nurse4kiddos

I'm not sure where you get the idea that working 12 hour nights is better than 12 hour days. The only difference is that there are fewer people around during the shift, but many nights I am just as busy as they are on the day shift. I do agree with you that 12 hours is alot for a job that is so physically and mentally demanding. I think that nursing is seen by many people as being flexible. So for many people, especially those with children, working 3 days a week is better than working 5 days a week. And if you work 3 12 hour shifts then you don't have to sacrifice your paycheck since you are working a similar amount of hours to the traditional 40 hours work week.

Congratulations!!!!! :smiley_aa

Congratulations!!!! :balloons: :balloons:

lmao! I didn't even think about how my title sounded! ~Clarification: I passed my boards and I'm relieved to have that weight off my shoulders!

Good Luck on your interview! I have heard many nurses from my floor say that they prefer NICU, but at my hospital you can't transfer to another department until you have been in your current position for 6 months. Besides that, they aren't hiring anyone in our NICU. It is amazing that NICU was your next choice. I keep reading your posts and thinking I could have written them! Since I know I don't want to stay on my floor, I am looking at the other hospital in town as well as some clinics for some other options. I am hoping to be able to find a day shift position somewhere since I have been so much happier since I've been back on days. I know some people that have switched units after a short time, but not too many. Good Luck to you!

Wow! I could have written this post! I also thought that pediatrics was my area of interest, but the PICU terrifies me. The unit that I work on has general, IMC & ICU so it is alot to learn. I have only been working on my unit for 5 weeks, but I wishing I had taken a job in ambulatory surgery at a clinic or something a bit less stressful. So did you get a job at another hospital or did you just switch units?

Sorry to confuse you! I don't have any kids. My screen name is in reference to me being a Pediatric Nurse. I don't have any great words of wisdom about making it through school with kids, especially young ones! I was the minority in my nursing school in terms of not being a mom. Only a few of us don't have kids and 60 people graduated with me! So I know it can be done, but I am sure it makes it alot harder! I wish you the best of luck! Nikki

:balloons: I am pretty new around here, but I have been reading the posts in this forum for the past few weeks. It was so encouraging to know that other people are going through the same thing as me! I am happy to report that I got my results today and I passed! I can't hardly believe it! For all of you who haven't tested yet or are waiting for results(it's the longest 48hrs ever!) hang in there! You can get through it! Nikki, RN ~ that is just too much fun to type!

Yahoo!!! I passed!!! I found out this morning at work while my preceptor looked over my shoulder! I was so nervous it would say fail and she would see it! Then my day was so busy that I couldn't even call my husband and tell him until I left work for the day! What a relief!! Nikki, RN ~ it is so weird to be able to write that!!!

Well I took the NCLEX today and got 76 questions. I closed my eyes and said a prayer at 73 that it would stop at 75 if I passed. When I hit next after 75 and got another question, my heart dropped. But thankfully it shut off at 76. I got TONS of prioritizing and evaluation of teaching questions. There were very few drug questions, some med/surg, but no math at all. I did have 5 alternate answers, but they were all select all that apply. Thankfully I didn't get any exhibit questions! I had never even heard of them until the tutorial. Everyone keep your fingers crossed for me or say a prayer that I passed! I am trying to stay optimistic...but 48 hours seems like forever to wait!

My absolute favorite girl's name is Ainsley Cadence. Other girl names I like are Grace, Katelyn, Madelyn, and Amelia. For boys I like Matthew, Nathan, Brayden, Christopher and Andrew. I am sure to have a hard time deciding on a name since there are so many I like! Oh well, I will worry about that when the time comes!

Am I missing something? You have made $23,000 in five months and have paid your entire mortgage and paid off a brand new car? I realize you may have a spouse who contributes to this, but as that isn't stated in your post I'm just assuming that. Otherwise you would be the most frugal human being on the planet! I don't know anyone that can stretch $23,000 that far.

I live in Illinois, and I'm unsure if the process is the same in all states, but I would imagine so. My school did not tell us we could apply through our Board of Nursing via the Internet, so they mailed our applications in a big group (sent on 5/22). Once your state BON receives your application, they will approve you and transmit the information to Pearson Vue. In Illinois, they share your approval via computer. I had been waiting 3-1/2 weeks and finally got ahold of someone at my BON, and she confirmed that she had approved me and updated the computer while I was talking to her (I had spoken with Pearson 1st & they didn't have my approval). I then called Pearson back, and they confirmed my consent and said I would have my ATT within 24-48 hrs. I was a little salty about this and then checked my email to find my ATT had reached me in less than 5 minutes! You do have to be registered with Pearson (& pay) to receive your ATT. My school did not clarify this, and some students had to wait longer. I got my ATT on June 14th; my first available appt in my city was July 12th. I could have tested this coming week if I wanted to travel 1-1/2 hrs from home, but I chose to wait. So long story short, getting your letter can take a while. They say 4-6 weeks, and they weren't kidding. The upside for me is that in my state, we can start working before we even get our ATT, but we cannot do anything that would require a license (I.e., meds, etc.), so I have been working since June 5th! Yay for RN pay! Good Luck to all of you new grads still waiting for letters! It seems like it will never come, but I PROMISE it will! Hang in there!