shellpsychrn

I am a recent grad who works psych. I agree that you can not go wrong with med-surg experience. However, I say you need to go where you get hired. The market is tight right now for new grad depending on where you are. I was interested in psych, but wanted to get med-surg experience first. I did not get offered a chance to work med surg. I really like psych, it is a different kind of nursing, but I don't think it is for everyone, just like other nursing fields. It has to be a good fit. Bottom line, with a tight market be open to getting experience where you can.

I hope I run into a lot of nurses like you! Thanks for the words of encouragement.

Thanks, so much. To be honest, I am hoping that I can find something different in less than a year. This would be the perfect job for someone who had been in nursing for awhile and was looking for a change of pace, or something different. I am going to keep looking, yet remain thankful for a job. I am going to make the most of it and look for opportunties to learn. I really appreciate your input!

I also wanted to start in med/surg, but all of the area hospitals are not hiring new grads, and they have been very direct about this. I got a job in LTC as a RN supervisor. This was not my first choice, but I also needed a job. I was very frank when I got hired that I would need training. I am working part-time nights. It has been easy so far. The LPN's are great, and they are very helpful when need be. I think starting in med/surg is ideal, however you have to get hired to do so! I am staying positive. Because of the schedule, I will be going back to school. I am also going to keep looking for a job that has more patient contact. This is what I love about nursing. I think new grads have to think outside the box and be open to other opportunities. Yes these opportunities may not be ideal, but we have loans to repay.

For all those new grads who are still looking, hang in there. I started applying shortly before graduation, and continued to do so for three months after. I got one call for an interview, and one interview on the spot. I took a job after looking for three months. It was not my first choice, but I am so thankful just to have a job. I am working LTC, but I have very little contact with the residents, no charting, very little assessing. What I love most about nursing is patient care. I have made it through orientation. My question is this, is it common to continue to look for another job that fits your calling. I am not a job hopper. Prior to nursing school, I worked at my last job for 10 years. What are your thoughts on this? Thanks for your input;)

Too funny! I think if we are all honest with ourselves, we will admit that people are naturally drawn to attractive people. If that person also has an out going personality and appears confident, who would you pick. I am not saying that this is fair, I just think that this is how it is. I do believe that we all have the ability to look professional when we show up for an interview, this does not mean you have to be natural beauty, you just have to have pride in your appearance.

I think you really need to attend the lectures. He explains things that may not make sense just reading them from the workbook.

I will start my last quarter in January! I graduate in March! WOW. For those of you who are just starting, or feel like you still have a long stretch, hang in there. I am a wife with 3 kids and I have made it this far. You can do it. I can not tell you how many time I was frustrated or just so tired, I wanted to pass out. Reading a text book when you are tired is brutal. I know what that there have been times when I knew that I could not cram one more piece of information into my head, or it would explode. I cursed the laundry and making meals. Many times I wanted to feed by kids cereal and toast for super (don't judge it was cheerios and p. butter has protein) I despised making flash cards, but knew that I needed them to pass. I could not even tell you how many high liters I went through each quarter. I squeezed in a mole screening with the derm one quarter and realized I had not shaved my legs in a week, to late. :imbar You can do it, just keep going.

Anyone attend a school where ATI testing is used? What are your thoughts? Did it help you prepare for the NCLEX? Our school has changed curriculum, there is an "old" group and a "new" group. The new group had to pay for ATI. The old group, my group, paid a much smaller fee to access a more limited resoures. We can access the manuals online and we have access to the assessment test. I just want to know what your thoughts are about this resource and if it was helpful for you. Thanks!

http://www.alysion.org/dimensional/analysis.htm#problems Oops. More practice problems with answers, just keep paging down till you find what you need.

http://www.alysion.org/dimensional/daexamples.htm This link may help. What I have found is that many nursing instructors have different ways of setting up problems or with wording, but they are asking you to solve for the same thing. Practice each step and find out what you are solving for. There are certain types of problems that I have had to practice several times before it clicked for me. Once you figure out what it is that you are solving for, it is so much easier. Break the problem up. I know it is confusing, but I hope this helps. I do not use dimensional but by looking at the problems on this link, I was able to figure out what I was solving for.

100-92 A 91-85 B 84-80 C This is the scale for the nursing program. There are no + or - grades. So when I get a 90 or a 91 I want to scream. If I get an 85 I am happy, but that is still to close to a C for comfort. When you have a nursing course that is 8 credit hours, a C can really bring down your GPA. However, at this point I am so close to being done, that getting across the finish line is the goal.

That is good to know. I agree, I think the two year program is insane. Two quarter to go!!! I know I will go forward with me ed, but I think I will take a year to focuss on nursing.

Thanks so much that was helpful info!

I need to have my head examined! I have two quarters left of my ADN program. My plan is to get a job, wait a few months, and then get started on my BSN. I have looked at a couple of programs. My question is, for those of you who have done this, how hard is the BSN program. Is it as intense as the two year? I would like to know what to be prepared for. The program I am looking at is four quarters long, but there are also general education requirments to meet as well. Any feed back would be so appreciated. Thanks!!

Thanks everyone. Honestly, it just helps to know that I am not alone in what I am feeling. Happy summer!!!

Hello everyone, this is my first post. I have been lurking for sometime and finally decided to register and post. I just finished my first year of nursing school (2 yr program). I have 3 quarters to go. Originally we were to have summer quarter off, but the school offered courses. This bumped by grad date from June of 09 to March of 09. I start classes tomorrow and I am dreading it. I have done well so far, I think I am just dreading the amount of work ahead of me. Do any of you have tricks to stay motivated? Any suggestions or words of encouragement? I think I will be fine once the quarter starts, but I am just dragging. For the first time ever I did not read anything assigned for the next quarter. Granted, the instructor did not email, but always check out the last previous syllabus posted on line and try to read ahead. I needed the week to get my house clean and laundry caught up. Just three more quarters, ugh:crying2: