tcdtx

WOW...I'm so glad I found this thread. I've been an RN for a year and a half. I was diagnosed at 21, after my first semester of nursing school. I stuck with it, having flares at each semester final's time. I am now 26, taking Rebif, and have not had a flare in over a year. I'll have my Bachelor's in May 2008, and will continue to earn my Masters in Nursing Education. I work at an LTAC hospital, which is pretty physically demanding, until I was promoted to charge nurse....it's much easier on my body. No one I work with knows I have MS. I know I won't be able to do bedside nursing forever; and that's why I'm continuing my education now, while my MS is not giving me many problems.

Where was your charge nurse when you were drowning?? I always help out when I'm available.

8-12 weeks sounds more like an internship, which is recommended and usually the only way to get into a specialty area. I went right into working on my Bachelor's degree after my Associate's RN, so I didn't have time for a preceptorship. I went to work for a hospital, that once I went through hospital-wide orientation, I was assigned to work with an experienced nurse. They told me I could orient with her for about 6 weeks, then they'd re-evaluate my needs. I only orientated with her for 3 weeks, and I was ready to go to the floor. The nurse who orientated me was wonderful. She started with giving me one patient, and built me up to 6 patients as my comfort and confidence increased. Good luck!

NO! It's not like that everywhere you go. I work at a great small hospital, and yes we have our few people that don't get along as well as others, but for the most part we're a strong team. I hired on there as a new nurse, and I've never felt that anyone was out to "throw me under the bus". Everyone was wonderful in assisting me to learn the ropes and those who weren't, well I stayed away from them...lol. Don't let anyone's negative take on things keep you from pursuing a career in nursing. Good Luck!!

I work at an LTAC in Ft Worth. Our typical nurse:patient ratio is 1:5 or 1:6. We also have a Direct Observation Unit (patients with vents, etc) and their ratio is 1:2. I would find out from the hospital. We've had nurses come from LTAC's who have much higher ratios, which is not a good situation to be in. LTAC patients have multiple medical problems (diabetes, non-healing wounds, cardiac issues, etc), their diagnosis list is typically long for each patient. May I ask which LTAC you're going to work for?

Sounds like Mr. Pyxis Man was just trying to freak you out. The silly thing is a computer, and computers mess up all the time. Plus, they're stocked and programmed by humans....and well, nobody's perfect. No worries. ~T:Crash:

I work 36 and get paid for 40. That's only because I'm on the "weekend plan" (Fri-Sun). I cannot use PTO to make the 36 and still get paid for 40, though. ~T

Couldn't have said it better myself. I work LTAC and it can get tough. We all back each other up as well as back up our CNA's. Anyone not being a "team player" doesn't last long . I worked way too hard for those letters behind my name to not do a good job at work. It's called work because you're supposed to work....wow! I wish I could get paid for socializing...haha. Maybe find a way to gently bring up the importance of teamwork at the next staff meeting without being so specific. But just bringing it up puts the "bug" in the director/supervisor's ear that maybe something needs to be monitored a little further. Good Luck to you!! ~T

I saw that on the news the other night. Notice, they're always discovering things are bad for us? I just roll my eyes and pour another coke...lol.

Go for it girl!! There are a lot of job opportunities in nursing. There is always room to grow, specialize, etc. I'm an RN in north Texas. I started at $19 right out of school...and recieved a decent raise after my first year. Plus, there are shift differentials at the hospital I work at (after 3pm, nights, weekends). The hospital I work at is in Ft. Worth....I live in Wise County and the hospitals in the smaller towns north of the metroplex, the pay is lower. I am going back to school to specialize, but I feel that I can be completely self-sufficient where I am right now.

I used the Kaplan NCLEX review book. It was about $35 at Barnes and Noble. It had a lot of practice questions, practice tests on CD, rationales, and test-taking tips. Good Luck!! ~T

Wow Dusty, thanks....it's nice to get an "insider's opinion" on those things. I would never work for a MHMR, not my thing. I get enough geriatric psych in LTAC...lol.

Denton State School. We toured the facility when I was in RN school. They had great benefits, etc.

:yeahthat:I have to agree with ya. There's a little bit of something for everyone in Texas.

:balloons::balloons::balloons: CONGRATS TO YA!! Feel free to private msg me any questions. I don't mind. Just be ready to put a lot of time into studying.......that's the best advice I can give. No need to worry about how many people finished as opposed to how many started...etc. Just as in anything, people start that don't finish, and that's all there is to it. I don't disagree with all the hard work they made us do, I think I'm a better nurse for it. Good luck to you!! ~T