MayMSN

Hello, Any Cardiology NPs willing to share their typical day, responsibilities, work/life balance, and background? I am interested in becoming one and would like to know how this speciality is, specially NPs the round both in the office and hospitals.

Thank you so much Birkie Girl for taking the time to reply. Your advice is very helpful. I'm glad I'm not the only one who went through not being able to find a group during the program. :)

Thank you so much LucyLou. Your insight and advice have been a tremendous help. I'm hopefulthat school will get better. It's nice somebody was able understand what I was conveying in my post. I really appreciate you taking the time to respond. I wish you well in your nursing journey as well :)

Nice you are taking the initiative in getting ahead in your studies! Definitely will use this advice before I take pharm next year. Thanks again!

Thank your advice, I really appreciate it. I do know that I to step it up in terms of the time management. I do know know a lot of the students are in groups in my cohort so that is why being alone is hard to take. I guess each institution is different. I guess my vision of graduate school was this supportive environment but all I am seeing it is mostly people try to get ahead. I am confident that I will find my path and niche. I will remember your insight of doing things more independently. Thank you

Hi everyone! I just want to reach out to see if anyone one is is willing to give advice for a new NP student. Im in my first quarter of NP school and I work full time (don't worry I'll be working part time next quarter!). It has been a big adjustment for me to come back to school especially time management, the higher stress level, get used having assignments and taking online tests. I have been really discourage since it's been hard meeting people in class because of my classmates went to the same undergrad program and have already formed friends and study groups. I even took the initiative to email my group members to ask if they want to form a study group for a particular class, and they didn't even bother replying back. This is after having a lecture of nursing professionalism!! I feel very discouraged and isolated since I feel so overwhelmed with going back to school. It's not easy starting school and not having anybody to share my concerns:( It doesn't help that the NP program is very disorganized. Some of my professors (God bless them!) either do not know how to teach or do not have time to cover all the materials in class, so I end up having to teach myself. Advice I am seeking is: 1. Time management 2. Stress Management 3. Networking among students (who are not very open at all) and professors 4. Any helpful advice

The recruiter called me for nights position, told her that Im interested in days position. I guess most open position is for nights, even people who are already working at the hospital are waiting for opening for days. Did you interview for days or nights? Hope you get good news! I am hoping other nurses will put in their input in what to expect to Cedars, would love the opportunity to work there but want to make sure its a good working environment

How's your interview? I had a phone interview and eagerly waiting for the actual interview.

anyone??

Try Central California. Specifically Kern County. Mercy, San Joaquin Community Hospital, Heart Hospital. Not a lot of people want to move to Bakersfield, but cost of living is very low compared to other places in California.

Just wanted to know what is like to work at Cedars-Sinai? I know it would be a great to put on my resume and I am ready for a big change, but would not want to leave my current job it is not a good place to work. How's the pay? How does the management treat their employees? How do nurses treat each other? How's the benefits? Do you get called off? Any pros and cons? Anybody that could enlighten me (and others) about working is the hospital.

Do most LA hospitals pay OT for the last 4 hours of the shift?

thank you so much!

I took the class today, and it was so intimidating. I was the only one in my dept everyone else was from dept who required it. I am happy to say I passed! So happy! The megacode was stressful but the instructor was helpful and facilitated learning. I thought the test was hard. I now know why you have to study for ACLS before hand. Lots of info, esp if you are not used to all the meds. So happy I took it, now I know so much more about codes. I have to say I know my rhythms by heart (haha)

Hi everyone! I have been trying to find a job in a Los Angeles hospital and I do not know what the average pay rate for experience nurse. I have 3.5 years hospital experience (Medical Surgical), BSN, certified in my field. I know some hospitals post their pay but what about the others which do not? I know LA is pretty expensive to live so I want to make sure I am being paid fairly. I was thinking $40-$42/hr as a base pay? Do you use any of the website to help you decide what is a fair wage (i.e. Salary.com) Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks guys! I checked out the SkillStat and it is super useful in brushing up recognizing the rhythm. I know we will be going over a lot of info in class but when its time to do the mega codes, how is it done? Do you get a rhythm and identify it and inform the instructor or team what needs to be done? I wished I knew what to expect r/t the megacode. I know the I will be more comfortable with the test, but the megacode makes me uneasy because it not something I practice everyday in my job.

Hi everyone! I am in need of help and support in studying for my first ACLS certification. I have about two weeks to study and I am eager to learn. I have gone to the student website and taken the student assessment a few time and I am getting better in passing the pretest. I would like any advice on how to study for the ACLS. I have spoke to coworkers who said not to worry about but that you do need to study. I feel like to book is a lot to take in. Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you Harp 123! Do you have your own place or have roommates? I think I am more worried about the actual living in LA. My current job/pay is more than what I need for living expenses but I do know it will be a different story once I live in LA. I do want to have a social life and do not want to live pay check to pay check. I currently work day shift and would like to continue to do that when I move. I heard if you work day shift 7a-7p, you tend to avoid the nightmare traffic LA is know for, is this true? Also I would consider living in Glendale, Burbank, Sherman Oaks area. I looking to live where there is more things to do for singles or at least accessible. I still have a year or so to decide and save up and who knows how long I will find a job that I am happy with, but I at least what to be in a position to be ready to move once a the right job and place happens. Any additional advice would be appreciated fellow nurses!!

thank you so much for the advice. I am definitely doing my research before moving to LA. Hope to get more advice from other nurse too!!

Hello All!! I am planning to move to Los Angeles area within the next year and I need advice regarding cost of living, average RN pay, etc. I am an RN with 2 years of acute care (Medical Surrgical) experience in the Central Valley. I do know that the cost of living is significantly higher in LA but I am willing to move to move to for the change of pace, to meet new people and to work for another hospital. I plan to stick with med surg possible working for a specialty in one of the big hospitals in LA I am looking for any advice from people who have moved in the LA area, how it went, was it worth, cost of living (ie rent, utililties, food, entertaintment) basically if it is feasible for a single girl with no children to be able to experience life in the big city. Also recommendations where to live would be great. :loveya:

Hi, I graduated with a low GPA my 1st degree (below 3.0), and was very unhappy in college which reflected on my GPA. After taking some time off, I decided to become a nursing major. I took a my pre reqs for nursing and I did really well in them. I, too, was unsure if I was going to get into a nursing program, but I also got good recommendations from my teachers too. I highlighted my experience with being active in the diversity on campus and some healthcare experience. which can help when admissions read your applications. My advice: Continue to bring up your GPA, especially nursing pre reqs (A&P, microbio, psych) if need be, repeat them over the summer. Obtain good recommendations from profs, employees that highlight the positives Be active on campus, what you bring to the program will rely heavily on if you get accepted (its great to have a 4.0, but if you bring something unique on top of good grades, that's very attractive). It could be diversity, student body government, volunteering, you name it. Tie it in to nursing and how your background will help the type of nursing care you provide. Acknowledge your past mistakes (what you learned from them, how you over come them, what you are currently doing to improve them) You are a different person from the freshman who got kicked of nursing school than you are a graduating who have (hopefully) become a better and smarter person. Show them what you can bring to the program, you are competing with people who have different major, background, age, experience, education. You need stand out despite what happened in your past... good luck. If you want it bad enough, you'll find away to make yourself stand out.

Has anyone applied to the New Grad Program at Yale-New Haven Hospital and actually gotten a call back. I have heard that they are looking at internal applications and that external applications are being lost in the shuffle. Anybody have advice in regards to their online apps??