redalert7777

This is why I have gotten away from this board, all the attacking. Seriously, is that REALLY necessary?? Who really cares, if she wants to post this? Guess if people want to know something, they must first post the disclaimer that it is for personal reasons, but I'm afraid she would STILL be attacked, because you see it all the time on here.

I agree with what many of the others have said. The job market is horrible right now, just look into in thoroughly, and make sure it is something you want to do. It took me about 5.5 years, but mostly went part time. Schooling was fairly difficult, you do have to put in the time. I remember when I thought some of my pre-reqs were demanding, but by the time I was in nursing school, I just remember thinking that those were so easy compared to the demands of nursing school! Nursing school sucks, but I recently started on a med surg floor (first job!) and I LOVE it. The people where I work at are great, and I'm just really happy I stuck with it. Nursing has allowed us to live more comfortably than we were, and I can work part time, but make a good living. Because I don't want to work 40 hours a week, and still barely scrape by, and want to be able to spend time with my family, so it's the best of both worlds for me. There will be times where you will think what am I getting myself into, but if that is your passion, keep pushing. I would recommend shadowing a nurse, because many people are surprised when they get into clinicals in school. Secondly, I hate to say it, but my husband wasn't always very supportive while I was going to school. At times, he really resented it because it is so time consuming. And resentful of the fact that I would be making considerably more than him (which is not even important in my eyes, we got through this together! Would've never made it through without him, despite all the BS at times) Of course, now that I am working, he is happy Just remember, if he is not supporting you when you are just thinking about going to school, how will he be when you are in it? Just a thought... you only have one life, and if he was supportive of you, you guys will figure out a way to make it work :) Good luck!

I am taking it, and it increased my levels. Took several weeks however, which is normal to my understanding.

Mommycakes, I don't know why, but it won't let me open your file...says it's corrupt?? Is anyone else having this issue? Thanks!!

i was thinking the same thing...definitely have not been hearing about people in ca. getting jobs so quickly... 1. when did you graduate? may 2010 2. do you have a bsn or adn? adn 3. are you still looking for work? no, and yes. ;-) 4. if not, how long did it take you to find a job? four months since graduating, and 2.5 months since passing nclex. 5. if you don't mind my asking, those who are working, what type of job or floor do you work on. starting soon on a med/surg floor, per diem. so will most likely be looking for part time eventually as well. 6.) what city/state are you currently living in? near sacramento, ca.

OH man, I think THAT is one of the funniest things I've ever heard! I am crying from laughing right now!! Lmao!

A few years ago, my husband was telling MY BOSS about his shoulder injury, and instead of him saying that he tore his labrum in his shoulder, he said he had torn his labia!!! I yelled his name at him in embarrasment, and as everyone looked at me, and my bright red face, nobody in the room knew what that meant! I then explained that it is female genatalia, and my female boss said, "Oh, well you shouldn't have said anything, I had no idea what it was." Even though she had one, she didn't know it. I'm still not sure what part is funnier, what my husband said, or that she didn't know what it meant either!

I felt the same way, which is what first interested me in nursing. Just graduated in May, and like someone else mentioned, I was surprised that I actually enjoyed many other areas than I thought I would be. Still would love to work OB, but for now, I know I have to put in my dues probably doing something that wouldn't be my first choice, but that's ok. It all turns out to be experience in the end. I am planning on taking some certification classes to help the job search, and maybe eventually NRP (neonatal resuscitation) which is required in L&D. I think too, in the end, it will make me a better nurse having that experience, and then going to L&D, because like one of my instructors said, you don't know what you don't know when you're a new grad! And just my , I went through the same thing with having a young child and going back to NS, and everyday I wanted to give up, I kept reminding myself that although it may feel like I'm taking from him right now, but that I am doing it for him and his future as well :) It will all pay off, and in the end, I felt like I would be able to have more time off to be able to spend with him, rather than working a FT Mon-Fri job. And nursing gives you the flexibility to work even less days, but still make decent $, so for me, I felt like it would benefit our family and we would be able to spend more time together. Good luck to you!

I would also suggest for her to maybe shadow a nurse, I know some hospitals will do this, for her to see if this is something she would even like doing. I know, when going through nursing school, that I had encountered a few students who, even though they had thought they wanted to be nurses, once they got into clinicals, for some reason it was a shock to them what was actually required of nurses. And decided it was not something that they weren't even be interested in. After all those years of pre-reqs for nursing, just to find out it was not the direction they were wanting to go....It is a terribly difficult decision to make about one's future at any age, let alone just out of high school, in my opinion! Best of luck to her!

THANKS!! Still waiting to "officially" see my name on the BRN! Good luck, and I'm sure doing those you mentioned, even if you don't do the NCSBN, you'll be fine!

I just took mine on Thursday, and did a lot of the NCSBN questions (since they are the ones who write the questions for NCLEX!) and it helped me immensely. Getting the "good" pop up :)

CONGRATS!! I think all of us feel that way at some point or another, good luck on the job hunt!!

Thank you Tammy777!!

I have a friend who is in a similar situation, herniated disks, spinal stenosis, sciatica. She couldn't even stand for 5 minutes without being in extreme pain. The thing that she had said significantly helped her was exercising, losing weight, and in her situation, she had to take neurontin for nerve pain. The only side effect of that she mentioned was being tired at first, but I think it got better as she adjusted to the med.

Congrats on getting accepted!! For me personally, the social life really had to take a back seat, which is very difficult for some to accept at first. But you definitely have to keep your priorities straight, otherwise your grades will show it. I didn't use study groups too much, I'm very selective about who I take the time to study with, because your time becomes VERY valuable! Align yourself with the students who want to do the best, and you'll do great. Do your reading first, and then go to the study groups, I knew some people would go to the study groups to "learn", but sometimes people are throwing things out there and unless you have the basics down, you'll get more confused. Get some NCLEX books, Saunders, Lippincott's, Med Surg Success to study also, and to help in learning the rationales and how to answer the questions. Read from different sources, you can do youtube videos, make flash cards, case studies, tutoring, mind maps, & study guides to your textbooks to get a good foundation & make sure that you grasp the concepts. Some people would record lectures, & listen to them while driving to class or clinicals. For online classes, you could do that, as long as you are very self-motivated. I've never taken them, but for me, I personally would struggle with it I'd wind up on FB or something, lol. But as long as you know yourself, or if you've done online classes & been successful, then why not? What works for some people may not work for everyone. You just have to figure out your style of learning, and what works best for YOU. It is very difficult, and unlike any classes I had taken before. I remember thinking A&P or micro was hard, but this is just a WHOLE new level. You'll get it though, at first it may be a bit of a "culture shock" with the studying and what's expected, and it will be overwhelming, but just keep pushing, and don't give up (Trust me, we all have that "moment" where we feel like it!). Once I figured out the studying by the things I mentioned above, I started doing much better. I used to think that just reading the texts would be enough, but doing other things to actually implement what you've learned because you have to learn how to put it all together and apply your knowledge. Good luck, and feel free to email me if you have any more questions!!

Anyone know if they are hiring new grads? Sorry it's not going to work out for you! There are small towns around here, if you didn't want to live right in Sac....

I was about 5 months preggo with my first when I started nursing school, originally. It is more difficult than I had anticipated, loss of sleep, and just stress in general. I believe that is what caused me to have placental abruption, and my son was born at 34 weeks. If things had gone "as planned", he would have been born around Christmas break, so I would have a couple weeks off, but life usually cannot be planned :) I had an emergency c-section, he was in the NICU for 2 weeks, and had to drop out when I had almost finished the semester. To be honest with you, I have known people who have been able to do it with a GREAT support system, but after going through it, I know that I couldn't have given birth, been off a few weeks and gone back. It's such a special time when they are little, and especially with your first baby that you just cannot get back. And they are only that little once. I went back when he was about a year and a half, and it was the best decision I could have made. He's now 3.5, and it's still always hard to leave, but I remind myself that I am doing it for him and our future :) I think you'll be glad that you waited, and can enjoy and have a stress free pregnancy! Good luck to you!

Strangely enough, I just found a bunch of job postings at Travis' air force base military medical treatment facility. Hope it might work out for you :)

I agree, California is pretty tough for jobs right now. There are a TON of hospitals though within driving distance of Fairfield. You might try the LTC facilities as well, I know they are always looking, and if you have experience, you'll have a better chance hopefully than what our new grads have been facing out here....Good luck! There's lots to do here, and you're pretty close to the Bay area, Napa, Sacramento, and Tahoe, so there's always something to do or see!

I had a friend who moved out of state hoping to find a job after looking everywhere, and she is having the hardest time finding work, because a recruiter told her that they do hire home grown first. I know in my area, if I were to move away, they would just see my ADN. But staying here, my school has one of the best reputations among the nursing schools in this area, so I would have a better chance staying here. The market is pretty bad everywhere from what I can collect. Although I have read that some places in Texas are hiring...but you do have to consider the pay cut, and the ratio laws if you move to another state. I too live in California and had considered moving for a year, just for that "experience", but after weighing all of those options, figured for my situation, I better stay put, and look under every rock! As for you, single, unmarried, and no kids, if you are able to get a job somewhere, anywhere, I would probably take it, then you HAVE your experience, and you can always come back :) BUT, get the job, and then move, not the other way around...Just saying...things are tough right now! I'm in the same boat as you! Best of luck to you!

I'm graduating in 3 weeks, and I would agree with the poster who said to maybe brush up on some A&P or youtube videos. But don't go all out, like the others had said. Do get organized (home, or whatever!) because once you start, you barely have time to do anything else besides school. It's true, you can't explain it until you go through it...seriously, enjoy the time you have, because you can't really prepare for nursing school as much as you hope, and you will be desperately wishing you had taken the time off to enjoy yourself. You need this time to relax and de-stress, enjoy yourself and do the things you want that you won't be able to while in school! Good luck to you!!

I think it looks and sounds great too, and very professional. I'm working on my resume as well, but I don't really have any advice, because I think you did a great job! Good luck in the job hunt!

I understand where you are coming from. I think every nursing student I've ever talked to questions if they are on the right path, and I've been there myself, getting disenchanted. But then something will happen that will remind me why I chose to become a nurse, and why I want to help people. For me, personally, I figure, I've gone through SO much to get where I am, and am SO close to being done, and I can still pursue my other interests after I have my degree. There is so much you can do with a nursing degree, and you do have to be able to afford to survive, because like someone else had mentioned, the art and music is notoriously difficult to be prosperous in. Even if nursing is used just as a stepping stone for you to get to where you want to be, or to afford to do those things. You do have to be happy in life, but you also have to survive I've found out, to be happy as well, lol! Just my advice or two-cents :) Good luck to you!

http://www.kootenaihealth.org/ Have heard this is an awesome place to work for, daycare on site, Magnet hospital. In Couer d' Alene, in norther Idaho. Love it there!

Have you been to physical therapy or a pain clinic? I'm actually in the same boat as you...I'm in my final semester of nursing school, and recently found out my back problem worsened from just one herniated disc, to 3, and progressed to spinal stenosis as well. Up until recently, I couldn't stand for more than 5 minutes (I can walk longer), without my back swelling, and then hardly being able to walk. I'm only 29, and was getting to the point of having excruciating neurogenic pain from this. Through therapy I've learned proper body mechanics (actually, rotating is usually not recommended with lower back issues, or twisting, they told me it's better to move your whole body around), I really had to re-teach myself how I needed to move. Out here in California, at my clinical sites, they either have lift sheets, hoyer lifts, or you will call the lift team to come move the more difficult patients, so that's been good news for me. I had the same concerns, but was too far through school really to turn back, and I guess I figured that with nursing, there are SO many options, there isn't only bedside nursing. As for how I've had to manage my pain, my pain Dr. put me on an anti-epileptic, which actually treats neurogenic pain as well. There are other options, but the point is, there IS treatment out there, other than surgery. I'm not ready to go that route, because I hear that doesn't always solve the problem either. I also, like someone else has mentioned take the occasional narcotic for breakout pain, but again, I don't take it around the clock, and am not addicted to it, it doesn't affect me either because of my pain situation. To be honest, I probably have developed a tolerance and probably need a higher dose, but think that now that this other med is kicking in, I won't even need it as much, and I have more relief anyways! I've tried the lumbar epidural steroid injections, and they actually increased my pain A LOT because they took my swelling down (not sure if this is typical??) but my nerve pain was terrible when I laid down at night! I TOTALLY agree with what one other person said about strengthening your core as well, for some reason, I didn't take that to heart until recently, but I think that's the most important thing to keeping your back healthy and strong. I feel like if I had been more physically fit in the first place, maybe I wouldn't be as bad off as I am now, and I'm not really in that bad of shape, but just not strong enough. I was an NA, and doing lifting, which is how I ruined my back. My other concern, was how you mentioned you are doing full care for your parents? Is there any way through medicare or anything that you guys can get some extra help for them? Or through the state, because in your condition, it is just too much, and making your condition worse. Good luck to you, and feel free to email me, if you have any questions, or if I can be of any help to you!! Don't give up hope though, I know chronic pain can be depressing, I've had mine for 8 years, and am having relief for the FIRST time in those 8 years due to this med I'm on. Just try to seek some sort of relief, and don't give up if nursing is truly your dream!