whatshername

Wanting to understand shift assignments a little better, and I'm left confused. I've been an RN for 6 months now. When I was a student in all my clinicals, the charge nurse from the shift PRIOR would assign the oncoming nurses to patients. Where I work now, the current charge nurse makes the shift assignment for us. Since I have the least seniority, they 'dump' on me with difficult (psych issues), or high acuity patients that they don't want. (it's a very tight knit group of nurses, and I'm still on the outside of the circle of trust) I think they see it as a 'rite of passage' or something, but this is so discouraging. How do your units assign nurses to patients? Am I silently grumbling for nothing?

UHS is currently offering a 'no benefit option' which increases the base salary by 25%. So if your health/dental insurance is covered by your spouse and you don't need benefits, it's a really great bonus. New grads are offered $21.50. (adding 5.38 w/ no benefit option). Night differentials are $3.00, too.

I would love to hear from seasoned nurses out there; I'll be graduating in Dec. with my accelerated BSN. Like most others, I decided to pursue a new career in nursing because I could help people, and impart a little of my sunshine in their day. (yes, completely Polly-Anna, I know now) and I love science and medicine, and am a symptom sleuth. So what has nursing school taught me? That it is TOUGH to go through a day without wanting to vent - or cry in the linen closet alone. Nurses take the brunt of matters A LOT! There are rude doctors, who are quite arrogant, and rude patients who drop garbage on the floor and then ask me to pick it up. But what bothers me the most is how unkind RNs can be to one another. Why in the world is this? And WHY are they so unwilling to impart advice to a new student? So my burning question is what area/specialty is it easier to get through a day without a run-in with the unhappy camper crowds? I'm not looking for love, I'm looking for professionalism and respect. I thought the OR might be the answer, but surgeons are quite difficult and irritable. My clinicals in OB seemed like all the estrogen in the air made too many Jekyll/Hydes. Maybe Peds? General Med/Surg? Or is it really about the team that you work with and not the specialty?

Hi All, My husband is being offered a position on the North side of Chicago (northfield) and we know NOTHING about IL. (currently live in St. Louis). So it looks like we are moving. I'm hoping you all might be able to give me advice (please!). I graduate in December - so he'll move before the kids and I. What are job prospects like for new nursing grads? Are some areas/suburbs/hospitals better places to be than others job-wise? We would like a community with a great school district, too. We're okay with a commute - just hopefully not longer than 30 or so minutes I'm just feeling overwhelmed right now, and the accelerated program I'm in is so demanding. Yes, I feel like crying! Your input is very appreciated!

I'm a student and I'm really enjoying my clinical in Women's Health/OB! Awesome specialty! Could someone please explain the difference between a Certified Nurse Midwife and a Women's Health NP? Does a CNM only do OB, does WHNP focus more on gyn? Who can deliver babies? thanks!

We have been given a difficult assignment, and I'm stumped. I would really appreciate any help! An APA formatted paper about an 'Ethical Situation encountered in Clinical'. An ethical principle must be addressed such as futility, beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy or justice. Our clinical instructor said that since we may have not had an actual ethical situation occur, we may 'creatively alter' a situation to make it fit. I STILL don't really have a topic! Our clinical is on a cardiac step-down floor. Lots of very sick, and mostly elderly patients. So stumped. Any hints or suggestions for a situation to write on would be really appreciated!!!

I'm currently in my second semester of the Accelerated BSN program. Regarding advisors, the school is very lacking in this regard. We have one advisor assigned to 170 students, who is very hands-off with all of us. I had many questions prior to beginning, and he sent me a one-line email stating 'I don't know'. (NOT helpful) There is also NO career counselor at the college. Any career questions we have, we are pretty much left hanging. Clinical areas are general med/surg, OB, Psych, Peds. These are the only specialty areas in the first two semesters. For your final capstone preceptorship you have very little control over where you will be assigned. A lot is grades ranked against your classmates, and openings of slots for students. MOST students end up in a med/surg area. I've got two school-aged children and I'm happy I waited until they were both in school full time to begin this program. It is so intense, and I feel so guilty for not being able to be as involved with them as I wish I could. It's very hard to maintain my grades/keep up with classwork and be a wife and mother. It's all about time management. (and trying to remember that this will be done in just one year!) Each semester there seems to be one good professor. The other three/four are fine. Some of the clinical instructors just should not be teaching. Hope that helps. Good luck to you!

Nakeia, that totally helped! Thank you!!!

April, this is just MY experience... I'm in an Accelerated BSN program (due to graduate in Dec) I had the dream of becoming a nurse since 1998. I waited until my youngest child was in school fulltime (Kdg) before entering the program. The demands of school would simply not work with my families needs until now. I'm glad I waited.

I'll be graduating w/ my BSN in December. Should I begin the process of requesting recommendation letters from my professors now? Do employers want general letters, or do I need to request a specific letter from my references for each job I apply to? (god, I hope that's not the case) You advice is appreciated. :nuke: Thanks!

I'm currently in my second semester in Barnes' Accelerated BSN program. Best advice I can give, is that these prereqs will be vital to your learning in NS. Don't sell back your books, or try to brush the info out of your head () after the course is over. We've returned to these basics over and over again. As grumbly as I was about taking Growth and Development for example, it has served me well. Also, unlike what the poster previously had stated, your success and understanding of this material IS vital to your success. There have been many studies done on NS students - and their GPAs in science-related prerequisites are absolutely correlated to their grades later in Nursing School. Hence, the college will eventually be changing their GPA requirements (currently a 3.2) to have previous Science course grades weighted much more heavily in admission considerations.

CAguyinMO and LittleDoe, It is odd, isn't it, that BJC accelerated doesn't require Chem? (I'll see you in Jan, CAguy.) The upper division at BJC DOES require chem. And from what I understand it also requires Econ of all things! To the original poster, I think if you don't directly take a chemistry class, you are still going to be bombarded with chemistry concepts. Everything from A&P to Nutrition, to Micro... there is a lot of chemistry in these courses. A basic understanding is a great thing to have mastered. Good luck to you.

I have the same situation as Little Doe. I also live in St. Charles and my youngest just started Kindergarten. Taking pre-reqs right now at SCC, and set to begin BJC accelerated in Jan. Fairly new to Missouri, so I'm looking forward to insight on the job prospects here. Nice to (virtually) meet you all!

Hi All, Just found this site - awesome forum! I'm starting at BJC in Jan '09 with their accelerated program. Is anyone else out there starting in Jan? Are there any grads of the accelerated program, or those going through it now that can give insight? Do we get any requests for our clinicals? (i.e. I'd like to experience the ER and OB) Very excited to become a part of this amazing community of nurses.