mpihl

When I graduated nursing school in Dec. 2012 I did some interviews and decided to take my first job in Psych. I decided to do that because I wanted more experience on how to deal with those patients because I was frustrated in nursing school how every time there was a psych patient nobody knew how to handle them (and there was at least 1 every clinical I had). However, after 7 months I realized I was losing most of my skills and knowledge and that scared me so I looked for a new job. I found a new job in a local LTAC where I now work both the med/surg floor and the ICU. I have been at this job for 8 months now but I just feel like I am unhappy. I have learned so much during these 8 months and I of course can definitely learn some more here but I just feel like something is missing. I absolutely love nursing but I feel like I do not like med/surg. I've been thinking of looking at other jobs but I also know I really need to stick it out for 4 more months. I also really want L&D or NICU BUT I also know those jobs are way hard to get. I even recently talked to an L&D manager at one of the main hospital systems here who informed me that they only hire unexperienced L&D nurses if your a new grad. Any suggestions on what area's I should maybe look at in 4 months? Also, maybe what I could do to keep me interested in this job for the next 4 months? If by any chance a job opportunity came up before my year mark at this job would I then look flaky in the future for having jobs that were not very long? If I get a new job I would stay for at least 1 year period but after that year mark we would most likely be moving cross-country so I would then never have a job for more than a year.

The main place I've been looking at that is willing to hire me does mainly vents which is why I was looking at them. SDALPN I would actually love to work at a Dr's office but they unfortunately are not willing to hire unless you have 1-2 years of experience as they do not want to train anyone. I'm sure if I knew any of the doctor's offices around here better it could be easier to get on but all the one's I've spoken to have specifically stated not till I have more experience. Thanks for the help everyone!

I really want to work in NICU or PICU one day but at the hospitals in my area they don't take new grads at all. I am also having problems getting hired on at the children's hospital here as they seem to hire from the local schools first. I was thinking of looking into some of the pediatric home health agencies in my area. Since I have a BSN two places in town have said they would hire me with less than a year experience. The main question is would this be a good start to get experience and hopefully get on at a NICU/PICU in a year or two?

There's not going to be an October cohort they merged it with June.

I graduated in December and took my first RN job at a state mental health facility in February. When I couldn't land a L&D or NICU spot anywhere I decided I wanted to try mental health for at least a year or so. Well, now I'm finding myself never excited about waking up and going to work (I have to force myself out of bed) and I am not loving my job. So now I am thinking of leaving and finding a new job. There's actually a big internship coming up in June I was thinking of applying for but then I would be leaving my current job after only 5 months. Is this looked down upon or is it reasonable, especially with my current field? If its more suggested to stay for a year I definitely would but I really would like to find a field that I love and actually interested in waking up for.

I take my NCLEX RN Friday afternoon and kind of confused on what else I should be studying. I am finishing up the HURST review book for the 2nd time tonight and have been doing at least 50 questions a night over the past week. I know tonight should be my last study night BUT I always cram and I'll have anxiety if I don't study thursday night or a little friday morning. Friday morning I figured I would review some labs and simple things nothing major. But any ideas on what I should focus on tonight and tomorrow? Thanks

When I went there was 5 of us and 3 people interviewing. They had us fill out a paper that asked questions like your weakness, strength, where do you want to be at in 5 years and other similar actual interview questions. The interview it self took 1 hour and we were asked why Scott & White, where do we see ourselves in 5 years, what floor and shift we want to work on, and our favorite color. It was very laid back. They also gave us time to ask questions.

You have to be enrolled in an NCLEX review course or have something similar to it. They accepted one of my classes this semester for the NCLEX review course as thats all we work on in the class. If you have a similar class you just need to have the professor write something out on the school letterhead.

I actually just got a reply back. Children's ED is full, 1 spot left in NICU, and Children's acute still has spots open.

Does anybody know if there is anyone we can contact to see if certain units have filled positions or started interviewing yet? Has anyone by any chance heard anything about NICU, Children's ED, or Children's Acute Care?

This isin't a question about ED but how do you like working for Scott & White? If I remember right you went to MSU right? I go there and we had a girl interview for ED yesterday at Scott & White! She said it seemed totally different from the ED in town.

I know someone who doesn't even have an interview for OR until next week and she said they were scheduling some for after Thanksgiving as well.

Finally got to finish my phase 2 of the application today. Hopefully its not to late and I still have some sort of chance...

Did you have to ask to shadow or did they want you to shadow?

Have you heard anything back from them since your interview?

Has anyone heard from NICU or Children's ED yet?

Yah someone from Human Resources told me all the applications (besides Med-Surg) is only open for October and some of them require longer contracts than others depending on how long the internship is. Med-Surg almost always takes applications and they do internships all the time. So luckily if for any reason one of our specialties is not the way we get to go we can still fall back on Med-Surg.

Oh well hopefully there just going over other applications and you'll get a call back. Luckily Med-Surg doesn't go through the same deadlines as the other internships so its always a possibility later. Med-Surg is not my first choice either so I'm hoping I can get enough interview practice in at school to not let that show. Thanks for the tips as well!!

They actually allowed you to do a phone interview? I got a call today for a med-surg interview and the lady stressed that it was very much preferred that I do an on campus interview with them. I'm 4 hours away, and maybe I'm much closer than some of yall, so maybe thats why she said I really needed to be there. I think she felt agitated though because I had to schedule it 3 weeks out just so I could have a day where I'm not in class or clinical since they don't do Friday interviews. It's good to hear your interview went well though!! Is Med-Surg your main choice?

No I haven't heard anything from the Children's ED and I've also been routed for awhile. But I have heard that some departments like to wait until after the applications have to be turned in to actually call anyone. I don't know how accurate that actually is but since the application closes next week maybe we will hear something soon!

Hey everyone I am also applying at Scott & White. So far I have applied for NICU, Children's ED, and Children's Acute Care. I also applied for the ED, just because I always wanted to work there and I do enjoy it, but since I'll be living in Austin I'm not sure if I want to sign up for 3rd shift just yet so I have been thinking of withdrawing from that. I always wanted to work with kids when I was younger, then nursing school started and I was against working with kids (even after I took pediatrics). But now that I'm applying for jobs I just keep coming back to wanting to work with children lol. I saw some people have interviews this week. Good luck on all those interviews.

Go buy the book "Calculate with Confidence" or just use dosagehelp.com

I have to agree there is no reason why med math should be a class at all. Its pretty simple math and I know at all the schools around here you have to have college algebra before getting into the nursing programs. I do think maybe if the students are having a hard time maybe the professors can give some tutor sessions. In many of our classes we are given cheat sheets to remember the formulas you learn those formulas and they are so simple to do without even a calculator.

We actually have to purchase all of our lab supplies. A bag that comes with everything we will need for all of our nursing labs is about $200. We get those 3 items you mentioned (plus a whole lot more) in our bag though. Maybe the school is just trying to make a quick buck....

Ive used many digital textbooks for my nursing classes when they are available and worth the price. I try to use coursesmart.com as then I can use it on anything (computer, phone, ipad, etc).