NurseBunky

I graduated in 2006 and went directly into pediatric nursing at CHOA. I had no problems finding a job with them as a new graduate and their new grad program is excellent. They even have a floating preceptor at night you can call whenever you need her/him. I have an ADN and my motto is a nurse is a nurse is a nurse no matter what their degree is. If you do decide to get your ADN though don't stop....keep going at least until you get your BSN especially if you plan on going into management or want to teach one day!

Frankly I don't believe any college or university prepares you for nursing school. Nobody told me that it wouldnt be a good idea to binge and purge the information. They certainly werent testing me they way they do in nursing school either. I graduated from Gordon College School of Nursing in 2006. My sister is currently going there and taking her pre req's for nursing and isnt having any problems. It just depends on the professor, it's also up to you in regards to how you study and remember the information b/c you'll need some of it in nursing school when they start breaking down the diseases and it's processes and treatments.

I agree with Disneyfan! Northside would be the 1st on my list as well....actually it is the 1st on my list! I'll be starting there in their NICU this Monday and am so excited. My mom currently works there and has been there about 10 years I think!!

I currently work for children's scottish rite on the neurology floor, but will be leaving to work in Northside Hospital's NICU! I loved my time and it has been a great experience. The nurses here are wonderful and the new grad program and mentorship is amazing. I've been a little over 2 years and am missing everyone already. I do plan to come back eventually and do their CSO program.

I was told the same thing by both my nursing professors and my mom (who has been a NICU nurse for 21 years). Luckily I decided to work on a medsurg in an all pediatric facility. I think they tell you that so that you can hone your assessment skills and time management skills before you decide to become too specialized!

My mother is a NICU nurse and has been for the past 21 years so I took her advice. I spent my 1st year after graduation on a pediatric medsurg floor to get more expereince and to hone my assessment and time management skills. I'm on my second year here and am proud to say I just got a job at my mom's hospital in the NICU (with a little of her help). The hospital I'm going to be working at does hire new grads for the NICU though, so definitley look into that!

If anyone is interested in PACU they are accepting applications for their PACU internship!!

If you want to go into pediatrics check out Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. If you want to go into L&D check with Northside Hospital the Atlanta location is always hiring. It's the baby factory of Georgia!! Good luck to you!!

I currently work at CHOA but I don't know anything about a loan repayment. You may want to talk to a recruiter in regards to that. CHOA will hire you as a GN but you will be considered a nurse-grad tech and will be oriented as a tech until you pass NCLEX. I think you still get nursing pay as a nurse-grad tech. There are 3 hospitals in the CHOA program. Crawford Long, Northside Hospital and Atlanta Metro all have NICU. There is another pediatric hospital that I know of located in Macon,Ga.

I graduated from Gordon in 2006 but I did transfer to their school after I withdrew from GPC in 2003. I couldnt start their program until the followin fall b/c at that time Gordon only accepted students in the fall. Now they have a fall and spring admission. All nursing schools are difficult but it helps when professors actually care about their students. You defintley have options though!

I graduated from Gordon College and having nothing but great things to say about their program. It's an ADN program and they did a great job preparing us for what we would face as nurses. Other BSN schools I've heard that are great are; Clayton State University Kennesaw State University (but has a long wait list) North Georgia College Definiely check the pass rates and how many students start and actually graduate at each campus because it's very...very important! good luck to you!

Service Cancellable loans is how I'm paying off my student loans. Basically they give you a set amount of money each semester for nursing school and you pay it off by working as an RN in Georgia!!

GPC isnt the only nursing school out there. If you want an ADN degree try Gordon College in Barnesville, Ga. Sure it's far but 9 times out of 10 you can find someone to carpool with. When I went there, there were people driving grom Gainesville, Newnan, even Alabama. North Georgia also has a great ADN program (so I've heard) Keep your head up.

As far as I know CHOA has the best benefits. Our retirement plan is awesome, Healthcare and dental are pretty good. We even have benefits for pets!! That says it all right there!! The pay of course could be a lot better but that's anywhere you go! Everyone knows nurses don't get paid well!!

Hey Blessone, I've been working at CHOA (Scottish Rite Campus) for 1 year and 9 months. I'm sorry but I don't remember what the interview questions were like. They went beyond the whole why do you want o be a nurse questions but it wasnt difficult. There was no test given when I started and we need nurses so bad I doubt they will test you on anything! I work on a neurology floor so I have no idea what the work environment of the PICU is but I do know you will be well taken care of. The new grad program here is awesome! As far as I know the only difference between Scottish Rite and Egleston is that Scottish Rite is more of a private setting. Hope this helps!!

As far as I know hospitals like Piedmont, Northside, all 3 children's hospitals will hire you before you take boards as a nurse extern/tech until you take boards and then they just orient you into your nursing role! Apply to different ones and see what they say! Definitely start now so you get a heads up on all the other new grads needing jobs!! Good luck and congradulations!! P.S Northside pays well and are very short of nurses but the benefits are not good versus children's healthcare of atlanta's benefits are great but the pay is lacking!!

My mom works there and has been trying to discourage me from coming there because their benefits (health/dental etc...) arent as good as other hospitals. I currently work at CHOA and so far their benefits have been great especially when coming to retiring but the pay is horrible

I personally had no problem finding a job as a new grad in fact got the 1st job I applied for. I guess it depends on what area you would like to work in. I chose pediatrics and work at CHOA. Our hospital is really short so we are constantly hiring. My mom works at Northside hospital across the street and they are also very short. Some hospitals hire new grads during certain times of the year when they know students are graduating. The bes thing to do is apply for jobs the semester you graduate.

Peds ER definitely look into Children's Healthcare of Atlanta because they have a lot of openings in their ER. Mother/Baby? Northside Hospital also has a lot of openings and are so short they are paying time and half +15/hour (after your off orientation that is!!!) Good luck and congradulations to you. Welcome to ATlanta!

I can tell you how I Liked it! I graduated last year from their program. It was hard, stressful, and sometimes (yes sometimes) fun! The teachers were (and the ones who are still there are) great. They are supportive and take the time to teach. It is a lot of information at one time so stay organized. Stay on top of your assingments and READ YOURE BOOK! Take notes. If you like to study with a group...find a good study group! (You'll need their support) Don't be afraid to ask questions. Do the objectives at the begning of the lesson! (The test questions come from there)Don't get caught up in other people's negativity. Leave whatever is going on at home or at work there when your'e in class or studying. Goodness...the list goes on and on. Oh....take breaks between your'e studying. Craming is never...ever good!! FYI: My study group consisted of 4 other women. We would bring food to our study group (usually fast food cause you have no time to cook). We'd quiz eachother, go over our notes, do practice questions out of our NCLEX books, talk about how stressed out we were and at the end of every semester we would have a small party at a nice restaurant somewhere to destress and celebrate. P.S There's a great wings place in downtown Barnesville that cater's to students if you need to take a break and get off the campus for awhile. They have .25 wings on Tuesday and free ice tea to Gordon Students! Their Ice Tea is great.

I'm sorry to hear you guys are having problems finding jobs in the atlanta area. I waited until the last minute my senior year, did not work as a tech through nursing school and had no problem. I currently work at a children's hospital in atlanta and we are short beyond belief. We are constantly hiring new grads so if you want to work with kids you won't have a problem! Nursing home are also very short staffed and I think that's where society is seeing the nursing shortage as well as many ED's across the states. Northside hospital is also short staffed. They are paying nurses there time and a half plust 15/hour b/c they are so short and are constantly having job fairs. Goodluck to you guys. Just keep looking. The jobs are out there!!

The problem is that the shortage is happening at places like nursing homes and hospices. Not many new grads want to start out at places like that whereas adult and pediatric hospitals arent seeing the shortage as much.

It's an eye opener! When I started working I was real nervous, scared, and not very confident. Now...sometiems I still get a little nervous and scared but I feel a lot more confident. Gordong did a great job teaching me and it helps that I'm at a facility that orients well. The first day off orientation was a little scary but there are always plenty of nurses around to answer questions and help. That's the key!! if your unsure of something ask...it doesnt matter how stupid you may think the question is...better safe than sorry. I'm glad to be done with school. I want to go back for my BSN but I've gotten comfortable so I'm draggin my feet a little. Oh well..maybe next year!!! LOL!!

I personally don't think you'll have a problem getting in. It sounds like you have everything you need. Yeah it's bad to only apply to one school but ya gotta do what ya gotta do!! All of your classes will transfer to Gordon that you've taken so don't worry about which electives they will accept just as long as you've taken the requied classes for the program you should be fine. If for some reason you don't get in definetly try to apply again after you've taken some of the requried classes for your BSN. I think that's one of the reasons I got in. My GPA was no wear near as high as yours and at the time they didnt require us to take the TEAS or the NET. I was also coming from another program that I dropped out of ......guess which one?......GPC!!! Youre right...they were horrible when I went there 4.5 years ago. I dont know what's going on over there now! Good luck to you and congradulations in advance!!

It was easy transfering pre-reqs to Gordon especially if youre coming from a school that's part of the university of georgia system. I think I had something like a 3.2 or 3.0 and I got in. I figure anything above a 3.0 is great.