jamonit

Yeah, good luck with that...

I got a job at Minute Clinic one week out of school, in their #1 ranked market. They are looking for a very particular kind of NP. The projected growth in primary care with the impending Affordable Care Act will more than double their hiring and the projected growth is astronomical. You have to say you are looking at it as a career, not a job and write a great cover letter. I make a great salary, my hours are fantastic, and I work in an autonomous setting with no physicians, just NP providers at every immediate level. It is a fabulous career. I am thrilled.

I studied classes of medications, not specific medications. Know safety concerns per class. HTN meds and DM meds appeared on my exam. I studied over one month, but several hours a day.

I definitely would not recommend working fulltime. I completed GCU's FNP program, it was a hybrid online/in class program. It requires a lot of clinical hours (600) plus the coursework time. I just checked what the Acute Care NP program requires--575 hours of clinicals, plus coursework. You will find that the program is very demanding...especially when trying to track down clinical preceptors, arrange scheduling between preceptor and your school schedule, plus somehow pencil in work. I worked two twelves a week and found that to be more than difficult during my three years of NP school. It is possible, but I don't think it is a good lifestyle or allots for a good learning comfort level. Try part time and loans.

I start this month as a new grad in retail. I can't think of anything I would rather do. I don't want stress and interoffice drama, although I can handle those things. I think people feel that this setting is inferior, but maybe because it is a good lifestyle and we are less of the nursing-based martyrs (I'm mostly kidding about that last part). But I have worked so hard and I want to learn in a less stressful environment.

What are your opinions regarding NPs working in the retail environment? Do you think that this would be a good "lifestyle" job, as it has no call, good benefits, and favorable scheduling? This sounds like a good gig, especially for someone that doesn't want the call time, office setting and chronic disease management as seen with traditional family care.

Everyone I know that passed, no exception from those I know--they ALL USED Fitzgerald. It's worth it. In the car, before bed, a section a day. Flash cards of the guidelines/drugs/medications/ethical terms/legal terms/governing bodies. YOU CAN DO IT

Fitz workbook and accompanying c.d.s is how I passed the ANCC. I also spent a lot of time on the ANA website and the free FHEA pages regarding test taking tips, study plans, cranial nerves, and signs. I feel like all of that prepared me as well as possible. Really, it isn't a test on what you know so much as can you find the best answer. It almost felt like opinions...like the communication questions. But, there apparently was a right answer, and I passed yesterday. I hear both tests are equally hard, that the differences in content are miniscule. Know JNC VII, GOLD, Asthma guidelines, Samford Guidelines for ARBS and CAP, peds developmental milestones and Tanner Scale, Diabetes basics and tooonnnns of secondary prevention/guidance. Read the different governing bodies info regarding cervical cancer screening and prostate cancer screening. Take 2-3 weeks of just going through the workbook with the c.d.s. Take her predictive tests before and after. I did all the above and I felt like I knew the info, but nerves got in the way for a while. Try test taking strategies like posted on the ANCC website. Read questions D-A instead of A-C and think is this choice true or false for each item. That is how I passed. Good luck.

Get into a NP program as soon as possible. Life will improve, and I think a big part of the improvement is feeling you have options. The expanded scope and autonomy (and being outside of the hospital) will feel great. Look at University of Cincinnati online. I had friends that did that MSN/FNP and said it was a great program. Start looking around, just seeing what is out there will give you new hope. Good luck.

When I was preparing for this test, I spent a lot of time googling and researching what people said about it on here and various other places. I took the exam yesterday. I spent about three weeks studying. I used the Fitzgerald c.d.s as well as the corresponding workbook. I listened to all the c.d.s and went through the workbook at least 4 times. I also bought the APEA question bank (I don't recommend it). What did help was the practice tests on the ANCC website. They are pricey at $99 for 150 questions, but I swear maybe one or two were identical to the questions on the test. So the test... It IS as bad as they say. I have a psychology degree, which must have helped, because it was as if they were doing one of those job interview surveys just to see if you could spot a subtle nuance in how rewording an ethical question answer would make it not the best choice. I don't know if the weird ones were the 25 they don't include in your score, but I had never heard anything like it. Overall, the test consisted of a lot of things we didn't spend much time on in school, or at least remember. Like cohort observational studies, beneficence, sensitivity/specificity, Prochaska's, independent variables, and ethics/cultural questions. The lab tests did not have the normal ranges. Seemed like a handful of questions on clinical information, and maybe those were weighted differently. Point is, study your Fitzgerald, as I feel like knowing the JNC VII, application of cranial nerves, murmurs, and pharm are what get you through, point-wise, on this test. The rest is reaching in the dark at concepts we don't use or need for our future careers. Best of luck guys, just trying to help. Oh, and RELIEVED that this part of my life (school/prep/testing) is complete!

no no no, call the phoenix GCU and ask about the MSN FNP program in tucson. Im in the program now. There are new classes starting in this program like 2-3 times a year

I was told to study the PA review books by my pharm instructor to pass the FNP boards. Who knew?

There is nothing in Sierra Vista, however, there is a FNP MSN program through Grand Canyon University once a week in Tucson. I'm in the program and like it. Also, U of A has a DNP program. U of P has a MSN FNP program too, in Tucson. I know you can get an online MSN in nursing through Grand Canyon University.

I went to EBSN and was in the second graduating class. I am a PICC nurse at a well respected hospital, live in Tucson and have worked at the Mayo clinic (actually where I started as a new nurse). I am now enrolled in a very competitive nurse practitioner program in town. Graduating from EBSN has never hurt me as a professional. I continue to make straight A's in grad school and look forward to earning a DNP one day.:)

i'm currently in np school and have been told to not accept a job as a new grad np for less than 90k. that's coming from the dean of the np program. so, there you go. also, there are many opportunities. just google it. and as reported above, the va is a good system. loan repayment and pension options cant be beat.

Seriously? NO WAY. it's a really, really bad idea. At a hospital in my state a nurse accessed a patient's portacath without blood return and hung chemo (a vesicant, mind you) and the woman had the medication eat through her chest tissue. THe port was no longer positioned correctly and leaked throughout her chest. So, no, dont do it. It's also against any and every infusion nurse guidelines.

well, i did it the way you are speaking of--went back and got my RN after i had a bachelor's in psych. it is hard to work fulltime and get bsn. even online. plus, another thing to consider--if you want to get into a good crna program, you better go to a good bsn school. don't go to a pseudo-half-a$$ school. these crna programs are competitive and want people that graduated from great programs. just follow it through with a fast track bsn. i promise, from experience, that this is the best way to do it. it won't be easy, but getting the bsn right away will be worth your time and $$ in the long run.

we get little exposures all day long. our immune systems are strong because of these exposures on a regular basis. every time we are exposed, our bodies create antibodies to these antigens. and memory b cells. simple immunology--the memory b cells tells your body how to fight it off, since you've been exposed before. so, you won't get sick so often. the rest is hand washing, and the stuff you already know how to do.

maybe they think that part is implied...? i kinda hope so too.

basically, what she is saying is this "nursing can really, really suck." you will be absolutely exhausted in every sense of the word. emotionally, physically, spiritually, etc. it is NOT easy money. if you want easy money, do not go into a patient care type setting and steer away from nursing. but, if you don't mind having poop thrown at you, being exposed to diseases on a regular basis, getting no respect from doctors patients (and obviously other nurses), don't mind getting peed on or possibly physically harrassed, be a nurse. just know that it is THE toughest job. I know, i am a second career nurse. all that aside, this is what i suggest: get your BSN. from there, get a DNP or CRNA. you have to have a couple years ICU training if you want to be a CRNA, and for nurse practitioner or any midlevel/higher ed grad, I would recommend ICU training anyways. Go to a university. many have programs for dual degree students--like fast track bsn for those with bachelor's in another field. nursing school is awful and grueling. just make sure you are in it for the right reasons or there is no way you will stick with it. i'm serious. being a nurse is seriously a huge committment.

well, think of it this way.... after the first clinicals in nursing school and cleaning up poop marbles from an old, aggressive and confused man, the people in it for the money will realize how much work and ick is involved. and if they don't realize it then, they'll be lucky to skate through it and have their asses handed to them by someone else along the way. this is, by no means, an easy means to an end. however, i don't think we should bad mouth these types too much. think about how many "money" magazine and yahoo articles are devoted to how much money nurses can make. the problem with these articles is that they take patient care out of the equation. we've all been puked on, pooped on, harrassed, made med errors, watched people die, had doctors yell at us, juggled 5 or more patients, been hit on, or almost lost it as nurses. chances are, if you don't love patient care, you won't stick around very long.

As an infusion nurse, i can tell you this is a really bad idea. The needle isn't even sharp after using it once, therefor doing more damage to the lumen of the vein. All IV needles are designed for one "poke" and designed to pierce the epidermis/dermis. not the fragile oral mucosa. Osteomyelitis, bacteremia and sepsis can result from what you have described. Not to mention lawsuits and the risk of losing ability to practice (for all involved). it's worth the extra money in the short-run to avoid millions of dollars and infections in the long run. Ask him to take this all into advisement, stat!

Sounds great Jamonit! Did you go into infusion nursing because you felt like you had exceptional IV insertion skills, or did you train after you decided upon the specialty? How do you train to get into this area? What is your role during a PICC insertion? You assist the physician? Did you take any course/certificate? I'd like to know all that you can tell me about this area! There are no infusion nurses at my hospital. All nurses insert their own IVs. Some days, I get the toughest IVs. Then there are days, when I blow the most beautiful veins. Translated, that means my confidence with lines is seasonal. Hi! I became interested in infusion nursing after working home health infusions. I did a lot of iv ig infusions in people's homes where I was the only IV resource. That made me work hard at increasing my skill level. I never was that great at IVs until I had the time to really focus on it. I still miss, especially if the patient is dehydrated, nervous, or if I get distracted (and if they are just super hard!) We do all the PICC insertions ourselves. We do the sterile procedure at the patient's bedside. Our role is to explain the procedure, obtain consent, insert the PICC, and then have the radiologist read the xray of the PICC tip location. (You almost always want lower SVC). I work 12-10 shifts 4 days a week. I took an online course before they trained me for insertion. After you do 40 ivs a day, you get good! Just keep practicing. I love what I do. So much more fun and rewarding than floor nursing! I hope that answers your questions!

Sorry no one got back to you. Hi! I'm an infusion nurse. I work on an IV Team @ a 400 bed hospital. The IV team nurses are utilized in our facility for outpatient infusion services (usually we give blood products, IV iG, certain injections), start difficult (or every) IV in the hospital--except ICU or ER (they usually have decent skills). Also, our IV team is responsible for insertion of PICCs and PICC line dressing changes for the whole hospital. All that keeps us quite busy. We work 10 hour shifts. Charting is minimal and we enter all the charges for our services. What I like about the job is that it's a specialized skill and we generally get in and get right out. We aren't stuck with the same patients for 12 hours, we see tons of people in a day for 30 minutes or less when we are putting in IVs. Basically, it's the ideal job in my opinion for that fact. Sometimes it's frustrating starting IVs on the floors when we are busy with other things--especially when you go into the room and see big, fat veins. I also do home health care IV infusions on my days off from time to time. The skills are transferable and similar. Once you add IV skills or PICC skills, it's another specialty area for the resume. These skills are quite marketable. Just be in good shape, you do a lot of walking with this job--but it's rewarding to get the veins that are difficult.

I loved working at Mayo. I started there as a new grad and worked there most of my career until moving to Tucson this spring. I credit Mayo with teaching me the skills, compassion, and critical thinking required to be a great nurse. I took care of an amazing array of patients: from arrhythmia management to cardiac transplant to total artificial hearts. It was fascinating. It looks great on the resume, too. Mayo has name recognition for a reason. It's a great place to work.