kae2010

Like most people i think its ok to wear holiday earrings, pins or if its allowed a reasonable holiday scrub top. The other night I wore a Halloween scrub top and got a lot of festive comments on it, but a full costume wouldn't really be appropriate for a hospital setting (besides peds).

Usually those refer to years of experience as a nurse, however that doesn't mean you shouldn't apply for the job. I applied to every job I saw regardless of the posted years of experience, and I actually got hired right out of school on a floor which wanted 2 or more years of experience. My only advice is don't apply for a position which requires a particular certification you do not have or couldn't get. If it just states experience then apply because you never know what could happen and if you don't try its an automatic NO.

Don't feel bad because your not required to do it and I don't think they'll fire you but if you can manage to pick it up from time to time I'd do it. Like someone else said showing your willing to help every now and then makes it easier to find coverage when you really need the day off, so its something to think about for the future.

This is 100% correct. I too want either the NICU or the ED but I was more then happy to accept a job in Med/Surg after applying to over 100 different positions and hearing almost nothing back. When your ready, apply to your dream jobs and the realistic jobs because you never know what can happen.

I'm new like you and often have the same feelings, but we need to take each day as a learning experience and understand it will get better and easier for us with time. In regards to the age comments, I always smile and say "I look a lot younger then I a truly am" and usually they smile back and move on. In my case most people assume I'm in my early 20's since I just graduated but i'm in fact in my late 20's. Whatever the case, age doesn't matter so try and ignore those comments from your patients and coworkers. :)

Think back to your first day as a new RN and try and remember how scared and clueless you felt. It's overwhleming no matter your personality.

OMG that is GREAT news and I'm glad I could help you out. I wish you nothing but luck in your new position/career

It really depends on the state and the hospital, but most do not allow it. I graduated in May and had to resign from my job as a NA once my NCLEX results were in. The hospital and the BON said it caused too many gray areas when it came to legal scope of practice. Good luck but don't give up on RN positions.

No problem, I know how hard it is for new grads (or nurses in general) to get jobs in this economy so I was happy to help. Also in this field its all about team work and networking amongst other nurses. Good luck and you'll have to post an update when you get one. FYI - you'll be able to send private message after you do about 15 posts. :)

I second this !00%

your welcome and i know how frustrated you are, but hang in there because either they will call or something better will come along. i applied to everything under the sun after graduating in may and i waited the entire summer without hearing a word, and then in the middle of august everything changed. the first to call was healthsouth which was a huge surprise to me since i applied to them back in june. since i knew the reality of new nurse positions in nj i set up an interview with each place that called, not matter the shift, the position or the distance from my house. if you’re getting calls from other places go on the interviews because you don't want to put all your hope into one offer. to be honest i even went on one last interview after verbally accepting my position because everyone told me this other "bigger name" hospital was better then the place i accepted a job at (it wasn't and i definitely made the better choice). if you get an offer from somewhere else before hearing from hs, don't immediately turn it down because it’s not your 1st choice. usually you can ask for a few hours to a few days to think about it before accepting, that way you can at least call hs one last time. out of pure curiosity is it the hs in toms river because if so i can message you a few numbers to the people in hr who called me because it could be a different # then you have. let me know and good luck.

HealthSouth is a little slow with their hiring process, so hang in there and don't get frustrated. I applied for a position with them in June got interviewed in mid-August and they finally called me back to finish the hiring process/other paperwork last week. I ended up turning the position down because I was offered one much closer to my house, and I honestly didn't expect them to call since there was a big delay in contact. Good luck and hang in there, because they will call you eventually.

My only suggestions is don't burn any bridges by moving without being 100% positive about this guy. Also have a job lined up out there before you even think about moving because you never know what can happen. Good luck

My sister's bought me a Pandora bracelet for my Pinning Ceremony/Graduation and my husband got me an RN bead to put on it after I passed the boards.

I'm required to have a current BLS and an ACLS and renew both every 2 years. I actually just took ACLS in July and I couldn't even start the class until I showed my valid BLS Card. BLS is reviewed in ACLS but it's not a two for one class, so you'll have to stay valid with both.

At my facility 36 hours is considered full time but to answer your questions I would think it means (3) 12 hour shifts on nights.

towards the end of my last semester my husband told me to apply to positions in waves. the first wave were my "dream" jobs in the units and hospitals which i would do anything to work at. while i knew these positions were long shots, i was happy to at least try because you never know. the second wave were the jobs and units within the hospital which were a little more realistic for new grads. the final wave were the positions outside the acute hospital setting and in ltc, snf, rehab hospitals, and home health agencies (seriously you name it and i applied to it). even though the ltc and snf were the last positions i applied for, i never once thought i was above them and no matter the position or setting i would give 110% to any job (corny but true). in this economy i knew an offer was an offer so i wasn't turning down anything based of setting, shift or pay. in the end i was offered two positions, one in the hospital and one in an acute rehab facility. while both jobs appealed to me i choose the med/surg position because it was 35 minutes closer then the rehab hospital. i'm still not on my "dream" floor but i believe i'm in a position which creates a great learning environment and challenges me at the same time. your classmates who think their above these positions will still be the ones looking for jobs months from now and in the end it doesn't matter what they think because your the one gaining valuable experience. congrats and good luck with the new job.

Never be afraid to ask questions, because the minute you stop asking questions is the same time you stop being a good nurse. Don't second guess your gut feeling, because sometimes your instinct is all you have. If it wasn't documented it wasn't done. Patients are people so treat them that way. If you feel overwhelmed take a step back and breath. If you don't take care of yourself, you can't take care of others. Sometimes the best thing you can say is nothing at all. Just listen. Boy I sound like a Hallmark card. :)

Business casual 100% - no jeans, no flip flops.

I'm probably too new of a nurse to answer this question because I've never been put in this type of situation, but I know I wouldn't hesitate when it comes to placing a patient in respiratory distress on oxygen. I also don't see the harm in collecting a urine or stool sample without an order, but I'd wait for the order before I send it to the lab.

Like everyone else has said the lawyer isn't about fighting, the lawyer is there to help you deal with the BON. In my school we had to take a class called "Legal Aspects of Nursing" and it was taught by a nurse/lawyer who only practiced in nursing/malpractice cases. If there is one thing she taught us it was to ALWAYS have a lawyer with you when dealing with the BON. The BON is going to come at you with all kinds of judgements and possible punishments, and the lawyer will help you understand this and make sure the punishment is fair. I wish you luck thru this difficult time.

Working as a CNA DOESN'T count as nursing experince and it won't necessarily help you get a job upon graduating. I worked for two years as a CNA while in school, and like everyone else I still had a hard time getting a job. Also when your in nursing schools a lot of professors recommend that you DON'T work as a CNA until maybe your last semester. I actually had one professor tell me I would most likely fail her class because I worked too many hours, and my response to her was "are you going to pay my bills" and to spite her I got an A. The truth can't be ignored, right now it's hard for any new grad to get a job but it's possible and hospitals ARE hiring. It's frustrating to see the 1-2 years of experience on every application post but that doesn't mean you shouldn't apply. I applied to every position that didn't require a particular certification no matter what the years of experience stated and the position i accepted wanted 1-2 years as well. GOOD LUCK AND STAY POSITIVE

I laughed so hard when I read this part because it and everything else couldn't be more true.

Responsible Me = pay off cc, school loans, save up for a house and start thinking about baby # 2 :) Unresponsible Me = new clothes for both me and my husband, family vacation, and a kick @#$ Christmas

For most of the semesters we had only 1 but during Synthesis (our last semester) we had 3 patients and we each had a day where we were chargte nurse. Good Luck