IknowIcanRN

I just graduated from a second degree BSN program in August. I found that I learned very little in clinicals. There were usually 10 students per instructor, so if you got to see your instructor for five or ten minutes you were lucky. The rest of the time we were just thrown in with the patient not knowing what to do. Once in a while I experienced kind nurses that remembered what it was like to be a student and offered to help me do different skills, but this was very rare. My point is that it would help if there were fewer students assigned to each instructor, so the instructor could actually help you learn nursing skills.

I interviewed for a position, was asked to shadow on the unit. I waited six weeks for the HR department to let me know whether I had the job or not. I called twice during that time and they had no answer for me. I called back a third time, and the position had been filled. They didn't even bother to let me know. Based on my experience I would keep on applying and interviewing, and be sure to call them back.

This guy sounds like a creep. You were just a little inexperienced, but not anymore! I'm sorry this happened to you. You know how to handle this situation from now on. Good luck!:hug:

As far as experience goes in the nursing world, 6 years is a lot of experience! Even though you have only been with that group 9 months you still own all your experience. Why should she be mad at you? Hold your head high and ignore her.

apRN I am so excited for you that you have an interview set up! I hope it goes really well! Thanks for sharing that your friends waited five weeks. I have been wondering what to expect. It is really hard to spend everyday with your phone attached to your hip and checking your email all day when it takes this long. So I totally know how you feel about getting the call when you stepped into the shower!:) Good luck on Thursday!!!!

apRN I have had two interviews. That was about four weeks ago. I was asked to shadow on each of the units which I did three weeks ago. I still have not heard whether I am going to get an offer yet. I think these HR departments are overwhelmed with applications. When they called you, did they leave the name of a person to ask for? I am sending positive thoughts your way that they do want to talk to you, but are really busy. Keep calling!

I'm in the same boat! I passed NCLEX in September, also. I feel for us both. I am starting to worry that I am already forgetting the skills I learned. I wish you luck! I will say that I wouldn't worry as much about the December graduates. They will still have to pass NCLEX. I started applying before I got my license, and I didn't get any responses until I got my license.

Thanks!:)

Thanks, when other nurses share their stories it really helps me. I definitely need to develop my sense of humor!:)

She told me to go in and take vitals, I think she was doing something else at the time or she would have seen me placing the cuff on that arm. She saw it later before I had removed it. She told me that the pink armband thing was universal. After she said it, I sort of remembered something like that, but there was usually a sign above the patient's bed too. Thanks for making me feel better about it. Like someone else said, I will definitely not make that mistake again.

Thanks for this post. Can you believe during my clinical rotations I have actually been told not to double check so much? I felt like that is what I needed to do at my current level. I'm sure eventually these checks become more second nature, but with my lack of experience I needed to be intentional about it. Thank you for the good advice.:)

Thanks everyone!

Thanks everybody! You all made me feel so much better. I love allnurses.com!

I am a recent graduate from a BSN program, and I passed NCLEX a few weeks ago. I find that, although I did really well in my classes, I always manage to make some stupid mistake when I go to the hospital. I was shadowing a nurse the other day on a unit with potential to hire. The nurse told me to get a patient's vitals, so I did. Later, she (very nicely) told me that a pink armband means not to use that arm. I finished in July, so I am a little rusty, I realize. It is just so frustrating to me to find myself doing this. Is this normal? I am hoping that going through orientation and getting back into the hospital on a regular basis will eliminate some of this. Has this happened to anyone else?