mappy

You might be surprised at how much you like nights. There are very few jobs that are posted for day shift because typically the unit will offer those positions to their current staff. Depending on turnover at your unit, you might be on nights for only a few months. Everything worthwhile usually comes with a cost, and this could include having to work on an opposite shift for a while. Millions of us do it and many of us actually like the more relaxed atmosphere and the chance to take more time with patients and families. On the other hand, if the idea of working nights for a few months to a year is so troublesome that you think it will ruin your lifestyle and your health, then maybe ICU isn't for you. It's a stressful place and things don't always go according to plan. Of course, the same can be said for graduate school as well Good luck with your decision. Career advancement often depends on making compromises and doing things that might not fit perfectly into your life. If you ever decide to marry and have children, you will definitely learn that lesson!

University of Missouri at Kansas City (UMKC) has an NNP program which has some core classes online. http://nursing.umkc.edu/msn-nnp.cfm

LOL at Lindarn's response - I'd love to see that too! I wonder if the reason you're having a problem finding research is the small number of ICUs that are not locked? I've never worked at a hospital that didn't have locked doors. There is likely a lot of research on visiting hours, openness to families, etc., but it really makes me wonder why a hospital would want to make it harder to screen visitors (HIPAA, infection control, security, etc.). Good luck!

First of all, I think you've done a good job of encouraging your friend. I am curious about the connection between an instructor telling her she wouldn't make it as a nurse and the incidents you described which are minor at best. I wonder if your friend might be reading too much into her instructor's responses or if her instructor made that comment based on your friend's reaction to the instructor's criticism of her work. I would advise your friend to think about these situations carefully, because it can impact her interactions with future instructors. If this is simply a harsh instructor who doesn't like her, then there is little likelihood of future problems. If this is an instructor who is concerned about your friend's professional demeanor, then the instructor might be giving some pointers that could be very helpful to your friend in the future. Instructors do talk about students, particularly those who have perceived issues (such as difficulty with medication administration, inappropriate boundaries with patients, or problems accepting criticism). It's a way of sharing concerns and showing ways that the instructor can help the student. That being said, I had a horrible experience in my first clinical experience. My instructor never told me that I wouldn't make it, but I felt that she thought that. I continued on through that program and never had another problem with a clinical instructor. I also graduated with honors and completed a master's degree. Does your friend have a neutral person at the school (like a mentor or another instructor) with whom she can respectably talk about her experiences? If she does I would want her to be open to the fact that she might receive some feedback which either encourages her to become more assertive or more prepared.