niskagirl

Hi all, I thought I would answer some of your questions. I have lived in Portland my entire life, and have worked in health care in some sort of fashion for 7 years. I would like to point out knowing a manager or having a friend working in a hospital helps a lot. Oregon is saturated with nurses and schools: 18 ADN schools (for profit included in this number) and 10 BSN programs. A short drive away there is one ADN program and one BSN program in Washington as well. Every couple of months new graduate nurses are let loose. The hospitals are also tightening up their BSN requirements, so another layer of competition is being added. Here is what I have heard or experienced in terms of hospitals hiring, and remember this isn't the be all end all, perseverance and knowing people help a lot in the search for a job. Recruiters (HR) are usually not nurses, but are the gate keepers for electronic applications, and determine if nurses have the right amount of experience. Knowing people helps bypass the recruiters, and managers can pull your applications with a referral…so network!!! Kaiser: Now requiring a BSN, and wants 9 months experience. However, it seems like they want more than 9 months experience. OHSU: BSN only, and they hire quite a few of their graduates from their nursing programs for the internships, or nurses with some experience who already work there get into their internships as well if they want to change specialties. Providence Oregon: By 2018 all nurses will need to have a BSN to work there. They want a year or more experience. Legacy: Year of experience required. The versant program usually takes 45-50 new nurses out of 800 applications, and BSN's are being chosen, last round only 4 ADN's were accepted. Adventist: BSN not a requirement, one year of nursing experience is required. Internship for new grads Peacehealth: Takes new grads, and BSN is not a requirement at this time, multiple new grad programs Tuality: Takes new grads, BSN is not a requirement Salem hospital: BSN required, one year experience required. Internship for new grads with BSN Market is tough here, and especially since we have such a huge boom of people moving here it seems a little harder as well. Experience can be had in SNF's, home health or rehab settings. Hope this helps. Niskagirl

For me, it is such an honor to be able to provide comfort and pain management for the patient at EOL. I am relieved and usually happy for them once they pass. Especially the little ladies that say outright they want to go because no one is left. It must be very lonely and isolating to be in that position. The families and friends are another story, it is hard to watch them grieve and not be able to let go. If a family is pressing me for how long their loved one has left, I find comparing the stages of EOL as being parallel to the stages of labor helpful. Usually being direct and honest is helpful as well. I try to be upfront of how it looks, sounds, and what is going on physically with their loved one. I feel very fortunate to have started in hospice. It has helped me realize how precious life AND death is. I am so sorry for your loss. Take care of yourself.

Unfortunately the market is being saturated with two year RN’s that are now being used in the LTC facilities instead of LPN’s. The hospitals are requiring BSN’s by the year 2018, so many associate RN’s are not being hired into the hospital systems at this time. The SNF I worked at during PN school as a CNA, fired or let go all the LPN’s and hired RN’s. The DON stated, we can hire RN’s to look good and they only make a dollar more than the LPN’s. Home health hires LPN’s, some hospices hire LPN’s, Kaiser Hospital is hiring LPN’s for their clinics, and other clinics are using LPN’s as MA’s. We have a ton of nursing programs out here...including quite a few for profit schools...so it’s rough for LPN’s (new grad RN’s as well) out here in the Portland area at least. Here is the link for Kaiser: Search Jobs - Kaiser Permanente Careers

Hi, I think it takes a huge amount of courage to admit to yourself that something feels wrong. If you are feeling like this isn’t the area for you….then by all means listen to your inner voice. I don’t have any experience as an RN, but I have worked as a CNA for two years and after that as an LPN for two years. I am currently in an RN program now about a month in like yourself. I want you try and think about how you feel about nursing school now and becoming nurse. Now envision being a nurse in ten years…what do you see, how do you feel? As far as letting people down, think about how you could be letting them down with your behavior and attitude later in life after working in a profession you hate for a couple of years. The reasons I can come up with why you might be feeling like this isn’t for you is due to jitters, you could be experiencing excitement let down in regards to finishing your prereqs and getting into a program, or may be your experiencing genuine fear of taking care of real people, and it could be causing some anxiety. If these hit home then maybe looking at the cause of your anxiety could help ease you into feeling better about nursing. However, if you have no real desire to be in the profession then don’t do it. Your prerequisites will transfer to another degree. Try working with advising to find a career you will enjoy and your talents are suited for. Remember to be true to yourself and what you need to do to be happy in life. I wish you all the best in your decision. Niska

Hi Glenna, Actually I didn't get into a bridge program. I applied for RN schools in the area and was accepted into MHCC RN program. Most of the bridge programs I talked to weren't a sure thing. I would have had to wait and see if a spot opened up (Walla Walla University and Chemeketa) after I had passed placement tests and paid fees. I didn't want to chance not getting into something this year. Plus this route I am admitted to OHSU for the BSN. Granted this wasn't how I envisioned the process for me to acquire an RN degree.....my goal when I was in LPN school was to bridge, but it just wasn't as easy as I thought it was going to be(or led to believe) due to all the OCNE schools getting rid of bridge programs. I think MHCC might have a bridge program someday... not sure. I just don't want to wait anymore...I want school to be done with some day! I have talked to many LPN to RN's in the community who have really enjoyed Lower Columbia community college. They do have an actual bridge program. Good luck in whatever you pursue!

emmeyers, So stoked for you!!! Pretty awesome that you stuck it out for the school you wanted! Meals, Don't give up hope, try and get all your vaccinations done and your CPR stuff done before the August deadline just in case they call.....you never know! Niska

emmeyers,I have been thinking about you, and really hope you get a spot!

Hi! Just wanted to say good luck to all the waitlisters...hopefully some spots will be open for you tonight at orientation!! See you there!

hi emmyers, your correct orientation is tuesday june 26th, 6-9pm on the main campus in room ac1710. have a good night!

Well I received my letter today....not accepted...denied! Still excited for you Sushi, and everyone else who got accepted into Clark this round! MHCC was just meant to be I guess:lol2:

How freakin awesome is that?! Nice! I'm really excited for you! Tough choice, I have heard so many wonderful things about Clark. I mean obviously it isn't perfect(I hear it is close), but it is a very respected program. Like you I haven't heard much about PCC. I started a thread a while ago asking about MHCC and PCC, but only one current student answered about MHCC. My mail doesn't come till muuuuccchhh later in the day. Anyways, good luck with your decision...awesome position to be in, you worked really hard for this!

Thanks Sushi!! Your probably right about Clark sending out acceptances by the end of the week. This is the last letter I am waiting on. I can't wait to longer care about what is in the mail! I think if I've read your other post correctly you have been accepted to a nursing program, congratulations Cheers!

Hi, Anyone willing to share when Clark sent out nursing program acceptance letters for past April 1st deadlines? Has anyone called Clark to see when letters would be sent out? Just curious if it would be this week.....:) Thank you!!!

Hi, I am not sure if you’re still thinking about going to a community college vs trade school, but I thought I would offer a different mindset. I graduated from MHCC LPN program in 2011. Most of the LPN to RN programs (Lower Columbia, Walla Walla University, Chemeketa, maybe MHCC in 2013) has varied pre reqs to get in. For instance LLC wants Stats 243 and 244, whereas WWU only wants Stats 243. The credits you receive from Concorde or Carrington do not transfer to community colleges or universities (but does transfer to Excelsior). So you would need to take a bunch of pre reqs to get into the bridge programs. The entire year after graduation I have been working on miscellaneous pre reqs for different bridge/traditional programs. Do you have a lot of your pre reqs completed? I know a year sounds like a long time to get into a community college PN program, but if you need pre reqs you could work on them during that year, and apply to MHCC or somewhere else and likely get in; just a thought... and I totally get not being able to wait. I have a friend who went to Apollo (now Carrington) he received his LPN--> went to Excelsior for RN--> Walla Walla university for BSN. So the Concorde/Sumner/Carrington route is totally doable just superspendy. I spent about 5,000 for my LPN, and I will be starting an RN program this year. Anyways just a different perspective. Good luck!

Hey nursesarak, I remember before the essay started one of the instructors gave some information. I believe the orientation was going to be held in the PAC building, this is the large white glass building between the Library and CT building. It was supposed to be held on 6/5. Hope this helps, sorry I can't remember what time.