jax22

I worked nights for a year and just moved to the day shift 2 months ago. The first month I was always exhausted, I felt like a new nurse all over again and I felt like I just couldn't keep up. If you feel that way, don't let that discourage you, now I'm completely adjusted, I'm learning so much more and it's been WONDERFUL to be on a normal schedule. I used to get so depressed leaving for work when the rest of the world was coming home for the night. Now I go to work with the rest of the world (or a bit earlier) and come home with them (or a bit later!). But it's great, more challenging for sure, but I love it! I hope you will too. Just give yourself time to adjust and don't get frustrated with yourself. It is overwhelming, but you'll get the hang of it! Good luck!

I work in a CCU and my hospital recently changed what they deem as a positive troponin from 0.5 to 0.1 . So now anyone with a troponin of 0.1 and above is automatically admitted to our CCU . Sometimes it's ridiculous how stable our patients are. What's considered a positive troponin in your CCU/ER?

Oh my gosh! I feel your pain. I passed the NCLEX-RN July 20, it's now sept 3 and I have yet to receive any results. I'm in Illinois and the board is terrible here as well. let me tell you there's hope. First, let me say that I called the BON pretty much twice a week for the past 6 weeks, they claimed to have sent out 4 different letters (at my request)...why am I not receiving them then?? They couldn't tell me what dates the letters were sent out, they couldn't transfer me to the mailing department, everytime I asked to speak with a manager, I got a voicemail, left a message, and never received a call. Well, finally today, I broke down in tears. I'm supposed to start my job in a week and can't start w/o that letter. The guy I spoke with on the phone was quite condescending and I had done everything in my power with no results. So, I called my dad. lol. He took care of it for me. Let me tell you what he did. He asked to be transfered to the directors office. Not the manager, the director. She was sooooooo helpful, she agreed that her department had poor communication and a lot of problems, she said she'd handle my case personally. Turns out, you can still get your license w/o the official letter. I had to mail in a $50 check stating what it was for, with my SSN, and they can process my license. Also, if you call Continental Testing Services 1-800-359-1313, and press 0 to speak with an operator and explain that you need to speak w/ someone about getting your official NCLEX letter sent out, they will transfer you to the right person. I did this today and got someone's voicemail, left a message, and actually got a call back a few hours later! The lady was so helpful and said she'd get the letter in the mail today! lol. So after 6 weeks of feeling helpless and stressed out and not getting help from anyone, looks like I'll be able to start working in a week! Good luck to you!!

I completely believe that in this market, many new grads get jobs because of who they know. I just graduated in June and the majority of my classmates who got jobs either worked on the floors as NA's or had a clinical rotation on the unit and developed a relationship with the nurses and managers. That's how I got my job. I start in one week and I did my final clinical rotation in the CCU. I expressed my interest in working on the unit to my preceptor, to other nurses on the floor, and to the unit manager. Right before I graduated I wrote the manager a letter thanking her for my time on the unit and telling her what a great experience I had and how much I learned. I again expressed my interest in working on the unit and asked her to keep me in mind if anything opened up. About a month after I graduated, I received an email directly from the manager telling me they were about to post a position online for the CCU and I should apply if I were still interested. The position required an experienced nurse, but I definitely applied, and interviewed w/ enthusiasm and honesty. My preceptor (a CCU nurse) wrote one of my letters of recommendation. Even though I was competing against many experienced RN's I was hired for the position and I'm so thankful!! Also, if you know nurses on a unit you wish to work on, ask them if they would recommend you to their manager (if there's a position available), that's how a lot of my classmates got interviews.