BosNsgStudent

this post made me LOL:yeah:

I was in the same exact position you are in when I was trying to decide about changing my major...blood and needles made me get lightheaded even just thinking about them! The first few times I was shadowing the PCA who was going to train me to draw blood, I had to leave the room and sit down and almost passed out. BUT, now 2 years later, I am a pro, it doesn't bother me at all!! I am even getting better about getting shots and my OWN blood drawn (never thought that day would come). But, as everyone else is saying, you can get used to almost anything, now I go into work and clean up comatose patients with constant diarrhea and don't think twice about it! But, seriously...after the first few times that I had to deal with blood and needles, it no longer bothered me, and I suspect you will be the same...the sense of fulfillment that I get out of this job overshadows any unpleasant "gross" parts of it:)

It sounds like it went well from what you said- I have my first RN interview tomorrow afternoon for an ICU position, and I am terrified! I know all my "answers" but it's so different when you're on the spot, nervous as hell, being stared at by the person who is going to decide your fate (this is my first choice job btw)! I always mingle up what I'm trying to say and probably sound like I don't know what I'm talking about, even though in my head it makes sense! Anyways, question about the thank-you note...I have heard positives and negatives about both sides of this: should it be written and mailed in or typed and mailed in, or typed and emailed....? I keep getting contradictory advice on this one. Oh and good luck on the job!! :)

Roy- yes, asking someone how they or a family member is doing in public is a privacy violation. Practice says to wait until they say hi to you first- otherwise acknowledging that someone was a patient could be giving information to people they are with or people in the surrounding area that the patient did not want others to know (ie. that they were a patient, sick, whatever, in the first place).

WOW. I am so sorry, Colleen- that is awful. I never thought an ER would treat someone the way the first one did for your mother. I hope she recovers soon!

The hospital # is on the website- there isn't really a direct number I can give you to someone; you have to ask for them at the main operator. Carol Bardwell is the nurse manager; Nina Thayer is a nursing supervisor who was in charge of the student nurses last summer.

Ohh ok. Well my school has connections with them, so that's how I got an interview, and then I guess they just liked me. They weren't sure if they were going to run the student nurse program this summer but now 2 of my roommates from last year are going back, so I know they are but I'm not sure how many positions they'll have open. Other than that I don't really have any advice to give you, but let them know you're willing to work nights and weekends (they require both). Good luck!

Working on MV for the summer is a GREAT experience. If you're looking at RN jobs at the hospital, get an ER position, the floor can be more like a nursing home, but in the busy season the ER is very fast-paced and fun to work in! The hospital provides housing to travel nurses/temporary nursing staff (but double check with them for the details on that)- cost of living there is very high. But outside of work living on the vineyard during the summer is like a 24/7 vacation- I definitely recommend it!

Yes!!! (Isn't this 3rd grade stuff?...)

I HATE it when anybody calls me "sweetie," "honey," or "hun"...but I also find it sort of cold to be called by my last name (maybe this will change when I'm older...I'm 22). At the same time I try to call patients by their last name, but half the time don't know how to pronounce it and half the time they don't respond to it if I am waking them up or if they are confused (or especially both!) so I end up using first names a lot, although I am always nervous someone will find it disrespectful..

I am a 5th year senior from Northeastern and it seems that there are ZERO jobs for new grads in Boston. My first choice is Southern California but they don't seem to have any new grad jobs either! I am already wayy into the panicking stage. I have 2 years of PCA experience at Mass General and a summer at Martha's Vineyard Hospital. This doesn't help though when the only openings are for experienced nurses only! Any advice??