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NewcdnNurse: That was very well put- you are so right, nobody is every fully "ready" for something that is brand new to them. The more experienced nurses need to remember that, think back to when they were brand new, have more patience and take new nurses under their wing to cultivate the new nurse, NOT to look for their shortcomings and criticize!!

Love it!!!!! You would think that to be the case with the attitude's of some of the "seasoned" nurses. I came across so many of that type during my clinical rotations- they are a pain in the rear and should retire!!

I am 42 yrs old and just graduated in May as a new RN and have never and would never behave like this at any job!! That sounds like a maturity problem to me- but shame on management for putting up with it! In my nursing class, the majority of the students were over 28, and a few were in their 50's. "New" RN's these days aren't all 21 and definitely can't have their parents blamed as mentioned in a previous post!! People need to be careful making generalized statements of any kind. Not all of us appreciate being put in a "new nurses these days" category in a negative way.

I agree with that statement 100% !!

Well I guess maybe it will be okay. You're right, everything will be new at first- so I guess getting the routine down of a hospital, learning the documentation, etc is the first step, and if after 6 months or so I don't feel challenged, I can move on from there. Good luck to you.

I don't start until August- so you'll have to let me know how you like it!! Do you have any of the same reservations about it as I do?

I just graduated in May and accepted a job on the rehab floor of a city hospital. I'm starting to have second thoughts of whether this is the right place for a new grad to start out. At first I thought it would be good to have a slower pace to start out but now I am a little concerned that I won't learn enough new skills. If it doesn't work out for me, does anyone know if you can go to a different hospital and still get the benefit of the orientation/training that they offer new grads even if you aren't brand new anymore?

I found out on Monday that I PASSED after all of that worrying!!! What a relief!!!!!!!! Congratulations to you too!!

Well I found out on the Pearson website yesterday (paid 7.95 to get the results early) that I actually passed !!!!!!!!! I cannot believe it- I was sure that I had failed. So thank you for all of the encouraging words out there- I feel much much better now!! What a relief!! Good luck to those of you who are getting ready to take it- and try not to stress yourself out like I did.

I know EXACTLY what you mean- my husband keeps saying the same things and it only makes it worse! It's like dismissing how hard that flippin test is!! I'm still waiting- just took it yesterday and hated it- I completely feel like I failed it and am so irritated by the questions that they asked. Like someone else has mentioned, I too had just as much of a problem with the options that were given to choose from as I was with the questions being asked!! I wish the "Exit HESI" would count as the nclex- I got an 86% on that! I feel like I'd be lucky to have gotten a 40% on the NCLEX!!!

Thank you for your encouraging words and prayers, I really appreciate that. I'm not feeling much better about it this morning either. I keep remembering some of the questions then running and looking them up and saying, "crap...got that one wrong too!!" . I will definitely let you know what happens!

I just took the NCLEX today- and totally think I failed it!! I was so frustrated- it seems like all of the studying I did was for nothing because the majority of what I studied was NOT on the test!! At least with the practice questions I was doing on the CD's at home I felt like I could "critically think" my way through a lot of them.....well that was NOT the case on the real thing!! I did SO much guessing I felt like I was going to throw up the whole time I was taking it!! I would really love to ask the people who make up these tests why they pick some of the questions that they do- I figure if someone gets the minimum # of ?'s of 75 and 15 of them are "pilot" we were told- then that leaves 60 questions to determine if someone after 2 years of hard work, is competent enough to start orienting somewhere as a nurse- so shouldn't the questions be comprised of the more important and basic things a nurse should know???????? Also, why fail someone at 75 questions?????? Why not give them the whole 275 questions? The only person that is going to be affected by that is the test taker and maybe they had a slow start (we were taught about that "syndrome" in the NCLEX review course given at our school)- why not give them all of the questions to try to redeem themselves if they did have a slow start or start "clumping" after a panicky start (another syndrome we were told about). Anyway, I figure it doesn't hurt the board of nursing or the test center if they give you all 275, it would be pretty miserable for the person taking the test, however, maybe that would give them time to overcome the initial anxiety, and perhaps come across more subjects that they were more knowledgable about? I don't know, but if it were me that were trying to figure out if I trusted someone enough to be a nurse- I think I could and would come up with a more relavant, "telling" group of questions that covered a lot more areas of nursing, then the ridiculous questions I got today! It wasn't only the questions that were a problem, often it was the options given to choose from that were even the bigger problem! I just don't get it- how do you get through nursing school with good grades, do great on all of the HESI's, then come out of the NCLEX feeling like a complete idiot??????? I have a feeling I will be taking that test again!

CZYJA, Thanks for your post. I agree with most of what you said. I am the one who started this thread, because I was interested in finding out the other possibilities/opportunities for nurses, but I am definitely going to work in a hospital for at least a couple of years because I know that you have to get that experience to fully understand and contribute effectively to other types of positions. I have 15 years of experience in various healthcare settings from home health to Home IV therapy, case management, to health insurance companies, etc but always on the administrative/finance side of things. I went back to school for nursing because I was really tired of the desk jobs and wanted to work directly with patients and get the satisfaction you get from helping somebody. But because all of my experience is in an office, the bedside does scare me a little bit. I graduate in 3 weeks and will start working this summer and I do look forward to making one on one connections with patients and helping them and I really really hope I come to love the bedside- I was just looking ahead in sort of a "just in case" mode. Thank you for your input. Oh...the only thing I don't agree with you on is the statement about a couple of years in a job you hate won't affect your health. I don't know, I think you could be pretty miserable if you had to go week after week to a job that you despised- if not your physical health.....your mental health would definitely be at risk- as well as the health of your family if mommy (or daddy) is miserable!!!

I am just getting ready to graduate and am looking for a job right now. Presently I am interviewing in different hospitals, however, I don't think the bedside is where I want to be long term. Other than hospitals, doctors offices, schools and HMO's, what other jobs are out there for nurses? I know there are other types of positions out there for RN's that I'm sure I never even knew about and I would REALLY appreciate any of you who are doing an "unconventional" job as a nurse to share your experience with me. Thank you!!

I just went on an interview at a hospital in Baltimore this past Thursday and I was asked if I could lift at least 50 lbs because she said it was a state mandated thing that nurses must be able to lift at least 50 pounds - but not 75 !!!!!!! Sounds like they are misinformed- intentionally - who knows????? Are you planning on pointing this out to them?

Very well said! I appreciate your post!

I agree, I wouldn't normally correct anyone's spelling, but was responding to "allboutfamily's" post, in which along with her condescending attitute, corrected someone else's spelling of NCLEX (which was obviously just a typo) - I thought, if she is going to have this high and might attitute about her education, and correct other people, she should know that his/her spelling isn't so hot either!!

Originally posted by "Allaboutthefamily "Also, regarding the study mentioned above, I do not believe that the education level of the ADN nurse neccecarily makes them prone to med errors and other mistakes, but I do think the type of person that would like to finish things quickly and cut corners may be more drawn to the shorter program, thus the difference in med errors between BSN and ADN." I think you mean necessarily, not, "neccecarily". That is the most ridiculously ignorant comment I think I have ever heard!! It does not even warrant more of a comment than that!!!

Thank you for your reply! You said exactly what I have been hearing- I know ADN programs get a lot more clinical experience around where I live as well!! A friend of mine is doing what you suggested and going for her RN to MSN- that does seem to make a lot more sense. Thanks again!

I am completely aware that you were referring to the number of clinical hours required for the program and not credit hours and once again, I would hope that it would be more considering it is a bachelors program. Sorry, but as far as bedside nursing, it does not matter if you have a BSN or not. You need to provide competent care, know when you need to ask questions, do thorough assessments, have compassion for both the patient and the family and be the best advocate for your patient that you can possibly be. If I ever want to leave the bedside and pursue a different type of job, then I might consider going back for my BSN, but until then, I'm quite happy to be an ADN, and feel my patient's will be lucky to have me!!

I couldn't quite tell if you were responding to my post or not, and had a little difficulty following your post. Your thoughts were a little unclear, couldn't tell if you have a BSN or an ADN, and your "point" wasn't very clear. Can you elaborate a little?

Well I would hope that your "accelerated BSN program" requires a lot more hours than an associates degree program- after all you are getting a bachelors degree out of it!! I'm glad for you as well as others who have gotten their BSN, I'm just telling you what I have heard over and over again- a BSN makes you no more prepared to care for patients than an associates degree in nursing does!! The extra classes in research, management, etc have nothing to do with the actual care you provide at the bedside. Trust me, a good nurse is a good nurse. The patient could care less whether you have a BSN or ADN, as long as you care for them in a compassionate and competent way, that is all that matters!! The particular associates degree program I went through was extremely intense- and the outside clinical paperwork/research in addition to the classwork has not compared to any other program that I have come across yet- but then again, our program has a 100% pass rate for the NCLEX too!

What you are saying is interesting because our class has been told on many occasions from instructors with a masters degree, that they would much rather hire an associates degree nurse than a BSN because the associates degree nurses are much better prepared, and have much more clinical experience right off the bat than nurses with BSN !!!

Good for you standing up to that idiot!!!! Besides......that show "Mythbusters" dispelled that myth a while ago!! It doesn't matter if it was on the floor for 1 second or 30 seconds, once it hits the floor it picks up whatever bacteria is there!! That doctor needs to go back to school!