Scooter321

I got it! I start next month. I'm so excited. Nervous too, and sad to be leaving my truly awesome boss here, but mostly excited. :) Thanks so much for your help and your interest. I have a feeling I'll be posting here a fair bit in the future.

I think it went really well, although they didn't ask me a single clinical question. They asked me things like what type of emergency did I have to handle in my current position--asked why ED nursing and why now (more than 5 years out of school). Along with the usual interview gems, like name a strength of yours, name a fault (they actually laughed about that one--said I must have known it was coming), they spent a lot of time explaining the position to me, as well as plans for the department, how the team worked, etc. I got a call a from HR a few days ago, asking for a couple of references to be emailed in "before we can make a formal offer"! I'm super excited now, but nervous too--what if I don't get it after all? What if I do? LOL. Thanks so much for your advice and kind words--even though nothing I studied came up, I don't for a moment think my time was wasted and am still studying and listening to ED-type podcasts. Just waiting with baited breath and hoping for the best right now. :) I'll add a post here to let you know definitively when I finally hear, one way or another.

Thanks, ProudEDRN--what a great lot of info. I'll be doing my best to research it all before Monday. :)

I have an interview for an ED position (small community hospital), and I was hoping for some hints and tips to help convince her she would not be wasting her time with me. I've been a nurse for five years but none of it in the ED, med/surg, or anything similar. Most of my experience is with pedi psych/special needs with a short spell as a visiting nurse and a shorter one at a diabetes summer camp. I'm told she might ask me to read an EKG strip or two (I'm refreshing my knowledge as best I can--I know I'll need to re-do my ACLS, which I allowed to lapse). What else, though? I have just under a week to fit in whatever study I can between shifts. Any and all advice would be gratefully received, inwardly digested, and worked upon feverishly. :)

Thank you both. Looks like some sound advice. :)

Thanks, hiddencatRN. I guess that means my school info has to go too (shame, 'cause it looks good). At least NOT having school and clinical stuff there means my resume doesn't absolutely scream "newbie!"

I was wondering at what point it's appropriate to drop the "clinical experiences" and detailed school info from a resume? I've only been a nurse for about a year and a half but had a summer (camp) job as an RN, 10 months at one facility and a few months at my current one (per diem, which I'll probably keep). Any thoughts, oh wise ones? :)

I've just finished my first week of orientation in HH, some in-office work, some shadowing. I was wondering what you guys thought of two things: an electronic stethoscope (I'm VERY tempted but they're not cheap). an aural thermometer? Or are the temporal ones better? We are given the standard oral thermometers, but they can be a pain and take forever, either oral or axillary. Thanks for any opinions you'd care to share. :)

Starting my first home health care job tomorrow! Any chance I could get on that bandwagon, KateRN1? I would love a copy of that document too. Thanks soooo much. I'm at [email protected] Marie

Love, love, love my fob/pin watch. I haven't worn one on my wrist since nursing school. Nothing on my wrist to get wet/pick up icky stuff. I can just glance down to see the time or use the second hand for a pulse or resp check, and it glows in the dark. What's not to love!

And don't forget to document, or it didn't happen! ?

Yes, I'm working at at a pedi center for kids with severe neurological injury. It's actually the place you will do your pedi rotation if you go the LPN or RN route at MWCC. It's tough, but I really like it so far. They seem to love grads from "the mount" and hired three of us in the space of a couple of weeks. All the best with your new career. :stdnrsrck:

I graduated from their RN program just this May. It's hard....but then I think that's true of nursing school in general....but I think it was a great program. Its grads are generally VERY well received in the area (although it's hard for any new grad to find work right now). IOW, it has a stellar reputation for turning out decent grads. I loved several of my instructors, liked most of the rest. I really don't have a lot to say on the negative side. Yes, there were a few "that doesn't seem fair" moments but nothing major, to my knowledge. If you put in the work, you should do well. It is very competitive to get in....make sure you have ALL your pre-reqs completed (with good grades) before you apply, and even though there are some co-reqs that officially can be completed while in the actual nursing program, don't believe it. In my experience you need the "points" that having them completed will earn you in order to be accepted, and the nursing program is so intensive anyway it is VERY difficult to do other courses during that final two years. Good luck.

I would say that most of my classmates (we graduated in May) who have found work are starting out in LTC. Not all, but most, and plenty are still looking for work. I have just started in a facility that offers long-term care for children (mostly) with severe neurological deficits. It's a kind of LTC but with a different population--most have trachs, several have vents, almost all have G and/or J tubes, all non-verbal and wheelchair bound. The bad thing (and this is not unusual around here either) is that I don't have many hours. Other than that, I think I'm going to get some great experience, even though it's not exactly med-surg! Nobody in this area (Massachusetts) seems to want the expense and hassle of new grads. They ALL want experience, and where we get it is not their problem. Sigh. Although, like most, I wanted to start in a regular hospital, we take what we can get and remind ourselves that we're more marketable with any experience under our belts than none at all. Besides, we might end up loving it (I'm impressed with this place so far). Good luck to you. :)

Thank you both--I'll definitely be following your advice.