jgreenlady

Hello, I haven't posted for a while, but had to give my comment on this. I was truly blessed in student loan repayment. I work in Memphis, TN, Methodist Hospital system, & been there 1 year now. They have a new grad benefit that will pay up to $250. a month for up to maximum of 8,000 in 3 years toward your student loan with NO commitment. Except that if you quit, then the payments stop. I went to a junior college, only borrowed $7500, so this will completely pay off my loan. I love it and don't feel trapped because I can move to another area of hospital and still keep the benefit. Or, if I just have to, I can leave with no obligation other than to pick up my own loan payments myself from that point.

I am 46 and have been an RN since June 10, and have about 5 weeks clinical experience. I can understand how you feel. There are some days I get a knot in my stomach just thinking about my next day at work. Sometimes I feel so dumb. I have to pray get the strength to make myself go. I work 3 twelve hour days. However, I am blessed to work in a large teaching hospital in a step-down unit with solid organ transplant patients mostly, so the ratio is 4 to 1, although not all are immediate post transplant. We also get some overflow from other areas of the hospital. This gives a good med-surg. experience without the "extreme" stress of 6 to 8 patients. I have a great preceptor & will receive 400 hours clinical orientation. I felt that I knew me! I couldn't have taken regular med-surg starting out. I really feel blessed and I'm going to stick this out. I'm learning more and more every day, and there is that every once in a while moment that I do something really well and I know I will be a great nurse. Hang in there, your ideal job is out there waiting on you. The world needs more caring nurses like you.

This thread was just what I needed. I have some of the same feelings. I'm 46 and have been working about 1 month as a nurse. I feel like I am expected to know more & catch on faster since I am not a young new nurse. I think I may actually be slower in performing(Procedures etc.) due to my life experiences and realizing the seriousness of my job. I hope I will gain confidence after a while. I know I still love nursing and I am willing to work hard to improve my skills. Please be patient with me! Love to all the newbies

HI, Graduated 5/13, Passed Boards 6/09 w/75 questions(ya-hoo) I've completed about 5 weeks of clinical orientation, so I'm about half way through. I work at a large teaching hospital in Memphis, TN in a solid organ transplant stepdown unit (7a -7p) 3days weekly. I always made A's in nursing school, but clinicals was somewhat my weak area so I realized it would be a hard road to competence and confidence for me. I feel I have a lot of knowledge in my head, but when trying to think and respond fast I sometimes have a problem. I find myself second guessing. I chose my particular unit because I knew the ratio is usually 4 to 1(and 1 to 1 when you have a "new" kidney) I hoped this would give me a chance to get my feet wet without drowning. I am up to taking 3 patients now. We also get enough med-surg patients, such as past transplant patients with say, pneumonia etc. so you get a good mix of experiences. I have days when I feel like my stomach is just knotted up when I am going to (or leaving) work. But there are also good days. I have been blessed to have a good preceptor and mostly positive co-workers that are willing to answer any questions and admittedly I ask some dumb ones sometimes. But I would rather ask than risk hurting a patient. To my fellow new nurses, hang in there! I hope we can all look back on this time and laugh a few years from now. Judy

HI, I've completed about 5 weeks of clinical orientation, so I'm about half way through. I work at a large teaching hospital in Memphis, TN in a solid organ transplant stepdown unit (7a -7p) 3days weekly. I always made A's in nursing school, but clinicals was somewhat my weak area so I realized it would be a hard road to competence and confidence for me. I feel I have a lot of knowledge in my head, but when trying to think and respond fast I sometimes have a problem. I find myself second guessing. I chose my particular unit because I knew the ratio is usually 4 to 1(and 1 to 1 when you have a "new" kidney) I hoped this would give me a chance to get my feet wet without drowning. I am up to taking 3 patients now. We also get enough med-surg patients, such as past transplant patients with say, pneumonia etc. so you get a good mix of experiences. I too have days when I feel like my stomach is just knotted up when I am going to (or leaving) work. But there are also good days. I have been blessed to have a good preceptor and mostly positive co-workers that are willing to answer any questions and admittedly I ask some dumb ones sometimes. But I would rather ask than risk hurting a patient. To my fellow new nurses, hang in there! I hope we can all look back on this time and laugh a few years from now. Judy

Hello, I PASSED also. Took NCLEX Thursday 6/09. Didn't believe it would be on State BON website until Monday, but I looked on Saturday, and there it was "PASS". Great feeling. Nothing like it. Best to all of you still waiting. JGreenlady

Thanks, and Congratulations to all graduates. Its been a long time coming. We had pinning 5/12 and graduation is today 5/13. Review class for NCLEX next week. I'm trying to actually "mellow out" completely this weekend but its hard after SO MUCH constant studying. I feel I should be doing something. I keep telling myself REST, REST, you deserve it. Hope everyone takes it easy for a few days at least. THEN on to NCLEX! :balloons:

Hi, I'm about to graduate also (May 13). I will be taking a accepting a graduate nurse position in a hospital that is offering really good benefits for new grads(loan repay etc) with no contract. I'm going to start on a stepdown floor for solid organ transplant patients. I consider this an excellent opportunity and this is an area I love. Even though Med/Surg is often suggested as a good starting point, Med/Surg really scares me from what I saw in clinicals. I felt if I started in that area I would end up hating nursing and quitting. I was at a small hospital that sometimes had 8 to 1 ratios. With me, sometimes the two patients I had made it really tough to get everything done. Of course we were doing full care, with baths, linen changes etc. I'm hoping even with the critical nature of transplant patients, at 4 to 1 I will get a chance to get my bearings in nursing and start to feel more confident. They have promised a good preceptorship. Best to you, jgreenlady

Hi, Just thought I'd say Hello. It's hard to find Arkansas Nurses and Students on the board and its seems we're in "the same neck of the woods". I'm currently second semester at Arkansas Northeastern College(good ole MCCC). Maybe we could personal message sometime in the future. jgreenlady

Ditto to that RN2be, I will be entering a ADN program Aug 18 that has a reputation as being very tough, has a high NCLEX pass rate and known for turning out good RNs. I feel proud to have been accepted. I know I will have to work hard, but I believe if I do I will be a competent, qualified RN. I wouldn't want it any other way. Keeping my eye on the Prize!:) Judy

Thanks, Mithrah I'm going to take your advice about the NCLEX review book. I had always thought it was something you started reading near end of program just to prepare for boards, but it does make since to use this tool all along. I'll post to let you know if this helps me. Judy("I'm new") RN(ADN) 2005