HididiScribbler

I'm a relatively new grad with an ADN, and I'm planning on going back to school in the spring. I'm very interested in going on to grad school, probably out of state. My two main options for my BSN right now are UCLA and Cal State Fullerton. CSUF would be much more convenient than UCLA, since UCLA would require either a long commute or relocation for me. When you apply to grad schools, do they take into account what school you went to? Would it be helpful to go to a prestigious school like UCLA or does it really matter? I've heard that CSUF's program is pretty good, but it doesn't have the widely recognized name that UCLA does.

I don't post that often here, but felt that I had to reply. While I understand the concerns about minors working in the healthcare setting, not all 16 year olds are the same. This specific instance could have happened regardless of age. I was 15 when I started taking my pre-requisites, and 17 when I began clinical courses in nursing. I was on the floors in clinicals for a year before I became 18 (the director of my nursing program and all of my instructors were aware and I checked with everyone I could to make sure that this was legally acceptable before I began the nursing program). Because I was younger, I had to prove to all of my nursing instructors that I was capable of becoming a nurse. And honestly, I don't think it's fair to judge someone on their age. You should judge them by their abilities and their actions. I was taught about HIPPAA, and would never release medical information to anyone, including my family. I was taught all the critical thinking involved in nursing, and while others had a hard transition from learning basic skills to learning complex assesments and pt evaluation, I found that that was one of my favorite parts of nursing. No one even knew how old I was until they asked (outside of my instructors) and my preceptors at the hospital I did work study in never had any issues with me. Once they got to know me, they trusted me with more and more responsibilities (within my scope of practice and under their supervision). I graduated nursing school in December and I'm an RN in a Level III NICU. Even the instructors that thought I wouldn't last when they heard how old I was, wrote me letters of recommendation for that job. I'm not trying to toot my own horn, here. I'm not a genius, and I'm definitely not a perfect nurse (as a new nurse, I learn that more and more every day!) I have so much to learn, and hope that someday I can be as great as you experienced nurses! I just wanted to illustrate that just because someone is young doesn't mean that they can't understand HIPAA, scope of practice, or even be able to critically think and assess patients. So, please don't judge someone because they're young-get to know them first and you may be surprised.

I'm a new grad, working at a hospital represented by CNA. Honestly, I'm more focused on just doing my job right now than anything else! But I have gotten so many mailings, been called and today an SEIU person showed up at my door! Honestly, I have no idea if CNA is any better...but I am not ok with members from another union showing up at my doorstep. Is it too much to ask that people let me be in my own home??

So, I'm a new grad in a Level III NICU, and I've been there since January. I really like my job, I've always wanted to work in NICU so I was so excited when I finally got to start in January! I love working nights (yes, I know I'm weird), and I learn so much every day. And it's amazing how some of these kids recover better than anyone could have expected. I love seeing a kid in our most critical room go to the other two rooms and then get to hear that they're going home. It's great. I knew that NICU was an ICU, so our babies are in critical condition. I really like taking care of the critical babies, I like managing drips, and trying to figure out what's going on with a baby, and I love taking care of new little micro-preemies. But last night, I had a baby that was supposed to be a stable assignment, and now he's actively dying. He was going to be DLS'd but the parents changed their mind and wanted to wait... It was crazy, it all happened so quickly and I'm not sure anyone knows what really happened. He was insanely small, so his prognosis was never great, but he was on nasal CPAP and just having a couple of desats (that's what I heard in report) and he ended up on nitric oxide, and nothing was making him better...nothing. So, I worked in oncology as a student and have had patients die before. And I've handled it fine. Of course, I've been sad but it never really "got to me". But last night, I had to go outside 3 times and try to pull myself back together so I could go back in. It was just...horrible. And then I felt horrible having to then give meds and draw labs on this kid in the morning after the parents changed their mind. With his blood gases, the way they were all shift, and his horrible ventilation, it just felt pointless and I'm afraid that he'll die on the vent, all hooked up to everything instead of in his mom's arms. And that just breaks my heart... I can't stop thinking about it and just needed to vent (There are some great people at work that I talked to about it as well, when I could get a chance, obviously it was a busy night...)

When I was in school I had my adult stethoscope, bandage scissors, penlight, notebook, PDA, and usually a stash of alcohol wipes. Now that I've started my new job in the NICU, all I bring to work is my notebook, calculator and various things to write with. The babies have individual stethoscopes, as well as scissors, etc. I don't use my PDA as much anymore since the unit generally uses a specific drug book...

I took the NCLEX on January 12th...I'm in CA and I've been checking the BRN website every day and as of this morning I'm not on there!! It stopped at 75, I got a lot of priority questions and at least 6 Select all that apply...I felt like I did horribly when I finished, but I was a straight A student in nursing school so everyone else is convinced that I passed... Is it a horrible sign that I haven't heard anything yet??? I just started my new job and I'm scared to death that I didn't pass...

Thanks so much for the post! I'm a new grad (...still can't believe that) and I'm starting in the NICU next week...on the one hand, this is what I've always wanted and on the other hand, I'm scared to death! I have a feeling that over the next year I'm going to be coming back and re-reading your post...

I'm a nursing student in my third (out of four) semester. I have a ways to go but before I know it, I'm going to have to start interviewing for jobs. I already know that I want to go into something related to pediatrics but there are so many choices. I've been thinking NICU since before I started nursing school. I haven't had my peds rotation yet, but I have had OB and was in the nursery for two 12 hour days. I've never had clinical days that great...and I know the nursery is very different from NICU, but one baby I was working with went into respiratory distress and we had to take him up to the NICU and it was then that I thought "I think this is what I want to do." But, as usual, I'm starting to second guess myself. I'm wondering if the fact that most patients have the same diagnosis in the NICU will get to me after a while. I only say that because I just switched floors in clinical and I'm now in a cardiac floor. I know first of all, that cardiac specialties aren't for me (I'm not sure why, it just isn't my thing) and second of all, I really don't like the lack of variety in the patients. Turns out that I like variety more than I knew... Which led me to think of PICU. It seems like that speciality has the most variety out of all of them. But I'm wondering if it'd be TOO much variety. Also, one of the things that makes me interested in the NICU is being able to follow the babies and families until discharge. That doesn't seem like the case in PICU... We have a Children's hospital near here, and other options are Pediatric Med/Surg (I'm not an adult med/surg person and I think I would prefer some form of ICU since I'd rather be with 1-2 patients with a higher acuity, but was thinking Peds Med/Surg may be a way to get some experience) , Peds Onc/Hemo (I've really thought about this one. I just spent about 5 weeks on an adult oncology floor and really like oncology. I'm also going to be doing my work study in the same oncology floor so I feel like I would at least know something about oncology, even if I still would have so much to learn about pediatrics) and Peds Oncology ICU. Peds Oncology ICU is also starting to interest me more and more. I didn't mean to write such a long post! I guess I'm talking things through to myself more than anything, but any advice from any peds nurses out there would be great!

I did clinicals at Kaiser-Anaheim...they said that since all positions are first opened up to current employees, usually only med-surg and maybe some post-partum positions are open to new grads.

I can't see that being a problem. I've seen so few nurses with black stethoscopes...I have a purple one so it's not REALLY flashy, but I really don't think anyone notices the color. I just didn't want a black one because I wanted SOME variety in color with the white uniform, socks, and shoes:roll

1st semester: Fundamentals: 6 hour clinical twice a week Intro to Med Surg/Gero: 6 hour clinical twice a week 2nd semester: Med Surg I: 8 hour clinical twice a week OB: 12 hour clinical once a week (or two 6 hour clinicals) I'm in an ADN program. I don't know exactly the clinical amounts for the third and fourth semesters, though.

I'm just a nursing student, but I thought I'd stick my head in anyway and give my two cents... When I first started nursing school, I worked more closely with the CNAs, since I couldn't pass meds, chart assesments (although I did them) or do much RN work. So, I learned SO much from some CNAs! And I had no idea how much work it is to be a CNA, before I started nursing school. You guys have so many patients, and I was so overwhelmed at first with one or two! So, I definitely have respect for CNAs, we need you! However...some of the people who have treated me very badly as a student have been CNAs. Once I started doing meds, and having other priorities, many of them didn't seem to understand that my priorities were not the same as theirs, and that I wasn't trying to be lazy if I delegated something to them, I just had so many other things to do now. Many of them treated me as if I was far beneath them... I did try VERY hard to not to act as if I was above the CNAs, because I know I'm not! And I know that even when I'm an RN, I will not be "better" than the CNAs. I just wish that they could've shown me the same respect that I tried to show them.

I've heard of this, but don't know much about it... If I'm not mistaken, you can get your license ONLY in California but not your associates? I've heard some professors talking about it, and they greatly dislike the idea...from the way they were talking, it sounded as if you CAN'T get your associates after this? That doesn't seem right, but it's what I remember them saying... Sorry for my lack of knowledge about it, but from what I've heard, if you want to continue on, getting your ADN instead of this would be better. Since you already have the pre-reqs and general ed done, would it even save you any time?

Hi all, Just wondering if any of you have gone through CSUF's RN-BSN program? I posted earlier on being interested in RN-BSN programs in Orange County...Cal State Fullerton would be the most convenient for me, but I'm interested in hearing from people who've been through the program, on whether it's any good.

Yes, it's hard to get into CA nursing schools, but there IS hope IF you can put up with waiting. For example, my school accepts 40 people a semester based on points...for that, yeah, you would probably have to have higher grades. But 10 students are selected from the waiting list based only on how long they've been waiting. Now they have to wait a couple of years, but waiting is better than giving up altogether... The LVN route is a great option for you, too...