wizard100

Arizona and WA state are best considering pay and NP culture/independence. I've worked in central California as a NP-summers are just nasty-hot/humid and tax is high. WA starting pay is good but it stalls- hard to get pay raise on merit. Living expenses can be just as high as California and property taxes are high. Arizona has best NP culture, autonomy, independence, and pay is good/ living expense is cheap. With that said, I am a FNP working in Seattle making 145K per yr with PTO, holiday pay, 401K, paid CME, paid license renewals. The only thing I dont like living here is from Mid october to March/April-gloomy, dark showery short days. People can get SAD, depression easy. Twilight movies were shot here-its like vampire living city during those months. Traffic is bad too. Summers and springs are one of the best in the country. 70s-80s overall. Hardly 90s...if it does its only couple of days.

I agree with most of the people here. I am in a traditional program. For some reason our patho prof decided to make it a hybrid class..1st 2 weeks on campus and last week on campus to give finals. I admit I struggled so much with online class. I guess its not for everyone. I was so lost and was always behind reading. I am a kinetic learner (listens, sees, writes notes in the class). Per our suggestion, the university has scrapped all hybrid classes. Our assessment class was the best. After our head to toe and focussed assessment in simulation lab for couple of weeks, we were paired up with a random classmate each week. One acted the NP, the other acted the patient. The student who acted as a patient had a index card with symptoms, complaints, and disease manifestations...the NP had to get a health history, labs/diagnostics (write out what you'd order), differential diagnosis and diagnosis with rationale. We had 20 mins. Then after 20 mins we swithced the role. Everytime we switched the role we got a new index card from the prof so it was not a repeat. The other person did the same for 20 mins. Then we turn the assessment write up at the end of the class in a soap format. It was graded 10 points for each assessment. So every week, we had tons of readings and had to come in lab prepared. At the end of each class, we had a clinical conference where all students would present the scenarios in oral soap format (5 mins each) per student and if the final diagnosis was wrong, we had to explain our rationale for chosing the diagnosis. The assessment class kicked our butt. I would never imagine how I would learn assessment in an online class. For me, I will never ever take online class because I dont learn and I give kudos who do so well with online format.

The 300 new grads internship in 2009 was because they opened a brand new sister hospital in Gig Harbor, WA: St. Anthonys. They were also close to opening another sister hospital in Enumclaw: Enumclaw Hospital. All hospitals are part of Fransciscan Health System: St. Joes (Tacoma), St. Claires (Lakewood), St. Francis (Federal Way), St. Anthonys and Enumclaw (the newest in their additions). I have worked at St. Joes...went through their new grad program Med/Surg/Tele. I can say from my experience the hospital was very nice, the old nurses dont eat their young and very supportive of new grads. Everyone makes sure you're doing ok. The charge nurses are excellent. If the floor was full with heavy care load patients, we had extra float CNA and extra float RNs in addition to scheduled RNs. From managers to charge nurse to staff nurses, everyone comes and asks if you need help and they do if you ask. I would recommend any new grads to apply there through their internship. Also, after getting your foot for one yr, the chances of getting hired to ICU, ER, OR, L&D is very high. They hire their own employees who have 1 yrs of med/surg in speciality areas first then open to public nurses with experience. They make you go through additional internship in those speciality areas. Go for Franciscan Health System anyday !!! I knew few travel nurses who loved it so much, they took permanent RN positions there.

This youtube video is so funny. I am sure public will be misguided what DNP does??? This video makes a nurse look hungry for "doctor" title and make her look very stupid..LOL....DNP does "venous blood draw and talking to patients", which practically LPNs and RNs learn in their first year or first semester of BSN !! I am sure this video was made by a physician !!!! Must watch...its funny though but irritating...arrgh !!

I have read one of those forums !! the student MDs just thrash and trash the NPs. I was laughing out loud at times..some of the comments were so funny..its good humor if you get bored.

Good Luck...I can imagine the nerves !! Read, Read and practice, practice lots of Q & A !!

The problem is you' re from out of state without any experiences and sometimes nurse recruiters think that you moved as a brand new nurse because you could not get job in ohio. When I was a brand new nurse, even applying 2-3hrs from where I lived..nurse recruiters raised brows?? Why wouldnt you apply to so & so hospital. Did you already apply and was not offered a job there?? Why do you wanna move etc. Very doubtful nurse recruiters. You just have to keep applying unless you get one and yes move if you have to.

I dont understand ETOH withdrawal pt taking an ICU bed just because he was on a drip & no req. for vent or dialysis? The drip pt. would have been admitted to step down at our hospital or even med/surg if no beds available at step down. I used to take care of ETOH withdrawal pt all the time in med/surg floors. We get 1:1 sitter for fall risk, restless with other 4 patients ranging from post-op to DKA. Our ICU mostly reserved for pt. with vents/dialysis and multiple drips simultaneously. Our step down for multiple drips. All the rest gets dumped to med/surg floors. That step down nurse probably is lazy and your nurse educator needs to be educated herself that it was MD who transferred the pt. and not you. Why would you want to hold that pt. in ICU for PO ativan just because he is restless??

$ 30/hr for NP is disheartening.... and this in PA unbelievable !!

dont lose hope..practice questions and read rationales. Good Luck.

Thnaks. The fact that this class is online makes it so hard. I understand I just need to buckle up and swallow up that 8lbs godzilla Are ther any online sites that I can practice questions to assess myself??

Wish you best of luck !!! Last Min Tips: Get a good night sleep and well rested. Have a breakfast if u sit for morning test. BREATHE, dont be anxious if you are not sure of answers. Make educated guesses Take some sugars with you, candy bar/juice etc to feed your brain during breaks. Lastly, read all answer option before choosing an answer. YOU CAN DO IT !!!

I am taking advance pathophys class that is online. We met first couple of weeks in class on campus and we'll meet one more class for a presentation/speech by a cardiologist for CV system. After that...one week later we have our 2 hr multiple choice final on campus..paper/pencil format which will cover the entire book. So, far online, we've done case studies, online discussion (post a ques, discuss etc). There is more much more in the book that has not been discussed or covered online. Because, at grad level we are supposed to be independent learners, I am starting to panic because I have read chapters after chapters and feel like I dont know anything. Our text does not have a CD or publishers online resource where we can practice about 10-15 questions after each system. Is there a online site where I can practice questions on pathophysiology to assess myself ??? This is my first online class and I am so lost with the depth of the content material covered. When I mail the teacher to ask about important topics that FNP must know so that I can skim never ending chapters...she replied, "as a practitioner you need to know everything" which might be true but I feel like I have lost it. Please, all the students who are taking, have taken advance patho class online/oncampus give me some pointers and suggestions how you tackled reading that 8-10 lbs book. How did you know what to focus if your teacher just tells you read chap 1-5 for week 1, chap 5-16 week 2 etc...No notes/pointers. How did you skim ?? How did you prepare for exam?? Did you practice multiple choice questions a lot...If so where online/books...please tell me. This class is just killing me

hey peaceful, so good to know someone from hawaii. i am right now in seattle...hawaii would be a total change for me...a good change. have lots of questions...just dont know where to begin..lol..never been to hawaii or know anybody living there. basically i am just hopping on to finish my school. i am sure i'll ask u lots of questions.

good luck guys....my best wishes to you. i got accepted into hawaii pacific university :) is blackberry bold good enough...which software is good for PDA ... keep us posted about ur admissions.