ladybug28

Thank you! I will PM you my email.

Hello! I was wondering if someone would mind sharing any preceptor names for family nurse practitioner students located in the Memphis, TN area. Thank you!

Hello there! I am a New Jersey relocated nurse as well. However I used to live in Memphis, moved to Jersey and then moved back to Memphis. In Jersey (Cedar Grove, NJ) I used to make about 34/hr as a unit manager at a LTC facilty. I am in the process of looking for a job in Memphis so far the results have been positive, filled applications in the major hospitals Methodist, St Francis, The Med, VA and Baptist and within a week I have scored and interview at Baptist. I was an LPN and then became an RN, total experience 3 years (plus some extra in healthcare as a medical assistant and in research). The other plus here is that hospitals want you to get your BSN eventually, but it is not a full requirement like ti is in Jersey nowadays. In terms of living, if you want to live in the city (that's our preference, we like to be close to everything) I would live in the following zip codes 38120 (the best one in my opinion) 38117, those two zip codes have White station assigned as the high school one of the top high schools in the country, that is why people want to live in those zip codes in the city, it is also stable when it comes to buying a property, those two zip codes prices do not fluctuate as much, It can get a little competitive to get a house there and some can be on the pricier side for Memphis, however compared to Jersey it is wayyyy cheaper! 38120 also has great private schools if you are interested in that. if you prefer the suburbs I agree head to Germantown, Collierville, Lakeland and even further Arlington all of which have good schools and you can get a bigger house out there with more land. I would skip Cordova and Bartlett because prices for realstate have gone down the tube, might not be the best investment (nice places though). But in the end, It is all a matter of preference. There is some crime in Memphis, but just as Jersey it seems to be concentrated on certain areas etc, you will learn where to go and where not to go. I can also tell you that Memphis is headed in the right direction, so much growth and it seems the community is pushing to make big improvements, something that when I left was not happening. In terms of expense compared to Jersey it is about 30% cheaper to live here. Everything is cheaper, utilities, gas, groceries, no tolls, no state tax. Hope this info helps. PM if you have any further questions!

I am another starter on August 25th -- I think the 15 week course is going to be more managable than the 8 week. All reputable colleges request college Algebra nowadays, I passed calculus 1 with a D back in college and I suffered all the way through, so I am getting geared up to suffer through this as well. I am just going to get additional help like algebra for dummies etc.

I believe so, that is good, I had offers of 29 bucks an hour. As a per diem it is a good rate for a new nurse.

Oh ok that makes sense! I asked if I could take two courses per term and he said yes. Then I asked the length more into the conversation. Thank you! So far my experience with them is better than UTA -- which was a complete disaster.

I am considering this program, is it possible to complete it in less than 12 months? I just applied, after deciding to give up university of texas - arlington, since I applied back in October and they are yet to review my transcripts (totally wasted time!) So far ULL has been great in terms of the application process, which gives me hope! I also applied to Purdue and Thomas Edison

Medical Boy in reply to your question: let me give you a little bit more about my background. I was an LPN before going to RN school. Before being an LPN I was a medical assistant at a very busy medical practice and was blessed to work with a doctor that taught me all sorts of skills, I ended up being a manager there. After LPN school i started at a nursing home where we had no treatment nurse, so I had to do meds and wounds from the get go. I was lucky to have co-workers that loved teaching and taught me more than any school ever taught me. I worked the skilled unit there. I got promoted while being in RN school to a unit manager position. It was a small facility 77 beds. I also decided to pick up 2 days as an MDS assistant so I would learn it. I could have gone to another facility and get payed more, but I stayed where i was because I was learning a lot, and that in my opinion was more valuable than a dollar sign. It payed off, because of that experience i was able to get my current job. When I interviewed the fact that I was an LPN weighted heavily, they loved seeing the hands on experience that LPNs have. We are not your traditional RN graduate, that gets the degree but is fresh with no experience. I see my patients everyday, I am not a manager that sits at an office and does paperwork, I do all the wound rounds, hang IVS, and practice my skills every chance i get. i think what is "recommended" or not is a personal choice, it should not be based on what people say. It really depends on what you see in your future and what path you want to take. I personally think that in my case a managerial position with more responsibilities was appropriate since it would reflected advancement throughout the years in my resume. I also like challenges and learning. Some people are happy with passing meds all their life (nothing wrong with it), others want to try to switch it up. It is a personal choice at the end of the day. :)

I apologize for the delayed response. Yes, he charges i believe that flat fee of 100% --- RESUME SERVICE : Ross Recruiting Services. As an update, I am still working at the nursing home, have gained a lot of managment experience and clinical experience. I am now enrolling in University of Texas - Arlington online to pursue my BSN which I know is my next step if I want to go to the hospital eventually. My objective is to complete the program during this year. I also have to add that working at the nursing home has given me the opportunity to network.

Applied on October 15th to the program, Got notification that all my stuff was recieved on January 3 saying that it would take 2 weeks for everything to be evaluated. is this true or will it take a few more months for everything to get evaluated? How good are they with credit transfers? I have a B.S in Natural Science and an A.S in nursing of course. How much time did you dedicate on average to each class? Thank you!

I was an LPN for a year and a half before I finished my RN degree. I live in hudson county. I have a Bachelors in Science and an associates in Nursing, currently working on completing that BSN since it is not that many classes I need. I spoke to Barnabas and they told me they were trying to hire RNs with BSNs and at least in most cases one year experience but for some positions they could not find them so they hired new grads with BSNs) . I decided to go the long term route for a year or so while finishing my BSN. With that background being given, I received 6 offers, only one paying 29 bucks (the rest where all higher). The one I accepted is a unit manager position (I was a medicare skilled nurse as an LPN, and MDS assistant at my previous job, which did not pay well but I thought the experience was worth it, and it payed off in the end, this was when I lived in another state). It is a salaried position, 70K Mon through Friday, all of the holidays off. 3 weeks of vacation and full benefits. I decided I am going to become more experienced and get my BSN, ACLS, PALS etc so I can become a more qualified candidate for the hospital and therefore be able to get a higher salary. Best advice my recruiter friend gave me was to be selective of where I worked, and wait for the right opportunity (which sometimes can be the first one) and told me to go with my Gut. My job search lasted total of about 2 months. The jobs are out there, it is important to understand what you need to do to get the position you want and make a plan. Also make sure your resume is impecable. Nothing wrong with declining an offer if you think that it is too low. Most HR individuals will give you a low offer because it is to their advantage, they wont get upset if you negotiate, they are used to it and in most cases expect it. It is their win if you take what they offer you. If you think the amount is reasonable then take it. I gave a range when asked during my interviews, after I got the first two offers (in those interviews i did not give a range cause I did not know what was being offered). Then I had leverage to say "I have been offer this or that". Anyhow this is my experience getting a job out here. I am loving my job right now, learning a lot everyday. Good luck to everybody out there!

I took the CPNE on dec 2013 at St Peters Hospital in Albany NY. I recently relocated to NJ from Memphis. I do not regret doing this program at all, opened many doors. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions and good luck!

I am officially employed. Here is how It went finding a job as an Excelsior graduate in New Jersey. I got my conferral date in Feb (CPNE back in December). Took boards April 2nd but did not get a NJ license until May 15. A little bit of background about myself. I graduated from LPN school in 2011, worked as a staff nurse and then got promoted to MDS Assistant/Medicare Charge nurse (small manageable nursing home 77 beds). Worked full time in that position until I finished Excelsior and the hubby and I got relocated to NJ in January. So after I had my license in my hand - I began the job hunt. First thing, I checked out resumes on indeed. Wanted to see how nurses out there were making their resumes to get an idea, all I found were dreadful resumes. My husband is a hiring manager at a corporate so he said he would make one for me, and then our friend Adam at Ross Recruiting Services could polish it really well (he charges a small fee of 100 bucks, well worth it in my opinion, others charge hundreds). Got my resume back and it looked perfect. On several interviews it was mentioned how well written and good my resume was. So my number one advice: make sure your resume stands out. Found every hospital within a drivable distance of my house and started applying to hospital positions. Don't apply to stuff you do not qualify for (tip my HR buddy and my recruiter friend gave me) it really annoys HR when you do. Remember the difference between required and preferred. This is time consuming because it is all electronic. I made a list in Excel of every job i applied, what hospital, shift, reference number etc. Nothing worse than an HR person calling and you applied to so many jobs you do not know which one they are calling you about. After I was done with the hospitals I moved on to nursing homes. Again made a list of the ones within drivable distance, I verified their medicare ratings which eliminated some of them, also looked at their online reviews, (research this places first, nobody wants to work in a dump) and their websites. Some had emails on their websites to submit resumes, some simply had fax numbers. I got an online fax number which is free for the first 30 days and then 7.99 a month, you upload your cover letter, resume and you can fax it with no problem. I faxed every single nursing home I was interested in (some dont advertise their openings) Week 3 though 5 of this process have been interview after interview. I gave people a chance to interview me, remember it is a two way street, learn about who is trying to hire you as well. Overall I got an offer from a hospital -- which ended up too far from home and the pay was not as good as other places. However I did learn that Barnabas wants to become a magnet and eventually hire all BSNs sometimes it is just hard. Got a unit manager offer in Jersey city at 32/hr with benefits, 34 w/o benefits. Another unit manager I did not get but was refered to their assisted living facility for an ADON position. I got an offer for a case manager position for a nursing home at 32/hr, I got offered a staff nurse position at 29/hr at a nursing home. Eventually I choose a unit manager position with a big nursing home company that gave me a great impression from the get go, my future bossess were super nice and relaxed, but on top of things. Company was well rated online overall, HR very professional and knowledgable. I get to work 7-3pm Monday though Friday, full benefits, dont work holidays, only have to work a saturday or sunday every 8 weeks (and get a day off during the week). It is a salaried position, they did take into consideration my LPN experience and I got 34/hr (but I am really salaried). I am really excited to start using my RN degree :) The effort definitely paid off.

So today I had an interview with Barnabas, part time position for outpatient position that could become a full time position. Got the chance to speak with HR, she provided me with some useful information. She told me that they are in the process of becoming a magnet hospital which means they only hire BSNs, however she told me certain positions are really difficult to fill with BSNs so they will take Associate degree RNs. I had one interview for a unit manager position at a nursing home (not sure if I got it) , another one for a nurse supervisor position (got offered 32 with benefits 34 w/o benefits) , and one for a case manager position at another nursing home at 30-32/hr (if that does not work with her boss, she offered me to go per diem at 35/hr). I am scheduling another interview with a nursing home next week. So far this is what is happening. I hope this can portray a decent picture of what is out there. I will keep you guys posted on what route I decide to take. I have some thinking to do :)

I hope everything is ok, just think that you finally get to become an RN! Now, just another update: got two more interviews set up, so that brings it a total of 4 companies I have/had interviews with. 3 are this week. I am filling out an application at Bayada this week. I will keep you posted on what happens :)

Any updates on where the jobs are at? I started applying last week. So far 2 interviews, one part time at a hospital scheduled for next week, one at a nursing home (going for the second one). I am endorsing to NY so I can expand my search radius, I am willing to travel. I will do whatever it takes to get that year experience to become more qualified. I was an LPN before becoming an RN and that seemed to help a bit. Good Luck to everybody out there, we just have to be patient and knock on the right door

Hello Phengro, let me give you some info on my personal Experience. I took my CPNE December 28th at Saint Peters, in Albany. Passed on ym first attempt with no repeats. I did Sheris Workshop in Atlanta. Worth every penny, I studied a total of 2 months for the CPNE. I did not oficially graduate till February because that was my conferral date. I immediately applied for my ATT, fingerprints etc. The fingerprint instructions came about 2 weeks after I filled out my application. That was easy. Early March got my ATT and tested April 2nd. My score was not reported to the board by pearson vue until April 27th. After that the board told me that technically it can take up to 25 buisness days for them to give you a license number. I did not get mine till May 15th. Last week I actually got the license in the mail. So it took a while to get it all done. Now in terms of jobs, I got calls from two companies: one is a part time position at a hospital (I should have an interview scheduled for next week, I might consider taking it because it is a foot on the door) and another one is with a long term care facility, possibly a supervisor role (going for my second interview tomorrow). I do not want to reveal company names until it is all set and done. Most hospitals are looking for RNs with one year of experience, so I am not opposed to working LTC for a year (it won't kill me it is what I used to do anyways) and then move on to the hospital. So far I am happy with how the search is going. :nurse:

Thank you for your response :) I will see what I can find. I am officially starting the search after this weekend. :)

Hello Everybody! I have finished Excelsior, and today I received my New Jersey License number, yay! It only took them 4 months to process lol :) The job search has officially begun. I live in Hudson County, NJ. I was wondering where are the NJ Excelsior grads currently working. I would just like to get some tips on places that have a history of hiring Excelsior graduates. Thank you!​

Age doesn't matter, at the end of the day it is all about attitude. Nowadays you have ladies and gentleman going back to get their nursing degrees later in life, so what you think might be an experienced nurse might be a fresh new nurse! Can't count on age to determine experience. Also, it is ignorant to say that people that are 50 are on the floor because they didn't get management positions. Here are a few examples I can tell you about. My DON (10 years as a DON mind you) - is going to work at the ER - cause she says she misses direct patient care - she is 47 years old. So is she on the floor cause she didnt get the managment position? the unit manager that was my teammate is 65 years old, she could retire if she wanted - the most knowledgeable women you would meet, she was like Macgiver, had to come back to nursing after a divorce, I asked her about why she wasn't in higher management (she could have been a DON or more of a desk job) she said, "I like patients, and thats it, I have enough paperwork as it is, now it is all about the money", she also told me she was not going to retire for a while maybe just cut a few hours (which for her meant work about 60...she just loves to work she told me), my mentor Mary 55 years of age, told me "they are going to get me out of my floor in a coffin" joking that this was her ideal job, and did not want to go anywhere else. She has been a manager at other places. So to say that older people are there cause they weren't any better is nothing but an idiotic comment, that has no foundation. Quite the opposite in my experience, a lot of them just love good ole' nursing that involves taking care of the patient and nothing else. They wanna do real nursing, not a bunch of paperwork. I was the youngest employee and loved my cooworkers, we had a good time working, and sometimes they gave me some "tough love" cause I needed to learn, and it always came from a good place. Also sometimes you gotta roll with the punches. At any job you are going to have to climb your way up and make your place. Nobody is going to hand you anything. I would like to thank all my "older" mentors, to me you were a blessing, and I remember each one of them!

I am a recent RN graduate, I have been an LPN for a year and a half and before that I was a medical assistant. Our generation I agree, feels some sort of entitlement, they think that because they got that RN degree they are smarter than anyone else and should be treated like royalty straight out of school. Well guess what...when you get out there in the real job world, you have to prove yourself, and if you are good and dedicated you can advance. As an LPN that started on the floor, I got promoted to unit manager within 6 months, why? Because they said i was a fast learner and the CNAs respected me. My coworkers that were older than me (everybody in their 50s and 60s...which they loved working the floor and didnt want to deal with corporate and paperwork..) were not mad at me, quite the contrary, they were happy for me. When I first started working, I followed every instruction and took notes so I didn't have to bother them asking the same questions 55 times, and guess what? they loved that. I don't have kids so when they needed to go home,I offered to help with their job. Its about being courteous with your coworkers and helping, but it is also about being firm and not letting people bully you. I only had one nurse that (she was a bully and was eventually fired), first day she made some mean comments about my shoes. I sucked it up and shut up. She continued this trend for a few more days, until one day I turned around and in a firm voice I said "if you make fun of me one more time, we are going to have a problem, i do not appreciate your rude comments"...never again I got a rude comment from her and she actually started respecting me. She got fired for other reasons. I had a nurse that took me under her wind and taught me everything i know. I also learned MDS from an LPN, so I worked as an MDS nurse some days and as a unit manager some other days. Now i am moving towards the hospital cause I want more experience and I got my RN. I expect to work hard,learn a lot from my coworkers and be respectful. I am not an *******, neither do I think the nursing profession is. Are you going to encounter some? sure...just as you would if you were an accountant, a clerk or whatever...the world is full of them. Can't find a job for 9 months? Sorry but be critical and look at what you are doing wrong...interview skills?, does your resume not look good? are you applying to the right jobs? Your resume is your number one killer most times. Oh and another thing...recent grads don't treat an LPN like she is less...these ladies know their stuff and can give you a run for your money, they have tons of hands on experience...respect them, and respect your cnas, nobody is too good to change a diaper. I want to get my masters too, but I will never be to good to turn somebody, clean a diaper or get somebody off a toilet.

How was the experience at St Peters? I am scheduled December 28th.

Passed with a B! Glad it is over, FCAA here I come!

You are welcome! I will let you guys how it goes tomorrow, keep your fingers crossed and some prayers always help!

Hey guys! I used the Sunders LPN book religiously through Nursing school and it definitely payed off. I bought the RN Version (I bought it used off amazon for 13 bucks but it is brand new, previous edition since the material is all the same) and I have been using it for all my exams. To be honest I am not even doing all the assigned readings cause I find anything in this book and usually it is right spot on on what you need to focus on learning about that disease process. If there is something very specific most of the times I google some stuff. I passed LS2 with a B. Now I am taking LS3 this tuesday. Certainly helps you get ready for the NCLEX as well. I am looking forward to finishing this program. I started January 2012, this book has certainly expedite my studying. Study group 101 notes are a nice complement to read over too. I am sure some people are saying i am "cookbook studying", I believe in studying efficiently. The title of the book is Saunders Comprehensive review for the Nclex-RN. Good luck and I hope this info helps :)