Autonomy RN

I would be very careful what you spend on a CNA or phlebot course. Some hospitals in rural (and in a few big cities) offer these classes for free (especially to people who are working on pre-requs for nursing school). Often these classes are not advertised. You have to do the dirty work and sometimes even HR doesn't know that the department is willing to train the "right person" for the job so you will need to find out the hiring managers names for the CNA positions and for phlebot positions you are interested in. Also, if you took the phlebot course you might be able to work more flexible hours. I have hired students to come in for the morning draw before classes and then go home/ to school. Then, after their first semester of nursing school they were converted to Emergency room techs that could draw blood and work as nurse's assistants. Good luck!

It is the hardest thing to learn to deal with people like that. I have gotten better over time and taking lots of classes and reading lots of books on the topic. But some people cannot be dealt with. What is probably hardest is that it sounds like you are getting a raw deal and truly being picked on. You are so right, nurses need to stop eating their young and think about the patients. I always tell people when they are speaking about a colleague, "I don't want to listen unless you want help with how you are going to approach this person directly. I have a committment to all my co-workers-to each other and our patients to bring up issues personally and directly in a caring way- just the way I would want issues about me brought up to me." It can be awkward, but people do finally get the message and in some cases it can be catching. Sounds like you feel the same way. It is too bad it has gone so far to get the union involved. You could challenge yourself that when this is over to find a way to get her to soften up to you...it is an exercise in your superior nursing/ psychology skills....Good luck!

Absolutely, Patient Care Techs and CNAs are given preference at most facilities especially if you already work there and your work ethic and patient care skills are known. Certifications such as PALS, NRP or ACLS are helpful since by having them you will get through orientation quicker (and cheaper) than a similarly qualified GN that does not have the required certifications for that position. At my hospital we hire GNs from within before we look at other candidates...it doesn't matter what department they work in. We had one recently that was our PBX operator. It is never too late to get interested in what specialty you want to try and finding out what is going on and "hot" in that specialty so you can speak intelligently about it. You may find this summer that a specialty organization conference is in or around where you live. These kinds of educational and networking opportunities are invaluable to a SN or GN or RN. Good luck!