RUcon08

Thanks for the advice! It will be kept in mind for tomorrow. Any other input is definitely appreciated...

Just wondering if anyone could give any general advice in reference to a panel interview for a New Grad job position. This week I'll be interviewing at NewYork-Presbyterian for an ICU position, and the panel interview apparently consists of 5-6 directors of each ICU. This'll be my first panel type, so any input would be appreciated-- as I *really* want the job! Thanks in advance.

Actually they are currently hiring new grads into the ICU, from what I know. Indeed I attended an "informative brunch" today for the ICU internship program that they have, which they conducted screening interviews on every person who came today. (Follow-up will later determine who gets the next interview and so forth...) Although I'm not sure if missing today's event means missing out on the chance at the internship program.

Sorry for the late reply, just finished finals, moving, etc. I probably will be looking for critical care positions. I don't graduate until May, so it's not an urgent issue, just something I want to start preparing for so as not to be last minute about it. Just curious, which 2 hospitals are you interviewing at?

Hi all, I browse this forum a lot but never usually post.. until today, I have a question. I'm wondering if anyone could give advice when looking for a new job as a new grad nurse. I plan to work and live in NYC, at a hospital in the area of course, but am just overwhelmed by the options(I recently attended a career fair). Is it just best to contact each HR dept. of whatever hospital individually, or is there a better way? It gets especially confusing when you think about incentives... (i.e. sign-on bonuses, loan payback, paid grad school, etc.) Any advice is appreciated!

Although I'm a year from completion of a BSN program, for awhile now I've had sights set on eventually going to school to become a CRNA. Something that has been bothering me, though, is the grade I recently received after finishing MedSurg clinical. I ended up with a C, and it being my first C ever, it was pretty devastating at first. Anyhow, my main concern is how CRNA programs may look at it, or if they'd even look at it at all? I calculated my graduating GPA, (yes, I am THAT obsessive), and if all goes according to planned, I will have a 3.6. So I'm mainly just wondering if having such a bad grade in a clinical like MS would be looked at negatively. Also, two other questions, I'm curious if CRNA programs generally care about extracurricular activities(I'm hoping. And for GRE, when do most people usually take this? I would think it'd be hard to fit in senior year since we have HESI (requirement to graduate) and then NCLEX after graduation. Is there a certain point you're supposed to take the GRE, or can you take it a month before applying to CRNA school if you so please? Thanks!

I would suppose it just varies, whether it's a unit, hospital, or completely different career field. We had a chance to observe in the OR for a day last semester, and it is hands down one of my least liked clinical experiences EVER. I don't think I've ever felt so unwelcomed anywhere; I literally walked out mid-surgery at one point due to feeling so uncomfortable (granted it was a very "boring" surgery-- angioplasty with me in the back of the room visualizing it on an x-ray monitor). While in the next OR over, my classmates were observing brain surgery, limb amputation, lung transplant (just to name a few) and they actually told me that the surgeons & staff were VERY nice and informative. So yeah, I wouldn't think of there being any rule of thumb...

Wow, very interesting to know that this is a normal reaction. lol, the same exact description of how you felt happened to me as I observed a corrective penile surgery for hypospadia.

I'm in nursing school, and definitely remember my best friend making an observation that "all nurses have the pear-shaped figure." Of course she was pushing it by saying "all", but that's just our humor and I wasn't offended. Not offended just because I'll be a [male] nurse by next year and pear-shaped figures are kind of hard for those types, there's always the chance of android obesity. Anyway, I've actually noticed this to be pretty true, though. More often than not, nurses are overweight. It doesn't bother me, just reminds me to definitely stay in shape and not follow the trend since it seems the profession might be conducive to such... problems(?). Which I'll definitely have to keep in mind since I know my metabolism won't be amazing forever...

To asoldierswife, I wasn't trying to downplay the possibility of the psychosocial aspect in ICU, or say that it isnt present. But I just know that from what I've seen so far (which probably isn't very much at all), regular floor nursing like med-surg just hasn't caught my interest. And it just seems like the socialization is a bit different between that and critically ill patients.

Hi DNurse08, Your situation sounds pretty much EXACTLY like mine, (except for the geriatric part, of which I have no particular interest in .) Anyhow, from the sounds of things, I think an ICU externship really would be beneficial for you. I can definitely understand the part about being most interested in hands-on actions with clear results, as opposed to a very intimate relationship with a patient. (It's funny because just the other day I was talking about how I personally don't have a ton of interest in garnering social relationships with patients-- I mean it's not to say I'm cold/careless and don't want to talk at all, it's that it just won't really be my priority.) And from what I've learned, ICU and OR are pretty conducive to this preference, especially OR. Anyways just a minor update, I had my interview yesterday for a unit that's sort of considered critical care (it's in the slow process of becoming a TICU). The unit seemed really awesome! The patient population consists of mostly thoracic surgery post-op, congestive heart failure, and pulmonary hypertension patients. And best of all I got hired on the spot, which I was very surprised about. I think the unit will be a great experience, not to mention one of my interviewers, the nurse manager, informed me that the experience could be counted as the critical care requirement for those who need it (as a pre-req for nurse anesthetist programs). Also think it's worth mentioning that you should DEFINITELY not be worried about your skill level, or lack thereof. They (and other hospitals) have really given me the impression that they're VERY aware that you as an extern are very new to clinicals and the hospital in general, so learning and practicing is paced accordingly. (They know most of us are only third-year students who've only had 2-4 clinical rotations!) For example, I asked the manager if there was any limit to the things we could do as an extern, and she replied by saying that it's basically up to the discretion of the preceptor you'll be working under during the 8-10 weeks. If they feel comfortable in your abilities to start an IV, or whatever other skill, then they'll let you! Of course this might vary between institutions, but I was VERY happy to hear that I wouldn't be limited in the things I could do/learn/practice since I'm used to certain limits in clinicals as a student. So in short, if ICU/critical care seems really appealing to you and you have the opportunity to take it with an externship, go for it! Don't be worried about not knowing enough or being good enough, because the externship is about learning. It's not supposed to just be a job. Most hospitals want you as an extern so they can acclimate you to their institution, because ideally they want you to come back as a new grad nurse. (Hell, the manager there made it quite clear several times that I should definitely be sure about the unit because she's very big on retainment of externs. And she almost made it seem like if I had any doubts about not coming back to work as a new grad, then maybe it wouldn't be a good idea.) Hope this helps! EDIT-- Also my decision to pursue critical care was because from what I know, and from what people discussed in this topic, I just felt more free to choose what I wanted for the sake of the externship. I DO plan on starting in med-surg as a new grad, but for my externship I'll at least get to do something I wouldn't normally be able to do at all without getting hired as an ICU nurse, etc.

Great post. What little doubts I had about choosing a unit (for the sake of my summer externship) are effectively gone and I will be calling the nursing recruiter who contacted me last week to get the ball rolling and secure this ICU position, ASAP. Thanks. :nuke: P.S. I just hope she doesn't offer me several critical care unit positions, then I'll be back to square one with decision making.

Slightly off-topic, but to people who do the 12-hour night shift schedule after awhile, how does this affect your general sleep schedule? (I'm a third-year student right now so I have no idea/haven't talked to anyone about this.) Do you do the sleep-at-night thing for the 3 days you work, and then revert back to a regular nightly sleep schedule for the other 4 days, etc., or??

Thanks all for the great posts; they were definitely taken into consideration. At this moment I'm basically leaning towards taking the CC position, which unfortunately isn't at the #1 hospital I wanted, but ah well. Thanks again!

Oh and excuse my ignorance, but what does the "OP" stand for that everyone keeps referring to? :uhoh21:

Thanks for all of the replies! So it seems the consensus is that it's most advisable to start off in med-surg just to get that fundamental experience/knowledge. To that I want to ask, does the externship matter so much when considering this? Since externships are generally only 8-10 week programs, I'm just wondering peoples' opinions on if it really matters what you do since it seems like it'll mainly be just a "taste" of things to come. And I could always choose to start my "career" in med-surg after graduating in '08. So any opinions on this? I'm thinking of choosing it because... --For the longest time I was pretty set on pursuing the CRNA path, which of course requires CC experience. So my initial desire for a CC externship was due to advice given by CRNAs who advised me to choose such. --Lately I've realized I should keep my options a little more open and not be so set on my pathway, but at the same time CC seems very interesting. --I'm in my medsurg rotation right now, and to be honest I really don't like it. It's not really what I expected, but it could also be due to the unit among many other factors(I'm on a respiratory care unit.) Honestly I can't picture myself being a floor nurse for an extended period of time; I definitely feel like I'd grow bored of it rather quickly. To some extent from what I've seen, it almost reminds me of being a waiter, but providing a totally different service, lol. --The biggest reason I'm taking an externship is for the experience, since honestly we don't get nearly as much of it as I expected in clinicals. And I know that working full-time for 8 weeks will be just perfect for getting experience. Not to mention I can't think of a better-paying/more rewarding summer job! Heh. I guess the main thing I'm curious about at this point is on the choices for an externship in general(since I can do or transfer to whatever I want after graduating.) Do you guys think it's a big deal to choose one path over the other just for the sake of an 8-week externship? Again, thanks to all that have already replied.

New here and just seeking some advice... I'm a third-year nursing student who's in the process of getting an externship at a hospital. Currently I have a choice between either University of Pennsylvania Hospital or their sister hospital, Presbyterian Medical Center. UPENN hosp currently has no critical care externship positions, but PMC does. My question is if anyone has any insight to shed on critical care and med-surg(specifically, surgical telemetry for example) particularly when it comes to an externship. I'm currently in my med-surg clinical rotation, and really haven't found it to be anything great/appealing. As for my future I think I'd eventually like to do OR or ER, but one goal I've considered pursuing would be to eventually become a CRNA. ANY advice anyone could spare would be appreciated. Thanks!