jamesy7

I moved to Dallas from Boston for the 2010 tele internship. I LOVED it! There are some floors that I wouldn't recommend, but the internship program was great and they had great benefits for newbys - nclex reimbursement, relocating expenses, ect.

"Texas also ranks last in the country in the percent of children who receive needed mental health care." http://www.boston.com/news/politics/articles/2011/09/25/rick_perrys_texas_faces_widening_health_care_gap/?p1=News_links Looks like the Texas healthcare system isn't working out. I think Perry is coming under a lot of heat - maybe he will make some changes? I hope they broaden APN's privileges.

I honestly thought I would hate neuro, but I love it and I am so fascinated by the different types of diseases and injuries I have encountered. You are right, there are a tremendous amount of TBIs and SCIs in vets and the skills you learn in neuro will be very helpful if you plan on working with the returning veterans. The only thing I wanted to add is that you should brush up on biopsychology. Mainly how injuries (including strokes) in various parts of the brain can effect specific behaviors and functions. But for now - focus on everything that will be on your NCLEX! Good luck!

Thank you from this night nurse :) Both shifts are difficult in different ways, but equally awesome!

Apply more pressure above the insertion! But, yeah I always have a towel underneath, just in case!

Thank you Apocatastasis! I just added my email to their mailing list. Austin is where I want to work after school :) How do you like your program? I was accepted into a program here in Mass, but it is far too expensive here. So I'll be moving back to Dallas and hopefully attending a program there. But, I love Austin and will definitely be moving there in a few years!

Yeah TX is definitely not NP friendly - hopefully it will change :) Good idea on writing Perry, Zenman. Mojo, how did you go about networking? Did you work at a psych facility in Texas?

I wish TWU had a psych NP program! They are much cheaper! Congrats!

I am planning to become a family-PMHNP, hopefully starting school in the spring of 2012. I'm also planning to move from Mass to Texas and settle somewhere between Dallas and Austin. Well, anyways I was looking at the job market and there doesn't seem to be any need for psych NPs in Texas. I literally cannot find any practicing family psych NPs in Austin and only a handful around Dallas. Where are all the PMHNPs? Does anyone think the need for them is increasing (specifically in Texas)? Thanks in advance!

Thanks for the info foxyhill - my chances aren't looking too good Do you know of any programs around dfw for family psych? UTA was the only one I found

Hi to all you super smart NP students :) I was wondering if anyone has been accepted to UTA for their NP program (any of them). What was your applicant profile like - gpa, work history, etc? This morning I called to check on my application and was told it's very unlikely that I would be accepted because my gpa is only 3.3 and that most people have to apply multiple times. Thanks in advance

Thank you all for the responses! Depending on the financial aid package/loans I qualify for I want to cut back on working, if I can swing rent and childcare, my mother watches her for now, but she wouldn't be able to watch her while I work and go to school. I'll be entering the psych NP program as well, apocastastasis and msjoseph. Can't wait :)

Thank you for the response, Westie! I was starting to get really nervous about it, but I am excited to get experience in the different units :)

Hi everyone, I'll be starting a new float pool position. I have experience in a neuro step down unit. Just wondering if anyone has advice on how to prepare? Any advice on how to succeed in a float position would be appreciated. TIA

Hi everyone, I've just been accepted to a psych NP program (Northeastern) and I'm looking for some strategies to successfully make it through the program. I currently work 3 -12s overnights and I'm a single mom (baby girl born 2/11 :). How do you balance work, school and family? Is part-time school the way to go? TIA

Have any of you done overnights while having an infant at home? Would you have your sitter stay throughout the day?

Hi everyone! So, I recently applied to the psych NP program at Northeastern. A few days later I get an email from the head of the program, she wanted to schedule a phone call to discuss the program. Does anyone know some good questions to ask? I've researched for quite a bit on this program - it is the exact focus that I'm interested in (children/adolescent psych), the perfect location, the perfect courses - basically, I don't have any questions to ask. . . Is there anything about your np program that you wished you had known before you enrolled? TIA -jamesy

Step-down/tele. I have no idea what to do :/

Hi everyone! I'm fortunate enough to have two job offers, but I can't decide. I'm a new mom of a 3 month old with about 1.5 years of exp. JOB A: Small community hospital - ICU position - 3 12's plus EOW - possible rotating sched days and nights - 26/hourly base pay - great experience JOB B: Verrry small community hospital - Float position, every floor except the ICU - 3 12's no weekends - overnights - 27.90/hourly base pay Both are the same distance from me. I like the pay and schedule of job B, but I don't know if I can pass up the ICU experience :/ I want to spend as little time away from my daughter and I'm a single mom, so childcare is tricky with the rotating schedule . . . Any advice? (hopefully from working mommas)

Ask any and every nurse if they have any ideas on facilities that are hiring. Don't just look online - cold call if you have to. I have a similar background as you. Before moving 2000 miles away for a job, I had applied for over 300 positions - all online. Most of my friends didn't get jobs until after I left, but all of them were from word of mouth. One of my friends somehow got the email address of a nurse manager and basically pleaded for a job. The nurse manager didn't hire her, but forwarded her resume to a sister facility that did. Well, my point is - think outside the box. Good luck!

Hi everyone, I'm 5 months pregnant and moving to a different state. I love psych nursing even though my only professional experience is in neuro I am trying to get a psych position in the state I'm moving to. But here is the tricky part - I'm five months pregnant and showing quite a bit! Will anyone even hire me if I need to take a month or two off this February? I've been invited to interview in the state I'm moving too, but will they find a reason to not hire me when they see my stomach? Do you think they will hire me if I prove I'm worth the investment? Please any opinions would help!

There are so many people relocating from Mass to Tx, in every field! It's crazy! I'm headed to Dallas and I'll be starting on the 18th.

I've been out of school since May. Packing up my car and driving from Boston to Texas for a job in two days!!! Eeek!

Happy holidays everyone! How is the apartment search going? Can anyone can give me some insight on apartments around BUMC? Where to avoid, where to look? All the apartments look great online, but when I go to googlemaps and see the street-view they look a bit seedy . . . Please reply! Thanks! -Holly

Hey lm8539, I spent months revising my resume and it was hellacious. One website that helped me a lot was http://www.nursing.jhu.edu/resources/career/center/resources/ Can you ask your former professors look it over? As for the cover letter, you should write a general template that basically sells yourself and then personalize it for each job your applying to. And regardless of the quality of your resume, you may have to go a step further and personally contact the hiring manager/floor manager. I was only asked for interviews after I hounded HR at various hospitals. Good luck!