oreo84

Hi everyone, I will be relocating to the Hampton, VA area this summer with my fiance and I'm trying to look for job possibilities. I'm currently working on a telemetry floor... and as of this summer I'll have about 6-7 months experience as a nurse. I've contact 2 hospitals in the Hampton area and they both have told me that I need a one years worth of experience before I can apply for regular RN job postings (I am still welcome to apply for new grad postings, but those postings are more competitive with current new grads applying I hear). I was thinking about trying to look for work in LTC, home health, etc... something not hospital based. I was just wondering if anyone had any suggestings. Again, I'll have about 6 months experience when I'm looking to move (May). Thanks in advance!

@ Epona Do you mind sharing which home health agency you will be working for? I will be relocating to the Hampton Roads area from Ohio at some point this summer. I'll have about 6 months experience in nursing at that point, but most of the hospitals that I've gotten in touch with want me to have at least a year so I'm trying to look into other options so I'm wanting to explore home health and LTC. Thanks!

Thanks everyone! I'm planning on staying where I am for the time being and working for about 6 months or so before I move anyways... so hopefuly by that time jobs will be easier to find because I'll have SOME experience. I'm sort of planning this around my guys new job/training schedule. Is 6 months of experience enough experience to start applying for other positions or do they look for a year of experience or something? If I only had 6 months experience... would I still need to be applying for new grad positions??? I guess I need to start calling hospitals to ask about that as well. Thanks for the input about the area/hospitals. :-)

Hi everyone! I may be relocating to the Hampton, VA area at some point in the next 6 months or so. I was wondering if anyone could give me info about the area. I'm living in Cincinnati, Ohio right now. Where is a good place to live? I've heard Yorktown is nice, but it also sounds very $$$. Are hospitals hiring right now? I'm a new graduate nurse. I think I've researched most of the hospitals in the Hampton-Newport News area, but does anyone recommend any particular facility? What hospitals offer the best orientation programs? Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!

@ LayMarie The program and schedule got MUCH easier after the 1st summer semester. I'm not sure what your schedule is now, but last fall we had classes 2 days per week and clinical 1-2 days per week (Med Surg or Med Surg and Mental Health) depending on the week. They seemed to do a good job making sure that we didn't have more than 1 exam per week (unlike in the summer when it seemed as if we had an exam every day!). The Spring Semester's schedule was very similar to fall. The last summer semester was 6 weeks of classes followed by 6 weeks of preceptorship. I really do think that the Mount prepared me for the NCLEX though so that should be a motivator for you. I passed NCLEX 9/9 and am in the process of trying to find a job. I think there has been 5-6 of us so far who have taken it and as far as I know everyone has passed so far. Good luck! :) If you think of any questions feel free to email me whenever! [email protected] Melissa

I found out today that I passed my test from yesterday! YAY! I was expecting to have to pay for the quick results tomorrow, but crazy enough I was already up on the Ohio Board of Nursing as Active by noon today... and I took my test yesterday afternoon. So happy! :-) Good luck to all that still need to test this month :-)

@ givingup2009 Yeah I'm hoping to get the quick results on Thursday! I really hope I passed. I did the Kaplan review class and test trainers which I think was helpful. I guess we'll see. I think I got about 6-7 SATA - and actually my last three questions were SATA which I thought was weird.... I've been studying since school ended mid August. I just tried to review content that I couldn't quite remember or kept missing on the practice tests. Good luck on your test. I'm sure you'll do great!

I took my test today! It feels so good to be done! I had 75 questions.... hopefully I passed! I feel pretty good about it because I really can't imagine myself doing so terrible that the computer wouldn't have even given me the chance to answer more questions... hopefully! Good luck to all taking their tests soon!:)

PS - I never heard that Kaplan claims they have the "formula for success"! Thats hilarious! Its hard to imagine that anyone would think that just by taking a review class that they will pass just like that. LOL. I really don't know much about Kaplan at all except for the fact that our school "strongly encouraged" it. Either way - hopefully it helped a little bit if nothing else! :)

@marcos999 @mariedeecline Thank you for the input! I've been reviewing content from Saunders as well so I'm hoping that helps. I guess I just think its strange that now that I'm using the Kaplan decision tree I'm getting lower scores in comparison to when I was not using the decision tree (at the review class). Oh well! All the questions are good practice regardless. I think I'm going to take NCLEX next week so hopefully I can improve a little bit more by then. Thanks again!

Hi everyone! I did the Kaplan review class a few weeks ago and got a 64 on my Diagnostic Test and a 62 on my Readiness Test. I've been doing qbank questions since then, and have completed Test Trainers 1 through 5 as well. However, I'm worried because my grades in the Test Trainers have been a lot lower than the scores I got on the initial classroom tests.... ranging from 54 to 60. Is it normal to do worse on the Test Trainers than on the Diagnostic/Readiness Tests? I don't understand what I'm doing wrong and if anything I feel like I should be improving. I've done so many practice questions since I was in the class and have also reviewed content. I know they want you to get a certain score on 6 and 7 and I haven't taken those yet. Any input/suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

I actually just graduated this month from the MN program at MSJ. I'd be happy to answer any questions that you may have. It was a lot of work, but I liked the program overall. Feel free to message back or email me! Good luck:wink2:

Hi! I'm not too familiar with Kenwood but I did want to throw out another idea for you. If you are renting I live in an apartment complex (not townhomes though) called Deer Hill which is off of Beechmont Ave just west of Mt Washington. The drive to downtown takes about 15 minutes if you take Columbia Parkway/Route 50 and there is rarely that much traffic (compared to living off 71 or 75 which can get ridiculous!) This apartment complex is also very close to Newtown, really close to 32, so it is a 5-10 minute drive to Newtown. If you are looking to buy I'm sure there are places in the area as well I'm just not at that point yet so I don't know. This apartment complex feels very safe, it is at the top of a no outlet hill and across the street from a grocery store and a few restaurants. Hope this helps! Sorry I couldn't offer any advice about Kenwood. Let me know if you have any questions and good luck with your new job! :-)

nursegirl- you may want to look into seeing if you can "clep" out of any of the pre-req classes that you have to take. i hadn't taken lifespan development, but my school let me take the clep test for that course and i got credit that way. i studied with a test review book for that course and passed. it cost about $60 to take the test and it credited me the class to get me into my accelerated program. i'm not sure if the school you are looking into accepts that... but might want to look into it just in case. it sucks learning the stuff on your own, but lifespan is basically memorizing stuff so it wasn't that horrible and if it means you can get into your program it might be worth it! good luck!:) http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/clep/about.html

I really didn't mean to come off like I was complaing about Univerversity. I very much appreciate being able to go to clinical and the nurses that do explain things to me when they have the time. I do feel as if I got to do/see a lot at that clinical as well... but I guess my main issue was the morale/attitudes of the floor. At university everyone seems to be doing their own thing, and everyone just seemed to be complaining about everything all the time. At mercy and the hospitals I'm at this semester everyone just seemed "happier". There was a larger sense of community on the unit. I'm a very positive person and my last job I had before I decided to go back to school for nursing... well... the environment was very negative and it started to rub off on me. I know I'm not being 100% realistic and I know everyone has the right to complain sometimes (I know I have my moments!)... I just really want to work where people WANT to go to work. If it comes down to having a job vs not having a job I'll work anywhere! ... but if there is a choice I want to in a supportive/positive environment. As far as shadowing is concerned - I do hope to get the chance to do that as well before graduation! PS--- I have heard great things about Children's and I heard about the recent Magnet Status - congrats!