Loque

Thanks for your insight. I am planning on being a Clinical Instructor for students at my Alma mater, do you believe that can serve as an entry level expertise? I would like to get my MSN and work on staff professional development at the workplace. I was not aware that the job instability aspect. I find this interesting because we have felt the pinch at some aspects of our bedside nursing already. I think its a shame that education is not seen as essential, especially with influxes of new grad nurses entering the profession. While instability is not a total deterrent to me, it gives me something to think about.

Things have been going well at my job, and while I do enjoy critical care and caring for patients, I know that my long term plans will most likely not involve bedside direct patient care. I have always been happy to work with students and colleagues when it comes to educating and teaching, and have been told by some of my co-workers that I have strengths in teamwork, communication, and always being a good mood. I only have one year of nursing experience, but I have been toying with the idea of going back to school part time while I work. I believe my long term goals could be in several areas, such as: Nursing professional development Coordination of patient care Nurse leadership While I cannot probably do both, I would like to collaborate with our medical teams to improve and coordinate patient care and outcomes, or work on developing our nurses skills (including our new grad orientation process, which was terrible for me). I apologize if my ambitions are vague, but does anyone know which avenue I should purse with my higher education?

Thanks for all the words of encouragement. It's always good to hear the successes

Thanks to everyone for their help and insight. I have done alot of thinking over the past few days, and plan on waiting everything out for a little bit longer. I like working there, and if I just stay strong and deal, I would have no problem. I don't have much leverage as a new grad still on orientation, so entertaining transfers is most likely difficult. I'm also not sure how green the grass is on the other side. I will agree that perhaps having less acute of floor may benefit myself as a new grad as I learn how to become a nurse. So... maybe more thinking to do :)

Is that I have to take a half step backwards each time. When my educator says I will be getting a new preceptor, I usually bite my lip, keep my breath hushed and low, and keep to myself. If you think about it, variety is good, because there's many ways to organize your day, do a procedure, and be a nurse. I figure I would learn something new from a new mind. But that's not the case. Apparently this coming week I'll have my 4th preceptor as I enter my 10th week of my orientation in critical care, because my educator has led me to believe that it's whats best for me. It's as if a new set of eyes will magically turn my mostly competent skills as a new grad into a superstar. If you were to ask me if I'm happy with my progress as a new nurse, I'd say yes. I'd say I'm not perfect, I'd say I make some small mistakes, and I'd say my biggest problems are prioritization and getting a little faster. I've been told these are things that should come with time and experience. Are they a big deal? Yes. Can they be fixed? Most definitely, I'm sure every new grad goes through it. My most significant obstacle is that everyone says I am "doing fine" when I ask, and then I hear from the higher-ups that I have some problems and my co-workers expressed some concern about my progression and skills. Wait...what? No one told me this. If I knew I would fix it, honestly. I'm tired of hearing things behind my back. I grew up in a culture where you talk to someone face to face if you need to. I can't fix a faucet if I don't know it's leaking. So apparently the remedy to this is to have me switch preceptors, yet again. Which means I have to re-learn their way of doing things (because it's wrong any other way), and it's ultimately a step back. Management hired me as a new grad because I've been told I'm bright and grasp things easily. I was talked up like an all star football team that is Superbowl or bust, and honestly, I'm a new grad. There's going to be more bust than bowl, here. Has anyone had a similar situation? I overall like my unit, but I have the feeling that their expectations are too high, and they are ultimately setting me up for failure. I'm hard working, and I do a good job, but apparently it's not up to their standards. It's times like these where I wish I had 1 year of experience, so I could entertain the possibility of interviewing and looking elsewhere.

I'm a new grad in critical care, and things that I usually read are the the policies and binders that we have on our floor (they are like cheat sheets for policies, drip rates, standards, protocols, etc). If you want to do some other outside of work reading, I thought that the Critical Care Nursing Made Easy (or something like that) book was good, plus I frequented icufaqs.org. Good luck, always ask questions and be curious, most nurses respect that, and don't feel comfortable around nurses that are too comfortable.

Most of the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area hospitals pay in the $21-22 pay range, with like $4 diffs for nights and/or weekends. They are new grad friendly, but with student loans, living could be a little easier

Thanks for your reply. I was thinking along the same wavelength when it came to these programs.

"I'm going to need a larger lollipop..."

I really liked reading about this method, and I definitely think it's a way to make a applicant stand out, and probably bypass a few of the 'hoops' in the application process. Many of the hospitals around me have these 'Nurse Residency" programs for their new graduate nurses. Do you think emailing the nurse managers on floors I am interested with may help them look at my application closer? Will it annoy them when they are already flooded with new grad apps?

I'm totally with ya, man. I spent my off time doing usually one of 4 things... lifting weights, writing, drinking whiskey, and going out with girls. Life is all about balance. Take care of your mind, body, and emotions, and you'll find school is much more bearable. At least that's my experience. I'd much rather get B and maintain my sanity than go straight crazy with an A.

Yup, that's Laverne. Looks like I'm not eating at that Mexican place again.

Thanks for a review of the current recommendations and policies. I was quizzed on the difference between using Zofran and Phenergan and besides the drowsiness, this is the most important difference.

I've yet to have any patient comment on me in a negative manner. The ones you would think would have a problem due to old fashioned values (elderly, immigrants from other countries), all respect me and take my word for gold. The biggest thing I have to mention is to always act confident in what you say and do in front of the patient. Many times they are questioning everything around them, and you have a to be the rock and foundation.

I understand that it's frustrating, and I agree that getting into something, anything, for the wrong reasons will ultimately end in failure. Whether it's appropriate or not, the people that got into nursing school made it there based on their own merits. As a whole, I have found students to all be intelligent, bright, mostly extroverted, and ambitious. If they have these qualities, it's probably why admissions chose them to enter the program. Now, if the only, singular reason they want to get into nursing is money, well they most likely won't last. There's plenty of traits a student nurse, and RN need that can't be taught in a school. I firmly believe you either have it or you don't. Everything happens for a reason.

I'm not an RN yet, but live in the area, 'word on the street' is that a new grad can expect something in the $23/hr range, base without any differentials.

I don't graduate until May, but I have been interested in the fellowship after I'm finished with school. I searched the website, and there is no mention of start dates, or how many admission cycles per year they allow. Do they post the fellowship randomly in the Job Search Listings as it becomes available? How did you find out when the application cycle opens?

Truth. Both men and women (women more though, maybe) compare themselves to others all the time. This is especially true in school because it's a competitive place. The single most important thing you can do is not to feed into her worries and insecurities about you starting school. If you don't go making it more difficult for her than it is already, you two should be fine. If she starts really doubting and questioning your relationship, well then maybe she needs to sort out her own trust issues.

I don't think I've been subjected to double standards yet, however I have noticed a couple of differences between male and female interactions with professors: - I feel like males are sometimes held to a higher standard, but necessarily a double standard. I have felt that sometimes the questions asked of me, and when tested, I am given more difficult material. It would be like a female gets a Jeopardy Question of $200, and I get a $500 dollar one during a lab procedure or check-off. It's not a huge problem, but interesting. - This I also don't really mind, but some of my professors joke around with me alot and 'bust my balls'. It's never never downright insulting or harmful, but they poke fun at me occasionally. I set myself up for it, and I actually dish it right back, but it's interesting how our exchanges are never on the same level as female students. Just something to think about.

I don't think it makes you a bad person at all. You had feelings for her, and you got hurt, bottom line. It's good though, you learned that she in fact didn't have the same feelings towards you. In my experience, the whole 'be friends' thing is sometimes necessary, but usually ends in failure. The Friend Zone is a very real thing. Girls usually don't have romantic interests with people they see as brothers. It may have been a smarter move to not involve another dude when you went out with her (no offense of course), but you don't need a girl that like her anyways. Imagine what their story would be like when people ask how they met. Classy.

Hey now, I've had more game with the ladies since I started going bald. If you're still confident, it's easy

I first responded to this thread before I started an accelerated program. No that I'm about done with my first semester... My thoughts really haven't changed. After you take away the married guys and gay guys, I'm one of 2 or 3 single straight guys. I'm not really that much of a big deal, but I have been brushing off advances from the single girls since day one. I tend to bring it onto myself though, because I flirt with just about anyone. Most of them understand it's part of who I am, but I guess you never really know So far I've done a good job of being the fun guy in the class that gets A's/B's, but next semester it goes up a notch. We'll have 12 hour clinical shifts and many of our weekends taken up. Maybe after the summer I'll look into a relationship (Fall is supposed to be easy), but as of right now, I don't think I can juggle the effort for a serious relationship. These girls aren't down with FTB, so that's not an option either. I'm sure most of you guys feel the same way. Just my

I'm currently in nursing school, so maybe my view is skewed, since the only women I interact with on a daily basis are other students. Students are going to understand a male's interest in nursing. What I've come to understand is that a nurse that happens to be male has to be a balancing act. Because nursing is viewed as feminine career, and has some 'feminine' qualities like sensitivity, men have to balance it. I have to balance confidence, being decisive, taking charge, making jokes, and other more male qualities, with female ones like caring, listening, compassion, multitasking, etc. Am I overgeneralizing these qualities? Yes. I just think a male nurse has to be a chameleon. Be a sensitive, easygoing alpha, if that makes sense. I could be wrong, but I think it shows women that I can be able to do it all.

Now that I've been in the program for almost a full semester, I've found that my study habits are really different from my other classmates. I much prefer to spend 1-2 hours a day going over material for all my classes, up to a test day. Many of my friends spend several (I'm talking like 8+ hours) a day for like 4-5 days before an exam to study. I guess we just go about it differently. Do whatever works for you.

You're right that they stated they are 'focusing on the existing applicant pool', which included the year 2011. I am attempting to work with COSTEP, and luckily my application was taken for consideration because I met the 2011 deadline. I would still keep your head up about the whole thing. They will always need nurses to work in the more remote and less desirable places. Search on Facebook for their company page. The moderator there is very helpful, and punctual with all of the inquires made.