pfalls

I, too, felt the same passion as you and followed all the advice given below. I got assigned to nicu in the biggest hospital in town for my preceptorship experience and got on well with the DON on the unit, as well as the other nurses. I was in heaven! It felt like it was going to work out perfectly because they only hired new grads who had precepted on the unit. The one thing that got in the way of my securing a job there was the hospital budget. The nicu unit was told they were overstaffed, census had been down, and none of the women's and children's areas were going to be allowed to hire. Big time bummer!! Especially since I had really started b onding with the babies, the unit, the staff...well, not much more I could do. I stay in touch and try to keep myself fresh in their mind. I asked the DON what new grad like me could do, that wanted to gain experience in the areas not hiring...she suggested higher acuity areas for the best transferrable experience. I got two offers, one in an acute care cardiac unit, the other in an emergency department. I just accepted the emergency department position and start in a few weeks. I still have my eye on nicu though...good luck to you, the advice given to you was spot on and if the hospital hires new grads in nicu and is not on a hiring freeze, that will give you your best shot! Best wishes :)

Anna2012, You log on to Pearson Vue and act like you are trying to resgister. You answer some questions and then if when you hit submit, you come back with a message saying their records indicate you are already registered...then you know you passed, if it lets you register, then you know you didn't pass. It has worked for everyone I know that has tried it and even out Kaplan teacher told us to try it :) Good luck!

You can find out by also searching yoru name the next day on the nursing board website of the state you tested in. I tested yesterday, di dthe pearson trick and got the good pop up, but like you was afraid to trust it! Today I searched my name on the state board website and it had my license number!!!

*Border crossers... yes, I know how to spell, I goofed in my haste :)

Hi All~ Well, it's finally happened, I have a job offer after graduating in May. I am so excited to have an offer, as this has been so much work competing with all the other new grads in my area to find work in a new grad program, and I feel very fortunate to have finally pulled it off! I am writing to ask for feedback from some Emergency room nurses regarding what it is like working with Psych, Dpt. of Corrections pts? This ED has a locked unit with those two populations, as well as border crossers. I know 2 people who spent time there and have told me how hard it was when you were assigned to the locked unit with these 3 populations, vs the regular ED pts. I am open to working with whomever needs help, but have heard it can get creepy as a new grad dealing with multiple psych pts in one room with lights dimmed, and no supplies. Also, no security for the psych pts, but plenty for the DOC and border crossers. I am excited for the job opportunity but wonder what the challenges would be for me. I also potentially have an offer in acutue care telemetry in another hospital but won't know for another week. I know that would be its own set of challenges, but am more concerned with how I might feel working with the locked unit in the ED. I have asked to shadow, and am set up to do that in a few days, hoping it will help! Thanks in advance for any words of wisdom!

mdg0926--are you in Tucson? I think I was at that same workshop with you (in Phx) as I remember alllllll those tips! Now, reading through what others are saying, I wonder if that is just regional? Maybe some employers like to see clinical experience. Curious to read what others say, as I am knee deep in this process too!

HI, I am curious what the outcome of your meeting was--hope it worked out smoothly in the end :)

How exciting--good luck! I picked NICU as my first choice for my preceptorship in my last semester of school and we should soon find out if we got our first choice. I hope I did because the unit at the hospital I chose does hire new grads, but preference is given to those who precepted there so I am dying to find out if I got in!! I owuld start next month--I would think of it as a working interview and hope to reinforce the contacts I have already made there while shadowing. Congrats and good luck!

Boratz I have enjoyed reading your supportive posts of NICU nurses, I, too, hope to one day work in the NICU and find the support and encouragement here refreshing. Patty[ QUOTE=elliern88;6208970]I am feeling very terrible right now. I am having such a rough time with orientation, I have forgotten to give several meds, had a bad infiltrate the other day and have been getting a hard time from the nurses I give report to. I always feel like a bumbling idiot, and have a hard time getting organized. I am beginning to wonder if this is not for me. Is this normal for a new nurse in the nicu to be having such problems?? I am already halfway through my training process. :'(