Adria

Thank you for your reply! I will make sure I ask about the orientation program since it is very important for me. Thanks again!

Hi Tulip! I just passed my boards as well (october 11th) and have a question for you. Have you gotten your license yet? I have no idea how long it takes and I don't think I can even apply for a job without a license number at least. Congrats on passing the NCLEX!

Hi everyone! I just passed my boards in October 11th and still waiting for my license to arrive...Finished school in PA so I haven't had any experience with the hospitals in NJ and don't know where to apply as a new grad. I live in Burlington County and I am considering Lourdes in Willingboro (it is very close to me) but I have heard that their nurse patient ratio on a Med-Surg floor is 1 to 10. That scares me already! Could anyone tell me if that is true, and if they are helpful to new grads, how long their orientation is, pay, and working there in general. I do want to work Med-Surg for my first year. My next two options are Virtua Memorial in Mt. Holly and Cooper. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated!

There are different degrees that make up the same designation of R.N. A Diploma R.N. which studied and trained in a hospital-based environment working as staff in the hospital for hands-on experience in the off shifts of class time. This takes about 3 years. The Associate Degree nurse (ADRN) has a 2-year college degree. The Bachelors in Science in Nursing (BSRN) has a 4-year college degree. These degrees mean college courses first, then hands-on experience -- clinical time. Nurse Practitioner (N.P.) or Advanced Nurse Practitioner: R.N. with a Masters degree who practices under the license of a physician to do almost everything a physician does, such as diagnose, write prescriptions, give orders for tests and referrals, etc. Nurse Midwives fall under this category as well. P.A. or Physician's Assistant is usually a non-nursing person who has 2 additional years of college on top of their 4-year Bachelor's degree and has similar capabilities as the Nurse Practioner. MSN (masters degree in nursing) or PhD in nursing typically are educators in nursing schools.

Very funny...thanks for sharing!! :chuckle

I would definetly talk to the college you are going to apply to first. Ask exactly what prereqs. you need -- different colleges have different requirements and although they are very similar you don't want to spend money on courses you won't need. Second, I would tell them where I am planning to take those prereqs to make sure they transfer. Most accelerated programs also fill up quickly so the sooner you apply the better. Call them and request to talk to a counselor or the person responsible for admissions in this program. Good luck!

I am scared of beginning work in the hospital as well. I am a new RN, just passed my boards in October and still waiting for the license. I keep telling myself that my fear comes from a new environment, from dealing with situations that are new to me and from fear of making mistakes...but all this is normal! As I start working and practicing I will become better and more confident, and so will you. Just go for it and make sure you have a list of coping strategies handy...I'm sure you will need them until you get adjusted and gain confidence. Best of luck to you!

That's a great question and thank you for all the replies as well! I am also a new RN and those tips will help me a lot!

I think that you should not worry so much about employers looking down or discriminating against you because you did not pass the first two times. Study hard and don't let yourself be discouraged. If they mention/question your first two attempts then you can talk about how determined you were to take it again and succeed. Your persistance and hard work will pay off and you need to keep believing in yourself. Good luck and keep working hard towards your goal!

I am ready to try and quit smoking...been a smoker for 11 years now and I hate how dependent I have become. I tried the nicotine gum before but it has not worked for more than a day...I am going to try the patch this time and I'm glad to see it worked well for others. If I quit then I will try and convince my other family members to do the same.. Good luck PurplePassion and let us know how you do! You have my support and encouragement.

I can answer the question regarding drugs bound to protein in blood. If your serum protein levels are low then you are at risk for drug toxicity because the drugs will be metabolized and not excreted without being metabolized first. So your thought process regarding that was correct.

Yep...both answers are correct, good job! Hope you get the 100 on the test...

Great job and congrats!!! You need to celebrate

I had only 75 questions on the NCLEX but felt just as horrible as you do after taking it. I was very dissapointed and upset and thought I failed. I did pass however...I don't think anyone can say with certainty they did well or not and my advice is try to do anything that will make you feel good until you find out the results. Sleep, watch movies, anything that will take your mind off the test. I was able to look up my results online in 2 bussiness days but I know there are only a couple of states that do that...for others you need to wait longer. Good luck and hang in there!

I'm from NJ...took me 1 month to get my ATT from the board. It depends from state to state though, and NJ seems to have one of the slowest BON out there.

I graduated in August and passed my boards in October. I'm still waiting for the licencese...NJ BON is verrry slow!!!! I have not went to any interviews yet but I feel the same anxiety and fear you describe here. I just keep telling myself I am strong, I will get through it, the more I practice the better I will get, and that I am not expected to know everything right now. I rationalize a lot to get rid of the negative thoughts...and I also have a great brother and mom that listen to me and offer encouragement...that helps a whole bunch! Good luck to you and stay strong!

I took the NCLEX 2 months after I graduated...I studied for about 2 weeks, doing about 200 questions each day and looking up anything that I did not remember (if it was mentioned in those questions). It worked for me and I passed without months of doing review questions. Keep in mind though that in the last year of school I did about 4000 questions from MedsPub online -- these were required by my school in order to graduate.

Way to go!! Hope you found a job in the speciality you were looking for and good luck in the future!

I passed the NCLEX in October and I was relieved...75 questions and only being sure of 4 or 5. I agree with everyone else that replied and said they were so unsure of passing and actually thinking they failed! My friend took it like 2 weeks before me and she felt the same exact way...almost crying on the phone when we talked. I guess this feeling of having failed the test happens to a lot of people but most of us actually end up passing.

Welcome! Use all the coping resources you can and stay strong...you can vent here any time you feel you just can't take it anymore. Hope it gets better for you!

Employers do check references. From what I know they only ask a couple of questions, such as "did so and so work there" and "would you hire them again".

I got 950 on my HESI and passed the NCLEX the first time, with 75 questions. I could not say that HESI was more or less difficult that the NCLEX but after taking the NCLEX I was only 100% sure of 5 questions...it was torture until I found out I passed.

I am a new RN and plan to work on a Med-Surge floor...from what I know their nurse-patient ratio is also 1 to 6. I would greatly appreciate someone posting a report sheet sample that really works for them. Thanks in advance!

If you are still doing your clinical rotations I would suggest you talk to your clinical instructor about organizing your day. Make sure you already have an outline of some sort and time frames for each action (assessment, passing meds, charting, etc). See where you spend most time and if the instructor has any suggestions to improve and speed up you tasks. You can also talk to a more experienced nurse on that floor or just observe her/his routine. When you start working as an RN your preceptor should help you with organizational skills and as you keep practicing you will gain speed and experience.

I don't know what's wrong but I heard they are the slowest of all boards when it comes to updating the information on their website. I passed 3 weeks ago and did not receive my license yet.