RNforrest

Congrats on getting an interview. First off, this is an interview for an ER position. So, why do you want to work in the ER? This question will most likely be presented to you. Are you just an adrenaline junkie or do you like the fast paced, patient focused, assessment driven environment, hint hint. Again this being an ER position, you will be in stressful situations. They may ask how you handle stress or may even try to fluster you with questions you don't know the answer to. Stay calm, tell them what you don't know and do not be afraid to say the words "I don't know". Do not guess or pretend to know, big red flag! The ER is the front lines of the hospital. You may have some patient scenario questions. Which patient woukd you see first type of questions. Just go back to your basics. BLS, ACLS, signs and symptoms of MI's and strokes. Many of the interviews I have been in are behavioral based. Tell us of a time you had a conflict with a coworker? How did you resolve it? Tell us of a difficult patient and what did you do? Before your interview I would come up with 10+ scenarios from your clinical experiences that you can tweek to each question. The point is not to wow them with your stories, the point is for them to see that you are a strong candidate because you are a team player, you are confident (not cocky), you are resourceful, you will be a patient advocate, and that if hired you're not going to be a problem child. I woukd also throw in the words "pateint safety and education" somewhere during your interview. Have several questions ready to ask about the unit, the hospital, the staff. How is moral? Has there been much turn over? How is the team work? Do the doctors and nurses communicate effectively? Is this ER stroke and heart certified? Make them tell you why you should work for them. Hope this helps in any way.

I was a gateway community college student and of course I am biased to the facility faculty. I would hands down recommend them to anyone. As a nurse I have taken students from every nursing college in AZ and my favorites are MCC students. My only advice is make sure you enroll in a bridge program to obtain your BSN. Many hospitals now will not even consider you with out those initials behind your name

The important thing to remember with the interview is that this it YOUR time to shine. We have all dreamed of this day for a very LONG time. We have jumped through hoops, studied, stressed, and lost sleep over the interview process. But, all that hard work has paid off. Each question asked is an opportunity to sell yourself. Let them see your drive, hard work, determination and near obsession with becoming a CRNA. I have several friends who have gotten accepted with lower GPAs and minimal ICU experience because they SOLD themselves. I'm not saying be cocky, but be confident in what you do know and don't be afraid to say "I don't know". If you stated something on your resume you dang well better know it back and forth. One tip that helped me was to research the school, the program, and the staff. I was able to read a bio on all the faculty. This made me much more comfortable during the interview and helped me to taylor each answer depending on who was asking it. Stay calm, don't get frazzled, you're an ICU nurse!!

I did an intense search and picked my top 5. Got into my first choice.

You most definitly have a chance!! And if you stick with it, you will get in. Do NOT think otherwise. I was in a similar situation with my GPA from a prior degree and my RN and BSN gpa were very similar to yours and I was accepted into a program. Many schools look at your last 60 credits especially your science gpa and what you have accomplished since becoming a nurse. Get your CCRN done, volunteer, get involved in a team at your hospital, teach cpr or acls, anything that will strengthen your resume. I wouldn't go overboard with all the classes before you apply. Some schools don't require the GRE. If you meet the minimum requirements then go for it. You may just get in and save some precious time and money. Also, you may have to broaden the schools your willing to go to, just to play the odds. You will get in.

It is a means to an end. It will fly by. Put on your seat belt and hold ON!!

Ive been a nurse for 4 years now. I had my own contracting company before nursing. It was hard to leave, but looking back I wouldn't trade it for anything. Benefits are fabulous, 4 days off a week is phenomenal, and I can pick up as much OT as I want. Some weeks I have worked 36 hours of overtime just to pay for a vacation or christmas. You will constantly hear things like: "are you my doctor?", "hey doc!", "are you really a nurse?", "can you help me boost my patient?". You shrug is off and are proud to say, "nope, I'm your nurse". Cause only you know how hard you have worked to get there. It is a challenging, fun, rewarding career. By no means is it easy. Your first job may be on a med-surg or Tele unit and you will quickly realize it's not what you thought it would be. Sh#t rolls down hill and often lands on nurses. You will feel at times like a secretary, CNA, server, customer service rep, drug dealer and punching bag all in the same hour. But...... once you transfer to the ED or ICU (and you will want to) you will find your niche. I now recover fresh open hearts and take patients with LVADs and I love it. Work for me is rewarding, challenging and fulfilling. If you are not happy in nursing, its your own fault. There are countless avenues to take. I say to anyone thinking about it, go for it. Nothing to lose.

Your PCCN will look good on a resume, it will help you get a heads up on the competition if you decide to move to ICU, and it will be a good foundation of learning to prepare for your CCRN. Comparing the two is difficult due to the different specialties. I do, however think th CCRN is looked upon as being more "prestigious". Just my opinion though.

First off CONGRATS!!! Thank you for sharing your story. Your license will mean that much more to you knowing that you did not give up. You have definitly earned it!!

I completed my BSN through Western Governors University (WGU.edu). They are regionally and nationally accredited. Total cost was $6200 and it is self paced. I completed the program in just under a year. No discussion boards, no in class stuff. Just papers. Check it out

Iceyv3, I used the Laura G DVD's and practice questions found on the AACN website. The DVDs were very entertaining and worth the time. It was heavily on swan and hemodynamics and several gas interpretations. Be very comfortable with those. Other than that I think you will be fine. It is not as bad as people make it out to be.

Look on some of your local hospital websites to see if any of them offer a scholarship program. I was fortunate enough to find such a program here in AZ. Banner Health paid for my RN degree. It was an ADN program but there is no difference in pay/starting salary for ADN vs BSN here. I do have a 3 year contract with them, but with the market the way it is here, I'm happy to have the job. I am now able to work full time while I complete a RN to BSN program, with tuition reimbursement. Not only that but I am getting the floor experience while I get my BSN. Small community colleges offer great programs at a fraction of the cost of larger universities, keep that in mind when looking around. I think many hospitals do prefer the BSN when hiring because of Magnet status and accreditation but there are still jobs out there to be had for those with the ADN. There are unfortunately 25 different ways to get to your end goal, just find one that fits your lifestyle and don't give up till you reach it.