4jen

So NedRN do you mean go straight to staff with an agency?

Thanks for your reply.

I am just curious if it is possible to use a travel contract as way to relocate to another state? If so, are you able to stay on with the company/hospital or are you under contract to not work for them? Thanks everyone!

I was in their MSN management degree a couple of years ago. I transferred to Graceland for my FNP becuase Walden did not have a FNP at the time. I had a great experience there and would have stayed if possible. Maybe the statistics you are seeing are because it is a new program??

Anyone out attending or attended an RN to MSN NP program? If so thoughts, suggestions, opinions? I have my associates and want to begin my NP an info is appreciated.

I am attending Walden U RN to MSN Leadership track. I am only in the first semster however I am really thinking I should have gone the NP route. I love leadership and I truly didnt even consider NP as I am a single mom with 2 boys 7 and 4. I just felt like it would be out of the question due to time and the fact that I need flexible hours as I have little support from the ex and no family here. I just really put it out of my mind. The truth is I love the clinical side and I would love to be an NP. Walden U does not have an NP program. So do I start researching online NP programs and see if I could get my financial aid switched over, is it even doable with the fact that I have to work full time? AAAHHHH Okay I am going to breathe and go to bed. :) Any suggestions and words of wisdom will be greatly appreciated. Thanks everyone, Jen

I am starting the RN to MSN Leadership tract January 3rd. Beginning with statistics. I am in denial right now. I work M-F in Cardiology and am a single mom with 2 boys, 7 and 4 y/o. I am doing it because I want to and because I feel I have to in order to support my kids. I know I can do it, I just also know it is going to be real tough. The first suggestion I have gotten is to get the APA software called PERRLA, it sounds like it does the APA work for you. My advisor recommended it. Well here is to a great first semster for all of us Jen

I am an RN with I am applying for the RN to MSN at Walden and have been researching jobs and salaries and talking with people in leadership roles at my hospital. However I wanted to throw it out to you all. What is your goal regarding position and salary once you have finished with your degree? Thanks Jen

Thanks so much. That really helped. :)

I work in a cardiology office and we have been tasked to reorganizing the way we run the office. We have anywhere from 2-3 nurses and sometimes a tech. We have anywhere between 1 provider and 3. We have 9 rooms. Our Dr's are not happy with the front desk, us or the process. Okay let me restate this: none of us are happy and nothing is working. I am looking for feedback regarding how any of you handle a day. We have considered one nurse for each DR and actually attempting to sit with them. Having just an intake nurse and discharge nurse for each day. Or doing what we have been doing which is whatever it takes. We mostly try to keep to one Dr however it doesn't always work. Our issues are related to not having past medical records for appts. Appoinments regardless of pt follow through meaning pt should have had labs or echo and did not. Dr's not communicating return appts clearly. Process held up because pt did not bring meds nor do they know their med (urban, safety net hospital). Triage and med requests. Any feed back would be so appreciated.

Seriously in the scheme of things I would much rather you splash poop on you or me and be able to read my EKG. I would say you are doing great. BTW. I have dropped a bag of NS on a pt head. Spiked the nutrition for tube feeding and dumped it all over the pt and myself. Splashed pee in my eye (eewwww). Stuck a foley NOT in the meatus during a code. lol graceful I am not.

I actually had a doc straight cath my patient. I tried a billion times, another nurse tried a billion and in walks one of my favorite dr's and she sure did get it on the first try. Had to give her props as none of us thought she could do it. :)

I have stopped myself so many times from yelling oh my gawd this is nothing like ER just to see everyone's head spin off. HAHA. :)

I am still there and still loving it. Good Luck - you will do great. :)

Mine was my first patient on my first day off orientation. Pt was only in her 50's but a train wreck, ESRD, 3 valve endocarditis, DM on and on. Not compliant ever except when hospitialized. Full code, everything that could go wrong did including the wheel breaking off on the crash cart. They are heavy and very hard to move when a wheel is missing. lol However, it was okay. It was hard multitasking that day though as it seemed like there was a ton to do after. I was sad for her family but TOD was 8:20 and I had not had her before so I hadnt established a relationship yet. I left that experience wanting ACLS ASAP. I go in September. :) I had 2 other pt go critical and look like they were going to code. I had very strong feelings before it happened so I did not want to leave them. Those were hard as I really wondered if I could have done something more - but I could not have. Honestly without that instinct of wanting to guard them and assess over and over cause I just knew it, it could have been worse.

Yep, first day off orientation my pt coded and died. OMG it was awful. Nothing could be done the pt was really sick. However I was mortified. Handled it fine but seriously I just want my ACLS as I hate not knowing what to do or not even really being able to do anything but compressions. 2nd day was great. Let's hope for a relaxed 3rd day. Geez.

I know you posted a ways back but I want to let you know that we have some great hospitals here. I am in the CCU at Truman not really ICU however our SI and MI units are awesome. The CCU is great as well however it would be close to what you have already done. I think we have an opening in CCU however I would work anywhere there. I love it, it is wild and you will see stuff that you just don't see anywhere else. I believe all floors there now do a residency where you spend time all over the hospital. My orientation was 6 months, 2 all over and 4 on CCU. I will do 6 additional weeks in the SI or MI at some point. Hope you have already found what you were looking for and if not hope this helped.

I work in the CCU at Truman while it really isn't really ICU, it is an awesome place to be. Most people eventually leave the CCU for SI or MI as we are all under the same director. You get crosstrained in each of the ICU's regardless of where you work. I love Truman. I love the patient population and truly could not imagine being anywhere else. Certainly Truman has issues, budget being one of the main ones. That gets old but truly I just love so much about it. I also went to a med surg floor and the ER as a new grad and I also loved those as well. The ER was so great and I would love to work there eventually. No clue on pay for someone with experience. As a new grad in Jan I started at $21 and will get $3.50 more for nights. The have good benefits and anything you get done at Truman is 100% free. Which is nice. Good Luck!

I was hired for critical care as a new grad in a teaching hospital. We are Level 1, not for profit and in the urban core. I was fortunate enough to do a month in the ER as part of my orientation and I must say I loved it. I experienced for the most part incredibly supportive, helpful nurses who were excellent at what they did. I was sad my last day and would have done just about anything to not leave. I just ended my first week of orientation in the ICU and I must say while it will be a great thing I miss the ER still. I totally get why you all do what you do and I look forward to the day I get to join you. You Rock!

Back to the OP, I am in KCMO and I work for a not for profit. We no longer have the bonus attached to weekend alt. From what I have gathered (I am new) you still get paid for almost 3 days however you get nothing extra. It sounds like the bonus was pretty substantial. Apparently they also took back a cost of living raise. Another hospital (private) has laid off 35 nurses. Many other have hiring freezes. At this point I am grateful for a job and I love the hospital I work for. I worked for Sprint for 10 years so the stuff is nothing to me.

Holly noot as my 2 year old would say I am an RN! Woohoo. Thanks for all the support. :)

You all are awesome. Thanks!

Good luck to you sending out passing vibes. :)

OMG, I seriously can barely breathe. :) So I take NCLEX RN Wednesday and I have used ATI virtual online tutor. I did everything she said and have done well on most of it and crappy on some. However my tutor says I am ready based on my 2 predictors and all of the practice tests. But now, I am thinking I haven't done enough questions. I think I did around 2000 mostly ATI some saunders. The tutor says I should relax tomorrow but I am wondering if I should just do Saunders all day. AHHHH - any suggestions or insight would be great. Thanks everyone. I am now going to try to breathe.

I got in before the TEAS was being used so sorry I have no clue. Also I applied before the point system so again no clue. Sorry. If you haven't already I would post the TEAS question on the general student thread or do a search I am sure there is tons of info. Good luck and take care.