dkspudette

I am looking to relocate to Denver Colorado area to be near kids/grandkids. Can anyone tell me what the average/expected pay would be for nurses with 6+ years of experience mostly in Hospice and geriatric care? Has anybody had experience in relocating to Colorado? Is it hard to get your license transferred, any comments about cost of living. Are nursing jobs easily available? Thanks!

I graduated in May 2007 and am feeling the same way you are. I was offered a job in CCU- worked one week and the unit shut down????!!. So I was put in ICU. The nurses there treated me like I was so stupid. I talked to the manager and was told by her that the nurses on that unit were like family and I would be part of the family until I did something to not be part of the family??? I was also told that you had to prove yourself before you were accepted. So I asked to be put on another floor. I was sent to Med/Surg where the ratio was 7 on days and 8 on midnights. I am 1 month into orientation and am ready to bolt!! It has been a nightmare. My "preceptor" does no precepting at all. One day I had an order to infuse platelets. She walked me down to the lab and we picked up the platelets. I asked for help because I had never done this before and thought with a something this serious somebody should at least be standing in the background watching to see that I did it right. She told me to grab normal IV tubing and run it wide open. Then she turned around and started narc count and told me she was in the middle of that and that I would be fine to hang it by myself. I grabbed another nurse and asked her opinion and she preceeded to tell me that you needed special tubing (I thought I remembered that from school) and that you also needed to hang some NS along with it (I also thought I remembered that from school). The whole orientation has gone like this. Last week I went in and was informed that I was going to night shift (the next night). I was actually relieved because I thought I would have a new preceptor and it wouldn't be so crazy maybe at night. WRONG!!! I was oriented by another orientee!!!! She had been there 2 months and knew about as much as me!!! I know I should just go talk to management but I really don't feel that they care. I took a sign on bonus and will have to pay it back if I quit but I am at the point that I don't care anymore. I worked hard for this nursing license and did very well in school. I don't want to make a serious mistake and lose my license. I really feel that I can be a good nurse somewhere but am feeling that the hospital is not for me. I am so sorry to hear that you are having difficulties as well. But after reading these threads I am getting the feel that there are many of us having the same problems. This is a great site to read when you are feeling overwhelmed. I always find some comment that gives me hope and encourages me to continue trying. I have decided after my first night as a NOC nurse that I need to either find another hospital or find another niche in nursing. Hang in there!! We can do it!!

Can anybody tell me how an orientation usually goes. I have had 2 days on med/surg and was basically on my own the second day with 2 patients and then an admit. My preceptor never said a dozen words to me all day and usually couldn't be found. I am going to talk to my supervisor tomorrow but the feeling I am getting is this is how things are done here. I talked to another nurse that works here and she said she had 8 patients on her 7th day and is in tears alot of days from being so busy and frustrated. This is a rural hospital and it seems to be "sink or swim". I have no hospital experience and was told when I was hired that new grads got 3 months orientation. After the 1st day my supervisor told me that She didn't really think I would need the whole 3 months. I got a sign on bonus and signed a contract for 2 years to work here. If I leave I have to pay it back. Any suggestions on what I should do? :uhoh21:

Hi, I too am new to nursing. I have had 2 days orientation on med/surg. My question is what should I be expecting out of orientation? The first day I was given 2 patients and told if I had questions to ask but I thought it strange that I was pretty well on my own. My preceptor was very good at answering my questions and seeing if I needed any help tho. The second day I was given 2 patients and then a new admit. The paperwork was given to me and nobody explained anything. I was told I could do the admit and she would come in and watch to see if I needed any help. Nobody ever showed up during the whole process. After I got done doing the required paperwork, I found my preceptor (different one today) and ask her if I did it right, could she please look over the paperwork. She looked at the first page, got distracted and never came back to it. Is this normal orientation? I assumed that somebody would be with me for the 1st week or two and then I would gradually be on my own. This nurse never said a dozen words to me all day. I talked to another nurse that works there and she said you are pretty well on your own right from the beginning. She had 8 patients on her 6th day and said she was in tears almost daily the 1st year. Normal ratio is 8:1. What kind of orientation did you get? Are all hospitals like this. I am going in to talk to my supervisor about my concerns tomorrow but first I would like somebody with a little more experience than me (in a different hospital) to tell me what I should be expected to get in training.

Can you tell me how to get into dialysis work? Do you work in a hospital setting or for a dialysis company. I am a new grad very interested in working in dialysis. Thanks

I am a new grad. I would love to work in dialysis. I live in Arizona. Can you tell me how to get into dialysis. Do they accept new grads? Is one company any better than another to work for? Is it a stressful environment? Thanks