KT17

I don't know about other hospitals, but my unit doesn't really hire ADNs any more. You may want to invest the time and money into doing a bridge program for your BSN. Is tuition assistance offered at your hospital? I would also see if you can arrange to speak with or meet the nurse manager for the NICU in your current hospital to let them know you're interested in working with them so they will keep you in mind. Also, in my unit we put anyone not experienced in the NICU through our new grad training program and the person that hires for that is different than the unit manager...maybe try to find out who is in charge of training new grads? Just a few thoughts...good luck to you!

Our delivery team uses a hanging travel toiletry bag like you suggested...but I'm guessing they're kind of old and I have no idea what brand they are. They fold up pretty small (in thirds I think) and they just loop a stethoscope around the hanger and everything else fits inside.

We string a few poseys together (the pulse ox covers) and wrap them around the head, but only if the kiddo seems to need it.

I'm not an experienced nurse by any means...but I just finished a new grad orientation in the NICU in November and I can tell you that's exactly how I felt, and still feel sometimes. I'll let others give advice but I just wanted you to know you're not alone :).

I'm not sure this will be helpful, but my first thought was that you could turn it around and talk about how important it is to take care of ourselves so that we can then care for others. You could discuss techniques for stress reduction, work-life balance, etc. I'm not sure how much new information is out there, but at least the staff can't argue against taking care of themselves :).

I did not take a review course (I hate the idea of paying extra money to pass a test on something I went to school for!). I took the ATI comprehensive predictor four days before I took the NCLEX and got a 99% chance of passing. I passed in 75 questions and I didn't really study much. Hope that helps!

Hi Everyone, I just wanted to drop a note for some of those that are getting discouraged. At Sharp the process is very much driven by the hiring managers of the individual units. Each unit will have their own timeline and just because you haven't received a call yet does not mean you're out of the running. During the last round of new grad applications we received emails that said we would get a call by a certain date if we were still being considered. Well, a friend of mine received a call for an interview several weeks after that deadline. I wouldn't start jumping to conclusions just yet. Good luck to everyone! KT

I was hoping some of you L&D nurses and CNMs might be able to help me out. My cousin (who is not a medical professional) recently found out that she is pregnant and would very much like to have a natural delivery. She will be moving to a small town next month and may not have access to a midwife and her choices for an OB may be somewhat limited. She has asked me how she can avoid being pressured into unnecessary interventions, and I was hoping that someone might be able to recommend a book or website that focuses on how to achieve a natural childbirth in the hospital environment. I feel like her best bet is to educate herself, but I don't want her to go google crazy and find herself taking advice from a less than reputable website. Any help is greatly appreciated!

I just finished OU's San Diego program and I haven't heard anything about a cohort in LV. I just googled it and it looks like they have a campus in LV on an air force base and they only offer certain master's degrees (none of them in nursing). It sucks that all the programs have different prerequisites and I totally understand your frustration, but I'm not sure I'd be in such a hurry to get done with school...the job market is awful right now! I would just keep plugging away at your prereqs and hopefully you'll get in soon. Good luck!

Hi everyone :) I applied to Grossmont NICU and PCU...has anyone heard anything from these units? I'm getting more concerned every day that I don't hear anything!

Thanks guys! I found one or two that I was interested in, but I was kind of worried about the formatting. I've heard that sometimes textbooks aren't good to read on a kindle because the formatting isn't right, so I was wondering if anyone had bought one and whether or not they liked it.

I'm wondering if anyone has used the kindle version of an NCLEX Q&A book. I just bought a Kindle and will be taking the NCLEX in January. I plan on buying a hard copy of a review book, but I thought it would be nice to have something more portable to do practice questions with. Any thoughts? Thanks! KT

I'm sorry, I also don't really have any advice but I can sympathize. I'm fair skinned and blush bright red at the drop of a hat, usually when there is any kind of attention focused on me and sometimes even when I'm not feeling embarrassed. It definitely doesn't help when someone asks "why are you so red?" (OT - has anyone ever said something along the lines of "thank you for drawing attention to it...now it will get worse"?) As far as looking less professional or confident, I think the best thing to do is focus on making your speech and conduct professional and confident. I think you'll become more comfortable with time and will find yourself blushing a lot less...I know it's very embarrassing in the meantime though!

I'm in an accelerated program right now and generally the only time I don't get 8 hours of sleep is the night before an exam (because I study best under pressure so it's my own fault) and the night before a clinical (only because we have to get up so early and I have trouble falling asleep before 10). I also work 1-2 days a week and am pulling As so far (but I don't have a spouse or children and the obligations that come with that). If I need to I take naps and caffeine is a necessity :). None of my friends from school seem to be depriving themselves of sleep regularly either, so I definitely think it's possible to do an accelerated program and not kill yourself!

I'm glad you asked this question because I was wondering the same thing! I've been debating whether or not to ask for an SICU or a NICU placement (although nothing's guaranteed). My concern isn't really about passing the NCLEX though, it's more about whether or not it will hold me back when applying for jobs. I would love to get a new grad job in the NICU but I also need to be realistic about the current job market...does anyone think a preceptorship in the NICU would limit me when applying for jobs? I don't mean to hijack your thread, just looking for more input :).

One of my thoughts when deciding between an accelerated bachelor's and an entry level masters was that the hospitals in my area pay a differential for nurses with a masters degree...so if someone is looking at two applicants, one new grad BSN and one new grad MSN (all other things equal), they may be more likely to hire the BSN because it would be more cost efficient. I'm not sure how my logic plays out in the real world though.

I'm in the University of Oklahoma satellite program in San Diego...however they are pulling out and San Diego State is taking over as of this summer.

I'm in an online accelerated BSN program right now, and while it's definitely a lot of work there are several moms and dads in the program that are doing just fine. I believe they all have good support systems in place though. I actually really like the flexibility of doing the work online in my own time, but you do have to be organized and self-disciplined...as well as able to teach yourself to a certain extent. We are required to complete clinical hours in the hospital setting, and the minimum number of hours is determined by the state BRN so it will depend on where you go to school. We don't have any real choice about when our clinicals and lab classes are but the rest we can fit into our schedules. Good luck if you decide to go for it! I don't have any info about applying for jobs because I'm just finishing up second semester, but I heart it's rough out there right now.

You will be eligible for federal loans but not public grants. You can search for scholarships that don't exclude second degree students, and you may receive financial aid from your school. There's also private loans as well, although they usually have higher/variable interest rates. Good luck to you!

Just to add a little bit of clarification...you are eligible for federal loans (up to a certain amount per semester), but not grants. I haven't had a ton of luck with scholarships, but you may be able to find some that don't exclude second degree students. Good luck to you! I'm a second semester student in a 14 month program and it's crazy busy but I'm enjoying it :).

I don't have any experience with either school, but it's my understanding that Kaplan is not an accredited program. This may be a problem if you ever want or need to work outside of California or if you want to go on for a higher degree. Just something to consider!

I'm currently in the second semester of an ABSN program, and I agree with one of the other posters that it's not necessarily the quantity of material that you have to learn, its the amount of busy work there is to do! I'm enjoying myself and my family and friends are very supportive, which is so important! Make sure you do make an effort to set aside time to have fun because you'll definitely need time away from all of the studying and a way to destress. Also, if you haven't already done so I would try and find a volunteer position for this summer so that you'll become familiar with the hospital environment (sights, sounds, and smells!) and start learning the language. I got a job in a hospital while I was doing prereqs and even though I wasn't part of the clinical staff I was exposed to all kinds of terms and abbreviations and acronyms. If I didn't know what something was I always looked it up, and it has defnitely helped. One more thing...don't let anyone intimidate you! During orientation we kept hearing from faculty, administration, and students in the program that it was going to be incredibly difficult and that we wouldn't have a life at all, etc. It really hasn't been that bad (and I'm getting A's and high B's so far). Just go in with an open mind and the atitude that you can do it. Good luck to you! KT

I looked into Azusa Pacific's accelerated program in San Diego almost a year ago and at the time they weren't requiring that all prereqs be completed before applying. I don't know if they've changed their policy since then but it might be worth looking into.

I also think that this is a decision the two of you need to make together. I will say that I am taking pathophysiology and pharmacology online as part of my BSN program and it's tough to teach this stuff to yourself! I much prefer the lecture environment to online, but that's just a matter of preference. It is doable though, and it sounds like if you were able to work part time then both you and your husband might have a little bit more balance in your lives. I think it comes down to what kind of sacrifices each of you are willing to make. Best of luck to you!

I agree that CNA training would be the most beneficial but I began working as a registration clerk in the ER before nursing school and it has definitely benefited me. I came from a corporate background and it was the only type of in-hospital position I could get. It does pay better than a CNA position, but if you can come up with the money for the CNA course I would do it. Good luck!