BellaRoseRN

Hi. I am kind of surprised by how many nurses seem to be subscribing to bad theories and non-science based information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. I know nurses who believe COVID-19 is a hoax and the Democrats did it and it would disappear after the election. And these are people who are taking care of patients! That’s concerning. I would take this vaccine if given the opportunity. Also that $1500 stimulus is simply an idea being said aloud. It’s too bad that it has come to bribing people to take a vaccine in the midst of a pandemic. What is wrong with people? https://apple.news/AZOyiBMQXSKWxX1UIBXfTCA

The hospitals don't really need new grads. It's expensive to train you, it will take months before you are truly functional in the position you take. And you may get the job and realize you hate it! It sounds like you have a lot of energy and that is definitely a good thing. Sending letters to hospital CEO's telling them when you do get experience, (finally), you won't consider working for them...BAD IDEA. You should never burn bridges. I understand how frustrating it is to be a new grad and just not be able to find a job when you were all but promised multitudes of opportunities in nursing school. DirtyHippie is right, the nursing schools need to address this issue instead of trying to enroll massive numbers of $tudent$. Maybe you just need to look outside the box. Go rural, apply in Alaska, don't be afraid to move if it is feasible for you. Please don't get a reputation for being this aggressive. It won't service you in the future.

Tickle Ur Ivories---just something to consider here. When you graduate from SCC you will probably try to find a job at a place like Providence or the like, and I think as an employee there with an ADN, it is important for you ALL to know that they are not hiring ADN nurses in the same numbers that they want to hire BSN nurses. Fair? Not really, but the big deal now is magnet status. So, you will probably make 26 to 30/hr dependent on the shift and differentials, if you can find a job. I don't mean to sound dreary, but if you truly want to be a nurse, and yes it does include wiping butts, cleaning up vomit, urine, etc. because we don't have NACs, go for your BSN. I wouldn't go to SCC unless it was my only option and I was planning to immediately continue from there. I believe that SCC now advises all of their students to do exactly that. Jobs are tight, the shortage of nurses is still there, they just are doing more with what they have.

You know the right thing and it sounds like you were doing the right thing too! I work in an ACU at a hospital and I can tell you that we see our share of patients admitted from LTC with questionable falls, open sores that have gone gang busters and even reports that a patient was not fed for over a week! You absolutely did the right thing by leaving that job. It sounds like it was a toxic situation. Documentation of falls and proper assessments are so important especially when care is transferred. It is sad the state of care our elderly receive when there aren't enough diligent people watching out for them.

Wow! Bet you had no idea that you would get this much attention for your comment! I don't know what field you have previously worked in or if you are a young puppy with gobs of energy, (which you WILL need exponentially!), but the world of student nursing and registered nursing are two worlds apart. Sadly, your nursing school is probably not preparing you for what is to come once you FIND a job where there aren't hundreds of applicants for 1 position. Here is some motivation for you...uh...nope sorry, I don't have any! Just kidding! Don't get scared or annoyed at nurses coming here to a safe place to vent. Nurses, don't get annoyed at the students who just don't KNOW yet! As for quitting a job that pays the rent and bills, well, dear student, once you're off the government cheese for schooling, they want you to pay them back! So most of the nurses here can't quit because sadly, working a retail job or flipping burgers doesn't quite cut it. I am happy to hear you are excited about your new career, and I surely hope that you find a great job, and LOVE it! Ask your clinical instructor if you can take the typical patient load for a day, and if they nurse precepting you is willing to trust you with all of that work, you may just see what a lot of us nurses are beotching about! And, yes, I pretty much hated my first job! I'm going back to work this week on a different unit, and I am keeping an open mind and open heart that I will LOVE it! So send me some good vibes please! Light and Love to All!

In light of this touchy subject, isn't it interesting how many nurses and other health professionals smoke and are obese? Of all people, we know the dangers and choose to either smoke and over-eat or either or. Who hasn't seen an obese cardiologist? Weight, like any other physical appearance is so touchy. That is why no matter how we personally feel about people who do things we don't agree with, we still need to treat them fairly and stop being motivated by hatred! You should treat your obese patients, your skinny patients, your beautiful patients, your ugly patients, your smelly patients, your homeless patients, your rich patients, etc. with the same kindness you would extend to your own sweet granny! It's not hard. If you can't stand the patients you are paid to provide nursing care for then get off the pot.The average adult changes careers more than once so maybe it's time for some to go. And for the pre-nurses who feel all gung-ho and "I'm gonna change the world!", just wait until you are out in the real world. You're no longer sheltered in the safety of school and you have pressure on you to get a job done. You may have to deal with so many stresses that you will want to take time to educate the obese people who are everywhere, but you may just be lucky to shove them full of their meds and help them to the toilet before running off to the next task. This won't leave much time for trying to use guilt to persuade them to lose weight. Maybe that should be the chaplains job... P.S. I am in no way trying to be rude, I have a sense of humor and I think we all need to laugh more often! Good luck in your endeavors!

I would nix the sugar free drinks, I have heard that the artificial sweetners are actually linked to an increase in body weight! Not the healthy alternative that the soda companies would like you to believe. Don't be so hard on yourself! We all have our battles. I hope you have success losing weight if you chose to do that, because you can do it! Your already on the right track with knowing what conditions you have that may contribute to a weight issue.

Wow. What about safety first? We are educated professionals and we should not be put in a position that feels unsafe. After all, if a nurse feels unsafe then what does that say? Employees at McDonalds receive more training than it sounds like your facility provides. Shame on them! You are not crazy, they are putting you in a dangerous position. Don't feel bad, I turned down a job because to me, it just sounded really unsafe. A new RN on night shift all alone with acute care transfers from the hospital. Expected to do arterial sticks if needed when I had never even SEEN one done before? Sorry, I'm not into that kind of liability.

You are not alone! It seems that alot of us new nurses are feeling very discouraged, and it is easy to start to feel like you are never going to get a job! In my experience, there isn't really a LACK of jobs, it is just super difficult to get the interview. It is definitely an employer's market, and they can be really choosy. However, if no one is willing to hire new grads, then how will we ever get the experience? What will happen when all the nurses who came out of retirement are able to return to retirement? There will be an awful lot of nurses who haven't gotten the experience, and feel jaded. I think your willingness to move for a job is key. I know for a fact that there are places who are hurting for nurses incredibly. When I was a couple of months away from graduation, my husband interviewed for a job in Bullhead City, Arizona and they took me to the hospital to meet everyone. They wanted me there immediately in June. My hubby didn't take the job and we ended up staying here instead where the job outlook is really poor. Also, think about Alaska. There are some programs there where you can go work, gain an interesting experience, and some of them even offer loan repayment. I think you have to commit to like 2 years, but it's a start. Good luck! Keep on keeping on, and when you feel really "over it" just go get some exercise and clear your head.

Hey everyone! Thank you so much for the thoughts and advice. It is good to hear other's insights. I know the job market is so tight right now and that is everywhere...except maybe Alaska. I have heard that the first year is the most difficult and maybe I haven't given it a fair chance? I definitely feel different about working peds now that I have a child. I feel like I understand the parents so much better and yes, it almost feels like it is my own child in the hot seat! It is probable that the hospital pace is too chaotic for me. I don't regret being at home with Mia or having her at the time I chose, after all...that biological clock ticks! ; ) She is the greatest blessing in my life along with my husband. I am so very lucky to have what I do. And I thank you all for pointing that out, it is easy to take our blessings for granted. The bit about the ultrasound program isn't totally random. That is what I was studying to do when I switched to nursing because I thought it would be easier to find a job. Ironic, I know, but I truly loved studying cardiac anatomy and physiology. I know...I sound like a total dork and yes, I am. Anyways thank you all for the feedback, I am going to apply for a school nurse position today in fact and let's cross our proverbial fingers! I really loved subbing for school nursing when I did it. Happy Wednesday!

Hello all! Ok, this is my first thread EVER, but I am a stay at home mommy right now so I have a little time to post! And vent. Little recap on me...graduated with an ADN in June 2009 from community college in that had lost it's NLN accreditation before I even started, passed my NCLEX at 80 questions which I thought I failed for sure, have had no real luck at finding a solid job yet. I don't think it is too much to ask for a job with benefits after all the work I have done. My work has so far consisted of substitute school nursing, homecare(peds), and supplemental hospital work also in peds. I decided of course, to have my lovely precious baby girl right after graduating so I spent most of my first year out of school pregnant and trying to learn how to work a day shift on a busy peds unit! 12.5 hour days and big bellies don't mesh well. So...very generously, my employer held my position for me for 5 months, but I chose not to go back. Wait, wait, wait! I did what???!!! So here is the deal. I seriously didn't enjoy going to work at all. I got all twisty and anxious the day before, and would have the nervous tummy while getting ready for work in the morning. If people asked me how I liked my job, I couldn't honestly say that I did. I don't think a person who isn't passionate about their work should be working with kids and that, plus the anxiety I was feeling kept me from returning. I know...*****, *****, *****. I'm just hitting a point here where I'm not sure I even want to be a nurse anymore and I know it would be smart to continue on for my BSN, but I don't know about exerting all that energy on something I'm not sure I even like. I LOVE working with patients, I love educating them and spending time listening to their stories and concerns. I don't like all the time spent charting and filling in redundant information on a computer and feeling scared to death that I'm going to do something wrong! I feel really lost and I have started my job search up again and have received nothing but rejection emails for every job except the NICU interview that I got chosen for only to find out the position isn't even available anymore. I'm seriously considering going to get my certification in cardiac ultrasound. I'm not looking for the golden answer here, I just feel so much like a loser because now I can't even get an interview! NOT sure exactly why the NICU manager wanted to interview me, but she was great and really nice. Does anyone have any insight or similar stories they could share? I love my current job as MOMMY, but I know that the longer I'm out, the worse this will get. Thanks all and blessings:heartbeat

My husband is a PA-C and I think that there is a big difference between the training of a NP and a PA-C. From what I have seen, not only can you be more flexible because PA schools don't make you chose a track of focus, you also get a more intense education. My husband did not work while attending PA school because it was very, very rigorous! Hardly anyone in his program worked. My advice is that if you are interested in the medicine and feel like you would have loved to be a doctor, then PA is for you. I'm not knocking NP's by any means, I am a nurse! I would rather have a new PA take care of me at the ER than a new NP is all. Good luck!

I vote for plan B! Seriously, though, good job! I don't know where you all live, but it's tough in Washington State too.

Hey Student00...if you graduated in June 09', then we were classmates! I hope all is well with you and I was curious what (if any) actions are being taken regarding the accreditation issue. I must have gotten lucky and been hired at SHMC without having worked there previously, however, for a supplemental position. What I find really disturbing is the perception that everyone at the hospital seems to have about SCC losing ALL of their accreditation! NOT TRUE, but this NLN issue has really marred the college's reputation. I have since left my position, because I had a baby, has anything changed at SHMC? I know they are going for magnet status and that is something. Do you know how our classmates have fared in their job searches? Now that I am applying for positions, I am not getting any interviews. Thanks, and nice bumping into ya!