Piglet68

I start a one year long perioperative program at Reading Hospital tomorrow. I graduated from school last December (2011) and worked LTC for six months before I got the position at Reading. Keep looking.

I am getting excited. I am starting a one year long peri-operative training program at a level 2 trauma center on Sept. 10th. The first 10 weeks are classroom with lab. It's a class of 10 students and we will rotate through all of the specialities over the next year. At the end of the year we pick which we want to do. After working the first six months out of nursing school on third shift in a rehab center it will be nice to have one patient at a time instead of 24 patients to one nurse. I could not be more excited! Hopefully things will go well. I just can't believe I got this opportunity and have no intention of blowing it.

My family lived in Athens for a number of years....you should think about Northeast Georgia Health system in Gainesville it is not very far. Just out Rt. 129 and they have made that road dual lane so it's much faster now. It's not terribly far into Lawrenceville (Gwinnett Medical Center) via Rt.316.

I had twenty years in my prior field as an injury claim adjuster/manager/nationwide trainer...you name it I did it and I made really good money. Didn't work nights or weekends or Holidays. I hated it. Now I am a nurse. Went back to nursing school part time while working full time at the age of 39. I am 43 now and an OR nurse....there will be times that you think you have made the biggest mistake of your life.....My first job out of nursing school was longterm care 3rd shift. It is not for the weak. You will need to put time in and you should expect to feel like a novice and low man in the pecking order for a long time.....if these are not appealing then nursing school is not for you...if they are then you'll be fine.

What type of nursing experience do you have? My husband and I plan to move back in a year and I am hoping to be able to find a job then. I am an OR nurse.

Agree it has been probably the most humbling experience I have ever had....very good point.

Intense....its the best way to describe it....no make that emotional....no make that amazing....than again a little scary....than again a lot of work. It's actually all of these things and more. I have a four year degree and went back to nursing school part time till clinicals started, just this past September. I was so use to being an expert in my field of work for the past 17 years. The first semester was most CNA type of work...geriatrics and rehab facilities. There was a lot of complete care and changing bed linens as well as taking vitals and med administration. The first semester was not mentally challenging with regards to the test but was with getting use to being in a medical facility for clinical. Switching it up second semester was unbelievable difficult with regards to the test but amazing clinical experiences. I had labor and delivery, medical-surgical and pediatrics. I have grown much more comfortable in the clinical setting but the tests taking really challenged me and my ego (not an expert in this field at all). I questioned why I was doing this to myself a lot this semester after every test and than I would go to clinical and come home and tell my husband..."This is exactly why I have returned to school for an RN". I have two semesters left (hopefully) I will graduate in December. It is no joke how difficult it is. Many of my classmates did not make it through this last semester. It is known as the toughest of the four clinical semester for my schools nursing program. It is often the make or break you semester. Classmates can be challenging....instructors are definitely challenging...and you may even find yourself to be your own worst enemy. However, when I am at that clinical site and I am helping my patients get better...feel more comfortable...or just listening to their concerns I know I have choosen the right field for me. Good luck and congrats!

I don't want to fail by any means. I have a prior 4 year degree....a B.A. and lots of business experience. I gave up a job making more money than I will as an R.N. because I want it.....I want it bad. The test are no joke. They are difficult and I am trying hard to change how I think. It really is about re-training how you take test and how you think. I will walk away knowing that the nurses that take care of me in the future are brillant....no doubt!

It is definitely a different way of thinking. I have a good friend who is a CNA and has been for 12 years and is truly struggling with the test but is amazing in clinical

Its applied....so no like A&P which is memory based. Honestly I am struggling this second semester of clincials but now that I am at the final and had clinical experience I "GET IT" more than in the beginning of the semester. Hoping to pass this second semester.....it is not for the meek.

You may want to consider Grandview which is in Buck's county....a little south of Allentown. Small community hospital but awesome! They have L&D as well as Peds.

You should look at Lehigh Valley Medical Center as they are a level 1 trauma center located in Allentown which is about 20 minutes from Quakertown. The plus is no city wage tax like Philly and much...much...much closer.

Do you know anyone in claims? My background is claims before nursing and we used nurse reviewers all the time. Its a really nice way to make some extra money. You do not need to travel. The files should come to you electronically. My suggestion would be to contact any local claims operations in the area and see if they are looking for a reviewer....also do not discount attorneys. They are always looking for a less expensive way to get a review. Doctors are very expensive. Do you have an LLC set up? Do you have letter head you can send out?

The "Group Dynamics Stuff" is part of nursing school. Its not enough just to do well on your exams......you need to do well in the group setting too. When you are working in the acute care setting with a team of doctors and nurses you will need to know how to function within the group....hence the reason for the group dynamics. Not sure about your school but mine requires group projects just about every semester. This semesters is a teaching learning group project. Part of the grade is how we work as a group. We have to grade each other as participants and others will grade us as a group on our presentation. Isolation will not work in my school and it will not work in the healthcare setting.

Anything that isn't nailed down. I am stress eater. Clearly working up to a test I bing....I'd like to say I was so stressed I forgot to eat but that is not my MO. So far I have gained weight. I attempted to give up caffeine but that lasted only four weeks till I had to get up at 4am for clinical.....right back to full strength.