RN 033

wow, I suggest you re-read your last post and listen to your intuition. My guess is this time next year, you'll have bank, but be MISERABLE. Hope some of the patients you care for will be better off in spite of your ulterior motives $$$. It's so disappointing that nursing has become a money vs. profession for so many, no judgment...we all got bills/loans to pay...good luck

I found Public Health nursing more to my liking. I love educating clients, hooking them up with referrals and providing nursing care that is more holistic and preventative. I work in Lead poisoning prevention, CHDP and Foster Care. It's a million miles away from clinical hospital care. Hours are good, so are the benefits. It doesn't pay as much as hospital, but my sanity is worth it.

Rapid Interpretation of EKG's, Sixth Edition (Paperback) by Dale Dubin Hands down THE best! you will have a solid understanding instead of memorizing

I'm a recent BSN grad from CA and, yes, the PHN certification is included in the program. It wasn't until I had the public health curriculum that found my "calling". I love this job. You're lucky that the CA economy is picking up because there has basically been a hiring freeze. It's still a very tough market. Get online and go to the county websites for the job postings. It can be a long process. I applied in January 2013 and was hired in October, government is slow. Lots of funding issues, too. See if you can network with the nurses there for contacts and inside info for potential openings out here. Good luck!

Personally, I am so happy that I have a job and doing what I've always wanted to do. Think how horrible it would be for you (if it is getting on your nerves) to struggle through school, years of unemployment/underemployment, student loans, etc. No sorrys here... all you long time nurses don't know what you've got till it's gone!

@ MrChicagoRN Yes, I would also consider relocating to Northern KY. I was born and raised a "buckeye" :) With all of my extended family still living out there, it would be a quick & easy relocation. Any advice on initiating license process for both states?

Thank you for your reply...it is kind of a catch 22. I don't want to relocate until I have a job lined up and I understand why facilities wouldn't want to hire unless I was a resident. I wonder if getting my Ohio license now would make me more marketable when I visit. Any thought to that idea?

I am a recent CA RN-BSN grad with 8 months of LTC experience. My job prospects locally are very limited and I have exhausted any hopeful employment within an hours drive from my home. I believe moving will be necessary to land a decent job (LTC facility management is horrible, not the residents!). If I have to move, I'm thinking of moving back to my hometown where I have extended family, Cincinnati. I have planned a trip back home for the holidays and was wondering...What's the most effective way to approach job search while there for two weeks? Do I contact/apply for positions prior to my trip? Are there any Cincinnati area AN nurses that could give me info on recent grad job markets? Thanks!

Thanks for your advice! Within the interview I discussed my computer program abilities and think that was all that was necessary. I must have done something right, because they have requested another interview this week! :)

I am scheduled for a second interview with the county public health dept. I applied in Jan. as a new grad BSN, PHN. My initial interview was in late March and unfortunately I was rejected due to lack of experience. Since then, I now have eight months of SNF experience. I was surprised when the county dept. called to see if I was still interested in employment! I now have my second interview scheduled next week and am looking for ways to really impress upon the interview board my desire and skill to meet the job. A friend had mentioned that she used visual elements for her previous job interviews (not nursing) to impress the hiring panel. I have PowerPoint projects and a capstone poster from my BSN course that I thought would be applicable to the position. I will be bringing updated copies of my resume and cover letter. I have studied various AN advice that will also add to my discussion for this next interview. What are your thoughts to bringing my laptop to the interview to show the projects? This is my DREAM career, I want it to be my reality! Thanks in advance for any insight :)

See if you have a local One Stop Unemployment office or similar department that can help you gain confidence in your interview skills. They provide opportunities to learn skills and practice mock interviews along with resume help. Good luck!

My first job as a new grad was filled with unprofessional behavior and disrespect for coworkers. I thought maybe it was just the facility, but after reading so many posts and talking to seasoned nurses, believe it to be common practice. I'm looking for other avenues in nursing where I can continue working without all the drama. Honestly, if I had truly listened to the warnings from people prior to getting my degree, I wish that I had chosen a different profession. I didn't think it would be as bad as what I've experienced.

I applied for a county PHN position in early January, interviewed in March and was rejected in April due to lack of experience (new RN-BSN grad), about a six week wait before I got the letter. I just received a call yesterday asking if I would still be interested in the position!!! Oh heck yeah! Government processes at snail speed I guess. Maybe they hired someone that eventually didn't work out. After my interview, I made sure to email each of the three interviewers, thanking them and re-emphasizing my qualities and desire for the position. Maybe that left a positive impression for them to reconsider another interview 5 months later, who knows? I've been reading your thread, gleaning more information to use on my next interview with them. I hope that you will be hired, sending positive thoughts your way! I would love to have more advice that might benefit me for my next interview from you or any other AN reader...thank you!

I was a new RN grad tired of getting turned down by hospitals. I finally got a job as night charge nurse - 58 LTC residents and only 2 CNA's. I was scheduled to have 2 weeks orienting but only had 6 nights and then was asked to take over because they were short staffed. I took out malpractice insurance my third night-scared after every shift that I may have done something wrong-very stressful! I've managed to survive 4 months now and am glad I did. Other positions that I had applied for or interviewed for all fell through. I would've still been unemployed if I hadn't taken this job. Besides the insurance, I would suggest getting your sleep/wake schedule on nights set in advance. Those first two nights of the 6 that I oriented were a blur because my brain didn't want to think. Make yourself do mental practice like reading or reviewing nursing material during the hours from 0000 to 0600. Good luck!

I could have written this post!!! I'm an ADN grad of '10 and BSN of '12. I also put my career on hold while raising a family. I finally stopped looking for jobs at hospitals after having been rejected for years. The BSN didn't seem to make any difference. I've gotten turned down for PHN positions also. Having no experience other than clinicals has been devastating for launching my career. Personally, I wouldn't spend any more money on education. Taking any nursing position will be more attractive to potential employers. I work at a SNF now on the sub-acute rehab floor. Reality is that I need a job. Things didn't turn out the way I planned, but oh well, I'm able to make payments on my student loans. Hopefully, after a year at the SNF, I will have more opportunities available. Good luck!

I am a new grad with less than three months experience at myfirst job in LTC. I received a call foran interview for a PHN I position that I applied for back in January. While I enjoy LTC nursing, providing healtheducation and counseling to the community is more my ideal career. What is a day in the life of a PHN I like? The duties listedin the job description are wide and varied. I live in rural Northern CA. What are the hours? I feel that I'm burning out on nightshift already. Also, any interviewadvice would be much appreciated. Thankyou!

I am anew RN grad that finally found a job at a SNF. My acute care training didn't provide me with LTC experience regarding "comfort care". I would appreciate any advice for my situation. I have a resident that has had all previous meds Dc'd (anti-anxiety, psychotropics, etc.) and is only prescribed liquid morphine PRN maximum dose 1 ml every 2 hours. She has now been comfort care for a month. While this controls her pain, it doesn't address her anxiety,crying, calling out in fear at being alone, constant feeling to void, (HX ofUTI and I know the morphine probably exacerbates that) etc. I relayed info to attending MD and received an order for anti-anxiety and anti-depression meds.The order was intercepted by MDS and I was told that "it took a long time to convince the family to put her on comfort care, we can't just start giving her these meds again". WHAT! This resident pushes the call light over 20times during the night shift. She has become enough of a distraction to her roommate that she has requested a room change just to get some sleep. My CNA's get tied up with her understandably needy behavior and pull precious time away from other residents while we're short staffed. I am totally disoriented this morning trying to wrap my head around the term "comfort care" and the obvious lack of comfort for my resident. Being new, I'm wondering if I'm missing something here? or is the MDS for some reason trying to control the nursing care he initiated? could this be a money issue? is this common practice because it seems inhumane to me? I thought I was to advocate for my patient and this morning I basically got my hand slapped for requesting meds to help her with symptoms other than her pain.

I finally got a job after two years searching at a LTC / Sub-acute facility...I go home each morning (night shift) skeeeered! First nursing job, three weeks in and I'm responsible for 60 residents and two CNAs, and no....they don't all sleep all night! Honestly, I fear for my license most days. I'm so tired when I leave, but stay awake remembering little things and sometimes big things that I didn't do 100% correctly. As the night wears on, the mornings often turn into nightmares. The witching hours are usually between 4 am and 0630, just when I start to go brain dead from having only 4 hours of sleep each day that I work. I purchased malpractice insurance as a possible buffer if sh8t hits the fan someday. I don't really feel like I have another choice other than bankruptcy and hey, that won't cover my many thousands of dollars student loans that are due. I love the "job", the residents, their families and fellow employees. There hasn't been a DON at the facility for over 7 months and I feel like I'm walking on jello. This is NOTHING like what I trained for in an acute hospital clinical setting. My head is spinning! I'd love to run, but there's nothing to run TO. I would be back looking for the elusive New Grad position that I've searched for the past two years. I can only hope to provide the safest and best care possible while flying under the political firing radar until I gain enough experience to either feel comfortable where I am or move on to greener pastures.

I won't go to work without them they make a big difference in my energy level. I purchase mine from footsmart.com. They have a wide variety to choose from. I like the light weight moderate support. My teenage daughter works on her feet all day and also uses them.

I just started at a LTC last week also. They asked if I would cut short my training by two days and I said no. I'm taking the full 8 days I was told I would get. I mean, really? 58 residents!!! I'm the only night shift nurse for 58 patients with just two CNAs. It's not my fault they can't schedule with the employees that they already have.

After two years searching and many rejections for lack of experience, I finally got a job in a LTC facility - start nights this Saturday. I hope that I will have a similar experience. Thanks for your encouraging post!

This has been my experience in California. I'm searching every state on allnurses.com to get a feel for someplace to relocate that will hire a new grad BSN with no experience. My student loan payments begin in February.

I don't know how unique my position is - New grad and 52 years old. I thought once my kids got older, I would finally get the chance to have my dream job! With no job prospects after my ADN in 2010, I enrolled in an RN-BSN program, hoping it would make a hiring difference in this tuff economy. All the younger grads from my ADN class have been hired. I'm smart and talented, but I haven't worked outside the home for 27 years, only volunteer hours and some self-employed home health care. My prospect for bankruptcy is looming as my credit cards and student loans have increased while obtaining my BSN this year. Not hiring an older person for insurance reasons is ridiculous. I can't tell you how many of the younger nurses I graduated with have had a baby since getting hired! I now have an empty nest as my two youngest kids move away for college this month. California does not have a nursing shortage! Any advise is welcomed...

I only took Hurst and passed first try in 75! You can't go wrong if you follow their instructions on how to study the content. I was so nervous when I started the exam and after 2-3 questions, all the course content and instructor's voice came to mind and my confidence rose above any fear of the NCLEX Lady's questions.

See if you can find out from previous students what makes her tick. I had a clinical instructor that expected a student to come spend time in her office to go over care plans, etc. Once I did, her negative energy toward me left, and I got better grades. I didn't really change my work, she just changed her attitude toward me. Good luck!