almostfearless

Hey there! Yes, you can get an ED position without ED hours, though a preceptorship in the ED tends to be a helpful shoe in just because they know a little about you. I precepted in an ER, though, and did not get a position there. They liked me just fine, but had no available positions. I am no help on the "Where to practice" issue- I'm in Alabama and had no intentions of relocating after, so I'm still in Alabama. =) As for how soon? I precepted a guy just recently who already had a job by the time he got to me, so sending out applications and resumes during the final semester of your school is not a bad idea. You CAN be hired on contingency of having passed the NCLEX within a certain timeframe, and if for some reason you do not pass, depending on your unit's needs, you may just need to take a tech/PCA position until you've passed. I elected not to go that route because I had terrible self esteem and was unsure of if I would pass, so waited until I knew for sure. Obviously, I did pass. =) Don't stay whetted to the idea of "only an ED" though, because you may not get your first choice of job. I swore I'd never work med surg, and then my first offer was just that. I got a LOT of experience and strengthened my knowledge base that way though. Good luck!

There are so many reasons that this is bull--- I eat well, am a constant member of Weight Watchers to make sure that I'm eating well, am a gym rat, used to play roller derby (so tons of cardio as well as drills that ensure flexibility and strength), and try to maintain that level of athleticism. And guess what? I am fat. I am 5'4" and 230pounds, which is more than I want to be, but my goal weight is 200- which still puts me as obese. I am heavily muscled, and do a lot of weight lifting. I have coworkers that are tiny and skinny and healthy looking who tell me how in awe they are of how much I do in the gym and how active I am at work, and wow you eat such healthy foods. SO, SO many reasons that a person's weight cannot be a marker of their overall health. It's disappointing to continue seeing this kind of talk, despite many, many studies that have shown that weight is a poor indicator of health and healthy behaviours.