sd-ace

Try volunteering at a hospital. That way you can ask the nurses questions, help out with patient requests, etc. Typically, privacy policies may prohibit you from shadowing, but volunteering once a week is a great way to build your resume and immerse yourself into the environment.

I'll take it one step further and suggest you look into schools who have contracts with hospitals for employment since that is your ultimate goal as an RN. Many hospitals have support systems in place for new grad RN's and networking with hiring managers as a student is always a good idea. It's admirable that as a junior in high school you are thinking so far ahead, but things change. Currently with our economy, employment for RN's is minimal especially new grads. It's a challenging field. Try volunteering at your local hospital for a few months to get used to the hospital environment.

I would definitely NOT tell the hiring manager your situation. You need to present yourself to each job as if that is the one you want wholeheartedly. I totally agree with not.done.yet in this situation. Definitely take the position and go from there. You could wind up with no job offer, so consider yourself extremely lucky that you have one.

No problem! I just wish I had somebody to explain things to me at the time. Had to figure everything out with the help of my classmates. Yes, I agree about forming relationships while volunteering. Working part time for the hospital is even better if you can swing it. My hospital gave some preferential treatment to volunteers and employees by screening those application first before the outside which helps a lot. Kaiser is notorious for internal hires and they encourage education beyond RN licensure. They like to retain their talent. Nursing school is a long journey, but if you are committed it will be rewarding in many ways. Best of luck to you!

Definitely do the BSN. There are a lot of hospitals that require a BSN because the pool of applicants is so large. Also, with a lot of hospitals seeking magnet status, all nurses are encouraged to obtain their BSN if they don't already have one. That is great that you volunteer. I volunteered at my current hospital and even work on the same floor now. Great way to network. The good thing about NU unlike other schools is that you can focus on one subject at a time instead of taking a full load of classes like a state school. I really liked having only peds or OB to study at a time. Because the curriculum has changed at NU, I believe you are required to take the ATI tests each class for a passing grade. If you already have a degree, you can sit for the NCLEX RN license exam after you complete you core nursing classes (before actually graduating with the BSN). If you don't have a bachelor's already, you should def. sit for the exam after graduating. I went NU in San Diego so I'm not too familiar with the LA program. Good luck!

Hi there. I went to NU, but I didn't have to take the TEAS to enter the program. I started in 2009 and there was little competition then for entry. I have a BS degree from SDSU and worked in a related field for nearly 10 years before starting my journey into nursing. The program was extremely unorganized in some areas and ok in others. Clinical times and dates were always changing enabling staff to use the "nurses have to be flexible" adage over and over again. Back then, ATI was just a supplement to the classes and we took a test at the end of each final for extra credit based on score. I'm hearing now that the ATI is a requirement for passing each class. It was changed because the NCLEX passing rate was so low. Also, most of the clinical and lecture instructors were fantastic with the exception of a few...this is the case for any school though. Clinicals are held all over San Diego which is a plus. Students are exposed to different hospital systems. I chose the "night" cohort which worked out great for family time and I preferred the two 12 hour days a week clinicals as opposed to 3 or 4 eight hour days at a different school. I think the worst part was the fact that NU doesn't provide a preceptorship as part of their curriculum. This is a great disservice to students esp. when we pay so much for the program. When I was there, NU contracted through Southwestern to take a class that enabled students to find "preceptorships" on their own. It was discontinued though during my class. Not sure if anything else was started after that. For any NU students, I would definitely encourage finding a job working as a tech or NA while in school. At least you are able to network and already work for a potential employer. It's one foot through the door. Most of the students from my class found full time work in hospitals by doing this, but this was over a year ago. I've heard that NU students are viewed as being more mature and hard workers (most of us were older with second degrees), but the managers who hired me specifically mentioned that they know NU students don't have a preceptorships and they tend to shy away from these applications. I felt somewhat prepared for "real life" after attending NU, but no school can prepare you for the idiosyncrasies of daily bed side nursing no matter what. Now that competition is so fierce for jobs, getting in and out of a BSN program quickly is key, but you must maintain a very high GPA (3.6 or above) because employers are looking at that as a source of weeding out applicants. Studying 4-5 hours a night is a must and yes, sometimes it feels like short term memory commitment, but you do what you have to. It would be highly impossible to work full time while attending NU. Your grades will suffer as well as other aspects of your life. The program is just way too intense.

Great advice! That sounds so familiar to my situation and it sounds like I could have written it. If you do land an interview, I would definitely recommend walking a hand written thank you card to each person you interviewed with the very next morning. I was able to get not one, but two new grad positions by doing this. It shows how truly dedicated and thoughtful you are. It might set you apart from others. Also, my particular program is really into looking for new grads who are assertive and who have confidence without being confrontational or rude. Show how you are part of a team even though a lot of bedside nursing is independent. We do rely on our docs and co-workers to get us through the day as well as patient family members. Talk about how your management of patients relies heavily on family centered care. Also, definitely think of questions for the interviewees that are thoughtful and intelligent. What education do they offer for professional development? What kind of support system is offered to new grads? Mentors and preceptors? Never ask about benefits or pay during an interview.

I think it's good to "listen" to people, but apply for positions anyways. A lot of nurses, esp. new grads are way overconfident about themselves and their qualifications so it's good to get a fresh perspective on how things really are as opposed to how one might perceive things. I sure wish I had read the comments on this board while I was in school. I think I might have had a less hard time finding a job or at least had a firm grasp on reality and not take things so personally like I did (like beat myself up for not getting a job when it came down to numbers and the fact that most positions were already allotted to internal applicants).

Totally agree with the above. Take any type of nursing job that you can in the meanwhile. I worked part time for a physician's office doing shots, appts, checking patients in, etc. I volunteered at my current hospital for 6 months and networked my butt off. Nursing is also my second career with two BS degrees, so it helped to have professionalism and assertiveness on my side. My hiring manager told me that my previous experience was what landed me the position as well as my professionalism. The hospital is into hiring new grads who can be assertive and know how to talk with physicians (stand their ground, advocate for pts) as well as handle the workload working with people from all walks of life. It also took me nearly a year to find my new grad position (hundereds of applications, 6 new grad interviews). I also walked my resume into hiring managers offices and was able to get meetings through friends who already were working. By the way, working for an institution as a tech or assisstant before getting hired is the way to go in my opinion. Most of my friends from school found their jobs this way. Get as many certs as you can without overdoing it. I had my BLS and ACLS. I've been told by friends that it's not a good idea to apply for a med-surg position with PALS and NRP on your resume because it shows that you are interested in peds and not entirely focused, but if you are applying for an ER position then it's fine. Show your cofidence without being too overconfident. I too found the job that was meant for me (or it found me). Good luck in your search!

Before entering the field of nursing, make sure you really understand what you are really getting into...starting out as a CNA is an excellent opportunity to get your feet wet. Also, understand that the field is highly highly competitive with the So. Cal market saturated with new grads looking for positions. Too many schools with too many new grads. I don't see the market getting any better over the next couple of years either. Just understand what you are up against and do some research before spending so much money on a private school RN program. Also, National U. does not offer preceptorships (at least they didn't in 2010 when I attended) as other schools in the area do. This makes finding a position even more difficult without this experience on your resume.

There is no shortage of nurses in So. Cal in my opinion. I work at a large facility and am getting called at least every two weeks. Census is low and paid time off is dwindling to make up for the canceled shifts. It's not going to get any better either. The jobs that are being posted are simply sitting there because managers lose that money if they don't use it. Doesn't really mean there is a position available per se even though there are "openings" listed. For example, one job has been listed for over a year, but it's renewed so that the date is reset. It was worked into the budget initially, but there really is no need to fill the position when shifts are being cancelled daily. Definitely make sure you have a signed job offer before relocating.

I agree. Don't get greedy. Be thankful that your resume is strong and recruiters/managers see your talent. That is not the case for over 50% of new grads nowadays. An interview is not a job offer, it's just an interview so who knows where that could go. Take the offer that is given because that is a sure thing.

The hospital I work for is trying to phase out the 8 hr employee. Very few are left over from an older union contract. Most shifts are 12 hrs. I have to say that 8 hour shifts in my opinion are less safe for the patient when you are combining these shifts with 12 hours. Under my contract any work past 12 hours a day is considered overtime as most hospitals in so. cal operate this way. The work week is then 36 hours total with 3 shifts.

I agree with Meriwhen. At Memorial, most if not all are BSN trained (or are in the midst of receiving their BSN through an ADN to BSN program...many with two Bachelor degrees as nursing is a second career). As hospitals move to magnet status or strive to maintain magnet status, ADN's will be heavily encouraged to gain a BSN or most new hires will already have their BSN. It's the way this profession is headed. There are just so many BSN candidates to choose from nowadays.

Yes, Sharp Memorial hires BSN's or MSN's. They are magnet status and part of that requirement is BSN educated nurses. I do know of a few recent hires who have had an ADN, but were in a BSN program at the time. Those were internal candidates though. If you have an ADN, I suggest enrolling in an online BSN program. There are just too many BSN's to compete with nowadays. I think Sharp Grossmont has a contract of sorts with Grossmont college for hiring ADN's from that program.