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Hi all! long time no post! I am currently working in an Occupational Health Clinic as a Nurse at a major Hospital and have been there nearly 1 year. I work Mon-Friday 8am-4pm, weekends & holidays off. I am pool perdiem status which means higher pay but no benefits, no PL time. The manager has been exceptional. My dilemma is I just got offered a part time w/benefits staff nurse position at the same hospital in a Pediatrics unit which has been a dream of mine to work with kids. I recently returned back to complete my BSN degree. I was not eligible for Tuition reimbursement being per diem so that was a bit of a bummer. My dilemma is should I stay where I am and keep the comfortable m-f 8-4, no benefits w/ higher pay or take the 12 hr part time w/ benefits job. I am soo conflicted, I don't know what I should do. What would you do?

What will you gain from this position? On one hand experience but on the other you may be required to work 4 shifts per week or month depending in the facility. Find out what the facilities per diem policy is and map it out for yourself. I myself left a full time administrative position after searching for nearly 1 1/2 yrs, I got a nursing position in a hospital working per diem. I work full time hours anyway but the benefits are the only thing I don't get. I figured I can get my experience here and once a full time opportunity opens up, I can apply and more than likely or hopefully will get the job. Good luck to you hope it all works out. I believe in losing to gain. Yes I lost a full time benefit position but gained so far 1 yr experience into my career.

Don't give up. Take that experience as a lesson and know you are worth more than that. Dust your shoulders off and look forward. You are technically still a new grad. You can choose to share in your next interview you had some training or not share. Wish you the best of luck

I took the refresher course November - December 2010. I got my first job offer in March at a Nursing home and right after that i got called by a hospital and offered a Per diem nursing position on a Telemetry floor. I took both positions for the experience working at the nursing home every other weekend only. So far it has been working out, thank God. I thought I would never get a job (licensed Nov 2009) but thankfully something came up.

Hi everyone, I finally got a job offer asan RN after seaching for almost 2 years. It will be with a nursing home near my home on the 3-11pm shift whihc is great. One of my classmates at the college i did the nurse refresher course referred me to the DON and I got the job! :yeah:I start next week. I have a bit of a tight situation. I applied for a position at a local hospital and got an interview, which went well. Now I have a second interview at the hospital with the Nursing Director. I found out they are looking to hire within the month for the position. My question now is: WHAT DO I DO ABOUT THE NURSING HOME IF OFFERED THE HOSPITAL POSITION? While I would like to gain the LTC experience I am also a new nurse and would like to get the proverbial "1yr" hospital experience everyone has been talking about. I don't want to let my fellow classmate down by declining but I also do not want to miss the hospital opportunity(if offered)! What should I do? Any advice is greatly appreciated. thanks

Hi all, I am an RN and will be interviewing with the director of Nursing at a LTC facility this afternoon and I have never worked as a nurse. I was just wondering what type of questions should I anticipate? She made mention that LTC is totally different from the hospital. What other differences are there besides the pt load? Just need some advice to prepare myself as much as I can. Thanks in advance for any advice.

I want to say "hang in there" it will get better. but i have been in the same situation since November 2009. Granted I was pregnant when I got my license an was not in any condition to start a new position but for sure i thought once i was ready to get back to work things would have picked up by now. Well, to no avail, i am still here. Putting in applications literally EVERYDAY! As soon as I can get my computer powered up I am on the hospitals websites putting in applications. I think I have approximately 200+ rejection emails. But that is not stopping me. In the meantime I have BLS, ACLS trying for PALs and whatever other certification I can get under my belt. TRUST ME I FEEL YOUR PAIN!!

I completed a nurse refresher course this December and the instructor was nice enough to write me a recommendation letter. I was licensed in 2009 and never worked as a nurse. The problem is he is a contract instructor at the college and also a firefighter and the letter is not on letterhead. I don't want to bother him again and ask him to re-write it. What should I do?

I think it would be a great idea. I would love to learn more about what clinic nursing is all about.

Congratulations X 3!!!!!!!!:yeah:Just my opinion but I would not say anything just yet. If you are only 6 weeks along, you can manage and start your trainging without stressing out about losing your job.

When you find out, will you please let me know :uhoh3:cause jobs are surely not in Miami Florida. I got my license in NOV 2009 (while 7 mths pregnant) and still looking for a job. Unfortunately, no fortunately, I have a family and it is not feasible to move to some of the places where they are hiring new grads. Home health seems to be one of the places that will take new grads. That sounds risky to me since you get no actual training & are on your own in HH:devil:. I don't want to risk my license that i just worked very hard for. Luckily I still have my administrative job making ok $$ but I am ready to start working on my license.

I am in the process of finishing up a nurse refresher course and wanted some input of how to incorporate that in my resume. Where would that type of information be placed on the resume? Would it be education or experience? I would love to hear from anyone that did a refresher and was able to obtain a nurse position. I have been away from nursing for 8 years and did administrative work in the meantime but I am ready to get back to bedside care. The recruiters looked at me like I had the plague when I started my search for a position. Thanks in advance for any feedback.

Thanks to you all for your input. All that was mentioned has given me a chance to look back and think abotu what I used to do and what I will have to do as an RN. Thank YOu!!!

Hello all. I recently got my RN license (nrsg school 2001-long story)but worked as a PCT on a Telemetry floor about 8 years ago. I am currently doing nurse refresher to update some skills. The problem is I do not remember all I used to do for these patients. They were patients on ventilators and the most I could remember is helping the nurse change them, feed and of course listen out for the ventilator machine. Is anyone able to provide some of the tasks that a PCT would do in a vent room? Thank you for your input.

did you mean you graduated in May 2010? If you like computers and want to keep nursing options open, how about looking into Nursing Informatics. i have been hearing a lot more about this and it seems pretty interesting especially if you like technology but you could still use your BSN.

hey miami76 sorry it took so long for me to reply. I used helen feuer CDS and Saunders. Once I was done with teh Saunders 5000+ questions I looked for other questions to do. I have to say the questions helped tremendously as I did not understand the importance before (8yrs ago). I also used a tutor. It cost but you know it was worth the investment. Where are you located? I can refer you if you would like.

We are all hoping it gets better soon. I too am actively looking and I believ I have put in at least 100 applications with only 2 interviews. (1 of which was at a assisted living facility where I would be the only medical person there and that's not safe for a newly licensed nurse) The other did not go too well because of course NEW GRAD but not new enough. Hang in ther and don't give up!

I feel your pain!!! I went to Mount Sinai's open house twice and the 1st time the recruiter asked the same questions. The 2nd time she did not look enthused that they would be hiring anybody. She looked at my resume and before even asking any questions she said I needed refresher!! Granted I do but my goodness ask me something to find out what else I have to offer! I really hope this market gets better!!!

I am currently participating in a nurse refresher at MDCC in Florida. I was just wondering What happens next? I am a newly licensed nurse since Nov 2009, graduated in 2001. Have not worked as a nurse-ever. I have been having a hard time getting a nurse position. A recruiter suggested the refresher and so I am taking it now. So far things are coming back to me. Can't wait for clinicals!!! Just looking for suggestions on how I would incorporate that in my resume? Anyone ever had the same issue? Thank you all for your info.

miami76, if that lil voice inside says to you"what a bout nursing?" You should look into it(just my opinion). It took me eight years after graduating to pass the NCLEX. I have to say some days I felt that maybe nursing was not for me, I did other things too but that lil voice kept taunting me. You can do it!! Continue to pray and ask God for discernment and guidance. Best of Luck to you.

I agree Flordagirl! Where is this experience supposed to come from? We can't go back to school and get it. What is considered as working experience? And a recruiter said that if you start working at a nursing home, try not to stay there too long because hospitals do not view the work experience in the nursing homes the same. WHAT!!! I am confused. WHERE ARE NEW NURSES SUPPOSED TO GET A CHANCE TO PRACTICE AND GAIN EXPERIENCE??

Hi cpmom I was in the same boat with you last year. I graduated in 2001 took the test many times and failed. I gave up, started doing other things but I kept thinking about nursing school and what a waste. I finally decided after much prayer to try again. I did questions at first to see what I remembered (not a lot). I then took Kaplan, another review course and worked with a local tutor. I did questions, after questions. thousands of them wherever I could find them. It cost me a whole lot but I was determined to make it happen. I became more motivated after 4months and I took the exam for the 5th and last time in November of 2009 and PASSED.You can and you will. Stay focused and determined and do whatever you feel you have to do to make it happen. Good luck and God bless.

I actually did a remedial course already since I am in Florida. The Board of nursing would not have issued a license as you put it if I did not. But that is still not enough. It is apparently clear that things have changed since I graduated but I guess I had an idea that there would be some type of internship/training available. I am not a new grad so where do I go from here? I worked very hard to gain my license after all of the challenges, family issues, losses and frustrations. I was determined and I made it by the grace of God. If a refresher is what I need to do that is what I will do. I would prefer to be safe than sorry.

I was just told by a recruiter at Mount Siani to take a nurse RN refresher course. She took one look at when I got my license(2009) and when I graduated (2001)and that was the first thing she told me. Anyone else with the same issue. This sucks!!! I am ready to work:crying2:

I came to this post for some reason this morning but didin't know why. I noticed this thread about testing after 8 yrs. PLEASE KNOW YOU CAN DO IT AND U WILL IF YOU HAVE FAITH. I recently passed boards after graduating nursing school in 2001. I failed a few times, got discouraged then i got back on the track to studying. It took me alsmost a year before i felt confident enough to test. I got pregnant(also after 8yrs) in the mist of studying and I have to say that lil angel helped me to get more motivated to get through and study hard. I passed boards with 75 questions after 8 years. I believe that God had a plan all along but I had to submit myself and faith to HIM. BELIEVE, BELIEVE AND BELIEVE that you will pass and YOU WILL!!! Best of luck to all test takers and God Bless. BTW:I studied Saunders, did the entire CD, EXAM Cram and NCSBN learning extension about 3 times. I also got help from a young lady in Miami who is a nurse she studied with me and helped me immensely. I thank GOD for her inspiration.