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I thought the prospect of nights would be perfect for me because I am a night owl. I did like that I could physically adjust to night shifts. I didn't like, however, the lack of support most hospitals give the night shift crew. They seem to think patients sleep through the night. Hah! During the day, there are a lot more people to help keep patients occupied; family members, cna's, going to procedures. Not at night. These patients still need to be turned, taken to the bathroom, etc. And oh the joys of calling a doctor in the middle of the night!

Take all nights. I have worked both and day/night mix is so much harder for your body to adjust too. I'll never do a mix again!

Mashira, I am so glad I could help :) Having went through it with my first drug screen, I know exactly how you feel...even though you have done absolutely nothing wrong. I was truly shocked when the gal who tested me said that my screen was positive for amphetamines. I literally almost fell over, no joke. I have never done any drugs in my whole life (and I am 38 years old) or even smoked a cigarette! So they sent it out and I had to wait a whole weekend for the results! Longest weekend of my life...Then they called and said it was fine. So no worries! And congratulations on your new job

You're fine. I also take Primatene tablets and have tested positive on the rapid screen. You will not have a positive on the lab test, though. Lots of things can give a false positive on the rapid tests, even ibuprofen can test a positive for opiates (I think it is opiates). I did a senior research paper on these rapid tests. I think they are useless and they make you feel like you did something wrong (even when you didn't). So don't worry anymore, you are fine :)

I agree, stay as FAR away from all HCA hospitals...I worked at Research (for a very brief period) and it was dreadful! Never, never, never, never will I ever work for HCA. I would work in a nursing home before I would ever go there! Not that I think working in a nursing home would be bad, it's just I've been told many horror stories about patient-nurse ratios. I did clinicals at Centerpoint in the ICU and that hospital is horrible (except the ER, had fun and learned a LOT there). And not to forget Meditech (their charting system....YUCK! Looks like DOS). Truman is very new-grad friendly. Worked there for a while until I decided I didn't want to be a bed-side nurse. But I would recommend them out of everywhere I have worked. You learn a lot, and they've updated a lot.

HeartsOpenWide, I am with you sister. I have suffered from this same horrible affliction since I had my last daughter (10 yrs ago)...Periods so heavy that I could swear to God I was bleeding to death and unbelievable pain! And my daughter has months like this too. And you know what, I let her stay home from school if she can't get relief from Advil. Sometimes just staying still helps! Chiefswife - You are jaded, too bad. As previously mentioned, pain is what the patient says it is, not what you determine it to be!

I bet she had an emboli as well...The high sugar didn't factor into her dying...This is exactly why I work hospice. I no longer have to worry about my patients dying. They're supposed to die....oh the relief! So many people I saw in my previous position before hospice, where dying and put through so much because they and their family were not introduced to the benefits of hospice.

Don't go into nursing just for a job. It looks bleak for GNs in a lot of areas of the country. But it you are doing it because it's what you always wanted to do, things will work out. At least that is how I feel.

I have recently came to an inpatient hospice facility. We have a lot of LPNs who have come to hospice from LTC with the same story you have. They love hospice and are glad they made the change. LTC is so tough! The staff is stretched so thin in a place where it shouldn't be. Our elderly deserve so much better... Don't give up on what you worked so hard to get. Maybe it is time for a change. I myself, felt at one point that I wanted to get out of nursing. I'm an 09 grad with a BSN who worked tele in a hospital and hated it. So, I got out. And although my resume may look crappy for jumping out of my first job so quickly, I know I made the right decision. I love where I work now. Hospice nursing may not be for everyone, but I get to really CARE for people who need it the most. And the families of the patients I care for are so appreciative. I finally feel like I found what real nursing is all about... So before you throw in the hat, give another area of nursing a try. There are so many different areas you can work in and you may find one that fits you better!

If you think that nights will be easier, then you will, most likely, be in for a rude awakening. I have worked days and nights, and nights are by far harder (in my opinion)...generally less help (none or fewer PCTs, CNA's) and often higher patient ratios. And don't think for one second that your patients will all sleep through the night...that is rare. Mostly because we have to wake them all of the time for vitals, labs, etc but also because it's just noisy in the hospital. You will be caring for your patients your whole shift because they won't be going off the floor for radiology and no PT coming in as they do on days...They'll be all yours :) With all that being said...There are positives to working nights too. It's generally less "busy" in regards to the number of people passing through the unit such as doctors, students and family members. Because of this, I love nights. I won't work days ever again. And the pay is better... So honestly, it depends on what you are comfortable with. If you don't mind all of the people around, then days are good. If you prefer it to be a little less "busy" (and you don't mind calling doctors after hours) then nights will be for you. But whatever you choose, do what's right for you and your baby. Juggling kids and nursing is hard. No matter which shift you work, you may not be able to see them off to school (when they are old enough to go). And that is what I find personally hard. Before nursing, I used to get to see my kids off to school every day. Now I don't get to do that a few days a week. But the upside, is that I am available during the day for school events, and that is very important to me (or even if one of my kids gets sick). Which ever shift you choose, I wish you luck and hope that everything works out for you!

I think they are hiding how crappy the job is. I would run as fast as I could from that job! You would probably end up with 30 pts. (or more) all by yourself. Probably be the only RN among LPNs. I don't care how bad the job market is, there is no use in killing yourself (which you will as a new/old grad) or risking your license and/or getting sued. I shadowed a nurse for half a shift before accepting my current position (hospice, in-patient facility). In fact, my manager has all potential nurses shadow to see if it is what they want.

I meant there is a LOT of ageism. A typo, sorry. I was typing in the dark...

You are not alone. I graduated last May, and I want out too. I hate being a nurse AND a cna. Because that's basically what I am because of total patient care. I am just realizing that I am not meant to be a bedside nurse. Four years of college and I spend most of my nights cleaning up incontinent patients. If I didn't have student loans to pay back I would be long gone....

There is a log of ageism in nursing, fyi. It may be hard for you to find a job as an older new grad. Just from what I have seen.

There's so much backstabbing and what-not in nursing because it is a field made mostly of women. It is just how most of us naturally are, unfortunately. Many women feel better about themselves by bringing other women down who threaten them. What a shame....I knew that I would encounter this when I got in this field because it's just how it is. I worked construction with no other women out of high school and this kind of backstabbing and gossiping just didn't happen. Men are not as petty as we women are, for the most part. I actually welcome men into the nursing field...Please, more male nurses!

I wouldn't do it again if I could have a do-over. I would have went to med school instead. Heavy debt for the BSN and a lot of regret. Oh well...

I don't think it ever gets better at Truman...That's why, as a new grad, I got out while the gettin was good:)

I'm a night person, and I loooove working nights. But whoever says that nights are easier than days is waaaayyyy off. I've done both so I know. To me, days were easier. Patients often left for tests, PCTs are there to help, families visit and occupy the patients. On nights, we have no PCTs or CNAs, same patient load (or greater), constantly have to wake patients to do labs, meds, vitals, etc. So of course, the patients' sleep schedules get screwed up and they are often up all night. I wish I got paid $15 more to do nights, I only get $3 more per hr. But hey, I am a night person so I would take it even if there was no shift differential.

Thank you so much for your post. If I hadn't seen it, I probably would have accepted a job that would have ended up being like the one you were at. I initially interviewed at a SNF for a staff nurse position. The position quickly changed to a charge nurse/house supervisor position. I only graduated in May, so I thought this seemed like too much for me to handle, but I was considering accepting the position because I need the money (student loans are coming due). The facility was a little too eager to get me, I thought. This should have sent up a red flag (and I also didn't get a tour of the facility when I interviewed.) But I felt fortunate to be offered a position at all....Then I saw your post. Your post gave me the courage to decline the position. Then, a couple of days later, I was offered a great opportunity at a local hospital, which I did accept.

The ER at Truman is awesome isn't it. I'm going to be in Tele for a while, but I may try to get down there in about a year. The nurses down there are awesome, especially Jamie. I was with her for 2 days and she is super sweet! I was expecting it to be different considering it is Level I trauma, but there weren't too many traumas the days I was there. Just a lot of frequent flyers. I'm sure I'll see you around :)

I am a new grad as well (May) and I am working at Truman on Hospital Hill. We are just about the only hospital in the KC area that is actually expanding and opening new units. New grads are welcome here with open arms (unlike most of the other KC hospitals). Because it is a teaching hospital (partnered with UMKC) there are a lot of GNs and Med. students here. The staff nurses who have been here for a while are used to being paired up with orientees so they are so nice. I have not met a single nurse (although there probably are some) who isn't nice and willing to help us new grads out. I am so glad I came to Truman. The benefits are amazing and the pay is great as well. The hospital is very nice looking with newer equipment and very safe as far as security. If you want any other info about who to contact as far as our nurse recruiter, just email me and I'll put you in touch. I forgot to mention, we are in the process of trying to get magnet status.

Hi 4jen, Are you still at Truman? I am a new grad and will be starting my orientation next week. I'll be working on 3 red and am so excited. Everyone I have spoken with there has been super nice. So needless to say, I'm am glad to be on board.

Yes, the trick worked for me as well. I took the NCLEX RN on Tuesday morning and just got my quick results...Passed in 75 questions and 52 min. That test was a joke, though....

Took the test (75 questions) in 52 minutes this morning and was convinced I failed just like everyone else. Tons of useless questions that really didn't seem hard enough. So I did the trick and got the popup...I am hoping the trick is correct...Actually I am praying. I will let everyone know when I get the quick results. AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH

hi cocoadiva09 , congrats. on getting into graceland. i graduated in may and was very pleased with the education i received. graceland was the right choice for me. i didn't do the accelerated option, because i wanted the summer before my senior year off, but from what i heard, those who had classes in the summer thought they were pretty easy. and they finished in january so they got a jump on the job search. a lot of new grads are having a hard time finding a job right now, but it's not impossible to find a job. the biggest piece of advice i can give you would be to get a tech job after your junior year. i wished i had done that. primarily because you will get very good at doing ivs, catheters, 12 leads (depending on where you tech) and other basic skills that you won't do much of in nursing school. preferrably tech in an ed. you will do so much! secondly, always offer to do things in clinicals to get the experience. the clinical instructors love that. they keep track of who is a go-getter and who is not. you will want them to write letters of reference for you when you look for a job after graduation. and if you are a go-getter, future employers will love that. don't freak if you fail a test and get a concern form. it happens to virtually every student at one point in their education. you just will need to study more for the next one. and don't wait until the last minute to study (cram). you really need to be learning the information and not just cramming it in to spit it out on a test. have fun and be very friendly to the nurses at your clinical sight. offer to help them. they will want you at their facility if you do that, which will help in your future job search. they will also be more willing to teach you things if you treat them with respect. remember your place. you are a student and they are helping you learn. thank them for their help. finally, you will get through your check offs in health assessment! i think it was probably the hardest semester because we are so new and don't want to mess anything up. so just practice and try not to be nervous (i know you will be with the first few), but you can do it! and if you doubt yourself, that's normal. just push the doubt out of your mind and know that you can get through nursing school. if you want to know anything else about the program, don't hesitate to post and i'll get back to you. good luck!