moonbunnie

Hi, I just graduated from NIU, but I worked at Kish Hospital with a few girls who were in the nursing program at Kish. Out of 3 that I worked with, one was kicked out for low scores in clinicals, one kicked out for low test scores, and one graduated 8 weeks behind. So, I don't know, I guess this isn't a very encouraging story, sorry :) But, I think you really need to be prepared at all times and study hard, and you'll do fine.

Well, I haven't been presenting myself at all yet, because I haven't heard from anywhere except the one other hospital associated with my hospital. But, when I thought about what I would say, I did plan to say something along the lines of your idea, about how I really enjoyed the work, but that at the time I was there, this particular unit just was not a good environment for me to learn. While I was there, the other nurses were so short staffed and overworked that they just barely wanted to talk to me at all, but I did still enjoy working with my patients so much, and I know that my patients liked me and thought I did a good job too, which is the only thing that kept me going while I was there. Its kinda hard to remember that part now, especially with the thought of not being able to find another women's health job and having to take whatever I can get. I'm not totally opposed to working med/surg or another area, but I truly loved my patients in LDRP. Anyway, thanks for the tip on the job fair, maybe I'll see if I can make it out there. I'm thinking about moving in with my parents in Rockford for the summer and looking for a part time job at a nursing home there so I can help them at home, because my mom had a stroke two weeks ago, and when she comes home will probably need a lot of help for a while.

Well, they wanted to transfer me, but my hospital doesn't have any openings for me on another unit. The HR lady referred me to another facility's HR, but they are kinda like, well, our hospital is pretty busy, maybe a smaller place would be a better place for you to learn. I would get to keep my benefits if I can find a job within the system, but they just don't seem to be very happy to help me find one. I'm applying outside of my hospital too, and if I don't get a new job pretty quick, I will be moving back in with my parents till I do find a job. It seems like an RN shouldn't have much trouble finding a job, but so far I've had no luck, although it has only been a week and a half.

I just graduated from NIU in december. Congrats, you are entering an excellent program :)

I graduated in December and took my test exactly a month later. ATT came about 2 weeks after graduation, and I scheduled test for 2 weeks after that. But, like someone else said, a lot more people graduate in May than December or March, so it might be longer for you. Also, I think it depends on how fast your school is about doing their part, ie. verifying your graduation. The people that graduated last May at my school (NIU) said they took their tests about 2 months after graduation. I would also recommend scheduling for the first available date, because the test is not as bad as you think it will be, and its better to get it over with :)

Thanks Sue, that does make me feel better, knowing that I am not the only one who doesn't fit well at their first job. It just sucks to be fired for doing nothing wrong other than not having enough experience. Lol, but, I have enjoyed my week off, except for the knowing that now I have no more paychecks coming :)

Hi guys. I just kinda wanted to hear opinions on my situation from some other nurses/new grads. So, I got hired to work LDRP as a new grad. The manager seemed really cool. I actually found out later she was the interim manager, and also the educator. I started at the very end of January. At the time, the hospital was just getting ready for a site visit for magnet status. At the beginning of March, the cool educator/manager left for another job, leaving this unit with no one other than an interim manager from ambulatory surgery with no OB experience. So, about 7 weeks into my orientation, after the original manager had left, I get my first review/meeting with the interim manager and my preceptor. They say they are not sure I have the drive for this type of work, that I only do what I'm told and no more. I tell them that I would like to do more, but I feel pretty overwhelmed just trying to take care of my patients at this point. So they say we will meet again later. Basically, at the end of 11 weeks of orientation, they feel like I am not prepared to work in such a fast paced unit. I disagree, feeling like I never got a really good orientation, with the magnet preparations and the nurse educator leaving so soon after I started. I mean, obviously I don't have any kind of nursing experience, I am a new grad. So they want to transfer me to another unit, like med surg. This hospital doesn't have any openings, and although they own about 7 others, none of them have been very helpful so far. I just feel like kind of a failure. I don't know, maybe nursing is not the right career for me. I guess I don't really know what I'm looking for here, just thought I'd share my crappy first job experience. So, now I'm not quite a new grad, but don't really have any experience either, and now all the May grads are applying for jobs too, so I don't know how easy it will be to find another job. Blah. Its been a bad week. Thanks for reading, let me know if you have any opinions :)

I was just wondering how easy it is for a nurse to go from one area to another totally unrelated area. I know when you first graduate, you should get a nice orientation to the unit, but what if I was working in something like labor and delivery, and then later decided I wanted to work in ICU, or anything totally different like that. Would the new unit give you the same kind of orientation they would give a new grad? I am just not sure which area I want to work in, because a lot of them seem interesting to me, but I wouldnt want to feel like a complete moron if I went to a new area and didnt know anything.

I love ER...I remember watching it with my mom when it was first on...I was only about 14 years old, and she liked it because she has worked in a hospital most of my life...then about 4 or 5 years ago, i started watching it again, and I just love it. I dont care who comes and goes, i get attached to them all, even the ones i dont like. i definitely miss dr green, and will miss carter. I just bought the first 3 seasons on dvd, and plan to watch them over the summer.

You should definitely go and talk to them...they can tell you for sure whether you need to be certified...and i dont think it would be a problem to ask to start in june, they probably have a lot of students who just want to work over the summer...also, i dont think you need to wait for more experience, you will get plenty as a CNA, and remember that everyone was new once. if you remember at all how to do vitals, you will get good at them really quick. I say go for it, be confident in yourself, good luck :)

I am from Rockford and I currently go to Northern Illinois University, and i think schools are pretty full here too. We had about 950 people apply for 60 spots at NIU. I dont know about COD, but at the school where I did my prereqs, Rock Valley College in Rockford, they looked at your overall GPA, but they took your anatomy, micro, and chemistry grades into consideration about as much as the overall GPA. you can call the different community colleges and they can tell you what they consider. maybe you could take a class or two over to bring up your GPA if necessary.

i would also recommend appealing the insurance denials. i used to work for blue cross, and i saw that sometimes if you write in appeal a decision, and have a dr also write your letter of medical necessity, they will overturn their decision. You can also call and talk to customer service, but a written appeal is the first step. You do have to be persistent and possibly jump through some hoops, but often times they will approve it. It seems like you really have no other option than the twice a week infusions, as you have tried many other options already, and this is something the insurance company would take into consideration. i also know that you, the patient, have to be the one to file the appeal, your dr cannot do it for you, although he can submit supporting documentation. that is what i would suggest you do, although that wont cure you, at least it would help your financial situation if insurance would cover your treatment.

thanks everyone. i think its mostly just the sense of not belonging that i dont like. i dont love my cna job, where i work in ltc on the weekends, but at least i know what i am supposed to be doing every minute of the day, and what i can and cant do, and i dont have to be supervised all day. i really am hoping that when i graduate i can find my place. i know i dont have to stay a bedside nurse forever either, which is also comforting. at least i have a pretty nice clinical instructor this semester, although she can be a little crazy about always wanting us to constantly stay busy, while i am feeling like there is nothing to do, but at least she isnt out to get us.

i dont really know what exactly it is i hate about clinicals...the actual classroom part of school i like a lot, and i have been a cna for almost two years, so i know how to wipe butts and everything...i guess i just hate only having one patient at clinicals, and not even really knowing what to do or getting to do anything besides bathing and MAYBE passing a few meds. I feel like I have nothing to do, but I dont know how to do anything anyway. and the things I am supposed to do, like bed baths and changing sheets, i already know how to do, and dont enjoy doing. im afraid i will never know enough to do everything that a nurse does, and im afraid that it is a job that is too stressful, and i wont be able to perform under pressure. these are all just fears from someone who doesnt really know anything about being an actual nurse, just about being a student though. i applied for a summer intership working one on one with a nurse, so im hoping that if i do that i will really get to see how the actual job is, and then have a better idea of if nursing is for me or not.

right now we are doing med surg...this is my second semester.