RollingThunder

I've worked at FMC for four years. It offers an outstanding work environment with excellent nurses and physicians that treat nurses with respect. Management treats us well and address issues when they arise. I am proud to be an FMC employee. It was a fantastic move for me from the southeast. Payrates are quite competitive and I make $33/hr with 5 years experience. Be forewarned...Flag is an expensive town in which to buy a home. The woes of the U.S. economy have remained somewhat buffered in Northern Arizona. The natural beauty of the area is simply stunning and attracts people from all over the world!

one month? dream on...the california board of nursing doesn't even want to correspond with you about licensure until you have waited at least six weeks. i turned in everything on july 13th (including the set of fingerprints that you failed to mention) and as of today, november 6th, have still not received my license. according to sacramento, the department of justice is currently holding up my licensure process because they have not cleared my fingerprints. so it is literally out of the state's hands when you reach this point in the endorsement process.

I have a couple of questions for some seasoned veterans (or whoever will indulge me). Some background...I am six months into a circulating position with a 16 bed OR. I am actually a very humble person, so this is out of character for me to say, but I have done very well with my learning curve. I was kicked out of orientation early and apparently have impressed the right people. I have been asked to join the Heart Team, but will not be Heart Team exclusive as are all of it's current members. I will train for several months with them and then go on a 2-10, M-F, no weekends, no call rotation. This will entail finishing scheduled hearts and then floating out to all other specialties (mostly Ortho and Neuro, though) and being available for any alpha or bravo traumas that may arrive. Question 1- Is there an elitist spirit associated with the Heart Team at your facility? I say this because there is apparent stigma associated with the heart team at this facility. All of the techs and a few nurses are really giving me hell about making this move. "You're going to be just like them. Why do you want to leave us? I put my heart and soul into training you for Ortho. yada,yada,yada." They will not listen to reason when I tell them that I'll be doing mostly Ortho, anyway because we are Ortho heavy especially with evening add-ons. Question 2- Can anyone possibly see how I could be limiting myself through this decision? I mean, I feel that I would eventually become one of the most well rounded nurses on the unit because of having the ability to circulate any kind of case. Question 3- I posted six months ago about the possibility of traveling in OR's and was advised by senior members of this board to get lots of experience before trying to travel. As much as it pains me...they're right. I'm not even going to consider it for 2 years. BUT, when that time is up and if I feel comfortable, are there good opportunities for OR circulators with Heart experience? There are jobs for Heart team members at UAB advertising $42.00/hr and those aren't travel jobs. Thanks in advance for your time and consideration.

Are there any of you who travel and only circulate cases in the OR? I'm six months into the job as a new RN and want to travel in the future. How limited will my future opportunities as a traveler be by not being trained to scrub? This is actually a preface to an opportunity that I have accepted and will begin in July with my current organization to join their Heart Team (in which I will be trained to scrub). Which leads me to my second question. Are there any travelers out there that are specifically Heart Team oriented? The position that I will move to is an evening shift 2-10, M-F, with no weekends and no call. I would basically finish any scheduled heart cases and then be available to circulate other scheduled cases (most likely Ortho and Neuro) and any alpha or bravos that we may have come in. I know that this sounds kind of confusing but I think that it is a great opportunity because I would wind up being one of the most versitile RN's on the unit (able to circulate any specialty and with Heart experience). I don't see how this could limit me, but do any of you guys see limitations to what I plan to do? Things are often more transparent looking from the outside in.

Does anyone know about the demand for TRAVELING PSYCH NURSES and what requirements are generally met before pursuing such an endeavor? Is the pay about the same as more traditionally medical-surgical or acute care settings? Any input would be appreciated.

Just out of curiosity are you in Hattiesburg, Jackson, or the Coast? I am a new nurse (OR) and want to get to traveling ASAP (after a year of good experience) and would like to get the type of experience that you are getting now.

You've got a deal. (insert a hand shake) It will be within the next one to two years that I begin to travel (if I can manage the learning curve...I've only been an RN since Jan. 24th of this year). Every RN that I am rotating thru in my training is telling me that I'm going to be great at it (I hope that they're right). I'm a 34 year old male and this is my second career, so I am taking everyday as a serious learning opportunity and trying to grow with each experience. I'm starting to feel a groove in what we're doing, take on a little more responsibility everyday, and ask a TON of questions. I read this board everyday or so but only post once in a while...I'll be in touch thru the board when the time to move grows near. P.S. I've been out to Washington about 1/2 dozen times and most recently this past August...I totally love that area of the country. From Seattle and north (Bellingham or Anacortes, actually anywhere close to Victoria and Vancouver, B.C.) is where I'd like to retire to someday. Arizona is really cool as well especially around the Flagg-Sedona area. I have two friends who went out there as travelers and took up permenant residence. I'm checking out the travel site tonight. THANKS and I'm serious on the deal.

Do you mind me asking what areas of the country that you worked in because in the future, I would like to travel but RN's only circulate at my current hospital as we have an abundance ORTechs. Also, what companies did you travel with?

Thanks for the advice. I hope that I wasn't misunderstood, I am not looking to sign up with a company and hit the road as a green RN and make a fool out of myself. I actually think that I will probably stay right where I am for a very long time, I was just wondering if the prospects existed in this area as they do in many others. I'm actually laughing out loud thinking about you guys reading this and cringing while thinking of some D.A. newbie showing up at your facility ready to scrub in and kill somebody! :roll

Perhaps my original post lacked enough details. IMO this unit and it's management really seem to be on the ball. Yes, I have a formal educational coordinator (who is very nice, BTW) and an extensive orientation (several months). I have not been assigned a formal preceptor as of yet (I'm fairly sure that I will be) but rather will begin by rotating through all of the specialties, just to see what all is done here. I am actually only in the OR for the a.m. of this first week and in the basement educational department in the afternoons completing organizational compliance, the standard computer documentation courses, videos, readings, and multiple choice tests for areas that are common to all new RN's. The reason that I felt lost on day one was because Joint Commission was in the hospital at 7:30 a.m. on my first day and honestly, my educator was just stretched extremely thin and felt comfortable putting me under the care of one of her very experienced OR RNs. Today, I spent the morning with my educational coordinator getting a good overview of the unit (in-house pharm, sterilization devices and procedures, etc.) and watching a few OR exclusive videos in her office. I feel as though I am being treated very nicely and eased in. What I was looking for from you guys was maybe some websites (or recommended reads) that would help me to become familiar with some of the instruments before I actually saw them on the sterile field or being used on the patient. I have a scavenger hunt list a couple of pages long of items that are found all over the OR and I have to find all of their possible locations. I thought that it would help to know what I was looking for. My educational coordinator gave me a Mosby's OR text today that is going to really help, but I was just seeking some additional resources, advice, etc. to facilitate my occupational journey. I know that I have lots (and Lots) to learn but I am very excited about the prospect of doing just that. Thanks in advance for your responses.

Hey everybody, I am a new RN (graduated BSN Dec. 2005 and passed boards Jan. 2006) starting orientation today in the OR of a local medical center. Where can I get a head start on learning some of the terminology, tools, etc. conducive to survival of a green RN in the OR? Also, when I am in the operating room, how and where should I focus my learning? As far as I have been able to tell (I've seen a total knee and a colon resection) the techs do the hands on stuff and the RN gives the team additional supplies that may be needed during the procedure, computer documents, answers the phone (and physician pages) and leads and documents the count after the surgical procedure. Is it normal to feel lost on the first day? Any help will be appreciated.

I started my first day in the OR today and I am a new nurse. They asked me in the interview why I wanted to work there and I mentioned something like I was looking foir a dynamic team atmosphere. The team atmosphere comment clinched the job for me in the interview. Good luck.

I am a new nurse orientating in the OR. I understand that I need a good year or two to be competent enough to travel. Is the demand there for traveling OR nurses?

I am orientating in OR and like it so far. I am a new RN and reside in a compact state. Does anyone know about the need for OR travel nurses? Are they in as much demand as say a ICU or ER RN? I want to travel but don't want to get the wrong experience.

Go to the MSBON website. Click nurse licensure search about midway down the left side of the page. On the next screen click continue. On the third screen, on the right side enter your last four of social and last name. If results have posted for you, it will show your license number and status. Read below for info from your other thread. In my opinon, you shouldn't freak out until Tuesday morning. Below was copied from the other thread: I passed the NCLEX-RN last week in Jackson. Took it on Tuesday, got results on Thursday. I had two friends that took it on Wednesday. Now, I have some bad news for you and some good news. One of the girls called the MSBON on Friday, she got the same answer about the lady being out until Tuesday. Unfortunately, she also found out that that Lady does not post the results online, she only mails out the results. Now the good news, both of the girls that I know that took it on Wednesday got 75 questions and neither has results posted with a license. I firmly beleive that both passed and it's not up yet. Everyone that I know that got 75 questions passed so far. It is VERY unlikely that both failed with 75 questions. MSBON also said that the website was updated everyday or EVERY OTHER DAY. Since my results were posted on Thursday, it's entirely possible that your results will not be up until Monday or possibly Tuesday morning. Best of luck, I hope this helps.

I passed the NCLEX-RN last week in Jackson. Took it on Tuesday, got results on Thursday. I had two friends that took it on Wednesday. Now, I have some bad news for you and some good news. One of the girls called the MSBON on Friday, she got the same answer about the lady being out until Tuesday. Unfortunately, she also found out that that Lady does not post the results online, she only mails out the results. Now the good news, both of the girls that I know that took it on Wednesday got 75 questions and neither has results posted with a license. I firmly beleive that both passed and it's not up yet. Everyone that I know that got 75 questions passed so far. It is VERY unlikely that both failed with 75 questions. MSBON also said that the website was updated everyday or EVERY OTHER DAY. Since my results were posted on Thursday, it's entirely possible that your results will not be up until Monday or possibly Tuesday morning. Best of luck, I hope this helps.

Damn straight I felt overwhelmed until my final semester and things just fell into place. I graduated in December 2005 and everyone that I graduated felt the same way. We actually felt like we knew less than when we were beginning our second semester, but we were wrong. Twenty-one have taken the NCLEX and 21 have passed (it only took three people more than the 75 questions). We all have lengthy orientations ahead of us at our new jobs. Remember that nursing school is really just jumping through hoops to get to that NCLEX and your real education begins when you go to work. Best of Luck.:)

This is commonly prescribed by doctors for this exact problem but they also decrease your concentration so if you have to get important points across, you had better have some cue cards. Personally, I think many people suffer from this and not all admit it. I figured out that just getting up there and consiously making my voice come across as strong (literally speaking over my fear) worked better than anything. I always felt nervous speaking in front of people but they never seemed to get that perception themselves. I even had one of my nursing instructors call me a supreme orator, saying that I should have been a politican. So I think that anyone can overcome the fear of speaking in front of large groups. And dude, in nursing school, you don't have any choice but to get up and speak. The more you do it, the better you will become. Oh yeah, never underestimate the importance of being prepared on the material that you are going to present. If you don't know what you're talking about, it shows most every time.

I'm in Hattiesburg. I took the NCLEX-RN Tuesday, got results Thursday, and start Monday at the biggest hospital in town. I'm working days in the OR. New grads at this hospital are starting at $18.35/hr, the smaller medical center in town is paying $17.50. I have a friend working on the floor at an outlying community hospital in Columbia starting at $16.75 (which is pitiful). At the hospital where I will work, some of my fellow graduates will be getting a night shift diff. of around $4 (after a lengthy orientation), and you get 29 cents/hr for each certification you acquire. Those last numbers are not exact but very close to what I remember hearing. The problem is that there are 95,000 nursing schools right here in our area and there is a nursing shortage everywhere in the world except South Mississippi. The flip of the coin is that I live in a VERY nice home (worth around $250,000 before Hurricane Katrina, since then values have gone up 25-35% with the flight of people from New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, I'm about an hour from each) with a courtyard and pool on a top-notch golf course. That same home in California or Florida would cost me about 2.5 million dollars. Hattiesburg is the best city to live in Mississippi and one of the top-50 small cities in the United States. I plan to finish paying it off, keep it, and travel nurse after getting some experience. I want to build a nice nest egg and come back here and get a MSN or Nurse Prac. degree, and work locally until retirement.

I took the NCLEX on Tuesday 1/24 in 75 questions, don't remember very many of the questions that I had but I do remember several on infection control, a few in priortizing and had no alternative items. I just knew that I had failed. My friend that took it on the same day called at 5a.m. and said that our state board had updated their online licensure search. We both had passed. As a matter of fact...21 out of my class have tested and all passed in 75 questions except for three who passed at 78, 107, and 110. So I belive that if you got the type of questions that you did and finished with 75 then surely you passed. I will think positive thoughts for you.

It took about 10 days for my ATT to come but it was sent just before the holidays so I figure that that may have caused a little delay. Think positively about the NCLEX. It is not hard, it just makes you think. I tried to think with each question...what am I worried about happening in this situation and what message am I sending NCLEX lady if I pick this answer. I didn't really spend too much time reviewing books, I did practice questions from MEDSPub, Kaplan, and Saunders. Probably more Saunders than anything else. Almost everyone that I know has taken and passed the test in 75 questions. It took a few like 78, 107, 110. This thing is definitely do-able. Don't stress after the test because I made myself physically ill by worrying too much. You will do fine and I am thinking positive thoughts for you and sending good karma your way. :)

I tested Tuesday, 1/24 and had an active license on the state board of nursing website this morning. I honestly believe that no amount of studying can prepare you for that exam. It is pick the lamest answer out of four lame answers. If you passed nursing school with decent grades, put the books aside (unless you have a majorly weak specific area that concerns you, like diabetes, not the entire endo), just do practice questions and read rationales. They will be as random as the exam. Myself and several of my friends did only this and we all passed at 75 questions. I just asked myself with each question what am I worried about and what am I telling NCLEX lady if I choose this particular answer. You can pass it. :)

Hey. I have a BS in Psychology and just finished nursing school in December, took the boards two days ago and found out this morning that I passed. I was a golf professional for seven years and got tired of having 250 bosses at the country club. I went into a BSN program with only one semster (6 additional hours) of course work. Most community colleges will not take any science course that is over 5 years old. It was quicker for me to get a BSN than to get an associates degree. I think that I will eventually get into psych nursing (because it is interesting) but I am going to get some other experiences first. I precepted in ICU and started orientation for a job in OR today. I plan to get a couple years there, move to critical care for a while, maybe do a little traveling and then go to work at a mental health hospital where I have good connections. I just want to tell you that you can do it, just explore all of your options for a nursing education, put your best foot forward and be a rock. Oh, yeah...nursing school and a psych program are two different worlds. I kept outstanding grades in the psych program while living in a fraternity house, partying, never going to class, and just charming my way through. Luckily, I grew up before I went to nursing school, got serious, worked my you-know-what off, getting involved in everything imaginable in the nursing program (class officer, SNA officer, Cultural Diversity officer) and in the process, graduated with some great stuff for a resume like Dean's and President's lists, a Departmental Nursing Award (which included some cash) and the National Collegiate Nursing Award. Just go for it if it's what you want, just remember...it ain't going to be a cakewalk and you have to be disciplined.

I've never posted here before but I have been reading posts for over a year. I want to say thanks to all of you who post here for providing the inspiration to make it through a BSN program and the NCLEX. I took my boards two days ago, got 75 questions with no alternative items, and (just like everyone else here) knew that I had failed for sure. My friend called at 5 a.m. this morning screaming that the Mississippi Board of Nursing had updated their licensure search. I cleared the cobwebs and started shaking as he entered my social (and I am a 6'1, 200 lb. grown man that's never been scared of anything). Sure enough there it was. He said put RN behind your name. Total relief, especially since I started orientation for a job in the OR of the local medical center. I could just see telling them, "Well, I didn't pass the boards, but can I still work as an Advanced Care Tech?" I've been acting a 3-year-old all day and am so happy that I can move on with life. I want offer good karma to everyone out there getting ready to take this pick the most lame answer out of four lame answers test. You can all do it.