Ntheboat2

Ntheboat2's Latest Activity

1. 

   Be kind to nurses... we choose the size of your IV

   Ntheboat2 replied to Joe V's topic in Rock

   I'm surprised that anyone would take this seriously or offensive. It's CLEARLY meant to be a joke. I find humor in it and I actually HATE even giving injections. I mean, I'll do it and I can do it well, but I hate giving injections even more than I hate starting IV's. I don't like getting injections (so I always just turn my head and don't look) so if there's someone else who CAN do it instead of me then I always step back and let them. I just hate to inflict pain, even if it's as minor as a shot, on anyone...even people who have been IV drug users...weird, I know. Still, it's a funny joke.
2. 

   How to become a psych nurse

   Ntheboat2 replied to sameyeam's topic in Psychiatric

   I don't know how it works in the ADN program, but in the BSN program we spend almost 300 hours during our final semester of school doing what's basically the same as an internship, except it's for school, so we don't get paid. We got to choose 3 areas we were interested in to spend the final semester. I chose psych as my first choice. Since specialties are harder to get into they used test scores from some practice exams we took to decide who would get to go where. If you didn't score so well on the test then you probably got sent to med surg. I got lucky and got placed in a psych facility just like I wanted. I got really lucky by having a preceptor who let me do pretty much everything! I made up a really good resume just for psych positions. It mentions all the things I did during my 300 hour psych rotation. I assessed patients, admitted pts, gave and received report, participated in treatment team where I collaborated with physicians, therapists, and other healthcare professionals. I gained knowledge of psychotropic medication administration blah blah blah. I don't have 1 year of experience, but since the semester is from august to december....it at least looks like I have a good half a year experience (i got my 300 hours in sooner)...just unpaid experience! That makes a big difference when you're in a stack with 50 other new grads who have ZERO! I only started applying to jobs last week and I've already had one interview (with a tentative offer since I haven't graduated yet) and I got a voicemail that I need to return a call to tomorrow. I guess I'm lucky after reading all the new grads who are having trouble finding jobs. I haven't put in tons of applications...maybe a dozen. Anyway, the point is, see if you can get into psych for whatever kind of clinical experience you do for your degree! And like someone else said.....apply for jobs as a tech/CNA/whatever so you can be there already!
3. 

   Patient Reported Me To Nurse Manager

   Ntheboat2 replied to giantumbrella's topic in Psychiatric

   oh, goodness. like the others said...get used to it! i know it can still suck when a patient doesn't like you....even if they think they are the king of england and that they're about to give birth to a baby that doesn't exist...we still expect them to like us because we are great and that's what any LOGICAL person would do!! keyword being logical. i've had a few patients who thought i was someone that they knew from their past...a daughter or a sister. sometimes, they may not like you simply because it's impossible to like everyone! other times they may not like you because they are delusional and mistake you for someone they had a negative experience with. it IS a psych unit! you might even find that the patient who caused you so much stress this one day won't even remember who you are tomorrow..for future reference.
4. 

   State hospitals?

   Ntheboat2 replied to Ntheboat2's topic in Psychiatric

   That sounds GOOD for a new grad especially! I was looking around online at state employee salaries and really wasn't expecting anywhere near that. Things are so different in each state that there's really no telling, but I hope it's that much.
5. 

   State hospitals?

   Ntheboat2 posted a topic in Psychiatric

   Hi all, I am about to graduate and have been offered a job (tentatively) in a state psych hospital. My clinicals were in a private hospital's psych facility, so I'm wondering if anyone has any personal experience on the major differences? How about the pay? More or less? Thanks.
6. 

   should I call a nurse manager directly about a job?

   Ntheboat2 replied to sommeil's topic in Job Assistance

   I wouldn't stop being aggressive! I have no idea...this is just a guess....but maybe (just maybe) your friend who works there isn't the best source/reference? I don't know your friend, but when I worked as a tech on a busy unit the nurse manager was always telling us to send people her way! If she didn't call you after all that...maybe you shouldn't use her next time. No offense. I could be completely wrong. I graduate in December and tons of my classmates already have jobs. Last week I started feeling a little behind the crowd so I started applying to all kinds of positions online, and for the ones I REALLY wanted, I followed up with an email directly to the recruiter or manager that said, "I recently applied for X position. I just want to follow up with a resume which I've attached and introduce myself." I got a few emails back that said, "Thanks for your interest. We are looking for someone immediately and you don't graduate until December, but please contact me again when it's closer to time." I figured that's better than nothing. They really didn't have to respond! So, I will contact them when it's closer to time... Then, I got an email back saying, "we will contact you soon," and they called me the next day. I had an interview, and tentatively have a job lined up for a January start date. It's at a state hospital that's a little farther from home than I'm crazy about, but I'm going to keep looking and keep that as my back up. It actually is in the field I really want to work in. I also applied for a couple jobs with a fairly large hospital system in the area today. Afterward, I sent the recruiter for that system an email saying, "Hi. My name is blah blah...I applied for some jobs today and was just wondering if there are any career fairs coming up in the area soon?" Really...I'm hoping she'll take the time to pull up my application and forward it on, but it was a good "in." I'm sure she'll at least email me back. I was hesitant at first about emailing people directly and didn't know if it was a professional thing to do, but I figured....they are never going to see me or hear from me again anyway if they don't like it. If they do like it then it could land me a job. Actually, it did..the very next day. Keep on being aggressive...it'll happen for you!