RN_Marie

While I do love to get more experienced nurses, in this tough economy I dare anyone who has been in the job market for a year or so and would not want work. Say what you want with a LTC, but when you have been applying for everything for a year and no luck. A job is better than no job. I ask you this, can you honestly say that you are a nurse when you have never functioned as one? When you have never performed any duties of a nurse? When you never had the opportunity to pick up the phone and call a doctor? When you have to tell a family that their father has passed away? When you've never given medications outside of the clinical setting? Also, I never said that the orientation is three days. It's a 2-month program. Plus, I don't interview graduate nurses that has just received their licenses. I want them to get the best experience they could have and I agree that is with the acute setting. That said, I selected candidates who had been in the job market for a year or so. People who do not qualify anymore to the new grad RN programs. So when you have been in the market for a year, you now have a chance for a job and that's what you say to the one interviewing you? I should have made myself clearer. I inserted an excerpt from the resume I was talking about.

I started working for a sub-acute LTC as the DSD last week. The DON and I hit it off because we have the same vision on what we need to do in order to solve the problems we current have. Early this week, we posted an ad for RN charge nurse with no experience required. We feel it's best to have trainable nurses even though they lack experience. I was tasked to interview for the position as I will be the one training them for the first 36-hours. Needless to say, I was flabbergasted with the array of applicants we had and now know why the some nurses eat their young. - New RN grad said she's been working as a CNA and knows she can do the job because there's not much difference between being a charge nurse and CNA - New RN grad said that she'll consider our offer, so I asked if she is being offered another position (as we need someone full time). She said she's expecting an offer any day now since she finished the online application earlier this week (and she was not kidding). - Someone coming into the interview with a wrinkled nose and irked expression and said that she can smell the BM from the floor - Someone who wrote "expert in IV medication preparation"; when asked what's their experience on it, she stated she's been a vet nurse and she's been doing those a lot. - Someone who said they are not available for the first two weeks of April as they are going on a cruise - Someone asking for the pay, end up telling me that new grad RNs in LA are paid $34/hr starting at the beginning of the interview. - When asked about core measures, all of them couldn't deliver one intelligent answer. and a lot more... Looking back, I asked myself if I ever acted as arrogant and privileged as the ones I encountered. Most of the ones the new grads I interviewed have this air... like they have mastered a craft. Like I should be rolling out the red carpet for them.

While it is something you should be excited about, I have to ask you once again if you feel that you are a safe nurse?In the end it is your judgment. However, you just posted a thread about being written up for 5 times while still on probation. Mother & baby nurses can be held liable for the 18 years of life of the child if something ever happens to the mother or child.

I wear scrubs after work to go to the store or eat. If I get my scrubs dirtied (poo, pee or having a fomite poo and pee on my scrubs), then I’ll change. I always have an extra shoes and scrubs in my trunk. Is it gross? Unless someone is going to put their food in my dirty scrubs then yes, I’d say that’s gross (and weird at the same time). But like everyone said to each is own. We watch movies and sit on those chairs and never think of germs. Who knows when those chairs was last wiped, let alone disinfected? People always put their dirty shoes on the back of those seats. Those seats have been farted on (an indication of a good comedy or really scary movie) and most probably would have some bodily fluid of some sort. We place our drinks on those cup holders and then use the same hand to dunk into the popcorn. Is my scrub really that gross to be worn in public? Somehow I don’t think so.

NICU at Harbor - UCLA: $24.41 (will increase with experience)

Verbal warning can be as simple as pointing out a mistake and telling you the proper way to do it and you telling them that you'll watch out for it. It does not need to be formal. If you leave, it does not change the fact that you have been written up 5 times. Are they after you? Maybe, maybe not. My question is, do you think you are a safe nurse?

if you're still on your probation period, you have not reached your 90-day evals yet. am i right? therefore, you are not considered a full-time employee. my first job as a lvn was in a ltc. there are 46 patients on my station and each and everyone has lantus and regular insulin coverage (i work nocs). so believe me when i say i feel your pain. however, you've been written up for 5 times. it means that they've given you verbal warnings before writing you up. being written up is a documentation of how safe you practice as a lvn. if they want to fire you, they can do so without any qualms because you are still on your probationary period. they can just not like how you work and fire you. things are much simpler for probationary employees (i worked as a dsd and i've done this before) because there's no company commitment, hence being in the probation period.

Your best bet is to look for a new grad RN residency program. However, let me give you a fair warning. The nursing market in California is very competitive. You are not only competing against new grads but also experienced nurses. Hospital in Torrance, CA starts their NICU nurses $24.51 (increases with experience). California does have a lot of jobs for RNs but these jobs are for experienced nurses alone. Most of my classmates (we're 45 in the class), still are looking for a job and out of 45 only 3 (including myself) are working (the two are already working for the hospital prior to their licensing). The 2 classes who graduated above us have the same story. Unless you have a good source of income, and a house you could crash on, then I suggest to look for an experience closer to home.

Most companies ask where you acquired your BLS and IV certifications. Most hospitals prefer certifications from the american heart associations alone. While it may be convenient to get your certifications there, it may not be admissible here.

6 years ago, it was not such a big deal even if you graduated from an online university. Nowadays, the market is highly competitive. Every single thing that will put you on the do-not-hire-list matters. But if you already have your RN as an ADN and just want to finish off your BSN, then it shouldn't matter where you finish your bachelors.

1-year of paid acute experience.

Yes! Chemistry is the foundation of all pharmacology. Electrolyte imbalances is easier to understand when you have a solid chemistry foundation.

Is it important to tell them the truth? Absolutely. Is it necessary to push your opinion into them? Absolutely not. People will believe what they want to believe. They will not appreciate you raining on their parade. You say your piece and walkaway. If they take your advice, good. If they don't, it's their life. People always say don't take Bachelor of Arts in Theater Arts because there isn't any money on the field. And yet, year after year people continue to apply. It is important for people to follow their dreams and see where it leads them. If it goes to bust, at least they gave it a shot. That's life. We cannot rob hopes away from people because of the reality we are facing now. The recession is not going to last forever. Old nurses will eventually retire and we'll need new blood for nursing to evolve. Let them learn from it and let them decide to move away from it.

You also have the power to stop this. As a mandated reporter, you have to protect the patient whether from themselves, yourself or colleagues. It is important that you understand how powerful you are in the nursing profession. When we see evil and do nothing, we let the evil doers go and perpetuate the cycle. I say this because the nurse abusing the patient is wrong, for sure, but how you deal with that defines you. There will be loads of times when you have to be an advocate for your patients. More often than not, it is a healthcare provider such as yourself or a doctor, will not see eye to eye. It is essential that you develop the skills to be assertive without being aggressive.

according to the bvnpt website, there are 5 methods to take the test: method #1 - graduates of california approved schools of vocational nursing in californiainstructions are on file with each school. applications must be submitted by the director of your nursing program. contact your program director for application instructions and forms. as the name indicates, it is the method or way for california vn graduates. this is what the students who took their vn classes in california. method #2 - graduates of an out-of-state school of practical/vocational nursing applicant live scan fingerprint forms - required with method #2this method requires completion of a course in vocational or practical nursing in a school approved by the board of nursing in the state in which it is located. this is for us educated vn who finished their vn classes outside of california but within one of the other 50 states in the us (aside from california). method #3 - equivalent education and/or experience employment verification - nursing experience - required with method #3 applicant live scan fingerprint forms - required with method #3this method requires the equivalent of completion of 51 months of paid bedside nursing experience in an acute care facility, verification of skill competency and 54-theory hours of pharmacology. applicants with formal nursing education may submit official transcripts for a determination of possible credit in lieu of paid bedside nursing experience. most of the foreign educated nurses fall into method # 3. education is substituted for the bedside nursing experience. while cna experience may have their licenses limited, by applying in method 3 via educational credit, licenses are issued just like the vn-state educated vns.method #4 - military applicants applicant live scan fingerprint forms - required with method #4this method requires no less than 12 months of active duty bedside patient care on a hospital ward, completion of the basic course of instruction in nursing while in the armed forces and proof that service has been honorable.4-year expired california licensed vocational nurse applicant live scan fingerprint forms - required with method #5 it is always safe to contact the boards. however, you also need to know that all licenses fall into methods. don't lose hope!

The fact is that even with this test incompetent nurses still roam around and are risking the lives of many by doing so. How would you feel if someone who received their RN license cheated their way through school and you know it? How do you feel if that same person is taking care of your sick daughter/son? Despite many safeguards to our profession, mistakes happen and people die. Writing the test is not cheap, the CAT program is not cheap, the whole system is not cheap. The system is not perfect. It has it flaws. It is immature to blame the system for your mistake. We, as nurses, have to own up to our mistakes so that we don't repeat it again and learn from it.

Graduated February 2012, took the nclex-rn March 6, licensed March 8 and got a job March 13 (4 business days after I received my license). I did not have a job all throughout nursing school. I was not employed by any hospital at the time of graduation.

As I recall there are three options available for IERN: 1. To finish the unit deficits In California, I have not heard of any university (public / private) that allows students to just finish selected subjects. Most of the subjects are taken via prerequisites. If you somehow match the requirements for their pre-reqs and have your units for the pre-reqs credited to the university then you have a chance. The problem is that you are now on the bottom of the enrollment list. Meaning, you may never get priority enrollment unless you take more classes in that school. This is the same problem of most students waiting to be in nursing school. There aren't enough classes for the amount of students. 2. Take a master's program and finish it then go take the NCLEX-RN You must now get your transcript evaluated and see if it's an equivalent of the Bachelor's here. If you do have the same bachelor's in nursing, chances are you can get into a master's program via a private school. But if your degree does not translate to a bachelor's here, meaning you have an associate's degree... then you can go and apply to continue on with your BSN in any accredited school. 3. LVN route While this is the most hassle free, keep in mind that LVNs and RNs have very different job description. The amount of clinical hours for LVNs are way more than the RNs as well. Also, if you do get licensed... there isn't any job.

[color=#333333] according to the ncsbn website (ncsbn.org):[color=#333333] please note - if you missed an exam appointment or your att expired, you do not have to wait the 45 or 90 day period before you can retest. questions regarding testing limits, resubmitting materials, background checks, or licensing fees should be directed to your board of nursing.[color=#333333]t to retake the nclex examination: contact your board of nursing and notify them that you plan to re-take the exam. determine what materials or fees you need to resubmit to the board. reregister with pearson vue and pay the $200 dollar fee. once the board makes you eligible you will receive a new authorization to test (att) and be able to schedule an exam date.

Congrats!

My school used ATI as the main reviewer. Personally, I hate ATI. I don't like that in order to access questions a password and ID must be plugged in. I also did not find their materials anyway similar to NCLEX.

You don't need paid bedside experience because all you need is to have the total of clinical and lecture hours mandated by BVNPT. You are using method 3 because you're petitioning for the equivalent education (it's equivalent education OR paid experience... they are not mutually exclusive). If you have the hours specified above, and your school can validate that for you, then you are qualified to take the NCLEX- PN exam.

I understand your frustration. But in the nursing profession, professionalism is important. While you do have a point, it is also essential to take responsibility for your action. What if this is a nursing assignment? What if you did not show up for work? There are a lot of people who wants to schedule their exam, and by not showing up on your exam they are also loosing money. You have to see that you have 24-hours prior to taking the exam to cancel. They reiterated multiple times that they do not accept any reason for missing the test date.

It's probably because the boards are going to request more information from you. You may have passed and they cannot release your license because of paperwork. It happened to me. My school hired someone to do our livescan and they did not properly transmitted my fingerprints. Hence, the boards cannot release my license until I sorted it out. One of my classmates, who passed as well, have some problems with her transcripts and she's still trying to fix it (they have not released her license).

most of the applicants here are applying for a vn license using method 3 (click for application) i am a lvn and the bvnpt is more rigorous than the cabon (i also have my rn license and dealing with them is way easier than the bvnpt). based on the boards website, make sure you have the following before applying for the boards (they generally take 3-4 weeks to process each application). method #3: completion of equivalent education and experience. pharmacology - 54 hours paid bedside nursing experience - 51 months verification of skill proficiency. forms 55a - 2 & 55a - 3 (pages 1 & 2) must be filled out by your school. you must show that: 1,530 total hours: theory - *576 hours; clinical - 954 hours *includes pharmacology - 54 hours if you do not have a ssn, they cannot issue a license.