fsalazar1

Oh my goodness yes!

I failed Pediatric Nursing once, and it only pushed me back two months in the nursing program. My program allowed you to retake a class once and if failed a second time, you're out. The professor was awful and her tests were unfair. She ended up getting terminated by the school due to how she tested students unfair. I passed the NCLEX at 77 questions the first time. I praise God for that! My cousin failed 6 times in the late '90s

Service is service. That's what nursing, social work, teaching and any human interacting career is all about. SERVICE. I haven't even been an RN for five years yet, but working in multiple areas already has got me exhausted! I may be over the physical demand and long hours nursing has to offer, but that doesn't take away from the fact that the job must be done. Unfortunately, you don't know how a career really is until you experience it for yourself. The key is to be truly honest with yourself about what you want to do. The issue lies our focus when choosing a major in college. What is the motive? Most people based on life positions (single parent homes, student debt, family responsibilities and the like) will choose a path due to financial security. Who doesn't want that? It's a reasonable goal in choosing a career. When you have an 18 year old freshman who has been birthed into this "make-my-own-decisions-to-set-up-my-future" society, majority of that population don't really discover who they are until years later (emphasis on majority, as some young adults/adults have taken the time to truly know themselves in and out to discover their true passion/calling). So, it's easy to understand why flashing headlines like "Wanna change lives? Become an RN" or "Nursing is in high demand...make up to $45/hr and have a REAL CAREER" are so appealing to many students. It's a "quick" way to get into the medical field, and nurses are "respected" all the time. This is the reality. We need to start in the school systems and help students at a young age shape their passions while showing them practical ways to apply them and make money. I understand that there are people in place to do that (guidance counselors, etc), but maybe more needs to be done. I don't know. I'm just passionate about people finding their calling within themselves based on what they are good at and enhancing them.

It's sad to me that people don't understand everything that nursing entails even after going through nursing school. I've had new nurses precept under me before, and I remember a few of them being shocked that in ICU (sometimes) there was no CNA and that I cleaned my patient twice that day....even more shocked when I asked for their help. I'm not saying that cleaning the patients is the best part of the job, but I'm crazy enough to say that it's my favorite part. I guess it's the dignity that it gives a patient who can't do for themselves while I assist them that brings me joy. I want new nurses to understand that it's not a fairy tale and to think long and hard before they go into nursing. More times than some, in order to be an NP, you must have some bedside experience, so I wouldn't go into nursing with the idea that I'll be all superior and above human service.....because when you work with people directly in any capacity, you will have some "dirty work" to deal with.

Hi, Your responses seem well put, but I would rearrange the answer to question 1 in my opinion. It's good to tell them that you work well under stressful situations, but depending on the employer, they would argue that nursing altogether is stressful, so that's not the first point that you want to go in with. Place that somewhere in the middle of your response, and then work it into your other points. I would start off with the part explaining how you wanting a challenge and learning about your patient on a deeper level. That is naturally more stressful than the regular floor (which is already understood) and then I would follow with the part on how much you're up for it. As far as question 2 goes, try to lay off the physician's view of the nurse as I don't think that has anything to do with why we do nursing. My nurse manager respects the physicians, but she didn't care that I was looking for that from them more than she cared about my work and attention to patient care speaking for itself. That's what the other posters meant by the physicians not being "gods" per say. We are all medical professionals, and a good nurse manager/director in an interview would want to hear you talk more on collaborating with the physicians and other HCP (health care professionals) on a deeper level as a critical care patient naturally requires more than a patient on a regular floor. Your response to question 3 appears subjective as it is prompted, however, I would rethink the response. Sure, you feel limited and you can't do as much as a critical care nurse can. Once again, most NM (nurse managers/directors) would agree that's already understood. You can still post with that sentiment, but make it sound more professional. Reiterate your commitment to growing and learning and trying a new specialty. That sounds allot better and will be well received. That's just my viewpoint and opinion. I hope it helps!

Well, everyone has different situations. I will agree with the others on one thing: you don't have the nursing degree nor the experience yet, so I would focus on getting there of course. If nursing school takes about a year and a half, plus a year or three in a hospital setting, maybe in at least three years (at most five) from now will you be ready. I work for Parallon Workforce as an ICU RN. I haven't traveled to different states yet, but I will plan on it in the future God willing. I do assignments locally in my area. I'm not married nor do I have any children, so I think that it works out for me just fine. Is your boyfriend supportive of your idea to eventually travel? Will you be able to handle this type of work including a growing son? These questions are hard to answer right now, so when you get to that point, you oughta have a good conversation with your significant other and your son and see what priorities are important at that time. Best of luck to you and your future endeavors!

I respect your stance. There are plenty of NPs like you who haven't had any prior experience as an RN but are GREAT at what they do. I've just met many of them who wished they had more experience beforehand. My attitude about being an NP is changing, too, as I see the flexibility of the FNP and after shadowing an NP in a community health setting. As long as you are great a what you do BostonFNP, meaning that you care and have compassion in your approach, then God bless and keep on keeping on!

Still getting used to the site. Sorry about that.

I agree with this! I couldn't imagine myself with no nursing experience in a nurse practitioner program. I just feel that it's only right to respect the profession enough to get your feet wet in it. Sure, it won't matter down the road, I suppose, because you are in the role of a health care provider, but I would think that it makes the transition smoother considering that you are in the medical field, working with other disciplines and understanding what it means to be an NP before you truly hop in. Then again, I guess one would never know unless they took the plunge, so to speak.

See coment below

On their knowledge of nursing care. Looking at resumes to see if they've been actually working. A good friend of mine has been an NP for about seven years, and she said that she's grateful for her 10+ years of experience because it helps her in diagnosing and providing care. I would imagine that when working directly with patients, seeing different conditions and knowing what we have to know as nurses, we start to understand what should be ordered and begin to work with medical practitioners, often suggesting care plans and orders to them (if not suggesting, but at least having an idea of what they might order before they do it). I also know quite a few NPs who went straight through without much experience, and they wish they had at least 2-3 years of nursing experience. This is just my opinion. Everyone is different. Like I said, if you want it enough, you just might be good at it off rip!

I agree with the OP as well as other contributors like Retired APRN and Blue Devil. I have been an RN for two years coming in October, and practicing in ICU for 1 1/2 years. Before I got my job in February 2013, I was admitted into an ARNP program at a private school. When I was in nursing school, I was told that because I have a degree in a previous field coupled with my ASN, I could bypass the BSN and become an advanced practice nurse right away. It's like the professors encouraged that, considering that most nursing students these days make that their goal due to the demand that has been placed in today's economy. The problem is - I HAD NO NURSING EXPERIENCE! Sure, with new job, I would work and go to school, and by the time I was done, I would have 3 years of ICU experience (this was a part time only program). Sounds great right? Not so in my case. I had to drop out of the program that semester due to the ICU training, and while I still hold provisional acceptance in that program, I had to come to terms with the fact that I currently (and maybe never) not interested in the role of an NP. I'm just not. It's not what the Lord has placed in my heart or desire to do. I struggled with that because I figured that if I wasn't meant to be an ARNP, then why would I get into such a competitive program in my area? Truth is, the school got accepted to is a private school, so if I was willing to pay for it, then they're like come on in! I've had great grades in school, thank God, so that's an extra bonus, none of that matters if the only purpose for going to NP school is because you're expected to. Or because you don't like bedside care anymore. Or because you're going to make more money or earn respect. YOU HAVE TO WANT IT. I also believe that having experience in nursing care, especially acute care, make you extremely knowledgeable and resourceful. You have to want to be a health care provider. I just come to the conclusion that I don't want to do that. It's not in my heart. I may not like ICU as much, but I'm grateful for the experience and exposure. There is so much that you can do with a BSN that can take you away from bedside, should that be the issue for some. I just think that a respect for the ARNP profession should be elevated. The program shouldn't be so easy to get into. I would screen nurses and make sure that they truly have the 2-3 years experience in appropriate areas in order to perform properly as an NP. I think also finding yourself in nursing is important before you do something that you truly that you don't want to do. You just might find yourself in a NP program and hate it, realizing that you would rather be an educator, in management or wherever. I'm just saying that it should be thought out and counseled through thoroughly before loans are processed, more debt is added, and potential disappointments are realized. That was long, but it was on my heart. Thanks to whomever will take the time to read all that. I will now stand behind my spiritual shield in case others STRONGLY DISAGREE. (joking :-))

Hello. I must say that I thoroughly agree with your post. I can relate to your nursing school experience, as I was often in classes where I was being talked to instead of taught. I am both a teacher and an RN working in the ICU, and I love working with students and patients. I do value the art and science of educating students, but I felt like God was calling me towards a higher calling in nursing. I went into it reluctantly at first because I've grown up with RN's all around me (including my mother, best friend, cousins, family friends, ranging from diploma degrees all the way up to PhDs in nursing). However, I realized that my love to serve and help others would suceed me, and I couldn't run away from this calling. Anyways, because of my relationship with God and reverencing HIM, I enrolled in a nursing program and ended up being fascinated with it! I didn't like it at first because of the educators I've dealt with, but I can definitely say that nursing has changed me as a person for the better. As far as most nursing educators today, it does feel like they aren't as prepared or care at all about what they are presenting (or how they come across in lecture). I think it also has a lot to do with nurses becoming educators with little experience. You can't teach anyone just off of book knowledge; you have to know what you are doing in and out and still be willing to learn more as a nurse educator (in my oppinion). Its hard to sit around and wonder what mood a teacher will be in, whether they really understand the topic, or if they just are milking this job. I personally think that most educators should incorporate different learning strategies within their lectures. Kinetic, auditory and visual learning should be utilized. The powerpoint is a form of visual combined with auditory via the lecture. The hands on aspect is found in labs and clinicals, but nursing school is relatively short and not everyone catches on quickly. However, that is the reality of nursing - get the info, learn it, do it! The powerpoints being read to us is a disservice and depending on the educator, they aren't receptive to your questions or are pressed for time outside of class to help or explain the information further. It's just not conducive to each individual student. I can sit and listen to you talk for hours, study and pass the class, but put me in front of a patient and I freeze! The opposite side is the student who is terrible in lecture and barely passes exams, but is a NATURAL on the floor, picks up skills quickly and is a hands on genius. There is nothing wrong with being better at one thing over the other, but if you know where your strengths and weaknesses lie, then its up to you to fix them. Nursing education is out there even after you've been in the field. Taking the time to learn how you learn will help us more. Being an educator comes with the commitment to learn how to teach, so with nursing, you have to be committed to learning how to help others learn. Even though I am a teacher and an RN, I am not saying that being on faculty is easy or that all nursing educators aren't great. I am not a perfect teacher, as I had my struggles with reaching my own students in my own classroom when I started educating. I do respect dedicated nurse educators; we wouldn't be where we are without them. I'm thinking about getting my MSN in Nurse Education myself. I do know how hard it is to reach everyone, but I also don't want to use that as a crutch to shoot the breeze and read to my students. I want to know what I know and share it the best I can to my one day nursing students. I don't want to lose the passion as many feel that their educators have. Thank you for reading!

Hello. As a new graduate (as of July 2012), I just got hired at a hospital for a Critical Care Residency. I think that its all about the hospital and what they are looking for. I was truly blessed as Critical Care was a specialty I was interested in. If you continue to search and have faith ( I believe in God/Jesus, so that's what I live by. If you don't just have confidence and resilience), then it will come. Try looking for hospitals with residencies as suggested before. You'll never know what you'll find. Take care!