NorCalKid

I feel like I'm walking on egg shells every day. I have to protect myself every day. I won't start a FC on a younger woman full stop. Every time I examine a back side I pull a woman into the room to "chaperone". I help with tons of stuff, I regularly get the abusive pts that "need a male nurse" all the charges know if nobody can start the IV they can ask me, I'll precept the new nurses if asked because their preceptor is out, I ask the charges if their doing OK when busy, etc. We don't start FC's too much on the floor but if I ask a woman to do it their always OK with it and understand. Bottom line, I have a lot of IOU chips in my pocket, Protecting my license is where I cash them in. I wouldn't expect the female nurses to do something their uncomfortable with and as a result I'm taking a lot more abusive pts. But that's not a double standard...

I wouldn't agree with the loans and BSN. ADN was like $1050 a year for me. Get a job and my hospital pays for part of stepup program. After 2 years working your debt free, 2 years work experience with a BSN that was (partially) employer paid. You'll be way better than having a bunch of debt, zero experience and a BSN. But I think you really need to assess jobs in your area, can you get a job w an ASN. And how hireable are you? In California being bilingual is a huge advantage. An ASN that speaks Spanish is way more hirable than a "ASN".

I'd take anatomy before the other sciences and math (algebra if you haven't done it and required) before Chem.

We can place a standing order for a NS bag to be used for piggyback. We regularly get pts from the ER with abx as primary. I just change it when hanging the next bag so I don't have to fight with it all day. Ya I'll have to unhook and prime everything once but saves a lot of time in the long run.

When I precept new grads I actually prefer the second career folks with life and work experience. I don't really agree with the males climbing the ladder faster. I think often it just comes down to the males working more and building experience faster. My last 2 orientees we're out pregnant within a year and one now staying at home. VS basically all the males working full time gaining experience. I also see males working more OT on average. So ya, I think males do tend to advance faster but I think it's because they build the experience faster. I think women advance just as fast if they gain experience at the same rate but they often don't.

Don't sweat it. Meet with your professors and come up with a plan. Hours of studying doesn't really translate into hours of quality learning what is on that test. Meeting with your teacher every week if needed will give you that extra help focusing your hours of study time on exactly what that instructor feels is needed for you to pass that test. And ya, you might have to change study techniques a bit. For me waking up in the AM and study then go for a walk then study then break and repeat is way more effective than a couple hours of cramming in the evening. A big part of nursing school is dealing with problems, stress and using critical thinking to overcome those obstacles. The student who has a good memory doesn't translate into a better nurse than the student that recognized and evaluated the problem then implemented changes to overcome that problem. Where have I heard that before....haha

My theory, be prepared not to work. Most of us have several years waiting to get into school to save. Live below your means, save for school, pass on the new car loan and drive an old but reliable POS. And if you live in California STUDY SPANISH. I worked full time during the pre reqs and waiting to get in. Saved a bunch of money. The first year of ADN school I worked weekends. The second year I had to cut back to one day a week. But the fact that I lived cheap and saved that financial cushion when waiting to get into school gave me the ability to cut down to one day of work a week and still graduate debt free. Having a flexible fairly well paying weekend job like bartending or serving tables helps. I can't see working a job with a rigid schedule working.

I just really like it, Medellin is really cheap (cheaper than Thailand), lots of Spanish schools without heavy accents, friendly people, good food, good healthcare, etc. It's just both the place I like most in Latin America and the most affordable I have visited.

I wouldn't do it but then again I worked through school which everybody said not to do... I'd take the Summer off and do an intensive Spanish program in Medellin Colombia and put 100% into nursing school all semester. Get United credit card, put tuition and books on it. Pay card off/ cancel before fees and use the 40k mile bonus to fly RT to Medellin. 12-1500 a month for a Summer in Medellin. (assuming all this COVID BS goes away). If I could go back and do anything differently I'd study Spanish when I was waiting to get into a program.

Could I have done it, hell no If you speak fluent Spanish you will be much more hirable and I could use it every single shift. But I view a minor in Spanish no more valuable than simply being fluent.

For anybody else reading this Looking back, the best way financially to go about school. Do a ADN and graduate debt free assisted by federal grant money, get a job and a little experience and your hospital will probably assist paying to upgrade to BSN. In a couple years you are debt free with both a BSN and enough experience to get your dream job. Not what I did but looking back this is the rout I'd advise a pre nursing student to go.

I think your crazy even considering 140k in student loan debt! I'd do a more affordable bridge program or a associate degree. If you already have a degree you are perfectly capable of working and saving when your doing pre recs and applying. Cancel your cable TV, change phone service to $30 Metro PCS or Google Fi, Dump the car loan and buy a sub 5k car for cash, etc. Serve tables or bartend on the weekends when in school, etc. You haven't really given much info about your actual situation. But I'd make a goal of graduating with no new debt. Nurses are the worst when it comes to finance. Come out of school well educated with a well paying job and zero financial training. I try to get all new orientees to skip the new car and start the 401k/403b immediately. 140k in debt---CRAZY

Have any of you rented a car for an assignment? What companies cater to a 14 week rental? What is pricing like for a 3.5 month rental? I guess I'm thinking along the lines of live on the mainland and take a contract in Hawaii, or live in Hawaii taking a contract in California? Thanks

If worried about the job thing I'd start by taking the 4 nurses you already have in your family to lunch one at a time. Have your questions ready and ask them. If they live in your area ask them if places hire new grads and 2 year degrees. There is a big difference between those who send out applications online and complain about not getting a job and those that find out who does the hiring, go meet them and put their res in their hand in person. Put a face to the name. Explain that they followed instructions and submitted everything online as instructed but really wanted to meet you as I really want to work here, and here's why...

I feel like day shift is faster paced with admits, discharges and procedures. But night shift can be just as hectic in it's own way. I am glad I started on nights, I'm also glad I no longer work nights.

Ya, happens. That's why you gota be proactive every day and be the student that's always looking for something to do (but not annoying everybody). A year from now you'll breath a sigh of relief when that pt actually pee's. haha

I guess I expect them to know their "scope of practice". But in the morning when the instructor is prepping before the students get there I'll ask what semester they are and what they can do, so I'm not offering stuff I know they can't do.

I haven't heard of any either (though I don't know many of them). Even at $90 your breaking 1k a day working 12's...

I am constantly amazed how many students just kinda go with the flow and get the minimum experience. You guys need to be asking to do stuff. If you haven't done something let the other nurses know. You will be surprised how many of them will find you cool stuff for you to do. I have been noticing a huge difference in proactive vs just follow the routine students lately. If it's coming to the end of the semester and you haven't done an IV or something TELL YOUR NURSE, let them know it doesn't have to be on your pt. We can call other floors and ask what they have going on, tell the charge, etc. But that doesn't happen if you don't ask!!!!! We have all been in your place and will help if we can, but ya gota ask.

I kinda felt like it was the significant others that had the problems more than the actual pts.

Thanks everybody. Now that you mention it I haven't met any travelers from California either.

Just wondering how many of you had to take a pay cut to travel? I joined a Calif travel nurse FB group and have been looking at travel contracts. I'm a little surprised how poorly they pay. The blended pay almost always less than per diem pay. Just wondering how many of you would take a pay cut to travel? Is the lifestyle really worth taking a pay cut? The tax stuff doesn't help me too much.

Hey everybody, Do you think one contract a year is enough to keep your skills current(medsurg)? I can't really afford to totally early retire but financially could do it if I worked one contract a year. Do you think 13 weeks working full time is enough to keep your skills up to work a MS floor(step on to the floor as a traveler)? Thanks

Hell no! There was so much reading. I would go the first week and get a feel for how the teacher taught. Also talked to students ahead of me. Just kinda did what was best for that class/teacher. There was one class I had to read every page. Online class with no real teaching or power points. Read every page and that was my lowest grade in nursing school(B). I think 75 was minimum passing, 92 or 93 was an A. I actually failed the last test of nursing school. I had such a high grade I couldn't fail the class so focused on other classes. Ended up with a B in the class. I think I got like 1, B a semester, all the rest were A's.

I would be looking into ADN programs. The admission is fairly easy to figure out. Mine leaned heavily on the sciences, enough so that previously flunking out of college didn't matter (Had a 4.0 on the classes they look at).