StarBelly

Last year I worked for a company that let me go for "'unsatisfactory performance". I disputed this allegation, but it's still in my record. Now I am being offered a job in a sub-acute facility and they will do an Investigative Consumer Report, and will most likely find this statement in my record. Will this record prevent me from being hired necessarily? I have seen that a lot of nurses are let go for "poor performance" from hospitals. Do these nurses get hired again by hospitals? Does anyone know if there is anything I can do to increase my chances of retaining this position despite this negative mark in my past employment record? Also, in my application, can I say that the reason for leaving this aforementioned company was "not a good fit", and will that satisfy the truthfullness of my statement? I don't want to be accused of falsifying my application. Thank you for any insight you may have. I am really upset about this, as it is the first nursing job in a medical facility that I have been able to obtain after graduating 2 1/2 years ago. I have been working in home care for 4 months with a very good record and I have excellent professional references.

I am so sorry for the loss of your baby. That must be so difficult. As far as the hospital experience - I feel for you! Yet, you are getting very valuable experience that you can use. There are so many options other that working in a hospital. Home care is one of those options. You get to really care for the patient one-on-one. Hospice is another home care option. Or working in a sub-acute facility may be less stressful. You can be a school nurse, or public health nurse. Think of your hospital experience as your foundation that will allow you to find a job that speaks more to your heart. Once you get one year of acute care experience, your options are practically unlimited! I've been doing homecare and I love it. If you have any questions, let me know. I can give you some recruiters contact info that can answer questions for you such as how much experience you need, if there are any positions available in your area, compensation, etc. So hang in there, and don't worry - you won't have to go back to minimum wage.

Thanks for all the practice questions! This is really helpful. I've had one interview at a California prison, and have another scheduled. Here are some of the questions I remember from my interview. Be able to identify the signs and symptoms, interventions, and anticipated tests for TB. Know the signs and symptoms, interventions, and anticipated Doctor's tests for narcotic overdose. Know signs symptoms, interventions, and tests for high blood sugar/low blood sugar.

I passed!!!! I thought the Hurst Review did a great job simplifying concepts and had great mnemonics. I was also really glad I studied the "Kaplan NCLEX-RN 2010-2011 Strategies, Practice, and Review" book. It really helped me interpret the question and prioritize. Another resource I used was this website: http://www.nurseana.com/ it has tons of practice questions and good tutorials. Good Luck everyone! Now to get a job.:monkeydance:

I took Hurst Review and found it very good for core content, but weak on testing strategy. So I'm now studying form the Kaplan NCLEX-RN 2010-2011 edition as well. It's an easy read and gives pretty clear advice on how to figure out the stem question and how to eliminate choices. I also love their priority strategizing. It comes with a CD that has 500 NCLEX sytle questions for more practice. I wish I had given myself a little more time to study. I take the exam tomorrow. Yikes~! Good luck everyone!!!:redbeathe

Laurag_dc, one of my favorite nursing professors is a Reiki Master. She teaches Research and Leadership. Are you thinking of NP? I think you hit the nail when you said "if money were no object". Unfortunately, acupuncture school will put you $70,000 or more in the red. I struggled for six years trying to get my practice off the ground and had to get side jobs to support myself, so I wasn't able to put all my energy into acupuncture. In addition, I was frustrated by being on the fringe. I just couldn't figure out how to get into the hospital, or network with MDs. Some people are able - maybe I didn't have enought self confidence. I have two weeks left in my ABSN program and I am completely overwhelmed! I am a licensed acupuncturist and I put acupuncture on hold while in nursing school. The acute care setting of the hospital is very overwhelming for me - there is so much stress and pressure put on the nurses. I see a lot of situations where acupuncture would fit in so well with patient care, yet there are so few institutions utilizing it, CPMC being one of the few as Touch Health mentioned. I believe Seattle also has some hospitals using TCM as well. Ideally, I would love to be part of helping to change our medical system to include CAM. This is a huge challenge and will require a lot of hard research and evidence to convince the industry that it is 1) effective and 2)cost effective. As a nurse, I am hoping to have more influence and credibilty. I think there will be more opportunities for me to network and bring acupuncture into the hospital. For instance, there is a doctor at the hospital where I am doing my preceptorship who is an acupuncturist. (A real L.Ac, not a medical acupuncturist). I haven't met her yet, but I imagine being able to work with her. I am very interested in joining a formal group as Maria_C mentioned. I did join the Holistic nurses association. Also, anyone is welcome to message me.

I know this post is really old and I hope you passed the NCLEX and are now happily practicing nursing! Thank you for sharing your notes - they are very clear and simple. As a student, I had a really hard time comprehending how the chest tube system functions without a good visualization. Our teacher showed us this video and it really helped me make sense of what I am assessing and why. Thought I'd share it for anyone else out there struggling with chest tube systems!

SFRose, congratulations on your acceptance. I don't know much about campuses other than Oakland, so I hope it goes well for you. Preparation: understand as much anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology and pharmacology as you can right now. Having a good grasp on these subjects will really help you! Don't worry too much about pharm - it makes a lot more sense once you learn about the diseases and start seeing the meds used in the hospital. I would say start learning about drug classes and understanding basic mechanism of actions. Having a good grasp of electrolytes and acid/base balance wouldn't hurt either! Try not to get overwhelmed - it will come by repitition. Another area to work on for me is time management and prioritizing! It's hard for me to stay focused on the most important task "right Now". If you don't have a good organizational system in place, DEVELOPE ONE NOW!! Don't forget to include down time, exercise, and a little play time in your schedule. My schedule is so packed that I basically have to plan time for everything (sleeping, showering, cooking, shopping, exercising, emailing). Also, make sure you are really organized around school admin stuff. Save copies of everything "just in case" the administration misplaces your paperwork (believe me, it happens!). A lot of students in my class have laptops and it seems beneficial. They are up to date on school communication because they have instant access. IPhones are also great for this. The laptop also lets you follow the teacher's powerpoint on blackboard and you can make notes directly into the computer (if you are a person who likes to study this way.) Laptops are also useful for studying for another class or catching up on email during boring classes. Lastly, make the best of your experience. No school is perfect. I have found that I can advocate for what I want/need and still be pleasant. If something isn't working for you, make an appointment with the dean and start a discussion. In Oakland, the school is very concerned about the students having a good experience. They are definitely not perfect, but who is???! Use your interpersonal communication skills! They come in handy when dealing with aggravations at school, and will help you make good connections. The ABSN program is very intense. But you get used to the pace around month 5 or so. It's like a roller coaster - It's scary and thrilling, so just hang on and enjoy the ride. You will be amazed at how much you're going to learn and understand! It's very exciting and rewarding. You'll be an RN very soon!!!!

Hi there, just thought I'd chime in here. I chose acupuncture over nursing 10 years ago. I am now in a nursing program, getting my BSN. For me, there are more opportunities to be part of the integration of natural therapies as an RN. And there are more opportunities in general as an RN. I didn't like being on the "fringe" as an acupuncturist. As a nurse, I can be part of the integration, like a pioneer. As a nurse, I can collaborate, participate in research, and help bridge the gap. Nurses historically have been progressive and radical thinkers. We can really contribute to the use of holistic medicine in this country. If you are seriously considering acupuncture, I would recommend interviewing ten acupuncturists in your area to see if they are satisfied with their career path. When you find a successful acupuncturist, ask yourself: do I have the qualities necessary to be successful? What kind of setting do you envision yourself working in? Most acupuncturists work in "boutique" clinics, and charge a lot of money. How realistic is it for you to build a thriving practice? How many people would you have to see per week to make a decent living. How long will it take you to reach that number? Good luck on your decision. Let us know what you decide.

Hi there, I'm currently in the ABSN program at SM Oakland. I am not the only one in my class who is already burnt out, only 12 weeks into the program. It is the hardest program I've ever attempted (I already have a B.S and M.S). However, my experience so far has been amazing. It is a VERY comprehensive program with a lot of support and guidance from experienced nurses. My teachers and clinical supervisors are excellent. You start your hospital experience after 5 weeks and you get immersed in the hospital setting with 3 consecutive days at the hospital for 4 weeks at a time (total 24 hours per week). On top of that, you have 12 hours of class, requiring about 36 hours per week of study time. Each week you have a hospital assignment as well. So you see, there is very little time for anything except school. Students from Samuel Merritt are generally highly regarded, as the program is so demanding and emphasizes the highest standard of care (higher than you will actually see in the hospital). It is very competitive to get into the program: they require a minimum grade point average and a good score on the entrance test (not sure about the exact scores required). They also require 2 letters of recommendation and an application essay. They really want to make sure you can hack the rigors of the program before they let you in. I haven't heard very good things about state schools in regards to their clinical experience. Sac state has an accelerated program of 15 months that is competitive to get into due to public tuition compared to the extravagant $55,000 for SM. However, SM not only has an immersion hospital experience - You also spend a good amount of time in a preceptorship, which is like having a mentor. It's a lot of money, but you are getting a superb education from an institution with a very good reputation and high employment rates for recent grads, and high rates of NCLEX passing. The employment for new grads in No. Cal definitely looks bleak right now, but that could change quickly. Of course, I'd like to stay in the bay area, but I am prepared to move for one year in order to get my one year experience under my belt. Hope this info has been helpful. Good luck. I know it's a big decision, but if you know you want to be a nurse, SM is a good way to go if you are ready to challenge your stamina. I can't wait to be through with this grinding program and hopefully I'll look back and think "wow, time went by quickly!" Right now, it feels like I've still got a looong way to go, but I know in my heart that it is worth it. StarBelly

Does anyone know if there is any information regarding uniforms and shoes at SM for clinic? Will we find that info out at Orientation?

E.mac Yes, I agree with you about advocating for ourselves. I did note that they were very concerned about resolving my situation which indicates to me that they intend to have integrity. I think it will be good practice for us to be "professional" and use good communication skills while covering our butts! Good for you on making sure you didn't fall through the cracks. Which campus are you going to? Anyone in Oakland looking for a roomate?!

Update! Samuel Merritt admin admitted their mistake and let me into the program. I received a personal phone call last week. I miraculously got accepted to the Oakland campus. Which gives me seven weeks to find a place to live, pack, move, and get a loan. Yikes!!! but I am so excited and relieved. Gottagetthere: I took patho and pharm at the same time online. It was brutal, but do-able. I don't recommend pharm from Barstow because it's only 9 weeks. Santa Barbara is a 12-week program and probably more sane. Santa Barbara community college's patho course was excellent.

Thanks all for the information on CNA classes. :redpinkhe Weekend classes sound appealing, as I'm currently working. Lil Gumble, I'm not even on the wait list because my application was "incomplete" due to me being one unit short of microbiology. Grrrrrrrr. :angryfire I wish I had known sooner. C'est la vie. I'll reapply once I get that silly little unit finished, and hopefully they will let me apply for Fall. I think you have a good chance, even at #29. Good luck!!!

LilGumble, wow, you're GPA and NET are very close to mine. The Reading Comp got me as well. Now I am nervous!!! What number are you on the waiting list and which campus? did you ask anyone why you were put on the waiting list? Are you just guessing that it's due to lack of experience? Who is the CNA program given by that you found in Hayward?