Sam_Nurse

fisiology parasitology epidemiology immunology cell biology microbiology genetics histology embryology pathology semiotics semiology pharmacology From all these –‘ology’s’ I am only familiar with microbiology from my ADN and BSN program.

Many people from my hospital want to work in the informatics section but when they post an opening for an internal candidate only very few people applied for the position. I have no idea that there are many people working on multiple projects until I start working in the IT department. I think people who are interested in moving to the informatics job should find out what is going on with the hospital, are they already using computerized charting? May be in the future they are planning to implement a new system. Many hospitals will be taking their own staff and train them before they take someone from outside. Anyway that's the way its work in our hospital.

I have worked in ICU, PCU, Med-Surg and now working in informatics. I work mon-fri 8 hr shifts and also off on holidays. I still like the 12hr shifts and has to work only 3 days a week. Anyway now I am happy to eat my breakfast and lunch. When I work in the floor I can hardly eat lunch and when I was a new grad, most of the days I have to skip breakfast and even lunch some time. While working in the floor most of the days I have to stay over at least one hour after my shift to finish the work without charging overtime. I think every job has its advantages and disadvantages and at the end it is an individual preference.

I just thought of writing about my experience of getting in the informatics position. I had some previous computer experience before I even went to the nursing program. I was fortunate to be hired in a hospital while I was in nursing school. So right after finishing my nursing program I started working in the hospital with an IP. I worked in the med-surg floor around three years. So while working in the floor I use to help the charge nurse and other nurses to fix computer related issues. The turning point was when our hospital implemented a new computerized charting system. I was selected as a super user from my floor. Even though this was originally for our floor and only for couple of weeks things got delayed I start helping other floors and eventually it took a year to roll the system to all other units. At first I was giving classes to users and also stay in the unit for GO-Live to help new users. This is a very large hospital and they use multiple software packages. Once I was talking with the project manager and told him that if he need any help with implementation any new packages I was willing to do that. After few months he called me and offered a position to work with a new package they are going to implement in another subsidiary of the main hospital. I was very happy to accept that position. Then things were not going as well as I expected. First of all I did not get ant training even how to use the system. I have hard time going through the core user manuals and other materials to learn the system. Anyway after some time I was able to get a pretty good idea of using the system. Still I am not able to modify things or fixing errors etc. I am able to teach the users (doctors, nurses etc) how to use the system. The project manger was normally very busy and she is the only person who knows this system. I got some ideas after searching online and also from the online community. I wish I can take some training classes from the vendor. It looks like I have to pay from my pocket to go for a class.

H1B visa has lot of limitations, and the main one is that you can only work with the company/hospital that sponsors the visa for you. If you want to work with another company then they has to transfer the visa to their name. Now it is very hard to find anyone to sponsor a visa. So the first thing to figure it out is to get the immigration status that is the right to work. Unfortunately immigrating to US is a very long painful process now. I don’t think any travel nursing or some company will spend their money to sponsor anyone at this time. The only wishful thinking is the US economy is going through cycles and at some point we will get a bounce and things get better.

Going as a student does not get you a job unless you change your visa status. At least in US getting a job is tough, but not impossible. Even for a new grad it is still possible to find a job if the persons visa status allows them to work. When I was in school, I always want to work in US. Even though it was a little struggle I was able to fulfill my dream. So my way of thinking is if you have the will there is a way.

Hi, you are 100% correct. I fact I came to USA not as nurse. I came to U.S. on H1B visa as a computer consultant. While I was working in the computer field I got laid off. I could not find a job in computer and I decided to go back to school because I don't want to go back home. It was hard but I successfully finished my nursing program and while in my last semester I was hired in a big hospital. There were lots of students doing clinical in our hospital. It is hard to get job as new-grad but I think lot of jobs for experienced nurses. This is a fact but we cannot be discouraged by the situation. Getting visa/sponsorship is the difficult part. I think there are jobs even for new-grads if they are willing to work at any facility or have recommendations.

I am an international nurse working in U.S. When I was in school I only have one dream and that is to work in U.S. Even after getting in U.S. it was a struggle to find a job. I had no job for some time and I was also going to school, fortunately I am working in a good position now. We have nurses always complain including myself about how difficult the job is, computer charting etc. Then there are many nurses in the world looking for a nursing job. I think if you have a determination you will get where you like to be even though some times it take time. Good Luck