Jooliaghoulia

Hello nurses! I am a native Las Vegan (?) and now live in Texas. I have a brother who needs a great pain management doc. I need your local knowledge! He is not looking for someone just handing out narcs because it's easy. We want someone who is using different modalities, does interventional low-invasive procedures, stays up to date, board certified, etc... BASICALLY...someone awesome you'd send your mom to. Any names you've heard around, or even been treated by? (It's a back issue, so I know some nurse has :) Anyone you can ask? I've been out of the area for 12 years so I don't have "juice" like I used to in Las Vegas. I'm trying from Texas, but I really could use your point of view. I told him it's time to build a strong team. A good pain doc is a start. I told him he/she might not fix everything, but there are many procedures, therapies, and newer medication combinations to try. He is double insured, both PPOs, and is financially comfortable so I doubt that's a problem. So....PLEASE help if you can. Including DON'T GO to this doc info. feel free to IM if you prefer. He's pretty desperate. Thanks for helping.

Hello nurses! I am a native Las Vegan (?) and now live in Texas. I have a brother still in Vegas who needs a great pain management doc. I need your local knowledge! He is not looking for someone just handing out narcs because it's easy. We want someone who is using different modalities, does interventional low-invasive procedures, stays up to date, board certified, etc... BASICALLY...someone awesome you'd send your mom to. Any names you've heard around, or even been treated by? (It's a back issue, so I know some nurse has :) Anyone you can ask? I've been out of the area for 12 years so I don't have "juice" like I used to in Las Vegas. I'm trying from Texas, but I really could use your point of view. I told him it's time to build a strong team. A good pain doc is a start. I told him he/she might not fix everything, but there are many procedures, therapies, and newer medication combinations to try. He is double insured, both PPOs, and is financially comfortable so I doubt that's a problem. So....PLEASE help if you can. Including DON'T GO to this doc info. feel free to IM if you prefer. He's pretty desperate. Thanks for helping.

I applied to Critical, Neuro ICU, and NICU. No rejection letter, but no phone call either. I got my BSN in August but would like to return to critical care- I externed/tech'ed in ICU for 18 months prior to graduation but turned down the RN job because of interest in another specialty. Ooops. Fingers crossed....

Lol on the pvt

Well, it's possible. I was a single mom, and teacher, and managed through work, scholarship, a load of loans, and a lot of luck, to finish my BSN. Look around and see if there are weekend or bridge programs that cater to working adults. I drove 45 minutes each way, every day, and sometimes more for clinical sites. Yay books on tape, and Mp3's of pharm lectures. BTW, I failed Chemistry 3 times in high school and my first undergrad before RN school (10 years after my bachelors in JOURNALISM, if that gives you an idea of my innate ability in math and science.) I'll be honest- it bent my brain in unholy directions, and my closet doors have chunks out of them from throwing that book, but I got the A i had to have. Same when it came time for statistics- and I never went above high school algebra before this, failing geometry twice. Also, dig into your area's hospital system's RN programs and agreements with local colleges. Here in Texas, the company I work for- which is also in Indiana- has a very helpful program. Basically if you work for them in any capacity, and you get at least C's in your pre-reqs, you have a very good shot at a seat. It is administered through an agreement with an established college's nursing program. And they reimburse the tuition- only has to be repaid if you stay less than a year at any of their hospitals. If it is health care related, there is little to NO eligibility wait for tuition assistance if approved. Im sure there will be differences in your area, but I wish I had dug a little more at the outset- I wouldn't have had to ruin my closet doors to get a seat in RN school :) Might be worth some nosing around.

I don't know what's available in your area, but I know there are a few hospitals that offer high school senior/undergrad nursing externships or similar programs. They are designed many different ways, but will give you a perspective that you just can't research, no matter how many people you ask. I did the same think when I was considering nursing, but working in a hospital really gave me a better idea. If you can get into a program like this, or get a CNA job where you can float to different units (or even facilities within a large system) it might really help you to decide if it's for you- no one can really tell you how it will be for you.

Here in TX, it's about the same pay as CNA's in the hospital systems I'm familiar with. However, in some systems, the nurse extern has all the CNA duties, plus whatever duties your school documents you've been checked off on, and the facility agrees to allow you to do supervised by an RN. So, here no med admin, assessment, but for example my facility will allow me to start an IV, ostomy care, central line dressing changes, start foleys, etc. So some things are absolute no's, others are up to the facility. If you work as an extern at my facility, while you have to be a student to be an extern, you are NOT there in the clinical student role. So the rules can be quite different. Make sure you talk with your director/manager and be ABSOLUTELY sure what you can and cannot do, independently and supervised. A few RN's will assume if you say "yes" that it's ok, others will supervise you getting ice chips :) Some will leave without asking if you feel you need supervision, because they expect you speak up if you do- so be vocal about when you need it. Safety first and good luck!!! It's been very, very good for me and I will have a much easier time getting a job I want when I graduate.

Thanks Bee and Cass! R/t the 15 spots- someone in my RN school cohort was also interviewed, and was told that they took 21 (???) in the May/June cohort, but 5 of them will be in the September group!! She was also told they interviewed far less people than they had in previously. How many fewer, we don't know- but the resident said you have about a 1 in 6 chance. That would stink; hopefully she's just not good at math haha. I've been chewing on those comments big time- is that there were 25-26, then 5 to September, leaving 21 in the May/June, and just 10 (!) for September? Or the 5 May/June people are in the Sept cohort, still 15 spots, so 20 total residents for Sept? Arrrgghhh!! I've tried to get clarification from the source, but that's all she knows- the resident who toured her said 21 in May/June, and 5 are in the Sept group because they were given the option of either May/June or September as a start date. In a way it makes me feel a little better if I don't get it. The worse case scenario of 10 spots and 1 in 6 is pretty harsh, so I don't feel like I just barely missed it. tick tock tick tock...i wish they'd just tell me either way!

Just thought I'd share my recent experience with the Texas BON and declaratory orders. Like many, I went back and forth- disclose or not disclose? I'm stable, I'm on meds, I follow up, solid nursing school/employment record. So, I start thinking, why make trouble when there isn't any (in my totally unbiased self-assessment :) BUT, I have been treated within 5 years, which is what the eligibility question asks very clearly. What I was told was that the BON can be somewhat reasonable depending on the circumstances- until you lie. Then be worried. Supposedly they have incredible subpoena power r/t records. Remember, they are there to protect the public, not you. I was cleared. It took about a month. Now, all that said, there are stories here that both agree and conflict with my experience. Just thought I'd share how it went down for me.

Hi all- did anybody ever get deadlines, etc for September residency start date? I imagine it's too late now for an actual internship position. I got the idea that the dates were staggered throughout the different specialties/units. Did you just apply for it through a GN posting online, go to the HR office, etc? The info I found online gave very general info. Any tips appreciated!!!

Hi! Did you ever apply for the September cohort? Any luck? Are you sure about the 15 spots? I'd heard it's grown since then.

Sorry you have to go through this.

Wow, that sounds like a really unreasonable expectation, and a really poor care model. I agree that you should definitely start looking elsewhere.

I will check out the youtubes- thanks!

May I ask in which part of Texas? I'm starting the hunt for my first job and graduate with a BSN in August. Thanks!