barbaratruth

I'm a new nurse on the unit with the worst reputation in the hospital, and I was brought to tears this week (I also cry when I'm angry - thank God, as this is better than yelling). I felt very beat up by petty crap. I get the sense that "nurses eat their young" is the mantra in my unit. I will continue to show up for work, but inside I feel so vulnerable. I'm hoping this is all part of some natural process of adjusting for the new nurse.

I have a new preceptor for my last several weeks of orientation. Even though I'm doing well, I feel insecure with the orientation/probation process. I feel like it will come down a "group vote" at the end of orientation. I feel like I have to make a plan B. Hopefully my new preceptor will help the situation, but I'm feeling very mistrustful right now.

I'm presently in orientation on a day shift. I was told my job is on the day shift. I have a feeling I am going to nights after my orientation ends and that this has been the plan all along, with me being the last to know. No one has said anything to me officially, but I keep hearing from other nurses at the hospital say "you got a day shift?" I think there are union rules that have people with more seniority getting opportunities for day shifts. I'm choosing to go with the flow.

The preceptors are given extra compensation where I work. I know this may not be the case in all hospitals. Thanks for your response.

I'm beginning my fourth week of orientation. Each week I have a different preceptor. Can someone please clarify exactly what the role of "preceptor" includes? I'm wondering if I have unrealistic expectations. The preceptors are given extra compensation, however, they don't seem to want to precept and appear resentful at having to orient me and another nurse on the unit. I was at the top of my nursing class, did internships, have additional education and feel that I was misled during the interview process. I'm making great progress, yet I feel the team wants me to be the equivalent of an experienced nurse. I feel that I am on my own as a new grad and that if I don't meet the team's "approval", I'll be unemployed.

I'm also in orientation. I think I took a job on a unit with a lot of problems among the staff and the manager. Everyone is polite to me and another new grad, but the moment the preceptors walk away - they trash everyone. They also trash each other to the other nurses on the unit. I feel I'm making tremendous progress, but I learned yesterday the expectation is that I able to manage the full patient load two weeks before orientation ends (and the orientation is shorter than originally outlined). I feel like the preceptors (each week it rotates) want me to be a mindreader and to know things that have yet to be outlined. Who is the advocate for the new graduate in a hospital unit? I feel really vulnerable and I am wondering if I should ask about going to another unit. Or, is this part of the process of "breaking me in"?

I was willing to take any shift as a new grad in any department. I was willing to work nights. I was able to get a day shift because that is where they needed me. I told them I was flexible for either days or nights, and never once asked about the shift until the end of interview. And the end of the interview they said, "well this position is for days." I took the job, but would have taken it even if it was on the night shift. I like getting a paycheck, benefits and accumulating valuable work experience. My colleagues are having problems getting work because they were under the false assumption that the nursing community couldn't live without them and waited too long. In many areas, there is no nursing shortage for new grads. I would recommend being open to any opportunity, as this is the season when many new nurses are competing for jobs. Good luck to you and keep an open mind.

Meet with one of the academic advisors. Acknowledge what got in the way of your undergraduate studies. Agree to a conditional admission and get professional recommendations. Sometimes GPA standards are stated because there is a relationship between GPA and work/commitment level to the curriculum. However, sometimes we have to deal with the priorities of our life and the GPA suffers. I really believe if you are willing to pay the tuition and do the work, you'll get into the program. And if it's not that program, there will be another that will accept you. Just like undergraduate degrees, all graduate degrees pretty much have to go through the same accreditation standards. Academia is also a business and in this situation, you are a customer looking for a product. Good luck to you.

I am very sorry to hear this. You have posted many kind words to others. I did over 6000 questions before the test. I did all of Kaplan's questions online. I also did a majority of NCLEX-4000 (which I liked better than Kaplan). I did questions everyday for at least two months. With the NCLEX 4000, I did questions by groups (Maternal Child Health - 100 questions, etc.). If I would have had the time, I would have tried Suzanne's program. In addition to the questions daily, I had to make some adjustments in my personal life. I cut off email communication with colleagues from school for about three weeks before the test. I made it clear to my family that they needed to keep their distance two weeks before the test. I worked full-time and every day after I got home from work, I started doing questions while dinner was cooking. I went to bed early every night for the first time in years, and caught up on some sleep. Probably my most therapeutic tool was my MP3 player that I got for Mother's Day. I listened to music every night and didn't watch television for about one month before the test. I did well in nursing school and knew the content. However, I knew I couldn't be prepared enough unless I was managing my anxiety levels. Hang in there and know you will pass.

No, you cannot give an IM through clothing.

Nurses who enter the profession older, are making an informed career choice, bringing a lot of life experience to the profession, as well as a better handle on critical thinking skills. Nurses who have had prior work experience also understand the concept of customer satisfaction in today's business of healthcare. More than one nursing school administrator has told me that traditionally older students are more successful in nursing programs than the younger students. One recruiter told me that there is less absenteeism with mature nurses and that the younger nurses tend to struggle more with the job expectation. In case you aren't aware, you will be expected to work until age 70 before you can collect social security. Hopefully, you will be judged on your ability to do the job well throughout your career and not how others will view you according to your age.

I used Saunders for my entire nursing program for test prep. I did all of Kaplan's questions (if you can't afford it, you can do without it). I found the most benefit from NCLEX 4000. Between Saunders, Kaplan and NCLEX 4000, in total I did 6,500 questions over 2-3 months and in the last two weeks before the test was doing 150-225 per day. I passed the NCLEX the 1st time. If I knew about Suzanne's program in time, I would have tried that option -- as many have been successful with her test strategy. Questions, questions, questions. Be advised if you were a borderline nursing student, then you need to do even more questions. Good luck.

I would discourage talking to yourself during the NCLEX. The testing area where I went were basically cubicles and it was as quiet as a church. I think the earplugs are to help prevent distractions from the clicking sounds you will hear from people using the computer mouse. You are videotaped and audiotaped. Personally, if I would have heard anyone talking while taking my test, I would have been very upset. Start practicing not reading aloud at home before the test. At nursing school, I'm sure you were able to do the tests without talking.

I got a job. I took all the suggestions that were offered to me: Keep an open mind, be flexible about hours, and was willing to work in an area where there was a critical need and where they were willing to take a new grad. You need to realize how many candidates waste the time of recruiters. Keep calling the recruiters so they remember your name. Be willing to take any job the first year, because there is no nursing shortage when it comes to new grads in the NYC area. The rest of the U.S. has a critical nursing shortage. Even if you are called for an interview, there is still a processing time from interview to hire date. Have you looked into the Caritas system (Mary Immaculate Hospital, Wyckoff Heights & St. John's)? All the union rates are basically the same in NYC, Queens and Brooklyn. If you have done internships or externships anywhere, be persistent with those hospitals - as you will be on a "preferred" hiring list. Good luck.

There is a lot of competition right now in the City with hundreds of people passing the NCLEX. Follow-up with the recruiters, be open to working in areas of medicine that you might not have considered. Be flexible about work shifts. A recruiter recently told me that there is no nursing shortage in NYC for new grads. I kept an open mind, was flexible about hours, and I got a job. Good luck.