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Ignorant? No just working and hiring in a major city hospital so actually have a finger on the pulse of nursing in the urban setting.

The nursing shortage was not engineered or misrepresented. The economy tanked and the large number of RN's expected to retire find that they can't afford to and they are remaining in the workforce. Additionally, the number of RN's that are mothers that typically cut down on hours, may have an unemployed spouse at home and they are now the major breadwinner. There are many factors involved. However, this is a cycle in the economy and eventually it will recover, the RN's will retire/cut back and we will need well prepared new grads. I agree with supply and demand so take a page from the business world and be prepared to market yourself. Interview advice: In this market all the rules have changed. Be prepared to discuss why you specifically went into nursing, what your future professional goals are and to give examples of difficult patient interactions and how you handled them. Don't use genral terms like caring and dedicated without having examples of how and why you embody those traits. Employers have their pick of the best of the best and you need to stress why YOU will be an asset to the floor. Do your research on the unit and the staff. Units/floors are unique and you should be prepared to discuss what makes them unique. do they only do 12 hours shifts, an RN only model ( no UAP's?) Do RN's drive rounding? Know the institution you are applying to..are they government owned, have Magnet status, is there flexibility to go to grad school, are you expected to become certified in your specialty and at what point in your career? Med-Surg is a specialty and those that work in Med-Surg are proud of the work they do. Immediate turnoff for me in an interview is hearing that you are interested in med-surg as a stepping stone. Regardless of where you are interviewing, make sure it is a patient population you enjoy and are challenged by or your burnout will be fast and furious. Not having questions prepared for the interviewer looks like you haven't done any research. Building a strong staff is essential to patient outcomes and nothing is guaranteed in nursing anymore. Thoroughly prepare for the interview and send a thank you note.

Interview advice: In this market all the rules have changed. Be prepared to discuss why you specifically went into nursing, what your future professional goals are and to give examples of difficult patient interactions and how you handled them. All of the terms that Daytonite listed in original post are helpful but you need to be able to say how and why you embody those traits. Employers have their pick of the best of the best and you need to stress why YOU will be an asset to the floor. Do your research on the unit and the staff. Units/floors are unique and often have something special about them and you should be prepared to discuss what makes them unique. Know the institution you are applying to..are they government owned, have Magnet status? Med-Surg is a specialty and those that work in Med-Surg are proud of the work they do. Immediate turnoff for me in an interview is hearing that you are interested in med-surg as a stepping stone. Not having questions prepared for the interviewer looks like you haven't done any research. Building a strong staff is essential to patient outcomes and nothing is guaranteed in nursing anymore. Thoroughly prepare for the interview and send a thank you note.

I have a BA- English- AD- Nursing and am currently in an accelerated RN-MSN program. I am employed full-time as a Med- Surg RN. Would that by-pass the BSN req? (I will not be awarded a BSN as part of my course of study)

MGH would like have BSN as the minimum req. but the reality is, if you are a qualified RN, they will take you. However, you will have better chances applying to a general medicine floor (not at all a scarifice, because general medicine at MGH is critical care at a local hospital). Find out who the RN manager is on the floor you want because HR is terrible. Good luck and don't get discouraged-

Just finishing week 2 of orientation and I feel so lost- the floor is so busy and I know that my skills are tuned but my preceptor has me worried. I come in early to read charts and she told me not to get used to this or else I won't be able to adapt if the assignment changes.....In school. they pretty much taught by indimidation and I ask her to check everything I do and I can tell that she is annoyed. I don't recognize most of the meds I am giving so I stop to look them up ....is this wrong? Anyone else have this experience?

The test results will not be available untilexactly 48 hrs from when you finished the test. For you that is Sunday and I can't say for sure but I think it has to be a business day so you might not know until Monday. Good luck-

I Passed!!!!!!!!!

I took the NCLEX yesterday and I am stunned that the computer shut off at 75. I am a hard worker but a terrible test taker and only a B- student in Nursing school. I completed Kaplan (got a low but passing score on the Readiness test) and have done at leat 150 questions a day for 4 weeks. I was expecting to have to take at leat 175 questions but I feel sick that the computer shut off at 75. I feel absolutely ill. I called Kaplan and they told me that that particular center hadn't had anyone fail with a 75. I am finding abslutely no reassurance and this is positively horrible. I can't even remember the test- it was such a blur. If there is anyone out there that failed the first time, did you fail with 75?

My goals include working in oncology and teaching. I am starting out in med/surg to build a solid foundation before focusing on a specialty. So probably going towards the adult care specialty would be best ( I think?).

I am interested to hear about other RN's experience with grad programs. I have a BA and just received an AD in Nursing. My school has articulation agreements with Regis, Emmanuel and Simmons. I am more inclined to go for the RN to MSN and skip the RN- BSN- MSN track as I already have the BA. Does that make sense? I already have a job on a med-surg floor lined up (taking the NCLEX next week) and I want to get started in a grad program for Fall 2005. What can I expect from grad school and what should I look for when deciding on a program? many thanks

I graduated from an AD program at the end of April 2005 and I am looking to schedule my exam the second week in June so I can start work the first week in July. Is this enough time? I am taking a three week Kaplan course right now and I want to take the exam while everything is fresh in my mind. Does anyone recommend agains this? How much time should one study before the NCLEX? I was a B-/ B student in school - any insight is appreciated.

I am in a similiar situation. I have a BA and I went to an ADN program which I will finish in May. The major hospitals in Boston said BSN preferred 6 months ago- now they are BSN minimum. I am absolutely distraught. I am applying preemptively into an RN to MSN program with the hopes that I can get a job with that understanding. I was hoping to work fulltime and pay off my school loans but it looks like I am only going to incur more debt.