linnywho

Unfortunately the time line to get hired varies greatly. I am not sure what unit you applied to but here are some things I figured out along the road. Some units will not hire you without experience in that area. (eg. operating room) Moreover, they do not contact you to let you know your not qualified. I was working in one unit and applied to the OR, it finally took me calling the unit to find out they were only looking to hire experienced nurses, because they don't want to train anyone. I know at least one friend who either applied and never heard back or interviewed and never heard back from ER. I am not sure what is up with them. If you apply to med/surg or adult isolation and there is an opening it can take anywhere from 3 to 6 weeks to get a call back. If you want to PM me I can send you a contact for HR that I have. I also have been known to call HR for a few days straight or go down there in person to get an answer. The way it seems to work is this though. You apply and HR screens your app to make sure you meet the minimum qualifications, as imposed by the hospital. Once they verify you meet those qualifications your app is forwarded to the unit manager on the unit you applied to. The unit manager will then review it with their own criteria, such as OR requiring experience. The unit manager will then send a message to HR telling them to setup an interview. You will be called in to interview with the unit manager. After the interview the unit manager then has to contact HR and tell them they want to offer you a job. HR then sets the pay rate based on your experience and contacts you with the offer. I can tell you that I interviewed for my current unit while working on another. I knew I had this new position and it still took about 2 weeks for the official offer to come back after the interview. But do realize when dealing with HR it is usually not their fault it is taking so long. Treat them with respect when you do get in touch with them and be very thankful even when you get an answer you don't like.

Notice the prior post were from 2007. As a graduate from 2006, I can assure you they were on probation back then. At the time the school seemed to take anyone with a 2.6 and that may account for the low pass rates. But they have taken drastic measures, some of which I do not agree with but which I admit work, in order to turn around the bar pass rates. You are correct in that SU is no longer on probation. But they were, even though they told students they weren't.

University Hospital in New Orleans is hiring new grad RNs. You have to apply through the civil service site. The trick is to read the RN3 description. There are about 5 or 6 of those positions listed. Each says the position can be filled with an RN1 (new grad), RN2 (one year of experience +) or RN3, depending on qualifications and the unit manager. I applied thinking I was applying for an RN3 position and then accepted the position and it was RN2. The only issue with it being the state, is that it could take you a month to actually get on from the time you apply and that is if everything went perfectly. I used to work in the adult isolation floor. Great Unit Manager but typically hard med surg work. Do try if you really want a job. But also be aware we didn't get raises last year or this year thanks to the budget deficit.

The only thing grades seem to indicate is how easily some people get the class material compared to others. I had to study my butt off and my GPA dropped from a 3.3 before starting the nursing curriculum to a 2.98 upon graduation. However, our school did use a 6 point scale once starting the nursing classes. I can tell you my GPA is no indicate of my abilities as a nurse. Out over 35+ students only 12 of us passed the exit exam that semester and received diplomas. Then while some 3.5 students had to wait an entire semester or even a year to sit for the NCLEX, I passed the first time with the minimum number of questions. Moreover, within 3 years of graduation I was awarded as a Great 100 Nurse for my state. What does all of this mean? Your grades do not indicate who you are or the quality of your nursing care. Unfortunately there are some smart people who get into nursing for the money. They have good grades and offer poor care. I also had a friend that started school with me and graduated 2 years after me from having to repeat nursing classes (failing or dropping). She had the passion to be a nurse and I would accept her care any day and I doubt her GPA is above a 2.2. The only thing I think a GPA matters for is graduate school and from what I have researched so far, the low GPA can be overcome with a few extra years of experience and/or a high GRE score. I do intend to go to graduate school and will probably take a few science classes (organic chem, physics, statistics) to raise my GPA above the 3.0 mark and hope my 5-6 years of experience by then gets me in.

I worked in med-surg at the Ochsner Kenner location and it was not an organized unit. I only worked there for 2 months. I think that speaks for itself. I currently work on the Adult Isolation unit at University and I love it. It is not stressful and we generally have a 4-5 patient ratio, which is awesome. The unit manager is one of the best. On the unit you get to see some things you would not normally see. You will still get your med-surg experience. I enjoy working on the unit. You could come by and I can show you around to help make your decision. As far as Isolation patients over other med-surg units, I don't feel you are going to be in a more difficult field. I began in a Medical Acute Care Unit out of school. I saw many of the same type of patients we have in Isolation with a 6-7 patient ratio. However, now that I am in the Isolation unit I also get some ortho and other things I didn't get in acute care. If you are seriously considering this unit feel free to contact me via PM or on the unit.

I can assure many that Southern University in Baton Rouge is probably one of the worst in the nation about how they administer these test. They do not tell the students ahead of time which test they will be taking. It can be HESI, ATI, Kaplan or any of 5 others they haven't named. Last semester was 2 ATI test and this semester they have started with a HESI. They do not comprehend that the test has weight based questions. And require percentage based grades based on raw scores ignoring the weight of questions. They claim of course, that students must get a 78% raw score to pass. Then ignore this after the test (because no one passes) and say a 71% raw score with a 900 HESI score. I know of some who had above a 71% and lower than a 900 HESI score, yet above 850 who are not passing this go round. Some semesters they ignore the HESI score and go with only the raw score. This also means two people with the same number of questions right, yet one got the hard ones right and the other missed all the hard ones, essentially have the same raw score. I really wish someone, would come up with a way to sue the administrations for these kinds of things. I would think the student handbooks or school guidelines would require schools to notify students of the exact grading scale that would be used and what test company prior to the actual test. SUBR just changes the passing guidelines on every test to get the specific number they want to pass the test, regardless of fairness. One test may be a 78 and the next a 70. But I specifically have a major problem with using non-departmental test and then not using their scoring system and making up your own. Where can students go to find out regulations regarding this? It seems to me that some of these administrators will not learn anything until they are faced with a multi-million dollar class action. Later,

Husband of linnywho again. From what I can tell the national guard and several airlines have been providing air transport and a train company has provided train transport for medically needy patients. I know some have been flown or taken to Memphis. According to the news here there are at least 9 different aircraft that have been mentioned as being available for medical transport. I also know that atleast 100 ambulances were available for transportation of patients to Baton Rouge. I have been seeing them driving caravans of ambulances back and forth to New Orleans for 2 days now. As far as storm goes, it appears that it will be a Cat 3 at this point. They claim that the storm surg will only be 15 feet at this point and that is considered managable. Some local news agencies are speculating the 25ft storm surg measurement was perhaps exagerated to get people to leave, but who knows. I do expect some flooding in low areas, but I would not expect it to be like Katrina. It is just my opinion but at this point if a hospital has not taken its critical care patients out of the danger zone, it is of thier own chosing. The resources have been provided and active for 2-3 days now.

Hubby of linnywho talking. I just dropped off my wife at University Hospital New Orleans-the current interim hospital for Charity. They went code grey at 7am today and she is on the team that gets locked in the hospital with 10 days worth of clothing and food until this is over. Worse part is, this is her first day at University although she does have 2 years experience. She seems to be ok with this, so I guess I will be as well. Good luck to all you nurses stuck in this dangerous situation.

I specifically chose against going to OLOL due to its cost and lack of direct BSN. At the time students who completed the ASN could apply to the BSN program. The reality is that only those with the top GPAs could get in. The rest were told to get some nursing experience. So those students, perhaps 95%, would have to go take the NCLEX and work for a year or even 2. They could then reapply to the program. To me this is a complete waste of time unless you are in bad need of money. And if that is the case you wouldn't be paying the tuition cost of OLOL. The other issues to consider are which will let you get the highest GPA. I don't know many BSNs with 3.5 or above GPAs by the time they get out. And depending on the PA program you apply to, that GPA may be necessary depending on your MAT or GRE score. I would highly recommend getting your BSN if you want to become a Nurse practitioner. You can get a Biology or any other science degree to become a PA. None of the other science degrees are going to give you the payday a RN does. So decide if you can accept not making a lot of money coming out of your BS. Then if you need the money think long and hard, as to whether, you are willing to take the chance on your GPA in a nursing program? There are a lot of assumptions that would have to be made about your financial need, intelligence, work habits, study habits, to give you a solid answer to what would be best. But hopefully, I have given you some things to think about, that would influence my decision, if I were making it.

My understanding is SELU is one of the best in the southeast US. I had to transfer to a different school because I didn't have the GPA to get in. At the time I was applying I had a 3.24 (2003). I was number 50 on the wait list. The cut off that semester was around a 3.3. If you have the GPA and can get in it is one of the best. I tell most young people (high schoolers) talking about going to nursing school, that if they want to go to the best school in Louisiana go to SELU, but plan on having a 3.5 to get in by the time they are applying. There is a downside to this though. The teachers know they are the best. If you flunk out it is your problem not theirs. Teachers seem to care a lot less about helping the students and they have a high number that don't get through the program. This is true at most nursing schools though. But I know of many other schools, where the teachers seem to care more about the students.

My husband is starting Loyola Law school so we relocated to the NO area about 2months ago. I have 2 years exp. Med/Surg. I have not seen the really high paying jobs like some are quoting. Oschner claimed to be starting new grads at 22.50 an hour plus shift diffs. I didn't even get a phone call back from East Jefferson. I applied for an ER position at EJ. They didn't even call me to inform me that I needed a year of cardiac experience for an ICU or ER position. They claimed they would send my app to the cardiac departments. Some hospitals are on the ball and called me back within 3 days of applying. I think the HR departments are not getting the applications to the right people in the nursing departments. I think if you find good information about a hospital and want to work there, you may need to push the issue. You may need to go to the nurse manager for that unit, if you don't hear back. Human resources just says to wait and they will call. Well I applied to EJ 4 months ago and never got a call, and that is with 2 years of med/surg experience. This means human resources didn't send the application to the right people. We bought a place in LaPlace about 30 minutes outside NO. We were looking at 1200 a month for a decent/nice 2br apartment. We pay less than that for a 1400 sq.ft. house. I do not recommend Ochsner in Kenner, I am trying to get them to switch me to the main campus and they just give me the run around. Med/Surg at the Kenner location is in bad need of change. I have an interview at University this week so we shall see what they can offer.

I can agree that wording and discretion can make the questions seem more appropriate; however, I feel someone's sexual orientation should not be asked. In fact I plan to advise students who have my patients to not ask certain questions on the assessment. Does anyone know if students should be performing liver palpitations?

I am asking here because I am not sure where to post it. I am a med/surg nurse. Students from a local university are being asked to fill out a 13 page nursing assessment. Some of the questions on this form seem in appropriate. This assessment is for a med/surg 2/3 class. Students are doing clinical on a MACU unit, skilled nursing unit, etc. Examples: What is your sexual orientation? Do you have sex? If so, how is it? How was your infancy, childhood, adulthood? How many people live in your home? What is the cost of your home? The school is also asking students to palpate the liver. This brings up an entirely different issue related to patient safety. I am afraid that a student could cause a rupture in an alcoholic patient or worse. I am not even sure if a student is allowed to perform such a procedure. I have never done that and would assume I would need a doctor's order if I did. I am getting a copy of the assessment tomorrow from a student and taking it to my unit manager. But I wondered if these questions were now considered the norm for nursing school now? Or do others feel the students are crossing an ethical or moral threshold asking these sorts of things? Thanks, Linny

Not to be completely down on SUBR nursing school I will state this. Due to the messed up comps exams and massive amount of studying put in to pass the second comps just to get a diploma, the NCLEX was fairly easy. I only took off the week before the NCLEX to study and used the NCSBN course and reviewed my HURST review information from during the school year. I do feel the education SUBR offers is decent and rewarding. As a nurse I feel well prepared and all the nurses around me seem to be comfortable with my knowledge and ability. So while lots of people are completely down on Southern's nursing program, I am not. The program as a whole is not horrible, however the testing methods used on comps to graduate is. But I partly thank that stupid testing method and some 150+ hours of studying that was put into studying for comps for my ease of passing the NCLEX with only 75 questions.

I can't completely answer for the Spring, but yes the new Dean is trying to make it much more difficult for students to pass comps. This is in order to curve the pass rate on the NCLEX as some students on this forum have already discussed. For the fall class of 2006 comps was given on 2 separate occasions. If you did not pass the comps on one of those 2 occasions you are still allowed to walk but you did not receive a diploma. You then have 2 more chances to pass the following semester and again the semester after that. If you don't pass after those 6 attempts you have to take your senior classes again and if you still don't pass you are removed from the university. The class for fall of 2006 had about 10-15 students who received diplomas. Through the last 2 comps exams all but about 4 students have passed comps, from what I have heard. Currently from my understanding our pass rate for the NCLEX is just above 80%, so the dean got the results she was after. However, the means the school used to achieve these results is not fair to the students. They chose comps exams that are not created by the school, such as ATI, HESI, and Meds Pub. These tests do have online courses available but they are not required material for the nursing school. So, the comps exams are administered by a 3rd party company which does not have course material required by the school and each test had different criteria, methods, standards and information (some of which is not even taught by the school.) The school then changes its grading scale to suit its needs on each test. They claim a 78% pass rate would be required but then chose not to use the HESI scale when using the HESI test and create their own scale. Then when using the ATI test they took a 70% otherwise only 1 or 2 students would have passed comps for the entire semester. Since no one passed comps on the HESI test due to the schools refusal to use the HESI grade scale they had to adjust the acceptable grade scale for the ATI test so they could at least have some students receive diplomas. In the end the school will get the result they want, which is to achieve a higher pass rate on the NCLEX. But the way in which they have done it comes very close to being illegal and certainly unethical. Academic affairs said that all comps must be approved through them and should be created by the university; however, the nursing school feels they are above these academic standards. Some students from the Spring 07 class are saying that all test will now require a 78% to pass for comps due to some problems that came up this semester (someone complaining to the administration); however, I can not state this for certain as it is second hand knowledge. From my understanding a 78% was required for Spring 2007 Comps that was administered via ATI and in the Fall a 70% was acceptable. Considering ATI doesn't give a grade above 70% because 70%=99% pass rate on NCLEX it seems unfair that the school requires a 78% just because that is the passing rate for the schools own test.