BeccaznRN

I can only answer your third question - most Seattle RN positions are union represented. The two main unions are SEIU 1199NW (https://www.seiu1199nw.org) and WSNA (https://www.wsna.org). You can find the pay structures for different facilities by looking at their contracts. Just know that these are very difficult financial times for the hospitals and some are on a hiring freeze for external candidates. This might be an extra challenge for you if you need to be sponsored.

Most of the RN positions in Seattle are union represented, so you won't be negotiating for salary. Most will place you on a step that recognizes your past RN experience and pay other compensation (BSN pay, differentials, etc.) per the contract. Here are the links for the union pages/contracts to both facilities: https://www.seiu1199nw.org/chapters/smc/ https://www.wsna.org/union/virginia-mason-medical-center

I think it would depend on what school you're looking to continue with, but Chamberlain credits will have a higher risk of not being accepted at other schools (besides Chamberlain or other for-profits). Have you considered accelerated BSN programs at state universities? I know UMSL has one, albeit with some time on a wait list. My best advice - there's usually a reason behind schools that don't have a waiting list. It's up to you to do your research and find out why.

Count me as another that refuses to mix my personal and professional lives; as such, I have never friended former NICU families or current coworkers. We have plenty of nurses that do, but that's on them. I like my personal life drama-free, and friending former NICU families seems like trouble waiting to happen.

Yes, look into student externships. I was chosen for a summer externship going into my senior year of nursing school that included time in the NICU, among other units. You could also become active in nursing organizations such as NANN, which would provide opportunities for self-study and networking.

I'm with you. Nothing solicits an inward groan from me more than going into the room for safety checks and seeing a pile of sweet-ease, one of which is open, half-used, and sitting right at the head of bed.

My facility is implementing barcode scanning of breast milk.

I also had the certification as a professional goal. I enjoy staying current in NICU nursing practice and the certification ensures that I do just that through required CEUs. I regularly attend educational conferences for the same reasons. The extra $1.35/hr. (an extra $2500 per year for my full-time hours) more than pays for my continuing education.

Top-notch incentives and benefits for senior, experienced nurses to stay at the bedside. We need their knowledge and expertise to help keep our patients safe.

Our vascular access team is involved with all infiltrates and extravasations. They perform initial assessments, make recommendations for treatment, and follow until resolved.

Atheists are lazy? Says who? Ah....the one that is imploring everyone NOT to judge.

All of our recent new hires are required to do one 12-hour call shift per 6-week schedule (call is on our normally scheduled shift). We work every other weekend and are guaranteed the other weekend off, but otherwise we don't get to choose the call shift - assigned per needs of the unit by the scheduling committee. Call is almost never cancelled. I'm thankful that I got hired before this new policy took effect and I don't have to take call; however, for all of us that were grandfathered in, call will be required if we take another position on the unit (ex: going from a straight night position to days or rotating).

The River parking lot is indeed free, but it's meant for patients, families, and visitors only (including volunteers). Staff cannot park there without risking disciplinary action up to and including termination.

I'm unsure if they pay for the initial cert since I already had the RNC when I was hired to my current unit, but I get an extra $1.35 per hour for having it.

THIS.

I have 11 years of experience in the NICU. Just this past week was the first time in forever that I was still there 30 minutes past my shift. My night went to you-know-where in a hand basket around 5 A.M. and as I was trying to give the oncoming nurse report, I was constantly interrupted by every service imaginable coming by on early rounds to see my patients and needing some form of assistance (supplies, dressing changes, questions answered, etc.). I would say 95% of the time, I'm out on time or even early. The other 5% is usually over by just 5-10 minutes, mostly because the oncoming nurse is late and/or asking numerous questions. My employer doesn't require any explanation if we go into overtime.

When I moved to Stuttgart with my husband, I planned on not working and continuing my education online. Most of the military spouse nurses start out volunteering with Red Cross or at the clinic while waiting for a possible job to open. The clinics utilize medics and LPNs as well, so RN jobs might be a bit more scarce. Other nursing opportunities pop up in the DoD schools and contract positions for programs such as New Parent Support (but this program highly prefers a maternal/child nursing background). The job situation for nurses (or any spouse) isn't the greatest. Personally, I wouldn't try to get a position at Landstuhl while living in Vilseck. You're looking at a VERY long commute just for the sake of working, and German traffic jams ("stau") are frequent and easily add hours to commutes. Not fun. Go and take full advantage of the travel opportunities - trust me, you WON'T be bored. I spent the best three years of my life in Germany and would do it again in a heartbeat. =)

Seattle Children's most definitely does NOT offer free parking. Nights, weekends, and holidays allow for employees to park on campus for around $3.50 per day. Normal M-F daytime hours, the cost depends on arrival time (going up to around $8.00 per day, I think). Driving alone - you park off-site and get shuttled in. Carpool/vanpool - you park on campus and split the parking fee between riders. Any alternate commute (bike, walk, bus, carpool, basically anything other than driving alone) earns a $4.50 commute bonus per day. They do offer a steeply discounted ORCA card for bus/Link commuting as well - about $130 per year.

Once you narrow down where you would like to live, finding information about pay/benefits is pretty simple as most nurses in Washington are union represented. To get you started, here are some links to the two big union pages (WSNA and SEIU) that will show you represented hospitals and current contracts: Your Union | Washington State Nurses Association Chapters | SEIU Healthcare 1199NW Relocation bonuses are pretty common for experienced nurses as well. You should have no problem finding a job as an experienced L&D nurse. As I'm in Seattle, I will second the above opinion that UWMC (University of Washington Medical Center) is a great place (with a high-risk L&D unit).

I think I was in second grade when I started crying in class and promptly threw up. Our awesome school nurse (who wore all white) came to walk me to her office and had to stop at least 3-4x during the walk with me so I could throw up. She was such a wonderful lady.

Of course the recommended hospitals depend on your specialty, but there are some very good hospitals in the Seattle area. Most are travel-friendly and are doing a lot of hiring as Seattle continues to grow by leaps and bounds. On the flip side of Seattle's increasing population, housing can be quite expensive and challenging to find. I would recommend finding housing as close as possible to your chosen hospital so you will have commuting options beyond a car, because the traffic here is no joke. Best of luck in your new adventure!

These comments say it all. You've already come up with a very rational solution to your current dilemma, and I would encourage you to heed your own advice. You are only in prerequisite courses right now. Nursing school will not be any easier, particularly if you are looking into ABSN programs. Your plate will be overflowing - the material is more challenging, the tests (not to mention NCLEX) require major critical thinking, and your time management will need to be top-notch in order to emerge from it successfully. This is exactly why nursing schools scrutinize potential students so carefully, and rightfully so. You may need to step back for a semester or two and do some major soul-searching. I think you could be successful, but it might require some major lifestyle changes before you spend any more of your hard-earned money struggling only to earn a C or W. Best of luck to you!

Everett is in no way close to Tacoma. If you're traveling from Seattle, Everett is about the same distance from Seattle as Tacoma is. Factor in traffic and it could take you hours to travel from Tacoma to Everett. Traffic is a major factor of life in this city. My suggestion is to apply to any and all nursing programs that you qualify for and see what you are offered. From there, I would attend the program closest to my home and would afford me the best commute. There are many programs around the Seattle area (ADN and BSN) - I'm not sure about ADN programs, but I know that BSN programs are costly and highly competitive (especially if you're looking at a private school like Seattle U or Seattle Pacific). However, your best bet for that coveted new grad position will always favor a BSN. Good luck and best wishes on your move to Seattle!

Location: Seattle, WA Facility: Pediatric hospital Role: Staff RN Evenings: $2.75 (15:00 - 23:30) Nights: $5.00 (23:00 - 07:30) Weekends: $4.25 (Friday 23:00 - Sunday 23:30) Charge: $2.75 (Regular charge), $2.00 (Relief charge) Comments: We are union represented, and our differentials have been negotiated and increased (although ever-so-slightly) with new contracts. We also get an additional 8 hours per year of PTO after 24 months of a straight night position. Standby is $4.00/hr.

You will find a lot of variation in a "typical day" that will be based on a nurse's role and place of employment. Have you looked into shadowing a nurse for a partial or full shift?