NurseKrieger

Hey thanks so much! What is your out of pocket cost for it? Just curious. I was thinking of setting up TA on my next day off and getting rolling.

I wouldnt recomend it for 2 reasons. 1. You need a base line knowledge of rythms, drugs, code procedures, etc before any of the information will be of ANY value to you. 2. DONT pay for extra training! Thats what your facility is for! Get on a floor in which that training would be useful then make them pay for it!

Has anyone use Excelsior college for a masters in nursing? Im currently active duty military so I am trying to figure out my TA. I have a bachelors in nursing but Im looking to cash in and get ahead while Im not to busy with work. Any guidance would be appreciated. I mean, course difficulty, how a course works, how many classes I can reasonably take and still work full time, how to "take a break" between courses. etc Thanks a lot guys

I did a kaplan review course. They cost a couple hundred but it was a HUGE help. I passed in 75 questions in under 30 min. Are you SURE you failed? Alot of people, myself included, feel like they fail on the way out of the door. Try to re-register and if it allows you to pay for it then you probably did fail. If it says any sort of error message you passed.

WOW look at the midwest. My ENTIRE bsn costs under 30K from the U of ND. Mine cost nothing because I joined the Army. Over 50K and they are raping you.

I just wanted to ask what type of orientation you received to your organization and how you feel it served you and prepared you to work there, or as a new nurse in general. I received 6 months of preceptor ship + 3 weeks of in processing (tours, IDs, shadowing on different units etc). After the 6 months we got a review and were blessed to go about our days. During this time there were several projects that had to be completed; skill check offs, EBP projects, seminars, case studies, etc. It was a great program and I learned ALOT. I get really nervous when I hear about nurses who got 2 weeks out of school with a preceptor and were told to figure it out.

Honestly man. Go to school in the US, minor in Japanese, do the rosette stone. Then if you REALLY still want to go to Japan think about it again. Nursing is NOT an easy subject to study. You’ll be writing papers and up for clinical while your friends are still partying. Now add to that suck sandwich by trying to do college level course work in a foreign language, which you have a 1st grade grasp of, in a culture which has rigorous academic standards AND a pension for racism- and it’s starting to look like a nice idea in theory but not practice. Get through school first. It will give you time to work on your language proficiency AND get your degree at the same time. Most countries have a program for transferring licensure. Japan has a large elderly population so there will be jobs. But it’s not all ramen houses and kimonos. Japan has some SERIOUS cultural issues, even for natives. There is a reason they have the worlds highest suicide rate. Look into the culture a little more in regards to work hours and employee rights.

I was offered ~22/hr for being a new nurse, plus benefits (which were pretty good if I remember right), 35 hrs a week (which was full time), and like 5 days holiday. The differential for nights wasnt spectacular. I think its like 1$. Its not like break down the doors good but its not bad for ND and its cost of living. I assume your a .mil spouse or a UND student/spouse. In which case enjoy the area and go to a Sioux game. If your .mil try the GS system for a nursing job on base. It pays a bit more and has way better benifits, however there is a certain amount of "Uncle Sams Red Tape" Youll have to deal with... I have no idea what hospice pays but I believe the Dr's Hospital or Aurora pays a bit more but require at least 2 years XP first. There is a very prominent nursing school in the town so be aware. There is defiantly plenty of jobs to go around but because there is not a shortage of staff you'll have to do your time at entry level. Try 5th floor (tele) before you apply for 3rd (medsurge), much better unit dynamic. The reason I’m not working there now is my active duty orders came through faster than I thought they would. Let me know if you have any questions. I use this account at work so it may take a while to reply, but youll here back.

Hey thanks for the advice. Im about to wrap up CNTP so I have plenty of time until PCS time. Honestly it amazes me how many LT's around me want to pop smoke as soon as their 4 is up. Im really enjoying this whole Army thing so far.

I know this isn't what you want to hear but please consider it. You may have life experience but that does not translate to nursing experience. I would strongly recommend getting 1 to 3 years of medsurge under your belt before applying to and ICU. Preferably one with its own training course that culminates towards a CCRN. Starting in an ICU can be dangerous to an inexperienced nurse. Simple things like forgetting to open the clamp on a piggy back, slipping and pushing a med too fast, forgetting to chart/call on a critical value, etc are all extremely easy mistakes to make. While medsurge can be forgiving with lower acuity pts, ICU may not be and you could jeopardize pt safety very easily. I also understand wanting to work in an area your passionate about, but is it possible you are still a little buzzed by the thrill of passing nursing school? Thinking about relocating your entire family for a BRAND NEW job in a BRAND NEW career is a little heavy handed. If you look hard enough you'll find one I'm sure. (Try western ND, around the oil fields.) But is it the best fit for you? I really doubt it man. Think it out CAREFULLY.

WAMC at ft bragg- Medsurge areas- ACU bottoms and ACU scrub top (given through vending machines) Critical care areas- Blue scrubs that were given through vending machines Although some nurses prefer to stay in ACUs for their shift in medsurge and I haven’t seen anyone get in trouble for it yet. Personally I would MELT

I agree, keep your car with you at BOLC. You will be MUCH happier you did. I just finished the july BOLC so Im at my duty station now. Have fun in HI and let me know if you have any questions.

Hey all. Just curious- what can a junior army CPT do in the nurse corps? I know you can specialize but I think I want to stay a hotel. Is it true we can become clinic OICs at small bases? I can't really get an informed answer from some buddies and it's too soon for me to ask HRC or my CNOIC about it. Just curious what all we can do. Thanks!

Man its a bloody day today. Im going to start wearing that face sheild.

Hmm In the Midwest some native Americans like to burn sage in the room to cleanse it of evil spirits. The facility had an expert in it and would attend any requests (there were like 4 a year) to make sure everything was safe, and everyone carried on with their day. If it doesn’t disturb other patients or prove dangerous, I don’t care what they do. It’s my job as a nurse to reasonably provide them the tools to practice their faith.

No I do not. Nursing is a profession and an emerging science and should be treated as such. Not soaked in superstitions and rituals. We aren't nuns anymore. However! That being said- it is imperative that we recognize, respect, and support our pts spiritual beliefs. This includes providing for them. I do not pray with patients but I am happy to hear their stories and refer them to chaplain.

Not procrastinated everything just because I could. If I heard the phrase "you cannot do this the night before its due" I was personally insulted. I also would have avoided the cliques like the plague.

Go somewhere else! Dont be afraid to move cross country to find work. Its amazing what your options become when you say you are ready to relocate. I know in eastern ND you can walk into any hospital and pick up a full time position with an over the phone interview. After 2 years they let you transfer to ICU or another critical care setting. Or, if you have the intestinal fortitude and the physical ability- consider the Army. Im typing this from an Army computer in an Army hospital and honestly I LOVE it! Also-you can try the GS sector (army civilian employee. BIG market for nurses there)

It seems as though people want a little more than med surge money. I wouldn't be comfortable trying to raise a family on 50K a year. It seemed to me when I was job shopping that raises came few and far between. I do not want to work the same (or similar) job for 20 ish years to only have my pay go up 10-15K in my working career. As nursing moves towards increased professionalism, with increased education and responsibilities, and can act as a households primary breadwinner; it will attract the type of person who wants to continuously move up in the ranks. I sure do. I love bedside nursing right now and its all I am trained for, but in 3 years or so when the Army says it's time to move up and take more responsibility- I won't hesitate.

I was offered 22.50 with a 50 cent differential for nights. This was in May of 12 in Grand Forks. But that was with the promise of a pay bump after 90 days and again at 1 year. Im currently active duty army but I thought it was a decent deal. The cost of living is actually pretty low there, so I guess it depends on your home life. As a single person living in a normal 1 bed apartment, hell yeah youll be fine. Wife and 2 kids? Not so much. Go east to the twin cities after 2 years and make fatter money in bigger hospitals. (around 40$/Hr last I heard)

From what I've read, 12s aren't bad if in moderation. Such as 3 on 3 off, 2 on 2 off, etc. But I believe when nurses attempt to self schedule 5 12s in a row to get a week off, it becomes dangerous and should be limited. I also believe that if facilities were to make a total shift to 8s the kinks (reporting off, clustering care, etc) could be worked out with practice.

I ran into "The last of the old guard" in nursing school. A 20 year CNM who taught OB. I cant prove it but I never met a male who aced her class and group projects somehow had different grades sometimes.... Haven’t seen it since.

I get that from my wife sometimes. If I evens sound a little frustrated. Based on my Army experience, she has not seen true yelling.

I just put on my ACU top if I get cold. Look up some army surplus cold weather gear. One piece called the "waffle" will keep you super toasty and can be worn under scrub tops easily. Comes in tan, and black. You can also steal an OR/clean disposable over-top if your facilities don't look ridiculous. I dont do the scrub jackets that are clearly cut for females.

North Dakota starts new BSN grads at 23 ish. And it bumps up fairly regularly. Also, you can walk in off the street and have a job on any medsurge unit with full benifits. You can transfer to critical care after about 2 years. But thats working in ND. Many facilities will only hire BSNs in three big ND cities (Fargo, Grand Forks, and Bismark) US Army pays about 50K plus benifits and it goes up from there. But if you join the Army for the money...youre gonna have a bad time....