mbward

There is so much conflicting information on the internet. One website says the average salary is one thing, and another website shows a completely different number. I currently work in Birmingham, AL with almost one year of experience in the ED. There is a chance that I will need to move next year in order to find my husband a job after he graduates. I'd like some input on what people are making in different areas. We'd like to stay in the South (Texas is as far West as we would consider). I'm looking at cost of living and RN salary. It would be nice to hear from people that work in the ED with around 2 years of experience. A little more background on me: I was a Paramedic for about two years before becoming a nurse. I have been working in the ED as a RN since Feb. I will have about two years of experience before we would be moving. I plan on working on my CEN, but it will probably be after we move before I get this. They suggest you have at least two years experience before getting it. I have a ADN, but working on BSN. Willing to hear from anyone but areas we are particularly interested in are Atlanta, Charlotte, Northern or Central Florida.

I am a Paramedic who went through the mobility RN program. I will be graduating December 12th. I'm very frustrated because everyone told me I needed to start putting in applications by October, which I have. I've probably put in 20 or more applications in the past month, but no calls. I have been putting in applications in areas like ICU, Cardiac Care, and ER. I understand that they generally want you to have experience to hire in these areas. While I don't have in-hospital critical care experience outside of clinicals, I do have critical care experience in the pre-hospital setting. I would think this would be beneficial and make me more qualified then other new RN's with no critical care experience. I guess I'm just venting here, but it's very dicouraging when no one is bothering to call.

I am a student in a Paramedic to RN Mobility Program. For those of you who don't know, this program allows Paramedics to bridge into nursing (similar to LPN to RN programs). Next semester we will join the 4th semester nursing students and graduate with them in December. This semester we have a 12 semester hour mobility course that combines all the content from the first 3 semesters of nursing school into 1 semester. Last year when they did this class there was at least 11 tests that consisted to HESI exams and Instructor exams. For some reason they decided to change the class and only have HESI exams. We are the first class to experience this. We have a total of 6 HESI exams, and it is the only grade we get. HESI's are by far the hardest exams I have ever taken. There seems to always be more than one right answer. When I look over that rationale after taking my test, none of the ones I get wrong and completely wrong. It will say things like, "while that is a priority, it's not the most immediate concern," etc... The problem I am having (over half the class), is I am failing! It's so frustrating because I don't know how to study! I have the Saunders NCLEX book that I got about two weeks ago. I have been studying that and taking NCLEX questions. I'm doing really well with the NCLEX questions. We had a OB/PEDS test today that I was scoring high 80's, low 90's on when I would take a NCLEX exam through the program that came with the book. I felt pretty good about the test. I failed it! Again, we have 15 people in our class and I know of 9 that failed it. At this point I feel like it has more to do with test taking skills than knowledge. Our final is in one week, and I have to score an 80 to pass the class. This may not seem to bad, but my highest HESI grade is an 81, so I'm worried. If you have been through a similar situation I would love to hear from you. I need advice, because what I'm doing to prepare is obviously NOT working! HELP!