knittingknurse

Wow, I really dislike all the generalizations in this thread. I am 27 and just finishing my first year in the field. My school (BSN) emphasized the mental work of nursing much more than the physical, but I have stepped up to the challenge. I am lucky...

I love hands-on patient care: assessments and wound care. I don't even mind changing briefs because it brings me more contact with the patient and a chance for a thorough skin assessment. I love working with the doctors from our hospitalist service. ...

Work with the evening nurses - about half of the bathing should be done at night to even out the work. That said, it still sounds like a tremendous load without nursing assistants.

Sorry you're having this issue. Be sure to be open with your new manager about the situation. Don't let them find out about it down the road. And congratulations on your dream job!

I have a regular schedule of 3 nights in a row. Sometimes there are patients my coworkers and I call "one-shifters." If we take turns having the patient, we are able to maintain good nursing care even if unable to provide continuity. It can actually ...

What are your greatest strengths/weaknesses? Describe a professional situation in which you have been in conflict with another person. How did you handle yourself? What would you do if you walked in a room and found a patient... (unconscious/on the f...

As a student, show interest and ask questions. This is a great way to supplement your clinical experience from school! If census is low, I appreciate when CNAs take extra time with patients, like giving "feeders" snacks and drinks. Interested, hard w...

You could wear neat-looking scrubs with newish tennis shoes. This is considered professional attire for us. Or you could wear what you would wear to any other "business casual" function. Good luck!

If I remember correctly, Saunders lumps all of Peds in one testable category and all of OB in another, unlike the systems approach for Med-Surg. I found the outlines very helpful, but I tried to keep up with our textbook also.

I recommend getting a patient care tech job now in one of your top choice hospitals! Work hard and create a good impression now, and you'll be seriously considered as you approach licensure.

I graduated last May and have had positive experiences working in a LTC/rehab facility, in a free clinic as a volunteer, and in a community hospital. I work hard and ask a lot of questions and seem to be getting along fine. The new LPN grad seems to ...

Hello fellow nurses! I am a new RN and work in a small community hospital's stepdown unit. My husband and I are finally getting ready to start a family. I am reading up on preconception and am trying to figure out if there are any special precautions...

Makes sense... thanks!

The first time I felt like a real nurse was when I assessed for rebound tenderness in one of my LTC patients and made the decision to send her to the hospital! I just started in a hospital, and working with PICCS without supervision is another major ...

I went to school with a guy named Harry Heyman.

I went door to door to LTC, and it worked for me. I was lucky and got an offer on the first day! I was dressed to impress and had multiple copies of my resume and recommendation letters on hand. However, one of my friends who lives in Boston, where n...

I'm in the same boat, DekagirlsRN. I keep applying to the local hospitals and have even gotten some interviews, but no job there yet. I keep telling myself that it will get better, that the right position is waiting out there for me somewhere. What i...

I have an interview coming up for a position in an outpatient clinic that sees primarily patients with arthritis and autoimmune diseases. The office manager said my main roles would be to review protocol, supervise CNAs who insert IVs, mix and admini...

I lived in Greenville until I graduated from college and have lived in Charleston for 2 years. Growing small city Greenville is great for hiking, day trips to the mountains, a vibrant downtown, and several festivals. There is a new children's museum,...

Hi friends, I am considering becoming an advanced practice nurse (FNP or CNM) several years from now. As a new grad NP, how is the job market? Does it follow the same course as the job market for new grad RNs? Is there stiff competition with new PAs?...

JewlzRN, I graduated the same day you did, and I feel your pain. I have applied to numerous positions in hospitals. I finally decided to look outside the hospital and was lucky enough to find a skilled nursing position in a rehab facility - I'm just ...

Some people in the general public have the idea that "smart" students should to med school and may discourage you from pursuing a career in nursing because they don't understand that nursing can take you as far as you want to go. Is this possibly the...

I'm a new grad. It is a very competitive market down here with 3 nursing schools: Trident Tech, MUSC, and Charleston Southern, the latter 2 offering BSNs. There simply are not enough positions for the number of new grads generated by these 3 programs...