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1. What is it like to work nightshift? I rotate shifts. Nights can be just as busy as days, but with less people/interruptions around. 2. Can you tell me a little about your sleeping habit before a night shift? I keep myself on a night shift sleep schedule all the time. I sleep from 0900-1630 for my shift at 1900. 2. During night shift, are you allowed to take a short nap during breaks by the hospitals? I don't personally, because I get adequate sleep during the day. Some nurses who shift between keeping a normal schedule, and their night shifts nap during their one hour lunch break. 3. If you are and you do, how long do you usually take a nap for? I don't. Many nurses on my unit nap during their lunch -- they eat during a short 15 minute break near the beginning of the shift. 4. Do you feel groggy after? If so, how long does it take you to recover? I tried it one time. I felt awful. I have never napped again. Nurses coming out from their sleep break tend to look awfully tired. 5. Where do you take a nap? Is there a special room provided by the hospital for nurses to take a nap in? No special room. Typically nurses nap in our break room or an empty patient room. 6. What do you think are the barriers on having a nap on night shift? There aren't really barriers on my unit. 7. Do you have any concerns about driving home during night shift? The sun just absolutely stings your eyes and it hurts to remain awake after a 12 hr night shift. I wear dark glasses, and call my husband or mom on my way home, or listen to music loudly in order to stay awake. 8. If there is an especially designed 'Nap Room' available at the hospital, would you use it? What feature would you like it to have? Nope, I wouldn't!

Degree type: Bachelors Graduation month/year: May 2012 Sex: Female Age range: 19-24 Job Setting: Hospital Geographical Location: California Race/Ethnicity: Mixed How long have you been looking for your first job before being hired? Offer 3 months after graduation, but had been applying several months before graduation Did you do any volunteer work before your job? Yes: senior center, underserved elementary school, hospital volunteer Did you possess any additional certifications (i.e. ACLS) before you landed your first job? BLS, PALS Did a family/friend/clinical instructor or other connection help you land your job? Explain. I had strong recommendation letters from clinical instructors in my specialty (pediatrics), but those instructors did not have strong connections to the hospital... So I suppose the answer is no. Did you work in the health care setting at all before your job? If so, what field? Agency CNA Did you apply online, in person (at the facility), or other? Explain. Online application process. Did you participate in any follow-up inquiries after resume submittal of your application or interview? If so, explain. Email, phone call? Phone call three weeks after applications closed. How far away do you live from your job site? Include minutes/hours. Did you hold a p/t or f/t job while enrolled in your nursing program. If yes, list whether it was p/t or f/t position: Part-time. If you held a job during your nursing program that was not related to the health care field, please report the general field in which you worked (restaurant, retail, educational, business, etc.) Feel free to expand: CNA, Lifeguard, Nanny Did you receive any scholastic honors while in nursing school (Dean's List, Cum Laude, etc.?) Dean's list, magna cum laude General comments: Let us know what your findings are with the new grad survey!

Also, keep it to one page. Your resume gets one minute, maximum, with a recruiter. Make it count!

Hospitals know what you did in nursing school -- important to note on your resume would be the medical centers you rotated through for which rotations - This can give the institution of the scope of your experience in nursing school ie at large research institutions, teaching hospitals, or hospitals within their hospital system. I DID list my clinical sites, as I was applying to those hospitals, and ended up getting hired at one of the hospitals I rotated through. Don't list what you did in clinical, as that experience tends to be the same for every nursing student. List in more detail your senior practicum, including the type of unit and number of hours. Your externship would also be something you would want to elaborate on further. Good Luck!

It definitely IS possible! Bravo to you for making that long commute work. It shows a ton of determination to be able to pull that off! I did the train/bus game during nursing school... 1.5 hours in the weekday AM's when trains ran frequently, and 2 hours when I had to transfer trains on my way home from clinical (after a 12hr shift). Yes, it was exhausting, but it saved me a ton of money and is allowing me to pay off what debt I have more quickly. Not to mention, studying on the train was one of the ways I did so well in school!

I agree 100% with Hygiene Queen! Psych has everything to do with the nurse-patient interaction. Even on straight psych floors, nursing skills still pop up. Also, many psych patients are even more acutely aware of what you're doing, which could lead to some of the insecure feelings you've described. A lot of the awkwardness you're feeling is normal. But, if you know that a ton of patient interaction isn't your thing, I think it's wise to go after something else. If you're looking to "lose yourself in your work", maybe the bedside isn't the right place to begin with. Look into informatics -- It has the least of the things you seem to dislike.

A combination of: academic scholarships, state/federal grants, loans, and a relatively small amount of help from my parents. Thankfully, I came out not too ​far in debt!

Best of luck!

Networking can be something as simple as mentioning that you're a nurse looking for a job to people you meet. You never know who might know, or be someone who can help you on your journey. As far as selling yourself, I strongly recommend putting together a portfolio. You can include things such as performance reviews from previous jobs, any unit projects you completed during school, and copies of your license/certifications. I would also say to take some time and recognize your strengths. Think about times in your clinical rotations where your actions had positive effects in the arenas of: critical thinking, compassionate care, decision making, prioritization, ect. Re-familiarizing yourself with your experiences can be a great way to boost your confidence, as well as prep for behavioral interviews! Good luck!

I kept my personal life private for the most part. However, I did meet quite a few close friends who had similar backgrounds as me, and opened up to them about my life in general. Those friendships will truly last a lifetime. I wouldn't keep your personal life so private from school that it hinders in making friends. You will need that support system! Nursing school is challenging, and those challenges are best understood by others going through the same thing... And if you have family/financial issues thrown in to the mix as well, it's nice to be able to talk to someone whom you trust who might understand a little more than the next person.

There really is always one. I found it to be worse at the beginning of my program, when overall there were more questions, anxiety, and less self-directed learning going on. I definitely agree with others about addressing the professor about your (very valid) concerns about the classroom environment in general, as far as not getting through the content goes and being worried about being prepared for exams. It is the responsibility of the instructor to maintain some semblance of order in the classroom - and yes, this does include answering some questions during class, but it also involves directing students to office hours if they still have unanswered questions. I hope it gets better!

First of all, take a deep breath. I'd look at your syllabi, and see which books are being used within the first week or two of class. These ones, you might need to purchase from the bookstore. If it's not being used until later in the semester, purchase it to rent. OR, for the time being, make some new friends, and ask if you might be able to borrow a book or two for the night? It's not the end of the world, and it's not starting off on a bad foot. Good Luck!

I did a clinical rotation at the facility where I was hired, but not on the same unit. I applied online, like everyone else, and was selected for a panel interview, and then a unit interview, after which I was offered the job. For me, it wasn't networking. I did attend a school that the hospital holds in high regard, so I suppose that combined with my hours done at that hospital helped significantly. And, good grades, lots of volunteering, and lots of prayer.

Take this opportunity to look back upon what you HAVE accomplished so far. You have made it through your pre-requisites, into nursing school, and into the hospital to learn to take care of patients. Only you have the ability to say if it is worth it, but my suspicion is that, deep down, you know it is. I went through many a situation like you've described when I first began clinical rotations. But, you know what? Things got far better. I started to love being at the bedside, and found that each day taught me something fundamentally important, not just about being a nurse, but about myself. Nursing school taught me to be strong and resilient. When you look back at moments like this when you finish, you will be astounded at how much you have grown. Remember to work hard, but to give yourself the opportunity to "play" hard as well. Have a hobby that has absolutely nothing to do with nursing, and relish in spending time just having fun. Spend time with people who have no idea about nursing, and give yourself that mental break from everything. Good Luck!

I agree with others: your well-being comes first! This is such a tough situation to be faced with so close to the end of your program. Don't put yourself through more pain, and the daily potential of more damage - have the surgery as soon as you can arrange it. As for talking to your instructors/dean.. I would first talk with your doctor and have him/her advocate on your behalf in writing. Take that letter to your instructors, and be frank about it. Worst-case scenario, you graduate slightly later, and have to repeat this semester. You've worked so HARD up until this point and you deserve to finish strong, rather than compromise your own health. Best of luck!