PreggersRN

Never worked for Humana, but do case management for another insurance company. We do have quotas. I must admit that it does feel like I'm a sales person at times. I've been doing it for 3 years and can tell you I really do not like it. Plan on getting out. Some people I work with don't mind the job. Its personally not my cup of tea.

I am an RN with 4 years high risk OB/Gyn experience and 2 years of Public/Community Health experience. I will be relocating to MN. Looking for companies that hire Case Managers, Utilization Review, Telephonic RN's in the Minneapolis St Paul area. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I attended GSON----when it was Jewish College of Nursing for my ASN and then was the first class of GSON for my BSN. I enjoyed attending the college. I found the professors to be helpful. I can't speak for the clinicals for the BSN program. But, I had plenty of clinical hours in the ASN program. Many of those same professors are still at GSON. It was a top notch education. As someone who has been working in nursing for almost 5 years now, I can say the education I got at GSON was definitely worth it. It prepares you to work in a hospital if you so choose, but also prepares you to work outside the hospital as well. I say give it a try. Also, know people who went to SLU, UMSL, Maryville U, Chamberlain, Lutheran, and Saint Louis Community College.They were all great nurses to work with and really knew their stuff. Education is also what you make of it. Just go in with the focus that you want to be the best nurse you can be. With that attitude you will make the most of your education no matter what school you go to. Hope this helps!

I work in a clinic as an RN with 2 LPN's. I worked in a hospital before going to a clinic setting. My job involves triaging and general management of the clinic. My clinic does not hire new grads nor does it hire nurses who do not have acute care or clinic experience. I worked in acute care (hospital) for 5 years. My position also required a BSN. It depends on where you are in the country. Some rural areas may allow a new grad because they may really need people. I live in an urban area and is not the case. Work for a year in an acute care setting and then try to get a job at a clinic, doctors office, or city/county public health facility. This will make you more flexible as far as employment in nursing. Also, most clinics or doctors offices do not pay as well as hospitals. I was fortunate enough to find a position that pays $2000/year than my hospital position, but that is rare. The jobs in the community setting are out there, but you have to do what you gotta do to make yourself marketable. I will tell you that it took me a little over a year to find my current position and I applied and inquired about numerous positions. So it will take you a while. Best wishes in your future endeavors.

I took some pre reqs at all three STLCC campus for my BSN program at Goldfarb. I really like the instructors. I have worked with many great nurses who graduated from STLCC. Additionally, if you check the state board of nursing website they have excellent pass rates. I think you get an excellent nursing education at community colleges as has been demonstrated by the many nurses I have worked with from various community colleges. I say if you can get in do it. Also, remember that UMSL is not as cheap for a state school as you would imagine. They charge you $250 per credit hour for each class listed as nursing in addition to regular tuition. (I applied to MSN program but opted out-better to go to private MSN program for that price!) Best wishes in whatever you decide to do.

I started out in the RN to BSN program at Barnes-Jewish. I took two 8 week classes that met one day a week from 9 to 2. I enjoyed the program. I am not a group learner and become easily destracted in the classroom setting so I went to the online program that is for BJH employees. It took me about a year for the online program and it was great. I learned so much. It was alot of hard work, but I can honestly say that the program well worth the time and I graduated feeling that I had learned something.

Well, I went on the interview. I thought it went great, but I got a letter yesterday telling me that I did not get the job. I figured that I did not get it when they did not call me back when they said they were going to make a decision. So I have spent my weekend bummed out, I really want to try something different, but it can not seem to find anything. I will keep looking. I am also just going to apply for graduate school and just go for my NP. I am tired of hospital nursing and at this rate it seems the only way I am going to be able to do some type of community health nursing it to get my NP. Thanks for asking though.

I have been an OB RN for the past 3 1/2 year. I have been asked to come back for a 2nd interview for a PHN. I am apprehensive about going from the hospital setting to a PHN position. Is there anyone out there who has done this and can offer me thoughts on what it was like for them? Also, what to expect on a 2nd interview for a PHN with a government agency. Thanks PreggersRN

I am a second career RN. Have a degree I do not use and have no desire to ever use again. Went into nursing and I love it. It has its pros and cons like any other career. I did not do an accelerated program though, because many of them are intense and you can not work while doing it. If you have the option of not working by all means go for it (I have friends who did accelerated programs though and regretted it-they felt like they were not prepared for the floor or the NCLEX) You can look into BSN programs that require you the have the pre reqs and then you go there to take just the nursing courses. That will take you about 1 1/2 to 2 years. I went to the first school who accepted me (had bills to pay, had already been in school for 4 years, etc.) it was an ASN program. It took me a little over a year. Got a nursing job and used the hospitals reimbursement to get my BSN. Total it took me about 2 1/2 years to get my BSN. But, I have no debt (student loans) from my ASN or BSN. So for me it worked out. PM me if you have any further questions. Whatever you decide I wish you the best.

You made a good decision. I am glad it is working out for you! I am at that point, low staffing,horrible management. I love being a nurse, but refuse to work in a position that I am no longer happy with. I am actively interviewing and looking for other jobs. I am glad it is working out for you.

FYI: The AWHONN statement says that their position is that only RN's, APRN's, and physicians perform electronic fetal monitoring. So as a PCT you would not be allowed to take the AWHONN class for basic EFM Seems like it would be easier if your boss had a few nurses from post partum take the AWHONN Basic EFM course.

It depends on the individual person. I work on a high risk antepartum floor and honestly it is a med/surg floor with pregnant and/or post partum patients. I see everything on a daily basis: psych, neuro, renal, cardio, resp. In our society where women are having babies at a later age, people with chronic illnesses are able to live longer more normal lives than in the past and increased patient acuity, there is no way you will be able to work on a mother/baby or OB without some med/surg base (IMHO) The large teaching facility I work at does hire new grads. But, in the time I have worked there it has usually not worked out. It proves to be too stressful the majority have quit or transferred elsewhere. With that being said there are a FEW who are exceptional and perform well. (Now this is just what I have observed where I work, can not speak for others.) So I suggest to really weight the pros and the cons. I came in as a new grad and it has worked out for me. But, I also worked as a PCT in rehab, med/surg, ICU and peds before becoming a nurse. (I know it is not the same, but it does give you an idea of what you would want to do and as well as how things in a hospital are generally run.) Also, I suggest asking about the orientation and any classroom time. This should be a factor in your decison. some units do not give enough orientation or review of OB concepts before placing new nurses on the floor and this it to the disadvantage of thepatient, the unit and the new RN's detriment. IMHO. Whatever you decide I am sure you will be successful in what you do. Best wishes to you!

We have a 1 1/2 hour time limit and the patient has to be on pp by then. Large hospital with about 400-500 deliveries per month.

I also work on a closed unit. However, we all float within our OB area. So if you work mother/baby for example: you can be floated to L&D, antepartum, or Special care nursery. We do call offs if we do not have the census to report staff and the other units in OB do not need help. We work 6 weeks schedules. With 2 call shifts per 6 weeks schedule. We also do self-scheduling. Call offs and pulls are based on the date of last pull or call off. If it is your turn to be called off and no one else wants it you have to take it. But, if the census is continually low (as it frequently is around the end of January and beginning of February.) you can offer yourself to the house and work on another non-OB floor in the hospital. We do not get help from the house since we do not float to other non-OB areas. We have on occassion gotten a nurse from the house who really wanted to work (ie census is low in the hospital) that nurse has come to work OB, but only takes patients with medicine problems who are not viable (ie diabetics, lupus, sickle cell, etc.) But this happens VERY rarely.

Elvish, I understand what you are talking about. I work on an actual Antepartum unit and the patients are routinely ignored when it comes to some of their concerns and the nurses. My pet peeve: A patient who has been hospitalized for a while, after being status quo all of a sudden says " I just don't feel well" , concerns are ignored. I frequently have to be aggressive and just bug the resident until they give me what I want. At this point I am so burnt out on OB and nursing in a hospital in general. I LOVE working with the patients and their families. I HATE: 1.)Residents who do not listen to patients about their concerns, and also do not listen to the nurses. 2.) Bad Management. These are the main reasons why I am going back for my masters and seeking employment outside the hospital. Sorry, rough week and my vent. Hope it gets better for you. Unfortunately, I do not see it getting any better here. I think it is time to move on. PreggersRN

I have had this experience as well. Personally, I do not feel comfortable doing this. I did it once and it did not yield any results. I just don't think it is right. It was CCTC that i signed up with.

I saw the position in Coral Springs. I was really looking for antepartum or postpartum positions. I also absolutely have to leave in Jan. I do not want to burn bridges with my home hospital by leaving before the holidays are up. You never know when you may have to come back to a place.

I thought it was just me. I am having a hard time finding a travel position as an OB nurse. Looking for FL in Miami-Ft. Lauderdale area, and have not had any success. I wanted to start in January, but now my chances are looking slim. My friend who is a PICU nurse has an assignment already for the past month. I am not sure if I will be able to travel. This would have been my first year and was really looking forward to it. Also, my recruiter gave me the managers number for a couple of hospitals. I did not call them, becuase as was previously stated it is useless to have a recruiter if I have to do all the legwork. Plus, it just does not seem right for the manager to receive countless calls from travelers instead of just one from a recruiter. Is this commom practice?

I have been having a hard time finding travel positions for January as well. Signed up with 4 companies (Nurses Rx, CCTC, American Mobile and Access Nurses) I do LDRP, antepartum, post partum and women's health and have had no luck with Miami-Ft. Lauderdale area. I want to go there because my friend is a PICU nurse and already has a travel assignment. It is my first time traveling, after 3 years of working OB. I am starting to get discouraged. I hope something comes up soon.

I agree with everyone else's comments. I have 2 degrees. The first was typical classroom style. I learned nothing. I got a degree that I did not use and did not learn much (IMHO). And I got the degree from one of the top colleges in country. Then decided to be an RN. Got my associates degree. Typical classroom and clinical. I think that the students not being prepared is found in many avenues of learning. Did an online BSN offered through the same school I got my ASN. I learned so much. For me, online classes were the way to go. I was more involved. I was really able to be excited about what I was learning. So when I get my MSN, I will be doing an online program.

Baglady, Have you ever traveled near Miami or Fort Lauderdale. I like big urban areas. Do you have any suggestions. I have been an RN on a high risk antepartum floor for 3 years, and I have signed up with Cross Country because I want to travel with a friend who is a PICU RN. What is the pay like in FL? and what are my chances of doing high risk antepartum? At this point I am not interested in L&D. This will be my first travel assignment. What areas should I avoid. Any help would be great. April

Does anybody know of any of these jobs in missouri. I stay in St. Louis and am looking to leave bedside nursing. I was looking for something that I may be able to do from home.

Thanks you guys. I went to NYC this past weekend. Caught the train to Bayridge, and I really like the area!!! Clinton Hill, Fort Greene, Park Slope-not so much. My friends live in Clinton Hill and were really pushing it, but I was not feeling it. Thanks for the salary information. Also, do both of those hospitals have Antepartum Units? Do you guys know of any community health type roles that may be good areas to pursue in Brooklyn. Also, do you know anyone who works for any insurance companies in NYC? April

Does anyone know of any good places to work if you are an OB nurse. I am looking for hospitals, clinics, etc. I plan to relocate to Brooklyn or Queens. Also, can anyone give me some neighborhoods that would be great to live in either in Brooklyn or Queens. Going to NYC this weekend to check things out. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Also, what about salaries for OB nurses with 3 year experience, Asthma educator, BSN. April

Thanks for your help!