DorothyR

I'm about to graduate nursing school in three months and feel so overwhelmed with the job market already. So many people who have graduated ahead of me are still job hunting with no success. For reference, I live in southern CA. I feel like my resume/competitiveness is underwhelming. As far as experience, I've only completed two externships. I'm a member of NSNA but have not actively participated besides mentoring. In the time between now and when I take the NCLEX in 6 months, what can I do to make myself stand out more?

I have 3 more months until I graduate with my BSN. I've always wanted to work as a NA but school work always got in the way. So many people who have already graduated are still job hunting. so I figured while I work as a NA, I can also study for the nclex/and apply to RN positions. Is this feasible or am I too late? How long can I work as a NA after I receive my bachelors and pass the NCLEX?

I tried to start on IV today and I was preparing to stick the hand veins. However, my nurse told me to start on the forearm. What do you consider when choosing a vein for IV? Type of solution/continuous vs. intermittent infusion/other factors? Why not start IVs on the hand if the veins are visible/palpable instead of going to forearm or other areas?

I'm a first semester student and having trouble with assessing lungs. How do I differentiate between the various lobes? What anatomical landmarks should I be looking at auscultating? From my understanding, the lower lobes are heard from the posterior side. With my first patient, the nurse listened only to anterior chest wall and charted that lower lobes were diminished.

Congratulations :DDDD

I'm set to begin this fall. I'm quite nervous since I don't know what to expect. How was your last semester(s) of nursing school? Is it what you anticipated as a pre-nursing student? How did you mentally prepare yourself from undergrad to nursing student?

I HIGHLY recommend the ATI TEAS study guide. The questions in the guide are very similar to to the actual test. The content in the guide thoroughly covers areas tested on the exam. Good luck!

I'm considering becoming a RN but don't know which route to take. Go to a community college to get ADN and transfer to a BSN program, or continue to college and get my degree and apply to a accelerated BSN program. Which one takes the least time? Is it difficult to get into a accelerated BSN program? My major and the nursing major have pretty much the same pre-reqs and I live in CA. Thanks!

Thanks! Your responses helped a lot :)

At one time, I was really passionate about becoming a RN probably because I was reading the Chicken Soup for Nurse's Soul. After volunteering at a hospital for sometime, my views about nursing really changed. I saw a nurse that worked shifts up to 24 hrs, some hostility between nurses and other employees, patients that were unpleasant, and its making me rethink nursing as a lifelong profession. How do you maintain a positive attitude in light of all the negatives?What's it like being a RN? Do you enjoy it? What would you change? Thanks! :redbeathe