MachoNurse

When I first came across informatics a few years ago, I got really excited. I had left the floor and was working in Quality and thought these two skills (along with a previous career as a hardware engineer) would make Informatics a perfect fit for me. After many conversations with people working in the field, I found that just about *everyone* started as a Super User while working on the floor as an RN. Since this is not an option for me, I thought an MS in Informatics would do the trick, but, after speaking with admissions at some schools, I'm not sure. Please share your experience, strength, and hope around this topic! Thanks, Rob

Thanks, Tony. I liked UI Chicago's program. Also check out University of New England. What are the other programs you liked? What direction are you planning to take your career with an Informatics degree? I've been working in Quality Improvement for five years, and thus unable to become a superuser on the floor. After speaking with many schools, I'm no longer sure what the degree will get me without that experience. Any thoughts? Rob

Hi, I'm looking into online MS in Informatics programs and would love recommendations. I'm intrigued by the competency-based program of Walden and Western Governors (WGU), and get there are pros and cons to this design. Please share your wisdom and experience with these or other programs. I'm also open to tradition "course-based" online programs. Thanks in advance!

Thanks for asking, Danceluver. I found a great job in the ED at Children's National Medical Center in DC. I landed a position in their Fellowship program, which is giving me a 14-week orientation with eight weeks of didactics. This is twice as much training as I received at my first two nursing jobs combined. It's about time! I'm finally feeling supported by my manager, and just in time. I was getting to throw in the towel on nursing. Having survived two experiences of "nurses eat their young," I am committed to being a great preceptor and clinical instructor in the future. How are things going for you? El Macho

Greetings, I've finally made the decision to leave the Bay Area in order to pursue my dream of becoming a pediatric ER nurse. I have one year's experience in pediatric med/surg, and six months of short-term pediatric clinical assignments. I'm wondering if anyone knows of any children's hospitals that would hire someone with my experience. I would love to get a new grad position, but know I may be "over-qualified" for that. Any details you can provide about the hospital, the ED, your personal experience there would be most appreciated! And if you're an ED manager, even better ;-) Thanks in advance! Rob

Congratulations on your new job! When do you start? In what department will you be working? Are you in a new grad program? I'm hoping to have a phone interview with them this week. Thanks! Macho Nurse

Congrats on the new job, SpunkyAggie! Where did you get hired? I'm out here in the Bay Area and it's slim pickins!

Congratulations, Chickidee! I just started my PICU preceptorship, and so far, so good. I think it's on the lower end of PICUs, but I'm grateful to be there. Let us know how it goes for you. Macho Nurse

Hey there, I'm graduating in 36 days! :dncgbby::dncgcpd::dncgbby::dncgcpd: Things sure have changed since I started down this road two years ago, hiring bonuses and nursing shortages. I'm in the SF Bay Area, and there are practically NO jobs for new grads right now. And for someone committed to pediatrics, like me, the pickings are even slimmer. I had been hoping to stay here in the Bay Area and work at Children's Hospital Oakland, but think I need to be open to moving in order to get a job in peds. So I'm looking for some advice from y'all! What is the best way to get a job out of area? I've been around a while, and know it's all about networking, which is hard to do when the jobs are in Texas and WDC! Any other great job-finding ideas? And of course, if you know of any hospitals hiring new grads for pediatrics, let me know! Thank you! Rob -

Congratulations, Candiam! Where do you live and at what hospital will you be working? Will you be entering a new grad program/orientation? Rob

Hi Biggiecali, I'd say that overall, I'm disappointed with what appears to be acceptable of a nursing education in general. Everyone keeps saying, "Oh, I didn't learn anything in nursing school. You get it all on the job." As a former educator, I just don't buy that. And I think it's worse in an ABSN program. I think that what doesn't work about any ABSN program is that you cannot "accelerate" learning. Thus, the "A" should really stand for abridged, because that's what happens, things get left out. Anyway, to answer your question, if I focus on the two main reasons that I chose Samuel Merritt, I have no complaints. Those two reasons were: in Oakland and fast. They have delivered on both of those! If I could do it again, I might have considered leaving the area for a non-accelerated BS or MS program. I'm 46 in a few weeks, so time was and is a factor! Then again, they say that time is an illusion... Final advice: keep your expectations low and practice good self-care, where ever you go to school. Good luck! El Macho

I can sell you the following books, all in good or great condition: Bastable. "Essentials of Patient Education" Ackley. "Nursing Diagnosis Handbook" Burns. "Understanding Nursing Research" Ebersole. "Gerentological Nursing & Healthy Aging" I also have study guides for Maternity, Health Assessment, and Pediatrics which I will sell very cheap. Let me know if you're interested!

I'm in the Oakland ABSN program right now, graduating this May. I think just about everyone on my cohort is disappointed with the quality of education and instruction. Classroom instructors are nice and well-intentioned, but clearly lacking in teacher training, and there is no consistency in the curriculum. Most of my clinical instructors have been good, with a few great ones. My pediatric instructor was an emotional and physiological train wreck, and completely ruined our rotation. :-( If the most important thing for you is to get through the program quickly, and you want a Bachelors (good for public health nursing), then go for it. Just don't expect much and you won't be as disappointed and frustrated as I have been. My biggest mistake has been expecting $55,000 to get me a superior education. All that being said, we're graduating in 3.475 months!

This forum is awesome! I've watched a number of IV starts on kids, but as a nursing student, still haven't had the opportunity to try one. At the Children's Hospital where I volunteered, there were a few nurses who would usually be called in because they just had "the touch." Other nurses were good at other things. Cest la vie.

While on my pediatrics rotation last month, I found myself really interested in the hematology/oncology ward, and wanted to float there for a day or two. Our clinical instructor was so stressed and disorganized, she would let us float there, or anywhere, so I never got to see it. Does anyone have any experience transferring there after a year or two of pediatric med-surg? Thanks!