the questions were so hard they are not sure if they got them right. Well I feel I didnt get a chance to get a harder question. Did anyone ever think they failed because they were getting answers that were too easy. When it stopped at 75, I wanted more questions so bad to prove that I could do it. If there is anyone who failed at 75 that thought the quesionts were ridiculously easy? I just cant imagine passing with the level of questions I got. My phone got turned off today also. I need a miracle. I just wish I could go back and have it be 0800 this morning again. If anyone has anything remotely positive to say, please help.

Okay so I stopped studying as soon as I got your post. I have no money for a movie, Cable got turned off, I dont have a car, and all my friends are freaking out about their test. So I went for a walk, read the newspaper and did my hair. Those are not the best distractors and I am still a bit anxiety ridden but I have not looked at a book, taken another test, or done anything on the computer except now I am on to check email. I have always been the person to study right to the very last minute so not touching a book right now hurts but I am willing to try. If I had the money I would be at a movie, going out to dinner, shopping, or anything else other than staying home. I wasnt trying to be difficult but the only way I know how to handle my stress is to bombard myself with information until I feel I know everything and I know that is self defeating. I am just rambling out of nervouseness now. Not studying is difficult.

Okay if I wasnt freaked out before I sure am now. I already started studying. Thank you for the bad mistake advice.

Thanks Johari I know you are right about it not helping me. My friends husband made her watch Star Wars when she started doubting herself, the scene where YODA talks about fear, when she told me that I was busting up. But it worked for her. I know I will pull it together for NCLEX. I actually feel better today than yesterday. But I still feel the need to study today. I know people on certain posts have said you either know it or you dont, but maybe a couple more hours wont kill me. . Tommorow is my big day. Wish me luck!

:uhoh3:My count down for my NCLEX is less than two days. I feel like I cant breathe and all I want to do is cry. What a sissy la la I have become. I am trying to draw strengths from wherever I can. I really wish I would have found this site last month so I could have done Saunders with the rest of you successful NCLEX passers but I didnt so I will pray what I did worked but here is my question: On Mosby CAT they have difficulty levels of questions but what is the range. On one test it said I had 94% passing with a 0.36 difficulty level and on another test I had 94% passing but my difficulty level went way down to 0.14. One of my friends had 0.66 (which is awesome)so how could I have a possible passing rate of 94% when my difficulty level was so low? I emailed MOSBY but they never answered. I am making myself nuts and I am so obsessed about this darn test. I still feel so incompetent and that I dont know enough. Did anyone else feel like they were not completely prepared before they went in, like you just dont know enough? How do you know your ready? I love this site and all the positive energy flowing through it, now I am trying to suck some up.

Well CONGRATULATIONS!! Two of my friends just found out today also. What a great feeling that must be. I take my boards Monday and I am freaking out, wish me luck. CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN.............

Hey nursekimmi, Dont worry my friends both found out today they passed. One of them took their NCLEX on the 18th and barely found out today. So your still good. But I think you have to have your transcripts in and your file complete before they release the results, but I could be wrong. Hopefully someone else could shed some light on that. Well good luck and dont be discouraged, California seems to take FOREVER! I take mine on Monday so I am freaking out.............

Shayna, I just wanted to say I will be praying for you tonight and I cant wait to get the good news that you passed tommorow. Thanks for your words of encouragement. It really helps.

One of my friends took her NCLEX on Jan 18th and no results yet, another took it Jan 24th and no results. If anyone took California NCLEX, can you tell me how long it took for you to get results. I know the wait is really going to make me nuts. Thanx

I feel the exact same way. When I got anything in the mail from BRN or my ATT I just thought I would be sick. And while I am studying now there is so much information to retain. Just because I learned it in nursing school doesnt mean I remember it all. I find myself reviewing something and 5 minutes later say to myself " What did I just read, great I forgot already". Thank you for your kind positive words. I am sure you will do just fine also.

That must be an amazing feeling. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

The first thing I did this morning was of course get on the computer and start studying but first I checked my email and I just wanted to say it is nice to start the day out with a smile. . Thank you for your positive replys. You know how dorky I am? I have been eating tuna daily and taking gingko biloba just to make sure. I am getting pretty tired of tuna. :chuckle