Aggie2000

Let the dog and pony show begin.....

The staffing recruiter at the hospital I will be working at said that on any given day that the NCLEX is administered, 20% of the students will be made to take all 265 questions regardless of how they are doing. This is to show validity of the test. My nursing professor said that is an urban legend. So I don't know!

:yeahthat: You can say that again! LOL! Just graduated from there in May. We probably know eachother! :chuckle

Hello, I just move to San Antonio. For neighborhoods, the areas North and Northwest are nice. I currenlty live near Evans Rd and Hwy 281, but we are bulding a home in Bulverde. For starting salary, you are looking at anywhere from $19 to $22 per hour base plus your differentials. Salary here isn't near as good as other areas, but the cost of living is a little cheaper and that is probably why. We just moved here from Houston (that is where I just graduated from May 8th-yes I commuted for two semesters!). My peers are getting jobs that are starting out between $24-$26 base. But the cost of living there is higher AND I found their differentials are less then mine. So overall, they are not really making much more than me. I just accepted an ICU internship at Methodist Hospital. As far as GN positions what I found is they really don't post them. You have to go to the hospital and get a hold of a recruiter to find out what they have available. Good luck! I'll be happy to try to answer any other questions you have!

LOL! I was just thinking about this. I just got my ATT today and scheduled my test for June 13 (yes-Friday the 13th:no:!). It was the only day available that week (wonder why-LOL!). My ICU internship starts June 16th and I finish the Kaplan review with my future hospital on June 8th. So that week is the only time I can schedule it. I really wanted to do it earlier that week. I think I'll take one of the pp advice and just check it every day for an opening. My suggestion, take it ASAP! The longer you wait the worse you are likely to do (according to studies). Good luck!

Amen to that!

Pregnancy may or may not be considered a pre-existing condition (depends on the state, hospital and insurance company). The thing that hurts you most right now is that you don't have insurance. They are more likely to cover you if you already had insurance prior to being eligable for the hospitals plan. I know in my former career (prior to nursing), the company I worked for would cover pregnancy no problem. We hired someone once that was 7 months pregnant and had no insurance at the time of being hired and they covered the delivery and prenatal appt. once whe was eligable after 30 days of employment. So, my advice (take or leave it) is to not tell them during the interview. Once you are hired, you can tell them at the physical. At that point, they really can't retract their offer because your pregnant. Plus, they need to know because there are things you can't do while pregnant at a hospital. Congratulations! My philosophy is that God only gives you what He knows you can handle. So, take this as a sign from God that he believes you are ready for this adventure and embrace it. :redbeathe:D

you may need a ppd.. my hospital states they have to have one unless your most recent has been done in the last 3 months. in my opinion, be up front about it. us federal law states that pregnancy cannot be considered a pre-existing condition. but, they could make you have a waiting period for coverage of the pregnancy, especially if you are without insurance prior to getting insurance with your new hospital. you should check into the laws and/or just call the hr dept and ask them. that is their job. good luck and congratuations! children are truley a gift from god!:redpinkhe

Thank you! I start my ICU internship in June and am excited :yeah:and terrified :uhoh21: at the same time. Any advice given is greatly appreciated!:bowingpur

I agree, this area is beuatiful. I live in Smithson Valley area (north of San Antonio). This area has hills and water and is breath taking. Plus the weather is awesome. There are a lot of people moving here from California. Good luck!

You can wear a white scrub jacket at Tomball. You just have to have the patch on the left sleeve. Be careful about too many pockets. I find that I end up filling them with tons of junk and it gets heavy and in the way.

I too just moved to San Antonio and am graduating from Nursing school in Houston (yes, I am commuting to finish ) in May. I have been wondering if BAMC hires non-military nurses. I have been meaning to call them. Is that the military hospital you worked at first? Just curious. Thanks in advance. Also, happy to hear you got everything straightened out! Good luck with the NCLEX!

Ahh! I forgot about that (sorry). Only one of the clinicals did that the first semester. The rest of the other clinicals were at other hospitals in Med/Surg. Not real sure why they did it that way. Take care!

i took dr. greenburg. i don't think she is teaching anymore. she was great. i don't know any of the others. i really enjoyed the program. the last two semester have been a little stressful due to the fact that we lost our entire 2nd year faculty last semester. so, needless to say, it has been a "wild" ride. but things are settling down and are better. the teachers really care about you and as long as you put forth your best effort to learn, they will put forth their best effort to teach you. good luck!

We have the same scrubs as the Montgomery school (white tops with patch on left sleeve, teal pants and white shoes). Someone mentioned that Tomball spends alot of time in LTC. That isn't exactly correct. We are an integrated program which means we don't have blocks of curriculum. Most of what you will be doing is Med/Surg. You aren't really allowed to go into specialty units until end of 2nd to 3rd semester. Which is probably a good thing because you aren't allowed to do anything. As far as clinical, you are there 12 hours. Most instructors expect you to do your care plan during the shift. Don't worry, they aren't lengthy like other schools, it is do-able. As far as advice, learn and be a sponge. Realize that you won't know everything and admit when you don't. This isn't a competition, and you and your classmates are in it together. Oh yeah, and be happy with a "B" even a "C" in lecture... Good luck!