JakeyWakey

If you want to work at Northwestern, I'd suggest that you make some networking connections at Northwestern. I applied to the website twice and was rejected twice. I happened to make a contact at Northwestern who was able to get me an interview. My manager loved me and was offered a position the next day after my in person interview. The moral of this story is that it is very very hard to stand out on Northwestern's online application. I'd suggest attending nursing conferences or seminars to make nursing contacts at hospitals in the city.

http://nursepropack.easystorecreator.net/items/Med-Packs~Medium-/list.htm Can't work without it!! Love it!

There are definitely some jobs still out there. My nursing school cohort graduated August 25th of this year. There were about 34 people who graduated, and I know for sure that 16 of us have found jobs. It does seem pretty hard for the rest of my nursing school buddies at this point. Most of it is luck of being in the right place at the right time. Precepting in the right hospital, at the right time. Networking!

I just started my position on a cardiothoracic step-down unit. I'm expected to pretty much do everything, but I also have a preceptor for another 5 weeks, so anything that I'm unfamiliar with she helps guide me through. Nobody is gonna expect you to know it all. Only thing I can't do it chart on pt telemetry interpretations until I take an advanced ECG interpretation class.

I've gotta say. I must be lucky. I live in California, and I took the NCLEX-RN on Friday and got my results on Monday! Are you sure the board has all your transcripts and everything it needs? That can hold up results.

It was an accelerated second bachelor's program. 15 months.

For my program it was 840 clinical hours for the entire program.

I graduated August 25th. I feel very lucky to have been offered a position on the floor where I did my final semester preceptorship. I think in this economy people really need to treat their final semester preceptorship as an extended interview. Choose the hospital they want to precept at carefully (make sure they are new grad friendly). NETWORK!

You don't have to become an LVN to get hospital experience either. I live in California, and became a certified phlebotomy technician in about 3 months. It was a cheap certification and I worked all throughout taking pre-reqs and nursing school with great flexibility in my work schedule to accommodate school. $23/hour. Wouldn't have done it any other way. I say go for RN directly, and find a quicker and cheaper way of getting a job at hospital. I just graduated with 2 new grad RN job offers, and one more possibibly to come next week. Just food for thought.

Hey Starburst, I too interviewed for one of the new grad positions on the Cardiothoracic Step-Down unit. I precepted on that unit and it is an fantastic place to work. The manager on that unit is awesome! She is by the book and supports her staff to the fullest! I know this position was listed with 2 openings! Hopefully we will both get a job! I know I missed some things on her scenario questions, but i'm hoping it was good enough!

I'm looking for a job right now, and I've found it is ALL about "networking". Who do you know, who have you reached out to, what kind of relationship do you have with local hospitals, and where did you do your preceptorship/senior practicum. I'm in Sacramento, and many of my class mates have found new grad positions at UCD Medical Center.

You don't need one by any means, but I've really enjoyed having my Palm T|X during clinical. It has a nice calculator on there that converts all types of weights and measurements. You can take notes with it. As far as nursing software goes, a good drug guide and lab reference program might come in handy. I have the PDA version of Davis Drug Guide for Nurses. It's helped me out when I've come to the hospital after writing up my patient's only to see that they went home! I've been able to quickly get the information I need for my new patients with my PDA! The lab/diagonstic tests programs are kinda nice, in case you come across a lab test that you are unfamiliar with. I currently work as a lab assistant while in school and I'm very comfortable with most lab results, but there are been many occassions where my PDA helped me get a better understanding of how those results relate to my patient. There are alot of packages from Skyscape that are pretty good. It boils down to the type of person/student you are. If you like computers, a PDA will probably be helpful. Many of the students in my cohort despise electronics, and did very well with just using reference books.

I've been a lab assistant in a hospital lab for the last 2 years. I pour off serum, plasma and urine all day and I have to say, I've NEVER experienced this. I've never particularly felt like serum or plasma has a smell. Urine on the other hand... WOW! Some people have some smelly pee!! Maybe you just have a very acute sense of smell to the point where your brain THINKS you are tasting it also. *shrug*

I missed an A- by 0.05% in my advanced med-surg class last semester. 89.95% I was begging on my hands and knees for them to round up, but our entire department has a policy that they don't round up. This semester I'm going to miss a B+ in Ob by 0.06 percent also!! I have a 86.94% and need a 87 for a B+!! AHHHH!! I'm a total type A personality! It kills me!!

I went to Fast Response also. It worked out really well for me. It was quick, and they prepared us very well for the national test.. I got a 99 on the national test. That being said... I will warn you though. I felt the class room/lab portion program was TOO FAST!(2 weeks) I was not confident walking into my externship. (ultimately you'll learn the most when you get a job... and i feel that i am a good phlebotomist now, but i would have appreciated more time to practice my skills in school) Also, you will only get 1 week of externship at a hospital (the bare minimum you need for your license). Other schools provide usually 5-10 weeks of externship at multiple hospitals, which I feel is better. Think about it... the more places you get to network at = better chance of finding a job!!! If you go to fast response you will need to make sure that you make a good impression with the hospital that you extern at! It will be your best chance of getting a job in my opinion. (Finding a phlebotomy job without experience is very difficult) I set up my own externship the the hospital that I wanted to work at, so I developed a great relationship with my current employer well before i even set foot in the facility. I excellent thing about being a lab assistant, is they are fairly well paid, and hospitals need them 24/7, your schedule can be pretty flexible to include school. I've been working as a lab assistant for almost a year and a half while doing my nursing pre-reqs. I don't know how other hospitals are, but my manager has been very flexible with my schedule. I'm starting nursing school June 2nd, and will be cutting back from full time to only 4 shifts a month now.