SmashRN2

I was just offered a job at UCSD in the cancer center. I too, have my OCN, a BSN and six years of experience. Today they quoted me at just over $45/hr but after looking more closely at their nursing contract, I think it should be closer to $48/hr. I will have to make sure before I accept. Hope this helps.

So this week I was offered a job at the Moores Cancer Center @ UCSD. I am so excited for this opportunity, but being the Nervous Nelly that I am I am thinking of all the reasons not to take the job. Currently I work in Northern California for a rinkadink little hospital that has a load of problems, and people are dropping like flies. There isn't much room for growth or advancement, and truthfully I've been pretty unhappy there lately. The one thing though is that they pay really well. In fact, I'll be making several dollars LESS an hour (could be up to $7 less/hr, actually) and the cost of living up here is obviously wayyyyy less than it is in SD. I am a single gal with zero kids. I own my own house here so I'll be renting that out. I guess I'm just wondering if anyone here has worked for UCSD and if they like it and if there are any other things I should take into consideration before I make my decision. I live 500 miles away so I don't know anyone who works there. I didn't get into nursing for the money, that's for sure. But once you get used to a certain level of income it's hard to go back the other direction. Thanks.

WTH...why is is that California doesn't have quick results...after all we are the most populated state in this country, I don't get it.

I am sorry about your mother in law, but these things happen. Right now the more important thing is her health and your son's well-being, not the job. And as far as that goes, I'm right there with you. I start my first nursing job last week and I made it to the third day before I went home and cried. It's just so overwhelming!! Good luck!

thanks for the replies. Yeah I talked to her last night, she is really supportive and totally cool and switched me to days next week so I can have the same preceptor for 2 days, and then a new preceptor for another 2 days. It really sucks, they just don't have the staff to have the same preceptor for all the new grads they hired (8 of my classmates will also be on the same unit, so at least when I have a meltdown I'll have some familiar faces around who know what I'm going through!) Last night was much better. I just need some structure!

I know that this post is probably going to be redundant but I just need to vent. I started my first nursing job on Tuesday, and I've already come home and cried my eyes out. I am so overwhelmed I don't even know where to begin. The job is on a surgical floor, and I get a 6 week orientation. Today will be my 4th day working PMs. So far I have had three different nurses to work with, and on two of those days, the nurses I were working with were in the middle of a 16 hour day. So I got no report, I really didn't get to do any assessments, none of the stuff you do to start your shift out. I feel like I know a lot less than I thought I did. I don't really know how to read doctors orders, what to do when we get new orders, the nurses I'm working with just say "ok now we have to do this"...well, how do you KNOW we have to do that. I know that it didn't just appear in front of you!!! I get scared that my school did an exceptionally crappy job teaching me stuff. I never learned how to read orders and what you do with them! I feel like I can't even hang a piggyback right. I mean IV therapy is still something I am really uncomfortable with. And there is sooooooooo much paperwork!!! I just have no clue how I am supposed to know how to do all this stuff in 6 weeks. And I guess I'm going to start out with a full load too. I'm guessing I'll build up to 4-5 patients on orientation. I feel bad because I've had stuff explained to me more than once and I'm still uncomfortable with it. I think I just need consistency with once preceptor and someone who is coming on shift WITH me; not someone who's already been taking care of the same patients for 8 hours!!! I don't know if I can do this!!

Ugh, I RN A, that makes my stomach churn!! I quit my job in August and my savings are drying up very quickly. I was dumb and didn't do an internship or anything special when I was in school, so now I feel like I've cheated myself. I think I'm eventually just going to end up taking anything I can get, just to get the experience.

thanks for the advice, I am in California and plan on applying to anything and everything I can get my hands on. What a perfect time for an economic downfall! Oh well.

So, I'm graduating in 2 months from a BSN program (yay!) but now I need to find a job (boo!). I took someone's advice and decided to give monster.com a try, and I've gotten a lot of responses, but they are all from nurse recruitment agencies, and I'm kind of leary of going through one to find employment. I'm starting to get nervous though because all of the hospitals I've called are pulling their new grad programs due to the state of the economy. All my instructors keep pounding it into our heads how hard it is going to be to find a job now. While the whole time I was in school all anybody could ever talk about is how lucky we are to be going into nursing because we'd always have job stability, be financially secure, etc. etc. Ok now I am ranting. I was just wondering if someone could tell me more about recruitment agencies. OK THANKS!

YAY! Congrats everyone. How weird it is for me to think that just about 3 years ago I was in your boat and now I'm graduating (well God willing I get through the next semester...) Hooray! Oh and BTW Chico is a 6 semester program, but they are changing it back to 5, or so I hear. I don't know when that'll take effect. Hopefully ASAP, because when I was in semester 1 it was a complete waste of time (only 3 units, and you don't learn squat! We didn't even learn how to take BP's until Semester 2!) But anyways, congrats to all!

Hi! I am currently in 5th semester of Chico's program and will be graduating in May. To answer some of your questions, I would have to say this...don't hold your expectations too high. It's nursing school, and I have a feeling that no matter where you go, it's never going to be what they crack it up to be. Things are always so unorganized, we never know what classes to sign up for until the week before registration, it's confusing and it's time consuming. The office seems to have a "figure it out yourself" attitude. Most of the instructors are nice enough, but there are some toughies that will make you cry and do not have people skills whatsoever and they make you wonder how they could possibly be a nurse. Most of the clinical sites are nice, but there are some hospitals that are a little underfunded. It's a hard program and I'm glad I'm escaping soon, but it is a very good one too. At least from what I've heard....maybe ask me in a year and see what my response is then...lol. Good Luck!

Thanks so much for this thread. I have a year left until I graduate, and everyday I sit here and stress out about how in 11 months I'll be a real-live nurse (God willing). How will I ever be able to do it all by myself!?! It scares me to death...and I've got a year left of school! I'm glad to know that I'm definitely not alone in feeling this way!!

I am currently enrolled in Chico State's Nursing program. If you need any pointers, let me know!! (I got into the program with 78.75 points, so it can be done!!)

Oh my gosh, you sound just like me!! My first semester in nursing school we had competencies all the time, and I used to get sooo nervous that as soon as I started the competency I would screw up, fail, and then cry my eyes out in front of the teacher. And no matter how long and hard I practiced, as soon as it was time to do it in front of the instructor, I would mess up. So, don't feel bad because it happens. At my school, we'd get one chance, and then if we flubbed up we'd get a zero. We only had one chance to get points for the thing, which made failure that much worse. But, I passed all of them the second time, which in the long run is the most important part. Just keep your head up, and remember the end goal is NOT about grades, it's about being a competent and caring nurse!! Good luck!

I took O-chem without general, and I got a B in it. I took a general chem class in high school and that was enough to get me through it.

In one of my coursework classes our teacher was telling us about her ER days. She said that one time, this lady came into the ER is hysterics. She was a quad, and had a trach. The friends that were supposed to be taking care of her were on drugs, so obviously they weren't doing a very good job. Anyways, she had maggots in her trach, and she couldn't do anything about it because she was paralyzed. Eek!! I hope I never ever see that!!

Please do not feel bad about this...it will get better! Last semester was my first semester passing meds. Every week a couple more students were allowed to pass meds with the instructor. Finally, about half-way through the semester, it was my first day passing PO's. I passed my 0900 with my teacher in a breeze. So after that, I thought I was done. 1100 rolls around, and the nurse who has my patient informs me that I have a 1000 med that I have not passed. I freak out, and I swear, to this day, she said, "don't worry about it, I'll take care of it." So I go on about my business, and here it is 1200. The nurse comes up to me again and says, "Why didn't you give that 1000 med yet? You need to find your instructor now because you've just made a med error." MY FIRST DAY PASSING MEDS! So I cried at clinical and got all puffy-faced and blotchy; I had to fill out an incident report, and I had to live with the thought that "hey, I'm the smart student who made a med error on her first day passing meds." BUT...I did learn a valuable lesson that day. Always ask questions if you are unsure of anything that could potentially harm a patient. Even if it makes you look stupid and you feel like you are annoying your nurse, DO IT. Out of all the possible med errors you can make, I probably made the least dangerous one, but it was still scary and humiliating. But don't worry, it can happen to anyone. You're not alone! Good luck!

80 is really not that bad, and in 10 years, no one is going to care what you got in your med-surg class. Sad, but true. Keep your head up!