sweetgeorgia

To RN In FL, I entered the profession with a clear heart and genuine love for taking care of people. To THIS DAY, I still take care of my family with the same love and care that I gave so many strangers during those three months and two years of unpaid service to people in nursing school. Being a student, even during clinical, did not adequately prepare me for the liability and legal consequences that are beyond unjust. As a student, I took the time to absorb as much of the real duties of the job as I was allowed. I enjoyed sitting down with people and listening to their stories. The heart of nursing was still there as a student. As a real nurse, none of that care and time mattered anymore. My respect level for nurses in general, after seeing the neglect and abuse, among a myriad of other things (some so subtle and small). One human being should never treated by another human being with a looming power over them just because the other person is as a nurse. No one should be subjected to nurses like that and no one should have to work for them either. I left because I BELIEVE in better for people. I left because I CARE. And yes, I finished school and fought through it like we ALL did because I wanted to finish what I started, and not give up on my dream, a dream I had since I was four years old. I think if you took a step in my shoes and did what I did and saw what I saw, you would have a completely different opinion. You are entitled to your independent thoughts like we all are but it sounds like you have some other issues going on, like you are jealous of people who work hard to make good grades and an honest living. And thank you for those who are trying to explain. I put my story out there so that I could share my experience. I didn't put it out there to bash nursing, blame it for everything. My whole point was and still is, you have a personal choice as to what kind of nurse you will be, if one at all. There is no shame in realizing, no matter how late or how soon it is, that there are other professions, other types of nursing, and other places to work. It is a matter of self respect and self preservation. Thank you.

Hi everyone, I'm posting a topic today to offer hope to those of you who may have been in my shoes at some point in time. Little history: I decided to go into nursing through a second bachelor's degree program since my first liberal arts degree was not marketable in the economy after I graduated in 2008. So on I went to take prerequisites and I was accepted (to my surprise!). Throughout nursing school I was a straight A student and enjoyed my classes, even research and some of the harder clinical courses that most people complained about the entire semester. So with much hard work and soul searching through two years, I became a Registered Nurse. Well, on paper at least! I passed my board exams and was offered two jobs about two months after graduation. Mind you, I applied to over 100 jobs since my last semester. It was only after I had passed my board exams that I was actually considered for an interview and called back. So I decide to take one of the jobs at a private acute care hospital in a medical surgical unit that also received step down ICU patients and fresh ER admissions. I was paid $21.45/hr and worked on average 14-15 hours for each 12 hour shift. This was not isolated to me because I was new. This was a widespread activity for every single one of the nurses on the floor. We were expected to complete the impossible and yet the stress was overwhelming and the liability issues mounting. I would cry before I walked into work hoping and praying that the day would not collapse for if I dare forget one detail my butt was on the line with the charge nurse and director. Example of this was extensive management oversight during the day to inspect and watch to see if all customer service components were completed during change of shift report. This would easily take 45 minutes to 1.5 hours to complete all the shift reports for two nurses to change shift. Anyway, I digress. After working on day shift, I requested a change to night shift, something I had never done in my life, for hope that the stress would be less and the demands of the job more tolerable. BOY WAS I WRONG! The night shift was terrible and I suffered a lot of health problems from the shake it made in my body. So after three months of employment, unpaid overtime and harassment and discrimination from the patients, management, and other nurses I said goodbye. That was the happiest most liberating day in my life. I am now a professional educator and teacher for science and mathematics. While every day is no where near perfect, the impact I make on other people is much more fulfilling and deep. I am not robot nurse. I actually help people and feel like I am part of a profession. Something, that nursing tried to eat off my bones from the day I stepped into that field. All I can say is.... if you are truly unhappy with nursing and the mountain of things that are changing in the healthcare system you can either be part of the problem or part of the solution. I chose to leave it and despite the work and time I put into it, leaving was the best decision for me. There is NO SHAME in moving on from something toxic and unhealthy. There is NO SHAME in discovering other talents and dreams. YOU ARE NOT STUCK IN NURSING. Hope this helps someone out there. Best of luck to all of you who actually finished reading this monstrosity of a post! :)

The facility I work at has employees accrue time off each pay period. We get 6 hours every two weeks which is equivalent to 1 day a month. So a total of twelve days a year. That's about four weeks in nursing time if you work three twelve hour shifts a week and can get approval to request off!

5-6 pts per nurse. no cnas. no techs. no lvns. 1 charge. 1huc during days. no huc during nights. it's HARD work ALL the damn time.

Amazing story of courage and hope. My hat goes off to you.

Love this so much!

I also met my husband during nursing school as well as his military deployment several times throughout. It's not impossible to date and have a life during nursing school, just have to manage time extremely well and have mental strength and life goals and priorities straight before beginning a relationship. Same goes for those with children, my hat goes off to all the single moms who are working and going through nursing school with kids.

Thank you! These resources are greatly appreciated! :)

Hi CISKA, I graduated from TAMUCC and took the HESI A2 entrance as well as the required HESI exit exam in order to graduate the program at the end (must have at least 850) and HESI course final exams (must have over 75%). On the entrance exam, be prepared to take the test using all the knowledge from your prerequisite classes, including generic classes. I recommend not taking the entrance until Microbiology, Anatomy, Physiology are completed. The test covers all subjects, English, Science, Math, etc. There are some review books at amazon and/or barnes and noble that might be give you guide. There is a certain score that you have to have on your entrance exam now in order to be competitive enough to get accepted in the program but it wasn't an unreasonable score. Also, I strongly recommend you research the HESI exams (all of them required in the classes, some of them count for 75% of the total course grade) and start studying for them as well as NCLEX from the first day of starting nursing school. Nobody told me this upon entering the program so I was surprised to be tested so much according to these types of tests. They are not like any other exam you have ever taken. And I've taken lots of exams, including all of the the GRE and LSAT before I even began nursing school. Some people think the exams are good, some people do not like them. I found them to be very hit or miss for me. As with anything, study hard and stay the course. Those who can handle the pressure will move forward. Those who cannot will either learn how to handle it or leave the program. It's a really good program though, very glad I chose to go there for nursing school. It will be as good as an education that you choose to make it for yourself. It has definitely served me well as a RN today. :) Good luck!

Honestly, I'd be more concerned with all the hidden things that passed in that bill. Like increasing the death tax over 55% and mandating wills and assets greater than a certain amount be given to the government instead of the family and children of those who have passed away. Little by little the government is trying to reduce the debt, but doing it at the time of death is dirty and downright disgusting. I would love for us to live in an ideal world where we are all equally "entitled" to quality healthcare and have the ability to live the best life we possible can... the thing is there are lots of people who take advantage of the fact that someone will give them free money of free prescription drugs. If only we were all honest, all the time and not so greedy and wasteful then maybe, just maybe it could work. I have serious doubts though but we'll see how it goes in good time.

That's is great! I know what it's like living in a military household so I understand some of your frustration with classes, deadlines, everything. Anyways, really proud of you! You did the right thing. :)

Take the private hospital. I had a similar quandry but with medical surgical nursing. Do NOT mess with understaffing. It can make or break you and affects patient safety. Good luck and remember to follow your heart.

Totally agree with you. They are over medicating, even though it may be necessary for specific patients. Maybe they need to come up with a scale to determine the risk level of each patient individually and then prescribe following that protocol?

1. Invest in some study guides in addition to your textbooks that focus on the exams that you will be required to take (HESI or ATI) etc. NCLEX study guides divided by system such as Saunders, Prentice Hall Review Notes, etc. will become your best friends during your special clinical lecture courses. I wish someone had told me to do this before getting into nursing school and it would have improved my grades, study habits, confidence, and ability to succeed without so much struggle to read every word of every textbook (which is impossible) 2. Invest in a good computer and brush up on your research skills! Don't be afraid to "google it!" You will be using these skills for the rest of your career. Nursing is a never ending learning process and even the most experienced nurses learn something new every single day. That much said, do not expect to know everything in the beginning. 3. Drill the "Nursing Process" into your brain. ADPIE. 4. Choose your friends, do not let your friends choose you. You will meet some absolutely brilliant and incredible people in nursing school, both patients and students. Be open and professional from day one and know your boundaries. Nursing school is something different to every person so make it your own experience but be careful of people who have different agendas and goals than you. Find people that share your motivation, commitment, desires, and goals. The experience might make you all friends for a lifetime. 5. Last but not least, have fun and don't be afraid to laugh! Laughter is and always will be the best medicine in times of stress as well in times of joy. Be proud to be a nursing student and savor every moment (both wonderful and insane). Good luck and God bless you.

Haha! As one of my old professors used to say, "carbohydrates are brain food!"