misava

for a minute i thought you were talking about my floor :-) except we only ever have one aid at night! (if we are lucky). I guess because we are the pre/post-cath floor most of our patients are supposed to be independent after bedrest? news to us! we also get the afib/CHF/detox/overflow. To be fair we have a few more experienced nurses, but the problem was that it was a very stable floor with lots of long term employees, but then a lot of them moved/retired within a year or two! staffing is getting better even within the year i've been there (not the one aid at night though)

Well not sure who you are asking, but I'm still on orientation :) but as I've learned from my other job - Other nurses don't disappear once you're "on your own"! (ie if you need advice/help ask!) So far I'm enjoying the floor I'm on - nice people, though busy!

Hi! I haven't posted that much, but I am excited to start my job at the cardiovascular care unit! I've been working three years at a SNF, on a Vent/trach unit so this is quite a switch! I'm the first week into it, but just classroom stuff so far :) No specific questions or advice so far, I've been reading on this board a bit! any wishes of good luck would be appreciated :)

i think the question is more has anyone never had a doctor mad at them! there's this one doctor that is always ****** off if we call him in the night if it's not a life threatening emergency, even if it's something that needs to be addressed then! ie "look at the clock and tell me what time it is" though i also never see them face to face so they don't really know who i am! I have also been lectured by the NP at our place a few times! live and learn.

Wow, 5 days out to my orientation in a skilled nursing facility of three months. I can't imagine being on my own yet. good luck, and if you don't feel comfortable, talk to someone before you walk out!

I graduated in mid July with a BSN. I have a wait list position (verbally according to the nurse manager, I am first) at a local Hospital, on an oncology floor. It's one of the top hospitals, and they have a good salary, good training program, etc. I also have a statement from a nurse recruiter from another hospital that if I call back later in the Fall there may be a position on a floor I interviewed on and if there is, it's mine. I interviewed today at a skilled nursing facility, the DON is a graduate of my university (a while back). The SNF has a LTC, sub-acute and vent unit, and I would start on the vent unit. There's a three month preceptorship and training, and I would be IV certified, but the pay is less. I'm going on a share day tomorrow, and the DON said she was interested in offering me a position if I liked the day tomorrow. I applied to the SNF because it seemed to have more of a variety and higher acuity than what I would typically think of one. When I was doing my training as a Nurses Aide a while back I had my clinicals in a LTC facility and enjoyed it. I love working with geriatrics and I love working with trachs and vents (don't ask me why - i just think it's kinda neat!). But I was not expecting to start off in one, but at the same time I am not opposed to it. I have volunteered at several hospices over the last few years, and love that work. I know no one can answer the 'do i take a chance and wait for the oncology job or do i take the SNF' question for me. but i really want you to haha! Well I have student loans to pay off, and it could be a great experience. We'll see how I like it tomorrow, and go from there . . . any one who has any wonderful insights, feel free to share them!

I answered questions from the Qbank the day before, but not a ton (about 70 or so), and did some paper questions. didn't stress out about it though. I feel like it helped me in the sense that I kept my brain in the mindset of answering those questions.

I'm right there with you ... my transitions (final practicum) floor was not hiring ... and my mom has been bugging me about it nonstop! Yeah there are people who get offered jobs from a floor they've done clinicals on or have had a tech position from, but can't be everyone! We'll get there and be awesome nurses soon!

this thread lifted my spirits. I know I want to do nursing and love the patients, before I go to clinicals and into each persons room I get so anxious and have such a hard time starting the conversation (and now i'm in psych, and that's all we're supposed to do)! I showed it to my roommate (fellow nursing student) and she agrees. Now to watch a silly movie with her so I can lift some of my PCA - Pre-Clinical Anxiety!

I think both possibly...but since you have to do the accelerated part first they only mentioned that? I hope that's the case for you. I didn't apply for the BSN/MSN but they said if I wanted to change, just let them know. But! I'm sure they'll let you know on monday. Congrats I look forward to meeting you!

I'll be accelerated! thanks :)

Hi everyone :) I was on the waiting list .... but I just got a call saying they had a spot open! Hurray! I have minus zero idea of what I'm going to do next (re: finacial aid, apartments, ) but I have an exam this evening so i'm trying REALLY hard not to think too much about it until tomorrow! Look forward to meeting everyone.

Hey, I just found this thread! I just received my acceptance letter, though now I am trying to decide! No info on financial aid or what yet (plus I don't know yet if I even have the money for food/housing in NYC much less the tuition!), so we'll see. I'm trying to debate the pros and cons! -t

Now I'm a CNA...just need to get a job! I passed the state exam last saturday the 18th! yay! Since I'm in school I'm just looking for a part time job, just to gain experience while I take my pre-req's for nursing!

whew on an actual computer now so i can write longer! Sounds like a good plan to me :) plus PC will give you a taste if this kind of life is for you. There is tons of oportunities to live/work/volunteer abroad, a lot of NGO's working out here (at least in the southern africa region) that you can connect with to actually work. I'm sure you'll find your nich! "Do they let you make a new application while you're actually serving in PC? " They have a certain number of in country one year extentions and sometimes you can transfer to another program (we were offered a chance to extend to a new program that was opening up). this if of coorifice competitive and you need to justify the need! they also cover the plane tickets (though not if you want to visit in your 2 year contract) sorry if i'm telling you things you already know :) Personally i think new grads bring a tremendous amount of energy and inspiration with them! and then take back a tremendous amount of experience afterwards. good luck :)

Sorry just re reading over your posts and may have mis-read some things! As for stipend, i find what they give me here is enough to live on here, i've heard vso is a little higher,don't know about msf (doctors w/o borders) Let me know if this answers ur q

VSO canada, doctors without borders(they need nurses too!) and some other orgs. Do a google search on volunteering overseas as a nurse and go from there - i have a link but can't post it. Sorry not trying 2 just up my post,can't go over # of charactors!

use the majority of your clinical skills. However, not sure. Also the contracts for volunteers are typicaly 2 years. With an option to extent an extra one or two. I am personally really enjoying the experience, good luck. You might also want to check out

I'm currently in the peace corps, and knowege you gain as a nurse about disease processes would be very helpfull in a lot of the health programs. However i am uncertain if they have programs in other countries (i know they don't in mine) that would ...

just wanted to say thanks for the advise, just re found this post after a while (was only browsing on my phone so it was hard finding this!) I am not at the point where I have even started my pre req's yet, but am trying to figure out what schools to apply for to take my pre req's Am thinking now more along the lines of getting my Acc BSN, since it seems more flexible and established, though it makes me sad (but not heartbroken) that there's not any in the TC's since I really like it there.

. . . until I *am* a pre-nursing student (starting my pre-req's next semester) . . . until I get to see a real book store again!

just wanted to say - we share a name! i am also a Terra J[insert rest of my last name]! I have not yet even taken a CNA course (am planning to in january) so can't help you! but i'm sure you'll do fine :) good luck!

Hmm well i don't know what area of the country you are looking in, but one i know of is university of minnesota (at least that's what it says on thier website)

Hey, also a fall 10 hopefull for an accelerated bsn. Busy making spreadsheets trying to decide which schools to apply to and what prerequisites to take when i get back from abroad. And of coorifice devouring all the info here!

Hi, I just registered, and am looking to go back to school in 2010 - to get an accelerated BSN. Though I´ve noticed a few programs (specifically two in the twin cities area - University of MN and Metropolitan University) that offer a one year MN that in the end you are a RN. And from what i am seeing there is not a huge difference in cirriculum (maybe i am just not looking close enough). Is this just so you can say, hey! i have a masters! And what would be the advantage of this? thanks for any help!