Marie12

Thank you everyone for your input. It has been helpful. I'm pretty sure community is where I want to end up, but as I am very lucky to be offered the HFO job, I will take it and just enjoy the learning experiences I'm going to encounter. I'm going to keep all options open at this point. Thanks!!

Hi All, I would appreciate some career advice. Im a new grad RPN, older in my forties with a husband and two kids. All throughout nursing school it has been my goal to work in the community setting. I am very very lucky to have two job offers on the table. One is in a HFO position in the Nursing Resource Team in the big hospital that I trained at. I did two med/surg rotations here and also my pre-grad here. I can't say I loved the hospital environment; I had a difficult relationship with my preceptor and I found the particular unit had a lot of management issues and horizontal violence going on. The hospital is a 45 min commute. BUT I know this would be a great entry-level experience for a new grad because I need the experience. The other is a part-time offer from Saint Elizabeth in the town where I live. Of course the hourly wage is lower, but that isn't a big issue for me. The hours would be better (no nights) and it would be local. I have always been very interested in working for St E as I hear they are a good employer. I also feel that this job really fits my long term career goal of working in community and possibly being an independent foot care nurse. I feel in my heart that I want to take the community job, but I am afraid I lack experience. I also feel I would be a fool to turn down the HFO opportunity simply because of the exposure and experience it offers. Can anyone offer any advice?

Some classes are heavier and more time consuming than others, for example Health Assessment and Anatomy took a lot of my study time. But I agree with what other posters have said. All programs have their good and not so good points. The important thing once you are in the program is not to waste energy worrying if you could be better off somewhere else. Just get on with it, do your best and do what is asked of you without making excuses or looking for the easy way out. It hasn't been easy but I am enjoying school a lot and learning a lot.

No, sorry, I go to the part-time program at Newnham campus. I don't really know anyone who has done the King program. Sorry I cant really help other than that!

Hi Heather, I'm in the Seneca RPN program right now and can probably answer some of your questions. Are you going to the King campus or the Newnham campus?

Thanks Fiona!

Hi Everyone Where can I buy 100% cotton scrubs? I don't like the poly-cotton ones, I find them really hot and sweaty! I'm in the GTA so can anyone tell me where they get theirs please? Alternatively, anywhere i can order online in Canada? Don't really want to pay shipping and duty from the U.S... Thank you all!

Thanks for posting Fiona- that helps a lot!

Hi Everyone, Am still in RPN school, but regularly trawl the job postings at major hospitals in my area. Please excuse my ignorance, but I wonder if anyone can clarify the following questions for me regarding the meaning of the following job descriptions: -unscheduled -casual -Am I correct in thinking that 'full time regular' and 'part time regular' means you have a guaranteed number of hours you work a week, i.e. 37 or 22.5 respectively?? -Finally, If you had to choose between a 'part time perm' job or a 'full time casual' job at an acute care facility, which is best to take if you are looking to get a foot in the door and full time perm (obviously the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow?) Thank you all in advance for your input and apologies if the answers to my questions should be obvious.

Thanks Lori. The experience requirement is what I imagined. Would you happen to know what areas of nursing are particularly good experience to get before a transition into community nursing? I heard that med-surg is a good area to work in first as you do tons of assessment. Also, how many years of experience would I need before I could properly consider a move into the community? 5 or more?

Hi, I am currently an RPN student in the GTA nearing the half way point of my course. I am really interested in a career in community nursing, and I know through my school I can ask for a placement in the community. I was wondering if anyone here works for/has worked for an agency such as VON or St Elizabeth healthcare? I know that community nursing is very different from hospital nursing, but I think that I would like it, as I am older (in my 40s), know myself pretty well and worked very independently in my previous career. what do you like about community nursing? What skills/strengths do you need to cultivate to do well in this area? Thanks for any input!

Thanks for the advice. I have two pre-school aged kids to look after and no daycare/extended family help, so have only registered in 2 classes for the winter semester (and one of them is Math for med adm). Having read your comments I feel better that I'm not going to be overdoing it! I think slowly but surely is the way to go through this prog for me. Glad that you are enjoying it! I cant wait to get started in this program- I've waited for 3 years to do it. Thanks again!

Thanks for that info Loriangel14. its really good to hear from someone who has been where I am now. I feel that just as I am on the brink of getting into nursing school, I am starting to feel really apprehensive about it. Is that normal? Just have another question regarding RPN speciality training. I have seen courses on college websites for RPN Operating Room training, but not much else. What possibilties are out there for RPNs, and how does further training reflect in your hourly wage? (I know I am putting the cart before the horse....but I'm just wondering for future reference) Thanks!

Loriangel14 -I am a big fan of your posts. I have been lurking here for over a year. I have applied to and hope to start RPN part time school in January. The possibilities nursing offers - including the chance to move into different areas and undertake further training - excites me. I know I have the self discipline to do the school work. I know I do not ever want a desk job. I know I am cut out for a job working directly with people thanks to my previous career in teaching. I am not afraid of hard, often dirty work. But.....my main worries are: - will I be able to find a job? I'm in the GTA, and I am particularly interested in visiting home health care and palliative care. -how will I adjust to rotating shift work? Will it ruin my health? -am I too old to change careers? I have two little kids (3 and 4 ysr old), so full time school is not an option.I'll be 44 by the time I am an RPN , I worry that I'll be fairly old when I finally qualify and will spend the rest of my 20-odd working years at the bottom of the seniority totem pole. Have I left it all too late?? is there any camaraderie between nurses? I hear so often how they 'eat their young'? Basically, I think I'm just scared of the unknown. Any words of wisdom would be much appreciated, especially from you!

Hi all, I have applied for this program, January 2013 start. Does anyone who is currently in this program, or a graduate from this program, have any useful advice or info about what they thought of the course/college please? Thanks in advance for any input.