Navigatingnursing

I wanted to say thanks for your answer...better late than never!

My sister, don't you go there! I can relate to your post in professional experience, as well as being Jewish but not Sabbath observant. I hate to read that you think its a curse to be born Jewish! That nurse was at best ignorant in how she was speaking to you, perhaps anti-semitic, and this factors in unfortunately with work evaluation. Take care of your profession, as well as your religious obligations. This is an old post, so I hope you are now doing well, on all accounts.

Hello my fellow and sister travelers, My question is about getting that first facility experience and if it is wise to mention orientations done, which is experience and work, but then you didn't get hired, and that looks bad. I am an LPN of nearly three years and have yet to get bona fide facility experience. I worked in an adult day hab for 6 months, then homecare for two years, where my skill use is limited. I like homecare but want to leave it to get experience and build skills. I have had two orientations and didn't get hired. One was 3-weeks for a hospice, but it was my fault I was 10-15 in. late twice (I couldn't help it, yes I could have left an hour earlier, 2 hours earlier?!) and they also said that I wasn't good with 2 out of 6 skills tested on. That was tough to get over, as I am a massage therapist with oncology experience. But with that orientation, I got some serious training that deepened my awareness of hospice, and am profoundly grateful. Then recently an agency sent me out on a 3-day orientation where two of the days I did a med pass in an LTC, saying that I could then work as many shifts as I want. I have a massage therapy practice and a couple of homecare nursing clients. I actually quit or rescheduled these to make room to work at the facility and get my much-needed experience. Except the facility has been calling me the same morning to come in. It was on days that I could not, as I have some private clients I see as a massage therapist. Upon their request, I even did an unpaid orientation for a day after a week of not working, to refresh my skills. I currently feel confident enough to do this, feeling a career breakthrough. And they just called at 7:45 to come in, when I can't juggle the 3 clients I have today, after holding them off for 4 days. I can conclude that this agency may have misrepresented the facility and so it may not be a good match schedule-wise. Yet, I am not a new nurse with NO facility experience and I don't wish to hide it. But it sounds bad to say in an interview that I've had two orientations and no job. My idea is to say I had an orientation, but the scheduling was misunderstood and I was not able to be put on. After all, the facility accepts me, just pulls in new nurses last minute. Which is true. As for the other orientation, I just say I took extra training in hospice. This last one though, do I really have to not mention it? I feel confident enough to to the job, its just getting a place to give me an exact shift. And actually, orientations should be longer than 3 days, but that seems to be the case. I'm in New York City, btw. A lot of competition, I'm older, but a lot of hospitals and facilities. Thank you friends, for your advice!

I can really relate to this as we've had similar early nursing experience. But hey, I'm a new LPN working on getting her RN to get an MSN. I mean, may as well, times gonna pass anyway. Slowly but surely I think I can get there. Thats continueing ed and we're supposed to to that. What happens along the way I dunno. & this is my 3rd career so you know I'm "older". I love the possibilities of it. I hate to tell people what to do and to be presumptuous, but I hope my words will inspire you to explore where you're at and see your next step, and it might just be to do inner work. but I so relate to office politics and business over medical care. I hate the resistance I get from suggesting medical procedures, etc., but that's peoples egos and you can just step back and laugh, but not directly cos that's a write-up too.

I think you are a great guy for looking ahead and knowing and facing your fears realistically. I don't think you are being possessive, rather, its good that you address your concerns. I just started nursing school and broke up w/someone cos I found out he was cheating. I had always been open and frank that if anything was wrong and he wanted his space he could have it. He assured me I had nothing to worry about. Then I found hard evidence of cheating. I got him out of my life and am keeping my head clear for school. So kudos to you for knowing what you are concerned about and addressing it and valuing family and relationship and community. I wish I had a special person to help me and give me hugs and encouragement. BTW, you sound young and mature. My ex is in his 50's! So good for you and for the people that raised you!

People tell you it's an easy job? Tell them, "Hey, I make it look easy!" It's a credit to your training.

I spoke to an MA recently at a health fair I worked (I'm a massage therapist starting LPN program this Sept.) and she said MA's are being given more work to do that nurses usually do (phlebotomy, etc). I had thought they handle administrative and some set-up duties. It sounds to me like healthcare settings are getting cheap labor to avoid paying LPN and RN wages. And the MA schools are not teaching their students their legal boundaries. I have worked as a licensed massage therapist for 8 years in NYS which requires double the hours of training in many other states. But open any free newspaper to the back pages and see who's calling themselves massage therapists. THAT not only burns us up, but makes us vulnerable in our advertising. Licensed massage therapists are legally required to do 1000 plus hours of a&p, neurology, kinesiology, medical terminology, ethics, etc., etc. Even some dr.'s offices hire unlicensed mt's. Does not mean a therapist isn't good, but you run the risk of them not knowing to ask preliminary health history which contradicts massage, or use the wrong procedure. Such is my desire to become a nurse and be around more medically knowledgeable people. But I see title politics travel also to the field of nursing, also to possible healthcare detriment. One thing is nowadays nurses all wear the same scrubs and there maybe should be some differentiation so pts don't get confused. I'm not a fan of the dutch headpiece, but definitely something to clarify. "Nurse" can be considered a verb, and that is what we do as any healthcare practitioner or parent or other relative. But as colleagues, we must respect each other's training and expertise because we all need each other.

Much more advanced study material. The SAT is high school level, ACT I think is college entrance? GRE is something I'm struggling with, but I'm encouraged by all the advice here. Any advice for those who don't test well?

Does anyone know the # of graduates out of how many start out in the class at NYU? Thanks in advance. All wonderful advice here.