JunebugRN28

I know this an old forum, but I'm just wondering about the quality of education at Catholic. I am new to the area, and thinking about applying for the pediatric NP program at Catholic. Any help/insight about the school would be appreciated.

Thanks for all the advice!

Thanks!

Hey everyone! Wondering if anyone has any advice about housing in the DC area. I will be working at Children's National. Is Silver Spring safe? Any suggestions for housing there? Any other suggestions? Thanks for any help!

Hey everyone! I am about to start applying to Children's and was just wondering what the shifts are like. On the website, it lists all d/n 12 hr every other weekend. Is this the case, or is there some variation? Honestly, I don't mind, but am just wondering what hours I would possibly be working if I got hired. Once you gain some seniority, is every third weekend a possibility? Also, congrats to everyone with job offers!!

I agree! If peds is where you see yourself, go for it! I knew I wanted to do peds, but started in adults (have worked on a gen med floor for about a year). I have spent most of the year looking forward to starting in peds! and I cannot wait to do so. Although I don't regret starting with adults, and have learned a lot, part of me wishes I had started in peds as a new grad. I will be starting on a peds floor in a couple of weeks, and am soo excited, but also nervous and know it will be somewhat like starting over. Good luck!

Congrats! I felt the same way after my first experience in the NICU and am hoping to get into one soon. Good luck with the rest of school! 5 weeks will go by very fast!!!

Oh do I ever feel your pain!! I was exactly where you are just about a year ago. Being a new nurse is VERY difficult at times. It is a whole new world. I have been working on a medical unit for almost a year now, with the plan to apply to NICUs once that year is up (just started applying now). Back then, I didn't know how I was going to make it, but trust me, things got a lot better. Starting any new nursing job is difficult, but it gets better with time. I don't absolutely love my job now, but I like it and I love my co-workers. I no longer dread going to work and worry about "what if this/that happens." Anyhow . . . I guess what you do depends on your situation. I would probably stick it out for at least 6 months and then start looking for NICU jobs (in some places these positions can be few and far between). If you do see a position, I would then apply. Just look into your hospitals policy for how long they want you to work there before you transfer (this will give you a better idea of how long they expect/would like you to stay at the facility). As another poster said, you really don't want to burn any bridges. You just never know what you will want/where you will want to work in the future. Good luck to you!! Remember it gets better & we have all been there!

Hi SL1011, There are actually several threads started about what people like/don't like about NICU nursing. Look in the sticky section (at the top) for some topics about why people love working in the NICU-- there are great stories in there :) Also, here is a thread about the difficult aspects of working in the NICU: https://allnurses.com/forums/f33/hardest-things-deal-nicu-301316.html Regarding your comment about probably not being able to start in certain areas as a new grad, please don't let that prevent you from trying! I thought it would be difficult to get into this area as a new grad (actually didn't think of it as a possibility), and I am currently doing a year of med surg and hoping to get into NICU after this. After reading this forum frequently, it sounds like several NICUs gladly hire new grads and I def wish I would have applied initially! I suppose it depends on the unit/part of the country. Also, you can apply for nurse internships (between your junior and senior year if you are BSN, not sure about 2 year) in specific areas. It would get your foot in the door in a NICU if you got one. Good luck!

Thanks for sharing! What an amazing story.

Who says that you aren't a nurse?!?! That is ridiculous. There are many different areas of nursing, and anyone who has said this to you is simply closed minded. Working with geriatric psych patients is incredibly challenging and, as the previous poster said, takes a special person. If you like where you are now I'd stay stick with it. You can always move to another area later AND without difficulty. Nurse managers will realize that you have gained plenty of skills during your experience on this floor (how to manage a lot of patients, working in difficult situations, and communicating with the rest of the team, to name a few). Don't let other people bring you down. If you enjoy your job, be happy about it. Sounds like you are doing a great job as an RN!! :)

Congrats Dawn!!! That sounds like a very interesting floor- I bet you will learn a LOT. So glad to hear that things are going better for you there! Good luck to you :)

Oh my goodness! That is WAY too many patients for a day shift! How are you getting assessments & vitals done, all meds passed, cares done, etc? It sounds impossible! Are there any larger hospitals close to your town you could look at? It sounds like both hospitals have staffing issues that will make things very difficult for a new grad. Good luck and let us know how everything works out.

I am a fairly new nurse, but we often have hospice/comfort care patients on my floor. In my experiences I try to feel out the family for what will help them best. I have found that many just really want to do whatever is best for their loved one at the time. I explain everything we are doing and why. I also explain what signs I am seeing and/or what to look for as someone becomes closer to death (decreased urine output, mottling, respirations, etc.). We also have some great materials that are very helpful to family members. I usually offer these first and ask if they have any questions, then go from there based on what they want to know. If they seem to want to help, I offer suggestions of what they can do to keep their loved ones comfortable. I remind them that their loved ones may be able to hear them if they would like to talk to them. I always make sure to ask them, "Is there anything I can do for you right now? And Please let us know if you need anything" We try to keep the family comfortable during these times as well, offering coffee, blankets, etc. Allowing the families to talk about memories, how they are feeling, and just being there for them is a great help. Chaplains are also a HUGE help for some families! In terms of the patient, I watch for signs of pain/discomfort/restlessness/anxiety. Our docs are usually great about ordering a good amount of prn morphine, ativan, etc. I give these as often as the pt needs them. We turn and reposition them as needed, but if the pt looks comfortable and hasn't been, we don't necessarily turn them as frequently as we would most patients. Even if the patients aren't alert I tell them everything I am doing. I just do my best to keep the patient as comfortable as possible and help them die peacefully. Although it can be heart wrenching, I have found that caring for these patients and families can be incredibly rewarding. Helping someone die peacefully and comfortably and being part of this intimate part of someone's life is an honor. The strength and love I have seen from these families is incredible. Also, I try to remember to take care of myself. Another nurse told me that it is important to grieve the death of a patient. I have found that this is true, especially when caring for a patient several shifts in a row. Obviously I won't grieve for them in the same way as a loved one, but I often have cried after a shift (or in the bathroom!). It is still the end of a life, and that is never something that is easy to deal with. Hope this helps a little :)

Hang in there!! I am pretty sure every new nurse feels overwhelmed by the fear of harming patients. Being a nurse is an incredible responsibility and when you first start and realize how big this is it can be very frightening! I just started in February and I already feel a million times better. Although at times l am still jealous of the unit secretaries, people with office jobs, waitresses, etc., etc., it is getting better! Don't get me wrong, I still am nervous about things, but I am not as paralyzed by it because I know that I WILL ask questions when I am unsure about something, even if I am afraid it will make me look stupid. I have found that almost all nurses are happy to help and often times may not know the answer themselves. Just knowing you have support and will (hopefully) have help when you need it really helps. You worked so hard to get where you are now and you owe it to yourself to give it a shot. At least stick it out a year (not sure how long you have been working!). Nursing is an incredibly rewarding career and hopefully sticking it out will be worth it. About working in critical care, I am not sure as I work on gen med floor. I can tell you that sometimes I wish my patients were monitored as closely as ICU/CCU pts, as I get worried that I will miss the signs that a patient is starting to go downhill. Trust yourself-I'm sure you are doing a great job

I agree that having a heart-to-heart with your manager and preceptor is the best thing you can do. In most situations, people truly appreciate this and may even begin to respect and trust you more for it. This must be a very difficult situation, but know you will get through it. Also, think about how much this has taught you about yourself and what you have learned for new situations. I think that it is great that you have taken a look at the situation and realized what has gone wrong on your end. It takes a strong person to be able to do that. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

I would also accept the second job. It will likely make you much happier in the long run. Plus, if you haven't started working the 1st job, it shouldn't be too big of a deal (just tell them asap). Good luck and congrats on the job!

Hey everyone! Some questions about applying for a job in the NICU . . . I will be relocating in about 9 months, and would really like to work in a NICU (just graduated in Dec. and am working with adults now). As this is still quite a ways away I was not even considering contacting NICUs in this area for at least a few more months. However, I have recently had a few people tell me that I should start networking now as this is a competitive area of nursing. Any thoughts? Also, as this is a competitive area, I am wondering what I could be doing now to help me get a job in the NICU. I did do my preceptorship clinical in a NICU in the area I will be applying, so hopefully that will help. Also, I worked at a day care center for infants-2 y.o. for almost 6 months before starting my job as a nurse . . . Finally, from what I have read, I am worried that the year experience I will have with adults on a medical unit will actually hurt my chances of getting a NICU position? Does this seem to be the case? Sorry for all the questions, I really have my heart set on the NICU and would like to do whatever I can to make this possible. Thanks for any advice!

I would recommend looking at bigger hospitals as they are likely to perform transplants. Where I work we have a few units: solid organ, which is a general floor for stable transplant patients (kidney, liver); we also have a heart and lung transplant unit (which is an ICU). Finally, there is BMT (bone marrow transplant). Also, some patients require time in the ICU before/after transplant. It seems that you get the chance to know your patients on these units and a lot of education is crucial for these patients. I am not sure how the OR works, but I am assuming that you can be an OR nurse working with the team that performs transplants. Good luck! I hope you find what you are looking for.

First, I want to say that it is awesome that you care enough about your students to seek this feedback! I am fresh out of school (graduated in Decemeber) and I can clearly remember being incredibly nervous about doing skills. Looking back I cannot believe how worried it made me! When I started my job in February, I remember being so worried, thinking I have never done this, or this, etc., etc. Luckily one of my first days on the floor I heard a nurse who had worked for almost 1.5 years saying, "I've never put in an NG, could someone help me?" That was all I needed! I realized that everyone needs some help once in a while, and the big thing is being able to ask and to realize when this is necessary (if in doubt ask, pt safety is a priority!). From that point on I began to notice nurses asking each other for advice and input all the time! Nursing is always changing and new situations always arise. None of us will ever be prepared for every situation, but we need to know our resources and when/how to ask for help. With that being said, here are some things I would have liked to have practiced more in nursing school: -giving report (as someone said). It is sometimes hard for me to know when I am saying too much, not enough, etc. -Also, practicing setting up my "brains" for the day would have been good. It has taken me a while to figure out what really works for me. -Another key thing is learning to prioritize. In nursing school we really did not need to prioritze care for several patients. Knowing what needs to be done now and what can wait is one of the most crucial parts of being a safe nurse, IMO. Sometimes it is easy to get caught up with the tasks that need to be done. -Also, telling students about time saving tips you have learned through your experiences is so helpful. I still think of a couple of my professors whenever I use these tricks. One example of a suggestion I have rememberd to use is to keep a couple of syringes in your pocket incase there is air in the IV line that you want to pull out (those pumps are always beeping!). At the same time, I think it is important to remember that all of these things take time and experience and that there is no way to avoid feeling overwhelmed and frustrated at times! Good luck with your students!

Hey everyone! First I just want to say I am so happy I found this site! It looks like a great place to get and give support and advice from other nurses. I could use some advice about how long I should stay at my current job . . . I just graduated this past December and have been working now for about three months. I work at a well respected hospital which treats its employees very well, but I am just not happy with the unit I am on (med-surg, mostly geriatric patients and have realized that I have a passion for peds). Also, I am not from the area, and I have realized more and more that I would prefer to live where I grew up (where all my family is and where I have many more friends). There are also several good hospitals in the area. "Home" is only about 1.5 hours away from here, but enough that I feek homesick for it. I have begun dreading going to work at times, and I am trying to be positive, but I have just realized more and more that it isn't right for me. I am just not happy with where I am at. I really respect my nurse manager and preceptors, and therefore I know I will stick it out at least 6 months, but I am wondering if most hospitals expect you to stay a year, or if you can usually leave beforehand in good standing? You have to wait at least a year before transferring to another unit, so would that mean they expect me to stay a year? Also, is this just part of the transition of being a new RN, and would it be in my best interests to stick it out? Thanks for any advice!