Limbic System

I know this thread is old but I just wanted to bump this up. Sometimes it's difficult to imagine that things will get better because of how difficult it is to get a job nowadays (especially as a new graduate RN with no experience) but things will get better. Thank you for helping me put things into perspective.

I liked taking two science classes together. I took anatomy and biochemistry together (both were pre-reqs for physiology). The following semester, I took physiology and microbiology together.

SFAgrad2015-- they just posted L&D position! Check their career page. I applied to the NNICU but I'm out-of-state so I don't know if they'll consider me. I hear Dallas is pretty saturated with new grads.

JuliaguliaRN, BSN - Thank you for sharing! What state did you move to (I'm beginning to look at out-of-state options)? And what specialty are in now? Congrats on making it! It gives the rest of us California new grads hope! :)

NNP2018-- Did you have your nursing school preceptorship in the NICU or in pediatrics/maternity? I applied to the UVA program and selected newborn ICU as my 1st choice. Like the OP, I have no experience in NICU/ped (did my preceptorship in adult primary care) but I really want to work in the NICU! I had three rotations in the NICU during my maternity rotation and loved every minute of it. I'm also coming out of CA (graduated with a direct-entry MSN in Dec 2014). Does UVA prefer VA nurses?

Degree type: MSN (direct entry); 3.98 GPA Time out of school: 3 months # of positions applied to date: ~20 Dream RN position: NICU. Neonatology interests me more than any other nursing specialty but with experience, I can be passionate about basically anything-- surgery, renal, etc. I'm a major science nerd. Hospital experience: Volunteered at a local hospital for about 4 years; 750+ hours Where do you live: Northern California What are you doing now: Volunteering and seeking out new graduate RN positions in California. Trying to stay optimistic. Favorite color: Crimson How you cope with unemployment: I draw, read, and bake.

Congratulations! Doing A LOT of questions is the key to passing the NCLEX. There is no way that you can learn every disease or medication that the NCLEX can throw at you... but, you can master the style of NCLEX questions. I used Saunder's and Kaplan's QBank and did anywhere from 300 to 500 questions per day for a week and a half before my NCLEX date. I passed at 75. IMO, Saunders is slightly easier than the NCLEX and Kaplan is slightly more difficult... so I guess I struck a balance. :)

She should be grateful she was hired into the ICU as a new grad with an ADN. It costs a hospital a lot of money to train a new graduate nurses. It's completely fair for the hospital then to require the RN to obtain additional education. Plus, I don't know why a nurse would resent further education. I would gladly work in a hospital that supported my academic endeavors.

My username is my favorite type of tea (tulsi with cinnamon rose). It's a hippie thing. :)

"Nursing needs to implement slightly higher barriers to entry. Moreover, entry requirements should be standardized and consistent across the country." Yes! I think our standards for entry should be as high as pharmacy or physical therapy. I have so much respect for the nursing profession and what nurses do. We're not simply pill-pushers or butt-wipers. Our decisions can mean life or death for a patient. Other healthcare professionals rely on OUR diligent assessments to make their decisions. We really need to (for a lack of better phrasing) "weed out" those who don't make the cut. Nursing isn't for everyone. Yes, nurses are compassionate and kind and blah blah blah... but you have to be both compassionate AND smart; the latter doesn't get enough credit (that's why "smart nurses" are often asked the dreaded question, "Why didn't you become a doctor... you're so smart!").

The PPACA is not socialist medicine. It operates under an insurance model (consumers can choose from multiple insurance providers). "Socialist medicine" would be a single-payer/universal healthcare system. For pre-nursing students, I suggest going straight for the BSN, if possible. I live in California and a lot of hospitals no longer take ADNs (I don't agree with this but since the market is saturated with new nurses, hospitals can take their pick). I'm a new graduate MSN RN who went through a direct-entry MSN program. I don't regret my decision to go for the MSN. On top of the traditional clinical nursing curriculum, I also took classes in graduate-level research, financial management, informatics, and leadership. I think it'll offer me more opportunities for advancement in the future.

I live in Northern California and the job environment is much like SoCal. To even get considered for an interview you will need: BSN or MSN, certs (ACLS, PALS, ), and some kind of health care experience (volunteering at your local hospital, CNA work). I recently interviewed at a local hospital that received over 800 applications for just 6 new grad RN positions. You have a higher chance of getting into Harvard with those odds! It's a tough market. A lot of new grads who went to nursing school in CA are leaving CA for another state where there is an actual nursing shortage.

It wouldn't bother me. I'm a new grad in California. I'll take the job even if they made me wear neon yellow scrubs with zebra prints.

Congrats! And thank you for coming back and updating. :)

I totally understand! I've been attending the local CC since I was 14 (summer after my freshman year of high school). I attended UC Berkeley straight out of high school and finished a BA in 3 years, graduating with a 3.8 GPA (making the Dean's List a couple of times). Now I'm back at that very same CC taking pre-reqs for either a ABSN or a DEMSN program. CC-level science courses are no joke. The majority of the students in the anatomy and physio classes at my school are either pre-nursing or pre-pharm. Most are career changers, many already have advanced degrees, and nearly all are hard-working and devoted students. They certainly aren't stupid. Honestly, I can't say the same about a lot of the people I'd met during my undergraduate career. Regardless of what others think, I'm glad I'm taking my pre-reqs at a CC. Not only is tuition less expensive, classes are smaller which contributes to a better learning experience.