julesner

I graduated from Excelsior back when it was Regents. I took my boards in SC and have been licensed in GA and 2 other states since. I did want to give you a piece of advice to check out. You mentioned that you want to send yur application money off right away. Back when I went, the rule was that you actually do not have to join until you are finished with all prereqs, have taken all of your regular exams, and only need to take the CPNE or one of the other clinical based exams. Check it out. If it's still the as it was, I just saved you a ton of money...for now anyway. Best of luck!

Nique, I worked for CHOA (Children's Healthcare of Atlanta) for 3+ years on the Egleston campus in cardiac stepdown. I left there not long ago and am planning to go back. That should tell you something! From what I hear from friends, they are desperate for nurses in their NICU. I was pulled there once and had no complaints. The benefits at CHOA are excellent. I will warn you, if you don't have an impeccable record, they won't let you in. Also, they are trying to attain magnet status and so they have some stiff requirements that are tied to your pay and merit raises that require you to do extra projects on your off time. Also, there are additonal things like taking online computer tests and training that never seem to end. Just know that going in if that's what you decide. And the earlier poster was absolutely not exagerrating about the travel time in Atlanta. It is brutal! For example, all CHOA classes, PALS, orientation, periodic updates, etc are held at the Tullie Center off Clairmont. If you have a 9:00 a.m. class, plan on leaving your house at 6 am and just waiting for class to start. If you leave at 7, you'll never make it on time. Unless you live down the street and you'd better be either a college student sharing rent or very well off for that. CHOA does have weekend option positions (known as "baylor" back in the day.) Formally, it's considered part time but, you get all the same benefits as full timers except short term disability and a very nice differential. But that's only if you sign on for weekend option. Working weekends keeps you against the traffic. Best of luck to you.

Working in er doesn't cure insomnia and won't cure your's. However, you did make comments that lead me to believe that you might make a good er nurse. You care about your patients and the outcome your actions would have on them. You're nervous. Good, you should be. That's the hallmark of a nurse that cares. But in er, don't think you have the luxury of, "learning by mistake." Learn as you go and preferably beforehand. That's why you have to take as many or more classes as ICU nurses. You have to stay ahead of the game if you want to avoid that, "scared to death feeling" that you might cause harm to someone. One sign of a good er dept...it seems like you're always in class on your days off! Why? So that you at least know the fundamentals and have had some semblence of hands- on experience and don't make a fool of yourself in the real situation. Everyone seems to focus on the intense situations of er. Make no mistake, they're there. But honestly, most of it is very hard physical and mental work when you're exhausted and worn down. Can you handle explaining to a mother of a 14 year old that her daughter has an std in one room and smoozing through her hysteria because you know you have a code coming in? Can you summon fondness for humanity when you're triaging the same person for the 3rd time that week and you know that they only want a prescription for a drug they can sell? Don't go to er to cure your insomnia. If you go there, do us all a favor. Go because you happen to care about the outcome your care will have. And by the way, lighten up! You will never find the level of humor anywhere that you can find in er. Yes, it's brutal, but why do the nurse that do it keep doing it? Best of luck!

Poor Wayover having to ciphon through all of these opinions! I wonder what she chose to do...Inquiring minds want to know!

Hi Wayover; I went directly from ER to a diagnostic (non-interventional) Cath Lab a few years ago. I lasted 6 months... I absolutely hated it! Of course, parts of the job were good, for example, working M-F, 7-3 or so, most of the cardiologists were nice enough. The reason I couldn't bring myself to get used to it, I think, is because I came there from ER. To me, it seemed like a very technical job vs one where a more global or holistic mindset is needed. ER is multifaceted...cath lab is one dimensional. The focus is one the coronaries, period. Personally, I felt far more autonomous in ER. In cath lab, everything is about having the patient prepped and on the table on time, doing the procedure, pulling the sheath, and out the pt goes to recovery or to their room. If you love the high tech aspect of ER, learning new skills and doing them over, and over (I found it very monotonous) and working as a team with the same few people day after day, you might like it. I'm sure I'll get clobbered by the cath lab nurses here. Just trying to give you an honest opinion since you asked. Feel free to pm me if you like. Best of Luck!!!!

Hi Waterlily; You've gotten some good advice thus far, but I wanted to add a few observations for your consideration. I work at a hospital that has what some of the posts here have referred to as, "weekend option." Very few hospitals that I've noticed still call it the Baylor Plan. I've done what you're planning to do for years and for the same reason...child care. Paradoxically, the profession you want to enter is primarily female, but I've never seen a schedule conducive to raising a family. Baylor, w/e option, whatever its name is the closest I've ever seen to that end. At times I've agreed to a set schedule of working Fri, Sat, and Sun nights to get the extra night plus w/e diff. I currently work "w/e option" Friday and Sat nights. Depending on the need, a nurse may choose Fri/Sat days or nights, Fri/Sun days or nights, etc. Some work 2 -twelve hour shifts and pick up a 12 hour shift during the week. It depends on the need of your unit vs. the hours you are able to work/need. BTW, I am considered part time, but I get full time benefits including 403b, except I am not eligible for short term disability. I work at Children's Hospital of Atlanta-Egleston Campus. If you have a husband, this can work out wonderfully for you because you save a ton on child care and have the week off with your children/spouse. As far as your concern with not having enough or getting enough experience working 24-36 hours on the weekend, I don't see a problem. On a typical 12 hour shift schedule, it's not like you'd work consecutively for more than 2 or 3 shifts anyway. However you slice it, there are still 7 days in a week. As a new grad, you're going to have a longer orientation-typically 6 weeks or longer. Then, when you're ready to go to nights, if you do, you'll more than likely be paired with a preceptor for a few weeks. The nurses you work with will know that you are new and will be able to answer questions once you get to that step. I still ask questions and so does everyone else. It's the nature of the beast~no one knows it all and can't in this business. It would be helpful to you, I think, if before graduation you get a nurse extern/unit secretary/nursing assistant position on the type of unit you want to work on that has an open position far before graduation. That way, while you're getting acclimated to the unit, the unit is, "showing you the ropes." I'm crrently precepting a nsg student who is doing this. Make no mistake, they're also checking you out to see if they want to hire you once you've graduated and you're licensed. The key is to get in the door and work with your unit manager. Best of luck to you and I hope this has helped!

Hi; Thanks for your replies. I guess I should have been more specific. I don't want to fill out app's, checklists, etc, because once the agency has your name and number, they won't leave you alone! I want to research companies preferably without divulging private info, if at all possible. I thought this would be a good venue for that since surely a nurse out there already has this info. Anyway, thanks.

I am an experienced RN with a varied background interested in finding a travel assignment to Savannah in the very near future. I have been doing my homework and this site, along with ones suggested on this site have been very helpful. However, I have not been able to find out much info on the Savannah hospitals and especially travel agencies with assignments in Savannah. I've spoken with one agency, but learned quickly that the agencies want you to fill out a skills checklist and application/resume (blood type and a tissue sample too?) before they're willing to give out info...even on whether or not they can get me to where I want to go. Any nurses out there with info on this? Thanks!