cheska_rn

I recently interviewed for a position and was given the opportunity to have an observation experience as well. The interview and observation both went well. During the interview the hiring mgr asked if it was okay to contact my current employer, and what my managers name was (for some reason when she printed my application it did not fill). I gave her my managers name, and then the number I had listed on the application was HR. The hiring mgr emailed me today and stated she was trying to contact my current manager, but that the number I had put on the application was for HR. She wants my manager's direct number. Is this the norm? I was under the impression that they can only call to verify employment length, etc., which they could do through HR. I don't have anything to hide, but if this new job is not extended to me, I do not want my current mgr to think I am a flight risk. I am uncomfortable having her speak directly w/my current manager, but don't want to miss out on this opportunity. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

My advice: Keep applying for L&D jobs, but also apply for HOSPITAL jobs. Not a dig against LTC, but a lot of facilities want your experience to be hospital experience. I took a job on a geropsych unit at a hospital and after a year applied to a L&D unit and started last week (woohoo!). As for the FHM. During the interview I had told the hiring mgr that I had thought abt getting certified in it and she said that she was glad I didn't because they do the certification through the hospital (not sure if that is how all hospitals work, but just an FYI). Hired alongside me was a new grad who is a lactation consultant (no hospital experience at all -- brand new grad!), and because she was a lac consultant it helped her to get in (she only got certified to spruce up her resume since she too knew she wanted an L&D position upon graduating.) I know that certification can be expensive (hers cost $750!) so not sure if you want to go that route. Best of luck!

I graduated in May 2012 as well, with hopes of landing on a L&D floor asap, and I just started last week! SOOOO excited! Congrats!!

I'm a May grad as well. I don't remember exactly what was on the first math competency (PTSD I presume), but I do know that I reviewed the whole Med Math book and I passed, lol. Don't forget to review the ounce conversions for teaspoon, tablespoon, etc. Also be super careful on the I/O problems -- if they are just asking intake, then don't subtract out the outake!!

Thanks!!!

Well, if anyone cares, they called today and offered the position! :yelclap:

Thanks, both, for your replies and suggestions. I really want to call, but don't want to seem like I am being impatient, or a nag. I'm still undecided. Was hoping/praying to hear something today. It has been 8 days since I heard "upon successful completion of background we will be in contact".

Long story short: Interview on August 8th (went well, asked back to shadow) Shadowed on August 10th Emailed hiring mgr interest in the position August 12th Received reply from hiring mgr saying he would forward my response to HR August 14th Heard from a reliable source that the position would be offered to me on August 17th Emailed HR recruiter to inquire as to whether or not I was still being considered on August 21st HR Recruiter emailed back same day (August 21st) that upon SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF BACKGROUND I would hear from them. Okay, so it is a week later and I haven't heard anything. If I call/email will that be a bit much? I am very interested in this position, but am not a fan of the lack of urgency, lol. So, should I call and ask status of background or just be patient?? THANKS!

So, I graduated in May, passed NCLEX in July, and had my first interview at the beginning of this month. I interviewed with both the recruiter and hiring manager, and both went very well. They invited me to shadow, and the hiring manager asked me to followup with him via email about my shadowing experience. I emailed him my experience and interest in the position. He replied this past Thursday with "Thank you! I will forward to human resources and hope for the best." This was almost a week after my shadowing. I texted his reply to a friend of mine (who works at the hospital that I interviewed at) and asked her what her interpretation of the email was. It took her a minute to reply back, and when she did she said that she was with her coworker in the cafe and she asked her coworkers opinion who replied "Oh, there is John Doe (hiring manager)! Let me ask him!" *cringe* So, yeah, kind of unprofessional -- I had NO CLUE this was going to happen, didn't even know my friend was at work. My friend texted me back and said "Great news! He said you "got the job" and plans on offering you the position and hopes you will take it!". Okay... great... but I still haven't heard back from HR! I know that I am being impatient, but I really want something set in stone, not just word of mouth. My initial interview was August 8th, my shadowing experience was on August 10th, and the hiring manager replied back to my email on August 16th. So... should I email the recruiter and try to get some feedback to get the ball rolling?? I know the next training session for new nurses doesn't start until Sept 10th, so I am not sure if they don't feel the need to hire with urgency because we can't start training until then anyways?? Yes, I am driving myself insane about this!! Thanks in advance for any replies.

I am also a firm believer in "everything happens for a reason". Was there content that you were being tested on that you felt you were lagging in? Take this time to review those areas. Good luck!

Totally unrelated to the post, but thank you for having such a fine avatar pic. Joe is SMOKIN!

I feel your pain!!! I have 11 more days until pinning. THANK GOD!!! I cannot take more much! Lol!

Are you limiting yourself to Ypsilanti when you say East/North/West/South, or are you referring to those areas outside of Ypsi? I live in Belleville which is just east of Ypsi. For schools do you mean for your children, or for yourself? Are you already a nurse looking for employment?

Wow, you know you are awesome, right?!?!?!? These are FABULOUS! :yelclap:

When in my schooling did I fail to learn that drop factor = mL?? So if it is 15gtt/min does that equal 15 drips equaling 1mL?? Is it interchangeable with the both macro and micro? I came up w/the same answer, but used a completely different formula. I wonder if it is just a coincidence??? Okay, so what abt this one: An IV of 500mL is to run at 40gtt/min using a 10 gtt/mL set. What is the infusion time? Doing it the way I did it before my answer would be: 125 minutes (2hrs and 5mins). Is that the same answer if you do it your way? Thanks for your help!!!

so, on wednesday i will be officially starting my third semester (rn-adn) and we will have our wonderful math exam. the first two semesters we could get a 90% and pass, but now it is 100% to pass. in reviewing for this exam, i came across a math question that is different than others i have encountered, or have been tested on thus far. i have heard that one similar may be on our exam, so i want to make sure i understand how to calculate it. example: calculate infusion time for an iv (1000ml) of d5w infusing at 25gtt/min, drop factor 10gtt/min. so, is this like reversing the traditional problem? 1000ml x 10gtt/min divided by 25gtt/min = 400 minutes (??????????????) i have honestly never had a problem that had me calculate to find the overall infusion time (we normally are looking for the drop factor), so i am really confused. i have looked through my med math books, my notes from the class, and various other resources to no avail. please help!!!

I applied with a 3.66 overall (all A's in pre-reqs), and my NET (what we took before TEAS) was not impressive -- I basically just hit at the minimum requirements, and I had no previous medical employment history. However, I truly believe my references and essay are what helped me get it. My employer wrote me a glowing letter of recommendation, and I had a long-time friend (a nurse) write me one as well. Point of my post? Don't be completely discouraged if your TEAS score isn't the highest it could be, or your overall GPA isn't a 4.0 -- like Dr Lewis said -- they do factor in the other requirements.

They should have given you a list at orientation, and you definitely need ALL of it (stethoscope, measuring tape, etc.) for your first day, and for the whole first 7 1/2 weeks!!! You will be using them to learn (in lab) how to measure Ted Hose, take BP, listen for adventitious breath sounds, and everything else. You will need it all for clinicals as well (second 7 1/2 weeks), but definitely for lab first 7 1/2 weeks. You won't need your uniform until the second 7 1/2 weeks (first day of clinical), but make sure you order your name badge ahead of time so you will have it in time for clinical. Some instructors will NOT let you start clinicals w/out the badge and patches, and I believe it takes abt 2-3 weeks for that store to get them in once you order.

@Icantwait_01 -- Unless they have changed something (I will be entering my 3rd semester this fall), you do have to wear lab clothes (sweats/white tshirts)to 118. Good luck all! It is a challenging program, so be ready!!! =)

Last semester, 45 miles ONE way. It was terrible. This semester, 24 miles one way. Much better!!

If you are referring to the NLNAC Accreditation, then you are correct. WCCCD lost theirs quite a few years ago (10+ I believ). However, they are still accredited through the state. I was worried about this as well, but as I am entering my 3rd semester this fall I can tell you that I have met a ton of recent graduates that are quite successful in the field. At every clinical site I have been to there are WCCCD graduates employed, and I am talking about recent hires. I have personally reached out to Madonna to see if they will accept a graduate from WCCCD to their RN-BSN program (because WCCCD lacks the NLNAC Accred) and their director emailed me back stating that "an RN is an RN and that as long as you graduate from a STATE accredited school that is all that matters." I do know that w/out the NLNAC accred VA hospitals won't hire you, which is weird becase they allow WCCCD to do their clinicals there (???), so if you are interested in working VA then you may want to apply to a different school. Good luck getting in the program!

Prayers from Michigan! :heartbeat:redbeathe:heartbeat

I feel you!!! I am in my Med Surg II clinical, and I am convinced my instructor HATES me. I have NEVER had a teacher dislike me, and for the most part they seem to really like me. I have had teachers not even look at my work and say "I know you did a good job", and give me an 'A' off the bat (this, by know means, has stopped me from working hard). Upon the first meeting of my instructor she said to me (after finding out my name), "Well, you are not what I expected". I kind of laughed and asked her what she was expecting, and she said she wasn't going there. WTH?? Okay, so I know I have an ethic name, but I am in fact melanin deficient, but... that's not my fault, right?? Argh!! So, then.. on the first day of clinical I was giving a pt a proper bath, and she went off about how slow I was (and went on and on). I was just doing it the way we were taught (washing upward to promote venous return), and she just grabbed the wash cloth and started scrubbing the guy in a fashion that was definitely not taught in class (lol). Okay, so, that was like an hr of her berating me for everything that I did wrong in her eyes (but was right w/the way we were taught), and then she told me to go help another student discharge her pt (I already knew the pt has already left), and I told my instructor that they had left already and she screamed at me "Who do you think you are telling me how to do my job!?? I hate ppl like that!!!". WTH????? I honestly just simply said "Jane Does pt just left". Later that day (yes... the nightmare continues), she asked me to help another student w/a pt (she didn't say the students name) so I said "Who's patient", and she said "It doesn't matter who's patient it is!!!". I KNOW THAT and that wasn't why I was asking!! Omg... So, later that day we were running out of time and I was trying to finish something and she said "Well, if you didn't waste all your time on your smart mouth you could of probably got it done". (???) I left clincals in TEARS and cried for two days. I have NEVER been treated like that. Nursing is a second career for me, and I have always been successful, and have rarely had a problem with people in general, so I have noooo idea what has set her off. I had another clinical since then, and thankfully I got to spend the day in dialysis (away from her). Saturday is another 12hr clinical w/her, and I am not looking forward to it!! Sorry, I didn't mean to make this post about me, lol, but I just want to tell you I know what you are going through!!! It is sooo frustrating, but we have worked hard for this, and we can't let this bring us down!

I definitely agree w/the previous posters. The first paragraph is very distracting, and kind of almost made me uncomfortable. What if I was the person responsible for making a decision on it?? I had a hard time focusing on the rest of the paper, but I was able to, and the rest of it is really good. However, if I had to read over 1000 papers, I might have stopped at your first paragraph thinking "is this person trying to gain a sympathy vote??", or "why is this person telling me all this", and I may have set it aside. I am just being truly honest. My admission essay was very personal, and after having it read by a few people that I trusted to give their honest opinion, I edited out some of the more intimate details. Good luck!

For the tops you definitely have to have the collar. They have them at the store the school recommends (on Grand River) for a better price than online, plus you don't have to pay shipping, and you can try them on (I had originally ordered mine online, but it was too small, so ended up returning it and just getting it at the store). My whole clinical group wore this one: Nurse's Pleated Medical Uniform Top by Cherokee Uniforms | AllHeart.com Scrubs and Medical Equipment. The one posted above has a "belt" on the back, and I didn't see anyone wearing that style; however, I am sure it is preference and that as long as you have the collar you will be fine. I have plain, white Nike shoes that I got from Lady Foot Locker. I can't find a link online, but I got them at the LFL at the Westland Mall. My friend found all white Nike Shox and she said they are awesome!