hamburgers911

Weird. I feel cheated!! We were not allowed to do them at CNR and we were not even taught the theoretical aspect of it, let alone the technical skills of it. Now I moved out of state and got a job on a CCU in California and I don't know how to start IV's...how embarrassing.

Great advice, thank you! And thanks for the link.

If anyone has experience on this type of unit, could you please give me some advice as to how to prepare for this job? I have been studying EKG rhythms and I'm going to read over the Cardiac chapters in my med-surg book. If you have any other helpful suggestions, all would be greatly appreciated! Thanks :)

I just got a job on a Coronary Care Unit and I am a new grad. I'm also a little anxious about it, but during your interview, make it clear to them that you are a novice, but you are willing to learn with the right guidance. Ask them what their mentorship/preceptorship timeline is. Ask if they will have you taking critical care classes in the beginning. Ask how new nurses typically adjust to this type of workload. If they sense that you have the energy and willingness to take on this challenge, you will probably be strongly considered for the job. Good luck!

They didn't lock you out for 5 days to punish you. The travel-nurse organization would not agree to send nurses there for just 1 day- the hospital had to commit to at least 5 days for the travel agency to get their moneys worth for travel expenses.

I couldn't agree with you more. I feel like I'm doing everything I can with jobhunting and utilizing resources like LinkedIn etc., but the economy is hurting and nurse recruiters have a serious phobia of new grads.

Sad, typical story. I am a new grad and have no job, blah blah blah. ANYWAY, I was wondering if anyone has read a book called "You're Hired! A Nurse's Guide to Success in Today's Job Market" from the California Student Nurses' Association. I'm wondering if the book is any good and if it will be helpful. Thanks!

I just moved to CA about a month ago and I have been calling hospitals and filling out applications constantly. Everyday I get an email or two, politely rejecting me. Getting a job as a new grad is proving to be no small feat for alot of people who graduated in 2011, 2010, and 2009! (This nursing shortage is a scam.) I'm wondering if I should pursue a Med Surg certification to give myself a leg up. Thoughts?? Discuss.

Interesting responses....rather inconsistent, which leads me to question whether there actually is a law or not. I've tried searching legitimate information on state policies about IVs/venipuncture and have not found anything useful. It's probably a common misconception among nursing schools in NY. Thanks for the input :)

It depends on what course you're taking. Each course coordinator has their own way of organizing their clinical groups. Sometimes you can write down your top 3 choices and end up in one of those, other times it's completely random, and sometimes it's first come first serve. If nothing else, they are usually OK with allowing students to mutually swap group placements with another consenting student.

It wasn't very difficult to get into the nursing program. You don't need stellar SAT scores or even a very great GPA. They have people write an essay of "Why do you want to be a nurse?" and the dean picks the ones who she feels will make the best "CNR Nurses." The clinical locations are usually very good, but as stated above, they send students everywhere! Haha. It's kinda cool though, I like talking to my classmates about all the different hospitals in the area. Financial aid is good for MOST students. (It's usually what lures people into the school.) Professors are....ok. They're not all up to date on technology, which can be very very frustrating. Many of them don't regularly check their emails or use our online network system. There is a med math exam given at the beginning of every semester. There is no entrance exam to get into the nursing school. One thing that I like about the school is how structured the program is. All the needed courses are set out into a 4 year schedule (or 2 year fast track) which makes it very easy to pick classes and actually graduate ON TIME. Many of my friends from other colleges are having to stay 1 or 2 years extra, which kinda sucks. I hope this helps! Good luck :)

I'm in the 4- year program, straight out of high school.

Med math is pretty easy- It's all just conversions and balancing equations. I'm HORRIBLE at math and I just got 100 on our last exam. Once you get the hang of how to do it, just practice 10-20 problems a day before exams. I bought a book called Math for Nurses by Mary Jo Boyer. It is a really good little book with a bunch of practice problems, and very good explanations of why nurses use various systems of measurement. One mistake that I made after my dosage calculations class was that I sold the book back. DON'T SELL YOUR BOOK!!! If your school has semesterly med math exams, you will WANT your book to review the problems before each exam!! I hope this helps. Good luck and feel free to message me with any questions or needed help :) -Jane

I go to the College of New Rochelle, and alot of people at my school are upset with the way med math exams are given at the start of each semester. Here are CNR's current policies: -The exam is given over intercession or summer break, so that students will have time to reschedule their classes if they do not pass the exam. -If the exam is not passed the first time, students are only given 1 more chance to pass it. -If a student does not pass either times, they are put on probation from taking their core nursing course for that semester, and either need to sign up for a bunch of electives, or take the semester off. This seems to be a bad system because it backs people up into other classes, postpones their expected graduation, and leaves time for students to forget information!!! Please respond and tell me your thoughts and experiences with YOUR school's med math protocols :) Thanx.

I'm beginning my last semester in the nursing program at CNR. To be completely honest, I really regret going to CNR. They are the most disorganized, inconsiderate, and pompous organization I have ever been affiliated with. I am almost embarrassed to admit that I go there. The school is a nightmare in so many ways. Your issue with communication there is just the beginning. Please look at other schools before committing to CNR. If you have a list of questions about the application process, clinicals, res life, med math, course selections, or ANYTHING, please feel free to ask me. I've been there for 3 and a half years too long, but at least I can speak honestly about them and give people better insight about the institution. Good luck!