NurseNatashaRN

By the way, what part of "took blood work in the ambulance on the way in" didn't they understand. Whether or not they are a nurse practitioner or not doesn't really matter. Should have sent them to the audiologist for an exam.

Most employers adhere to pay scales according to the cities, metro areas and type of health care facilities they operate. For example, even a national provider with facilities in many different cities will vary pay based on cities being segmented by A,B or C type cities. Example: New York - A, Atlanta - B and the middle of nowhere - C. It's unfortunate when we're all doing the same job that we're can't all earn the same pay based on where we live, but our profession isn't the only one that suffers. It has a lot to do with the cost of living in these cities, but it seems like the cost of living is high no matter where you are.

The problem with this type of work (although needed and noble) is that the "person" you are dealing with in many cases never learned to respect others, which is one of the reasons they are there in the first place. Many of the cases are really sad and many of the inmates come from really bad family or home environments which is no excuse, just some of the reason. It's very difficult work, but anyone who is involved, must not take it personally because they can't control their actions a lot of the time and they don't think the same as you in many cases. Also, I recognize that the compensation may not jive with the feelings on a daily basis. Good Luck.

IMHO you are always better off being over prepared than under prepared. Therefore, including references with a resume if they are qualified can't hurt and can only help. By qualified, I mean from Physicians or senior RN's rather than from a friend of yours. (not suggesting you would do that, just saying) Hope this helps. Natasha

Seems that the top states for lpn salary are in the northeast. States such as MA, CT, RI, Washington DC (not a state, but high salary area), and NJ. These are also high cost of living areas which is part of the reason.

In south Florida. Hot like an oven. Trying to study on a break, thought of going outside, but just can't. Cannot imaging a hospital without a/c. Working hard to further education.

Great work favthing. Working hard and hard work always pays off.

I too have an affinity to the pediatric nursing field. Watching a child smile along with their parent(s) keeps my heart pumping. I love pediatrics.

ouch!! See if you can re-negotiate that somehow based on a hardship. That's too much money every month.

You can try to use the strategy that lets them think you have other offers and tell them that You really want this opportunity, the the other one is offering $$ higher, are they willing to match it. When you're the new kid on the block, you will not have the luxury of selecting your schedule most of the time.

If it's your only option right now, it's a good way to get a foot in the door and work your way into a better salary later. Also, those have have a job seem to be in more demand than those that don't. You may simply use it or look at it as a stepping stone. If you do the best job you can, and do it well, you never know who you will meet or where it may lead you. Food for thought.

I can relate to the student loans and debt. Fortunately I had the correct advise after school and learned how to pay them off as fast as possible, and now I'm thankful. Hint - Don't pay the minimum balance only, pay as much as you can, even if it means working overtime or foregoing something else in your life. It's a discipline you will be thankful for later when the debt is gone.

I admire following your dream. I don't think the issue will prevent the education aspect of the process, however applying for employment may be a different story. I do believe in second chances and forgiveness, but many people don't. If you continue to follow your dream and believe, then you will find the right person at the right time to believe in your dream too. Keep going forward.

Be careful. From experience, the student loans can be with you for a very long time. Check to see if you qualify for any grants first before committing to a loan. FYI - Good luck!

Keep in mind that all levels of nurses have been in great demand and continue to be increasingly needed by our society.