kellyp374

I graduated in June 2011 but didn't pass NCLEX until November. There are a TON of RN jobs in the Portland area...Providence alone currently has 104....but everywhere I look there are NO New Grad positions and no one is hiring new grads. It is frustrating beyond belief! Depressing to think that here I sit with a degree in Nursing yet having to consider returning to work as a Systems Analyst.....the job I had before I went back to school. Feeling like the last 4 yrs of my life were a waste of time...:uhoh21::uhoh21:

I'm a first year nursing student and we do skills lab with other students...but anything requiring us to bath or touch private areas is strictly done on the Sim patients. (aka...dummies). I looked into several nursing programs before I started and NONE of them required students to do anything to each other that crossed boundaries. We do practice injections on each other...but even for that the college had us sign consent forms.

I am a first year nursing student, in my 2nd term and I am LOVING IT! It is the hardest thing I have ever done, but also the most rewarding. I don't know what kind of negative feedback you are getting but here is what I can tell you... Nursing school requires 300% of your time. On average we are assigned 13 chapters of reading each week along with clinical time and lab time. Put that all together with class time and you will be spending more time on nursing school than a full time job. You can forget having a social life...most of your time will be spent studying...and when you aren't staying up late to study then you will be sleeping. Clinical days can be stressful, especially when you are asked to do something you have not done before. But you have to do the skills in order to learn them. The staff at your clinical site will really determine if your day will be a good one or a bad one. If you come across RN's that don't want to coach you...just turn on some charm and you'll probably get them to soften up. Don't be intimidated by the Dr's....the older ones are usually arrogant...at least that has been my experience. But nursing is not just your average everyday career choice. It takes lots of knowledge and critical thinking...these things require that you dedicate your life to school and make everything else 2nd on your list of priorities. It takes a special kind of person to make it through nursing school. My class has already lost 2 students. Be strong and remember to take care of yourself too. The best advice I can give is form a study group and a peer group. But whatever you do...don't let someone's negative experience scare you off. Good luck to you!

Room for them to list all the meds & what they are for, how they are given, etc. Would love to see the final result - wishing someone would post some online clinical worksheets for us to use!

Now that I have finished my first term of nursing school I would have to answer with YES!!! If you know someone who is struggling just to get the pre-req's done and you don't think they will be a good Nurse...I think it is 100% appropriate to tell them in the nicest way possible that they should re-consider. First....there are a ton of people trying to get into nursing school so everyone is focusing on points! But there is more to nursing than class points!!! You have to be compassionate and have common sense and a good bed side manner or you won't make it. I was an alternate and was completely devastated when I didn't get initially. But I did get in after someone dropped out and it has been the hardest and most rewarding time of my life! I study everyday, have no social life and barely sleep! Several "A" students barely passed the class!! I'm sure there are a few who didn't pass...and at least one that I can think of who should NOT be in the nursing program. It actually made me angry that this one person was in the program when I knew others that would make excellent Nurses that didn't get in. So my vote is a YES....be honest with someone if it is your place to tell them they aren't right for nursing.

Thanks to all for your posts and encouragement! I truly appreciate your feedback. I do remember thinking that this patient was probably not going to make it because her coloring was very pale - not bluish though. I also remember the very distant and blank look in her eyes - that was my 2nd clue that I truly knew we weren't going to be bringing her back. The chest compressor - yes - that thing looked evil! The compressions were so deep it literally looked like the patient was being squeezed in two! Ouch!!! Again - thank you all for your feedback. Being able to write about this experience helped me a great deal! :redpinkhe

So I was just finishing up my last day of clinicals for my first term of nursing school this past week. As we were sitting in the break room of the hospital talking with our instructor about the day's events this guy walks in and announces they have a code coming in and invited the students to come along. I thought cool - we will get to watch what happens on a code! Another student and I say we'll go and off we walk to the emergency dept. As we are walking this guy (can't even remember what his title is) starts quizing us on our CPR knowledge and it becomes apparent that we have just volunteered to do the chest compressions! Suddenly I find my anxiety level has gone through the roof and I am thinking oh my gosh what I have just agreed to? Can I really do this? What if I do it wrong? What if I see the patient and can't do it! BREATHE I tell myself....remain calm...BREATHE...you can do this! We get to the emergency room, get quick instructions on where to stand, then we gown up. After a few tense minutes the patient arrives and my anxiety level seems to dissipate a little and is replaced by excitement. The moment has arrived. It is a controlled chaos as everyone takes their places around the patient. When the pt first arrived she had a chest compressor on - which is a device that does the compression's for you. For a brief moment I feel disappointment, perhaps we won't get to participate after all. But, the device apparently runs on batteries and quits working! So..before I know it my co-student is being told to start compressions. She jumps up on the stool and begins. Soon I hear her ask me if I am ready....ok here I go! We change positions and I begin. With guidance from they guy who first came to tell us there was a code....my CPR training comes back to me and I get into a groove. WOW...I am tired....this is alot more work than I ever expected! But I keep going - and unlike what they teach in CPR class - we are not counting the compressions to breaths. I am told don't stop - just keep going while the person at the head of the bed manages to count my compressions and breathe for the patient. Once I get into a groove I glimpse down at the patient's face....mistake! I quickly looked away so emotions would not take over. "SWITCH" After switching off several times between the two of us (students that is), I start to realize that doing CPR is nothing like it is in the class room. I am exhausted, out of breath and the plastic gown and gloves are sticking to me...yuk! They had us put on face shields as well - but we quickly took those off as our quick breathing had fogged the shield up anyway - making it impossible to see had we kept them on. In the end, after working on the patient for what seemed only minutes (but was actually about 30 minutes) the Doctor called it. I knew from the beginning that the chances of this turning out good were slim, but I had hope anyway. I even prayed a few times as I was over the patient doing compressions "Please God let this turn out good, let us bring the patient back. Let me end clinicals on a good note." Reflecting back on my first time doing CPR ~ I did crack a rib. I heard it pop but didn't feel anything. At first I thought what did I do wrong to make it pop? But it happens and I knew I couldn't pick myself apart over it. The whole time we were in the ER our instructor was standing behind us, giving us confidence and guiding us. The guy that grabbed us in the first place was also there guiding and instructing us as we were giving compressions. As we took off our gowns and gloves we realized that we were covered in sweat - yew! Plastic doesn't breathe very well! The adrenaline rush lasted for about 2 hours afterwards and for the rest of the day I couldn't get the patient's face out of my mind. I wondered if my emotions were going to take over and I would break down but I never did...okay well maybe I cried just a little! All in all - I did it. My first time doing CPR...wow....I did it! What a rush! I felt compassion for the patient and family - but I was also excited that I got to do CPR...and I almost feel like that excitement is just a little bit morbid! But then again.....don't all nursing students have that feeling when they get to do something new for their patients? Oh and the next day I was so sore! My arms and upper back - heck even my wrists all hurt! Thanks for listening! I knew this was a safe place to share my experience!!

Seriously? There should be no question as to what you should do....REPORT HER!!!! Cheating is wrong...and in my opinion even more wrong when it comes to nursing school. We all work hard to get accepted into the programs and if this person has to cheat just to pass a test than that means she will cheat at other things too. Do you really think she would be safe in giving medications to patients if she has to cheat to pass a pharm test???? It doesn't matter if this person would know it was you who turned her in or not. If she doesn't learn the material now then she could seriously hurt or kill someone when she doesn't know correct dosages!

Hi Candy ~ I was there too! The study guide I bought made the test seem like it would be more difficult. I wasted time on things like the slope intercept formula and all the geometry formulas! Then when it came to the simple math like fractions and percentages....well it took me some time to remember how to do those without a calculator. UGH! We have about a 50/50 shot at getting in since there was a total of ONLY 42 applicants this year. I don't know how many points it will take to get in, but having all the pre-req classes done is a must. The only one I didn't have for points was the last A&P class which I am in now. I think it all just depends on what everyone that applied has done already. I hear we will get our results back in just a few weeks and the college will send out letters of acceptance before June 1st. If you are on facebook we have a nursing student grp page for the college. It's under Oregon Coast CC Nursing Students. Check it out, soon we will have a link on it to the Student Nurses Association club. Feel free to also email me at [email protected] anytime you want. Take care and hope you get accepted! kelly

I can see both sides on this topic. First of all, as nurses we should be compassionate with others and work as a team for the best care possible for ALL patients...not just our own. It could be that this other student is not getting it because of other things going on in his life. Maybe he just needs someone to take the time to bring him up to speed. I would not miss out on your own learning experiences to help this guy out, but if you are going to get credit for helping with his patients then why not do it? On the other hand...if he is a slacker student, then you should not have to carry him. But the instructors should know based on his overall work if he is a slacker or not. The fact that you are the one being asked to help shows that the instructor knows you are a good student, capable of helping others...and that should be seen as a good thing! In the end...I think we all know how tough nursing school is. If this guy can't make the grades then I would hope he would not graduate anyway.

There will always be a need for nurses! Most people are looking for jobs in cities ~ if you look towards the smaller towns you will see that they ALWAYS have openings for nurses! You have to be realistic though. Don't expect to get the job you want after graduation...just like in any other field - us newbies are going to have to climb the nursing ladder and be low man on the totem pole for awhile. By 2011 or 2012 the NSNA is predicting that the Nursing shortage will reach unheard of numbers ~ so even with a bad economy, Nurses are still going to be in HIGH DEMAND.

Honestly....I think the standards should not be lowered. This is nursing we are talking about....would you want a Nurse assisting you that had trouble getting their degree? How about lowering the pass/fail requirements for doctors? Think that would also be a good idea? Nope....I gotta disagree with you on this one. A potential Nurse should know his/her stuff and if she/he can't make the grades then perhaps nursing just isn't the right field for them.

That isn't the same in all areas. I went to the unemployment office here on the Oregon coast and got nothing from them...not even a lead as to where I could take a CNA training class. In fact, the only place here on the coast that offers the training...keeps postponing it month after month. My only other options are to drive 2 hrs to Portland everyday for a month and pay $1000 for training....it is just insane. If the government really wants to correct the so called Nursing shortage...they really need to find a way to make it possible for people to actually get the training and schooling needed.

I think you are just experiencing issues because you live in an area where nurses are not a shortage yet. As for not being able to find a job...to all nursing students I suggest you look into preceptorships....it is like an internship. You can work in a hospital while in school and if you prove yourself, they will have a job waiting for you when you graduate. Also look to the rural communities...nurses are always needed in smaller towns. As with any career - new graduates have to expect that they will not get the job they want in the beginning. We all have to work our way into the job we want and climb the seniority ladder to get the Mon-Fri day jobs. My advise to pre-nursing students.....don't get discouraged!!! If you want it bad enough - you will make it - just believe in yourself and do your research.

a very good friend of mine contracted hiv last year so i have done alot of research on this disease. you can have kids that are hiv free - don't lose hope! most people these days with hiv live a normal life span and are healthy as long as they learn to eat healthy and take good care of themselves. hiv is no worse then any other auto-immune disease that can't be cured - like asthma for example. it is just something you have to learn to live with, it is not a death sentence! many, many advances have been made with this disease and it is not as bad as it was when it was first discovered. look at magic johnson! he was diagnosed years ago, yet his wife is still free of the disease and he is healthy! so my advice is be positive! yes it is a terrible diagnosis, but these days it is something that many, many people have learned to live with and you never know......i keep seeing articles all the time about possible vaccinations and treatments. everything happens for a reason ~ this will make you a stronger person if you refuse to let it control your life. that said, it is still a good idea to keep the disease to yourself and not tell anyone that doesn't need to know ~ it will just make life easier for you. hang in there and remember...think positive! :wink2:

Anyone on here that goes to Oregon Coast Community College? I'm just wrapping up my pre-req classes and will be applying to the nursing program this coming spring. Just wondering if there is anyone out there that has been thru the program already and give me some advice. I think my biggest fear at the moment is the entrance test (NET)for the program. Just what is on that test and how many questions are there? What should I be reviewing before I take the test? thanks - Kelly:nuke:

Thank you!!! You guys are awesome! I was really worried about not finding anyone to interview.

Thanks SO much for the quick response! I'm really thankful and glad I found this site!

Hi Everyone ~ I have an assignment due this Friday, it requires that I interview 2 other nursing students....problem is I just relocated a few months ago, and so far all of my classes are online. So...because I am pre-nursing I don't know anyone local in the nursing program. So I'd like to find out if anyone here would be willing to be interviewed? :nurse:The questions are simple: 1) How has being in nursing school different than what you expected? 2) What is the most challenging aspect of being a nursing student for you? 3) What is the best part about being a nursing student for you? 4) What advice would you give to pre-nursing students about what to do before entering nursing school? 5) What are your best survival tips for surviving in a nursing program?