doro8144

I work in Florida. I do not work in Miami, which is a COVID hotspot, but our city is a big Spring break hot spot. I work at two hospital systems, in two adjoining counties. Both are Med-surg jobs, one is seasonal, one is part-time. We have a lot of tourists, and seniors in both counties. Things were quiet until about March 6 when the first COVID patient died. She died before the results were known. Many employees exposed. Two of our local healthcare workers have been diagnosed with COVID. So far, they are hanging in there. 3 patients have died. Many in the hospital . More are at home in quarantine. The hospitals have special tents set up outside the ERs to triage patients. Each hospital has a special COVID unit(s). Management has warned us that our PPE will run out soon and to be vigilant how we use it. However, things seem eerily quiet. Our census is very low. People are afraid to come to the ER. ER docs are not admitting if they can help it. All elective procedures are cancelled. I think in 2-3 weeks we will be slammed because of all of the carelessness of Spring break. We are all waiting for it. It feels like a hurricane coming, except there are no spaghetti models and no Jim Cantore reporting.

Hello, I am 44 years old. I have been an RN since I was 20 (earned my ADN straight out of high school). I have 23 years of experience in med- surg, LTAC, dialysis. I am updating my resume in hopes of finding new opportunities. I felt as if I need help with writing my resume and "selling myself". I submitted my rough draft resume to a service through Monster.com and after a few days I received a sparkling new, updated one. However, it only lists my experience going back 15 years. Even on the cover letter it mentions "15 years". I emailed the writer and questioned this. I received this reply: Hi Doro, I'm so sorry that I forgot to clarify why the dates were changed. Ordinarily I explain that when I send the draft. Due to the very real problem of age discrimination and because hiring managers are not concerned with earlier work, our policy is to go back only ~15 years. Unfortunately, in our society, youth has more value than experience. However, if you feel you definitely want all your years of work mentioned, then I will make that change. Let me know please. Best, "Monster Resume Writer" (names have been changed) So, what do you think? I felt a little hurt at first, because I don't think I am "older", and there are distinct advantages to hiring people older than their 20's-30's and I think some employers know this too. I also think it is kind of "dishonest"? Then again, she may have a very good point! Opinions and comments please! Thanks, Doro8144

I am angered that they are blaming the nurse. The hospital has not a shred of evidence that she broke infection control protocol. Why aren't they blaming the patient who lied to airport screeners about his contact with Ebola victims in order to board a plane to the U.S.? Also, how can we be safe in flimsy yellow papaper gowns and gloves? All the videos from Africa show the workers in head-to-toe hazmat gear. We already know our infection control policies are inadequate as evidenced by the tens of thousands of patients who die annually from hospital-acquired MRSA and C-dif.

I am sorry you are having this problem. It seems extremely frustrating. Can you ask the client to show you how he does it? Can you have the other nurse show you how he/she is doing it? Its there some technique that you are or are not doing properly? Does the client complain of pain when you straight cath him? Just some ideas...

I am also considering a program through a local college. It is less expensive than WGU and I know the credits will transfer anywhere. However, the local program would have annoying discussion boards and require a practicum in either leadership or community health. But, if I decide to go with WGU, it would be great to know someone with the same start date. I live in Florida. PM me if you want to chat about WGU or other programs. :)

Hello, After 20 years in nursing, I have decided to pursue my BSN. I am considering 2 programs, one of which is WGU. I understand courses are graded on a pass/fail basis. Has anyone had trouble getting into an non-WGU MSN program with a WGU BSN? Thanks!

When I spoke with the HR rep, she said they DO allow dogs in the hospital apartments. I made sure of this, because I have 2 labs myself, (I won't be bringing them, however). The interviews were over the phone, one with the HR rep, and one with the unit manager, both fairly painless. I received a call about a week after the interviews with a job offer. Yes, I signed on for 6 months. What is per-testing? What is PBDS testing? The HR rep stated I would have to come down withing 2 weeks of my job start date to do a physical and drug screen, and paperwork.

I applied in May, and was able to get an apartment furnished by the hospital. Apply early if you need housing, it fills up VERY quickly

The fact is most American doctors go to medical school oversees and most foreign doctors go to school in the U.S...Have her think about that for a while.

I am officially going. I will be working at the North Naples campus. Yes, they give you $800 housing stipend if you don't take their apartment, which I believe are all booked up by now.Go ahead and fill out the app online, and the recruiter will call you and answer your questions. It takes a while for the Florida license to go through, so you need to get started asap if you dont already have your license. I am excited about it. I think it will be fun. It seems like a nice hospital from everything I have read here and elsewhere. Even if you get bored, at least you can be bored in the warm sunshine. If you like, you can email me at hkgeldean at yahoo dot com and we can talk more. PM on here won't work for me.

It depends if you take the housing and or benefits. I took both housing and benefits and my hourly pay rate will be the same as I am making now at my "regular" job. Of course my "regular" job isn't providing housing. If you just take the straight pay, the hourly rate is in the $40s.

Any mom/baby manager is more likely to hire a nurse with some med-surg experience than a new grad with no experience. You are learning skills you will use your whole career. Also, being in a hospital gives you an advantage because they are more likely to hire from internal applicants than outside applicants. No nursing job is forever. Very few nurses stay in the same specialty their whole career. So, my advice is to keep doing what you are doing, networking within your hospital and making a good impression with managers and coworkers. Get your ceritfications or whatever, continue your educaiton. When an opening comes up in the department you want to work in, you will be ready, with an advantage over other applicants.

Nurseellen, I will be working at North Naples 2nd floor. Its a med-surg unit as well. I think it is similar to 4th floor. I am starting October 29th and staying for 6 months

I am going to NCH Naples North this winter. I applied back in May, when I first saw their ads. I am glad I did, because I was able to get their housing. I am curious about other's experiences also. I wish I had applied for a job at the downtown campus, since it is right across the street from the housing. Oh, well... This will be my first experience traveling. I am glad I will be working directly with the hospital and not through an agency. I will be starting October 29th, but have to be there within 2 weeks prior to do the drug screen etc...

Kasmus, I am an acute dialysis nurse also, I am employed with the hospital, though. Not Davita or Fresenius. We can do 1:1 , or 2:3, sometimes 2:4, currently. However, Davita is making offers to our hospital claiming they can provide cheaper services. How many patients do they leave you alone with? Being alone with multiple patients does not seem safe, especially with hospitalized patients. Please tell me what your ratios are like. Thanks

I have been talking with NCH north campus, they are very friendly and easy to deal with. I am contemplating the different option packages. The 2 packages I am considering are: make $43.45/hr for 7 shifts in a 2 week period. 6 month agreement.No housing, no benefits, $2000 completion bonus. The second package I am interested in is a 2 year agreement, includes housing (a hospital furnished apt) includes health insurance which starts the 1st of the month and bridges over the summer, and housing. If I don't come back for the 2nd season, I have to repay the insurance at full COBRA rates. This position pays about $29/hr. I am seriously considering the second package because it would allow me to only work PRN over the summer months, making my own schedule and earning better rates without having to worry about insurance. Plus finding my own housing in a city I am only a little familiar with seems like a big hassle. But then I wonder if the extra $$ per hour would be a better deal financially???

Does anyone specifically know about NCH north campus? How are the nursing units? nurse:patient ratios?

P.S. I am not interested in living in Florida full-time. I just wanted a warm place for the winter

Thank you all for reading my post. I am still exploring options. I have found some seasonal positions in Arizona and Florida that look interesting. I applied for 2 in Florida and heard back from one recruiter today. I did not like my conversation with her on the phone. She talked and talked and I could barely get a word in edgewise. She kept going on and on about how they are looking for permanent Dialysis employees but do not have seasonal Dialysis job openings. When she paused to take a breath, I said "I don't have to do Dialysis. I am interested in a seasonal med-surg position". Then she went on about how they need people with current acute care experience, and so she went ahead and forwarded my application to the head of the Dialysis department and they would be in contact with me and could even fly me down for an interview. I had to interrupt her again so I could speak. I told her that although I work in Dialysis full-time now, I am still employed part time at an LTAC. (Long term ACUTE care) She said "Oh,you don't have that listed". I KNOW I have that listed, because I have worked there 8 YEARS and would not have forgotten to omit it. Then she said "well we don't take nurses whose experience is long-term acute care". I then went on to explain what long-term acute care was, how the patients are really like stable ICU patients ie, ventilators, IV drips, wounds. She said "well let me have you talk to so-and-so, she can explain it better than I can, but we do not feel nurses with an LTAC background have appropriate experience". So, she put me on hold for several minutes. The phone even hung up once, and I called back, she apologized for accidentally hanging up. Then she tried to connect me again, but it just rang and rang. Then she came back on the line and said she would have this other woman call me to explain. I said "Okay, sounds good". I don't expect to hear back. Geez...

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You said MARINES????!!! I will be there!:w00t:

I guess I just need someone to talk to. Maybe get some ideas. The posts on this sites have been extremely helpful and there is a lot of wisdom out there. I have been an RN(ADN) for 16 years, I am single, I have a grown child who will be leaving home to move cross country later this summer. I have no family nearby. I recently found out that I may not have a full-time job in a few months if my current company doesn't get their contract renewed with their major client. I have been working for them for 1 year. I went prn at my former job when I took my current full time job and still pick up a few shifts there. So, if I must, I can go back to working full time at my old job. So, right now I have a lot of choices to make. Do I sell my house (or try to), move back closer to family even though the weather there is cold, taxes are high and the job market tough (but not impossible). My parents are in their 70s now, and it would be nice to be close in case of health problems. It would also be nice to see my 3 nieces. Do I travel? I have heard nightmarish stories about the facilities travelers are assigned to as well as traveling companies not paying, disregrading contracts etc... I also have 2 large dogs (labs) who would make lodging a challenge. But, I also realize that this may be the last chance I have when I have very few barriers to have an adventure like this. Do I just pull out a US map and throw a dart, pack up my stuff and move? Do I stick around here and go back full time at my prn place of employment or try for other jobs in the area?

Truth--For example, I am licensed in Indiana (not a compact state) and Wisconsin (a compact state). I know of many nurses who have licenses in Indiana and Kentucky or Indiana and Illinois.

TruthRN--- I don't think you LOSE your license in one state when you obtain licensure in another. You can have multiple licenses in different states.

I have worked for Select since 2004. I will tell you what I do not like about it. The paper charting is ridiculous. It is 8 pages, alot of duplicate charting and if a lawsuit were to happen, a nurse could easily hang her/himself with the charting. It is NOT charting by exception. The patients are extremely complex, think of 5 stable ICU patients. Families are allowed to run the show. Somehow, and sometimes, they are allowed to room-in with patients which can make patient care extremely stressful and difficult. We get a lot of hillbilly families at my Select and their ignorance of basic anatomy and health is comical. We get patients with complex wounds, and even though we have a wound team, they cannot get to all of them every day. Therefore the floor nurse is ultimately responsible for all wound care. Nurses draw their own labs. Most of the patients have central lines, so if they are working, this isnt so bad. However, we do not have our own lab. Blood must be couriered out to another hospital to be resulted. This can be time consuming. Because the patients are complex, med passes are a nightmare (even with only 5 patients) . Some days are spent almost exclusively passing meds. These patienst will literally have 10-12 pages of meds. NO KIDDING. No wonder they are so sick. I also don't like that the doctors won't be honest and real with the families and tell them that their loved ones WILL NOT GET BETTER. The patients are kept as long as their insurance or medicare will pay, then they are shipped to another hospital (even though their status has not changed, the docs will make up a reason) then shipped back to Select to start the cycle again until all of their Medicare days are GONE. GONE. Most of the patients will be shipped from hospital to hospital, then finally to a nursing home, where they will die a few days or weeks later. I think the families are not told they have a choice. What I do like about it. I like my coworkers and management a lot. We are like a family and truly care about each other. We have a great team and I never feel alone. They are terrific in a code or Rapid Response situation. The physicians were great (except for what I said above) and treat the nurses with respect. I made good money and rarely had to work weekends. We had a well staffed, and well-paid weekend option program. I only work there part-time now. I got burned out. Reading stories from other nurses about their hospitals makes me think that all places have their problems. It is just a matter of what you find you can tolerate, and having good coworkers and leadership can make anything tolerable.