kellilou3

Stitchie, I laughed out loud when I read the part about the fax machine, because the exact same thing happened to me while working a temp job after being laid off. After several unsuccessful interviews, the final straw was when, during a lunch interview for a marketing communications position, the CEO asked me if I knew what a 'gerund' was. Of course I didn't (do any of you?), thus prompting him to ask me the definition of three other obscure grammar terms. I told him that I probably learned them in the 6th grade but haven't used them since, so I didn't know the answers, and at that point focused all of my attention on my free lunch. :angryfire It was then that I realized that I no longer wanted to, and didn't deserve to, subject myself to these buttholes treating me like an idiot because I had applied for an administrative position. I knew that I was too intelligent to waste my brain on more paper-pushing and decided to become specialized in something......anything, for goodness sake! Don't know how I came to the conclusion that I wanted to be a nurse, but the factors that attract me to nursing are: -the salary and benefits -working only three days a week, if I want -immense opportunities for changing, learning, and growing -the ability to teach patients -this one may sound goofy, but getting exercise just from the sheer nature of the job -the ability to help friends and family members in emergency situations -the feeling that I am making a difference in people's lives

If a nursing student works in a hospital throughout school as an aide or patient care tech, does he/she have a better chance of being hired on at that same hospital as an RN straight into day shift?

I think what you have on your hands is what experts are now calling a "workplace bully". Maybe you should just flat out ask her why she feels the need to degrade you in front of patients. Why does she get satisfaction out of doing that, when it just makes her look like the a**hole? This website: http://www.kickbully.com has some good ideas for how to handle her if you click at the top of the page on Fight Back--Battle Techniques--Basic Responses. Some of these helpful hints include: -Act amused: Repeat the bully's words as a question and smile. -Calmly ask why until you've reached her underlying motivation by using phrases such as "Why do you believe that?" or "What's your reasoning on that?" -A failsafe respones technique is to interrupt the bully if she is in the process of a lengthy attack, excuse yourself by saying something like, "Can we talk about this later?", and return to face the bully after you have calmed down. Once you confront her after calming down, you are supposed to allow silence to settle around the her words before you speak, confront her with simple and direct questions, and keep repeating your questions until she responds clearly. Good luck. :)

A similar thing happened to me this semester (also my first semester), and I was told by an advisor to keep checking the schedule over the next few months, because people will drop "like flies" before school starts. I was told by another student to be especially sure to check on it the day after payments were due, and there will be a ton of seats open. Hope this helps!

RNPATL, you're right, I have no idea what a typical day will be like for me as a nurse, and I would take offense to having trash duty added to my list of responsibilities if I didn't even have time to perform the basic necessities of the job. The point that I was attempting to make was more specifically in reference to your statement that young people do not consider picking up trash a professional job responsibility once they have worked for and earned their degree. As a young person, I feel that a professional opinion of myself comes from the high standards at which I perform, regardless of the profession or task. Of course, I can't speak for anyone else. I appreciate you, and everyone on this board, being respectful and open to my and other future nurses' opinions, however limited and unsubstantiated they may be at this point.

I have only heard of bridge programs that take about 3 years to get your MSN. I don't think there are any that take only one year. Also, doesn't getting non-profit consumer credit counseling give you a ding on your credit report? Seems like I have heard several times on the Dave Ramsey Show, which I mentioned in an earlier post. Tennyson, if you will read it, I will mail to you his first book, Financial Peace. It gives you common sense ways to get back on track financially and would do more for you that consumer debt counseling would. My husband and I don't need it anymore. If you want me to mail it to you, pm me with your address.

I haven't even started nursing school yet but hold the idea that my job as a nurse will be to fulfill the patient's needs, and if the trash is nasty and overflowing, then I will empty it as a courtesy to the patient. The thought that I may have to empty trash does not discourage me from entering the nursing profession, nor does it make me feel any less of a professional. What makes me, personally, feel professional is knowing that I am doing my personal best to meet the patient's needs, and I'm sure my parents wouldn't care what the heck I was doing for a career, as long as I was doing my best. The general consensus on this topic seems to be that no one person can speak for everyone, so there really isn't a point in debating this further. If you're unhappy with your situation, whether that be pay, workload, or even taking out the trash, then you need deal with it on a personal level because it may not be the same everywhere else. :)

That's what I thought--my degree is in Psychology as well, and I wasn't able to find a good paying job with it. I got a job right out of college doing data entry making $10 an hour. Do administrative assistants make better money there than $10 an hour? They do here, for the most part, and while it may not be a dream job, it would be something to help pay the bills and get you in the right spot to start school.

I called a local facility and asked how I would go about shadowing a nurse, and they said that I couldn't due to HIPPA laws. I only called the one facility, though, so maybe you should call several in your area, ask for the human resources department, and just ask!

What are your degrees in?

My only concern is that I won't even like nursing or won't be good at it, and will not realize this until after I've spent thousands of dollars for my MSN. Plus, the only university in this area that offers a bridge program is Vanderbilt, and it would cost me $100,000 to complete that program. That just BLOWS my mind. I mean, that's like buying another house. I have always had the tendency to jump into things without fully thinking them through, and while it would take the same amount of time to get either the ADN or MSN, I'm leaning toward taking the slower route. It will work out either way, and at least if I go slowly, I won't be weighted with worry about all the debt I would be getting myself into going straight for the MSN. I'm only 26 years old, so I have many more years to work my way up. Thanks for all of your input, though. I really appreciate it, and I know the other fledgling nurses on here do as well.

If I were in that situation, I would put off school until I could pay off some of that debt. Or at least go for the ADN while working as much as possible to keep my head above water, especially considering that you're currently living off of credit cards! I just couldn't justify racking up that much debt with school/living expenses on credit cards when you know it will still take you YEARS to pay it off once you get out of school. At least you could get your ADN or BSN in Nursing, and try it out for some time while simultaneously paying off your debt. Maybe then you'll work somewhere that may reimburse you for any further degrees. Do you ever listen to Dave Ramsey's radio show? It has really helped me to learn how to deal with debt and planning for the future. He really puts things into perspective--you should call in to his show and see what he says! http://www.daveramsey.com

I spoke with a hospital here in Nashville that will pay you during training to be a patient care tech. Your pay goes up once you're done with the training, which is 7 weeks long, and you get benefits from day one. If you've already completed your first semester of nursing, you forego the training altogether and jump right in there as a tech. Plus, after six months, you're eligible for tuition reimbursement. I would suggest speaking to someone in HR at various hospitals in your area to see if they offer a similar program. And try not to get so down--as I have told myself many times, "Every closed door opens a window of opportunity." Sounds cheesy, but it's helped me have a positive attitude in times where there wasn't a whole lot of positivity going on. Believe in yourself, and you'll do fine.

My husband's nickname for me is Kelli Lou, and my favorite number is 3, so there ya go!

That's awesome, mjlrn97! You must've really worked hard to already be a quarter of the way to your goal in just a couple months. You're an inspiration to me, and I'm sure the rest of us, no matter how much or little weight we want to lose.