bowkerj

Jessica. I just wanted to say I know what you mean about "something just clicked". I had that experience myself THIS MORNING in the OR. I was watching a lymph node biopsy with a circulating RN (who has only been a nurse for 1 yr by the way and only in the OR). It just came to me "I want to be an OR nurse!!!" It's a great feeling and I can't wait for an opportunity like yours. So GO FOR IT!

Hello, I am a student nurse and will be applying to several new grad programs when I graduate. I would like to hear about your experiences for those of you who were accepted into a program. What is the process like, applying, interviewing, training, etc. What perks were you offered ie, sign on bonus, tuition reimbursement, etc? Thank you for your input!

I live in Portland and LOVE it. It's the largest city in Oregon along the Willamette and Columbia rivers, but houses are spendy these days. You'd probably want to live in a suburb like Beaverton/Hillsboro for example. There are several large hospitals as well as OHSU which is a large research/hospital institution. Mt. Hood is an hour away (for skiing in winter and hiking in summer). Portland is surrounded by miles and miles of hiking trails along the SW hills - called Forest Park. St. Helens isn't too far and you can see it from the city. Smith rock is a popular place for rock climbing. There is an ever growing art community here - you've got to check out First Thursday in the Pearl District - the art gallerys open their doors and you can drink wine and gawk at paintings! Lots of wonderful restaurants and activities in this city. And the beautiful Oregon coast is only 1.5 hour drive away! Some hospitals are: Providence Health Systems Legacy Health Systems Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Good luck! You'll love Oregon!

THanks Midget - I got into Linfield's BSN program now and LOVE IT!

:yeahthat: Adri I second that!

Are you serious!? 3 women are gonna get divorced - that is hilarious!! Well, not really I guess.

When I first started pre-reqs I was dating a very insecure guy who did not support me in the nursing school endeavor. I guess that's why I'm still single! J

Providence Portland and Providence St. Vincent (both in Portland) are Magnet hospitals - I hear they are wonderful. http://www.nursingworld.org/ancc/magnet/facilities.html#OR They are the only Magnet facilities in Oregon. I think the VA is applying for magnet status but it hasn't been granted yet.

Thank you all so much! Here is one more I can't find: AAO What does it mean!?

Hi, I need some help finding definitions for the following abbreviations. I found 34 out of 40 on my worksheet but can't find these last 6... 1. ad lib 2. O.O.B. 3. BRP 4. w/c 5. DOE 6. P.V.R. Thank you! J

Great ideas - thank you so much! J

I am starting my first semester of nursing school on Feb 6. How the heck do I organize all of my course material!? I was considering one big binder for lecture handouts from all of my clases and then seperate note taking notebooks (1 for each course). How can I organize all of this so it isn't so overwhelming? What system works best for all of you? J

Hi - I am a new BSN student am considering Peds as my specialty. I don't have children, neices or nephews but I was myself sick a lot as a child and I have a soft spot for them because of my own experiences. Anyhow, when did you first realize Peds is for you? Do you think most Peds nurses are parents themselves? Will it be more difficult to relate to the parents of ill children when I don't have any kids myself? Thanks for your thoughts! J

Hi, I attend Linfield College and I think there are no more than 1 or 2 drops per class, usually related to family/medical issues. It's a great program!!! J

Oh, I begin as a junior at Linfield in February - so I have 2 years. I have orientation tomorrow and I am VERY excited to get going! What did you specialize in? How has Prov helped with paying loans? Is there a program you have to apply for to get tuition reimbursement? J

I'm not sure what is up with people saying there are no jobs here! From what I can tell every hospital in Portland has many nursing jobs posted on their websites. I've talked to several nurses who just graduated from Linfield and OHSU and they each have job offers so it looks promising! How do you like Oregon? I promise it gets much nicer in the summer! :wink2: Which Prov hospital do you work for? Did they give you a sign-on bonus or help you with moving costs? J

I am just beginning a BSN program and have always had an interest in psychology and I'm thinking about specializing in at as a nurse. I am curious how each of you realized or decided to become mental health nurses? And did you enjoy your clinical rotations in psych during nursing school? Thanks, J

I know I want to become an NP after I finish my BSN - I have always had an interest in psychiatry - what exactly are the duties of a MHNP? Can MHNPs work in private practice counseling individuals or children for example? Or do they work in hospitals only? Thank you! J

Go to www.allnursingschools.com. You can look up lists of schools across the county by program, ie BSN, ANP, NP, etc. There are short descriptions of each program and a link to the school's website. It comes in very handy when trying to decide what programs to apply to. J

Hi, I am in a BSN program and have not yet decided what I would like to specialize in. I do know that I want to become an NP. Is it possible, for example, to be an ICU nurse and then become an NP with a different specialty? Or would a nurse need to specialize in the specialty they want to get the NP in? Thanks, J

I need a few good websites to purchase scrubs from - thank you! J

www.legacyhealth.org www.ohsu.edu Those are two big hospitals in Portland. OHSU is a large research institute and Legacy has several hospitals in the Portland area - not sure about Salem.

Huh, that is weird. Did the OSNA article say specifically WHY it was difficult for new grads to get jobs? I also heard that gov Kitzhaber (sp?) is putting in place a tuition re-payment program if you sign on to work in Oregon for a specific amount of time because of all the shortages state-wide. I heard it at the OHSU BSN info session in November...

Try www.oregonlive.com. There are a ton of apartment listings. Do you know what part of town you want to live in? How close in? I live in NW close in and LOVE it. It is pretty expensive but the neighborhood is fantastic - and I never need to drive anywhere. :wink2: J

I am starting Linfield's BSN program next month - very excited! How do you like the program? From what I can tell there are quite a few jobs on the Legacyhealth.org website - and tons up at OHSU as well. What is your specialty? J :wink2: