Just Jojo

I am actually an infusion nurse and just hired on with a private pay home health agency. My opinion is that you absolutely take the position! Better $$, better hours, etc. Five pts a day could be quite a few, if you look at the math. Depends on the mix of pts. Two hours for initial assessments, 1.5 hrs for recerts. And travel time to and fro.... That can send you into an 8-10 hour day IF you do all the documenting on the scene. But if you have a skill for organization, you will see how good a job it can be. Car and fuel card? Fantastic.... Go for it!

GraceElizabeth, it is more simple than you would expect after having done all the "training" online! "Clinic" is just the name Occuvax uses for the places you will be administering vaccines, that is, the company location that you will drive to. The setup at the Company is generally very casual, often the area assigned to you is a conference room, or even an office space. These companies are often well-appointed and you will be happy with what they have available as far as space and clinic coordination. The paperwork is kind of funky, but a call to Occuvax should sort it out.... Post again if you have other questions. I'd be happy to answer.

Think about Grayson College. Perhaps you could get in to the LVN program, then bridge to the RN. It makes a nice stepping-stone approach to getting your RN degree....

Hello everyone. This is JoJo again. I posted earlier in this discussion and wanted to add a quick comment or two. First, I really did consider the original post might have been a click magnet, that is, posted to maximize the number of eyes that see ads that pop on the screen as people reply. But I would dispel that notion, as I have seen the same ads on my screen for the past four years! Only one sentence about me, so you have a point of reference from me as a poster: Second-career nurse, got my Medicare card in the mail last week, four classes from Bachelors Degree. I don't stand in anybody's shoes but my own, and I can say it was very hard getting into nursing school and very hard getting out! Once in the working world, there have been challenges I never thought I would have to face, many coming from co-workers. Yep, I speak my truth. The initial poster was trying to hear from a number of sources; some of which she could draw from based on where she is in this world. Some of the responses to her were harsh and, as I have seen in my nursing career, made by folks who are impulsive and thoughtless. Apparently they spoke standing in their own shoes.... In the end, I hope the original poster was able to get a feel for just what mix of people she would encounter out in the workforce. They will be the same ones who posted here....

Dear Bananerz84, I don't think your question is crazy, by any means. Based on my interpretation of what you've written, you are a good candidate to get your registered nursing degree. I would go the LVN-BSN route; you can likely do much of it online, and also part-time if that works better for you. As a third-career nurse, I must say that I think I started nursing too late in life, and am now facing changes that do not suit working as an older nurse. I don't mean 45, 50, or 55, but 60! Best of luck. You seem like you'll be perfect, and the field of nursing will be lucky to have you.

I have not read any of the other posts regarding resumes as they apply specifically to oncology positions. BUT, I can tell you that the panel of nurses that hired me for my current position told me they selected me because of something on my resume not related to nursing. So, I would say if you have worked in another position of some complexity, you should make sure to list it even though it might not have been in nursing, or anywhere else in healthcare! Good luck on your search.

Hello everyone! I am considering working for Kaiser, and understand they include "scenarios" as part of their interviewing process. Can anyone tell me about this kind of interview? Are the questions extremely specific, or just general in nature? Thanks. Roxy

Faeriewand, I was a brand new LVN, really just a new-grad. I had never worked as an LVN, and was not hired in the ED as an LVN. But I had clinical experience that included the skills they needed. My classmates went to long-term care facilities, but I wanted something different, so I waited and watched.... It has turned out to be an excellent decision. Now that I have graduated from the ADN program, I have the ED experience that I think will open a door for me.

DS390, If you are still interested in an ED tech position, I would suggest that you go down to the ED and speak with the Manager. Some hospitals "require" that you be an EMT or paramedic, but others do not. (I wonder, too, if the requirement might not be flexible if you show serious interest). When I was between my LVN and RN transition programs, I was hired as an ED tech in a large hospital in Texas. My experience there was incredible. It was fun and fast, an oh, the clinical experience I got. The first day I could barely find a Foley (or a place to put it!); in three weeks I could drop one in in the dark....I loved the job, and would recommend it to anyone. Again, go to the Manager of the ED, express interest, and maybe even offer to get your EMT certificate. If your current supervisor would agree to give you a referral, you may be surprised that you get hired sooner rather than later. Good luck!

The day after I graduated from nursing school in Texas, I packed up, sold my house and moved back to northern California at the request of my aging (82, 86) parents. My dad is in early-stage Alzheimers. (I say this, because I came for reasons other than a big salary) After a couple of months of getting my act together out here (taking the NCLEX, endorsing my license to CA from TX) I started looking for a nursing job. I am still looking for a job. The new grad programs out here are quite competitive, and are apparently accepting and hiring students that have been in clinical rotations at their facilities. Other posted nursing positions require "someone with experience." It is my opinion that if you have had the chance to go to southern- rather than northern-California, I certainly would suggest going south!

I am scheduled to take the one-day ACLS recert class in a couple of weeks but wonder if I should retake the entire 2-day course. Don't use the material in my job, but I do understand it. In your opinion, does the one day recert class pare down the info too much to successfully complete the course? Thanks...

I agree with MLOS who said, "As a new grad you may very well be feeling on edge ... this may translate into some less-than-friendly body language and tone of voice." You are rightfully preoccupied with your new job responsibilities, and perhaps a few short but genuine conversations with the aides/techs will smooth the way for them to cut you some slack.

sunshine500, I took the test on a Thursday, but didn't see my name on the BON list until the following Tuesday. Another friend of mine took the test on Thursday and didn't see her name on the BON list until the following Wednesday! Even though the test results are computerized, there is some kind of a test verification process that happens after that, and apparently the timeframe varies from BON to BON. I think I saw somewhere that it can take up to 10 days for the BON site to reflect the names after the NCLEX-RN. So, be prepared to wait. If for any reason you do not pass, consider this test to be a "dry run" through the process. Good luck to you!

Today I found out I passed the NCLEX-RN exam after having answered an excruciating 265 questions. I finished considerably after all the other NCLEX-RN test-takers in the exam room, and came out of the testing center absolutely sure I had failed. The questions were difficult and I was unfamiliar with so much of the content, I just knew I would be back testing again. And as another note, I had plenty of trouble answering these kinds of questions in nursing school, too, so I just figured I was not prepared to run with the big boys.... Anyway, I am posting this note to say thank you to all that have posted here saying that you had passed the exam with 265 questions! But for you all, I surely would have had exactly NO hope for anything other than a failure. If you find yourself needing to re-take the NCLEX-RN, remember this: JFK Jr. did not pass the bar exam on his first try either! Best wishes to all of you who have passed, and to those of you who may be taking the exam in the future. (:

I live in a city about 10 miles north of Dallas, TX, and am graduating from the Grayson County College LVN-RN program next week. GCC is in Denision, about 50-60 minutes north of me, but the drive is gentle - and in the opposite direction of the traffic. There is some pretty country up in that area, and you could pick up a house for a song, but the jobs don't pay like they do in California! North Central Texas College has a nice, courteous faculty and staff as does Grayson. I would suggest staying away from El Centro College in downtown Dallas....Good luck with your move.