goldpk

Thank you! I ended up re-scheduling and will take it in July now. I appreciate all of that advice. Congratulations again! Good luck with everything.

Massage the day before sounds like a GREAT idea

Congratulations!!! Thanks for sharing some of your NCLEX suggestions. What were some of the major content areas you studied? I feel like I am weakest in pharmacology but have prioritizing care and delegation down. Did you really only study for 3 weeks? I am scheduled to take the NCLEX Saturday but I'm starting to get discouraged with my practice test scores and I just don't feel that confident. I have been studying steadily for about 2 weeks, took the HESI exit exam 5 weeks ago and got a 959. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks again.

Thanks for the post! You've given a lot of good information here. I am scheduled to take NCLEX this Saturday but I'm starting to doubt my readiness and thinking about re-scheduling. I've been studying steady for about 3 weeks but took the HESI exit exam about 5 weeks ago and got a 959. Any advice on how long I should study? Should I reschedule?

Wishing you the best of luck

I had an interview back in late March. I was offered the position 2 days later and would be told HR would be contacting me to complete further requirements/paperwork/etc. The manager that interviewed me and offered me the job said to call her within a week if I'd not heard anything from them. I did. She said "I just talked to her today about you! She'll be calling you soon." Still no call. Two weeks later I contacted the same person again and explained there is a probably with the system - the position I interviewed for has not been "approved" so it's not in the system - hence her hiring me into central staffing to transfer me into the position when it's available (she said it could take up to 6 weeks for the position to be "approved"). What's going on here? Did I honestly get the job? I'm starting to worry because I'm about to graduate and I'm really betting on this job and if something falls through I'll be devastated, it's really where I want to work. Or am I overreacting? What should I do? Any advice would be so helpful. Thanks for reading

Good luck!

Thanks HouTx! Hopefully with an adequate preceptorship it won't be too overwhelming...

I'm still in nursing school but will graduate in May. I've been applying to lots of positions and got an interview at a big medical facility that I'd love to work for. The RN position I interviewed for is on a new floor and the positions haven't been approved yet. So the interviewer offered me a position in 'central staffing' because she said she liked me. She said this way I could get used to other units and get a lot of experience. She said when I found a unit that I really like all I have to do is apply for a full-time position (if one is open) and I'd most likely get the position. Is this true? How does central staffing work? I know the position is full time but will I constantly feel like I'm out of my comfort zone or visiting other units? Any insight on this would be greatly appreciated. I don't want anything sugar-coated I want to know what I'd be getting myself into. Thanks in advance!

That's so exciting! Congratulations! I actually just got offered a full time with benefits RN position for central staffing at a big, respected medical center here in Little Rock. I couldn't be more thankful. I guess it really helps to apply ahead of the masses. Any advice for new RN grads - apply for RN positions ahead of the game! Lots of facilities are willing to work with new grads and know you can't actually start work till you graduate and get a temporary license. Thank you everyone for your advice!

Thanks! Glad to know I'm not alone. Maybe I need to move to SC! Have you been sending out resumes and applying? Any word back from any applications? Hopefully you can find work at the Health Dept. Good luck with your hunt!!! :)

I'm about to graduate this May with my ADN and I'm starting to get really nervous about landing my first RN position... I live in Arkansas and although the market for new RNs is tough, I don't think it's as tough as everywhere else in the country and think I have a fair shot. I've been working as a nursing assistant since last year and I've been invited for induction into the honor society for my class. I've applied for one residency (but it's a Magnet hospital and they prefer BSNs so I'm trying not to get my hopes up). The hospital where I work only hires BSNs as new grads but will consider ADNs if we're current employees but it's not "guaranteed" ... I've heard a lot of people talk about applying for jobs way before graduation but how? On a lot of sites it asks if you have an RN license and I have to say no (because I don't have one... yet) then I'm out of the running for the position? I feel totally helpless! I don't want to wait until I graduate to get a job because I need work ASAP. Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!!!

Hi everyone! I'm getting ready for my last semester of nursing school which makes me pretty nervous. Our critical care rotation is no joke (or so I've heard) and I've already lost a lot of friends from failing out of the program. We had an assignment over the break... Complete (and record) a 5-7 minute head-to-toe assessment with a partner (which I've done) then document a narrative head-to-toe assessment just as you would in a chart. This is the part I'm not sure how to go about ...I would ask my instructor but he's pretty intimidating and they're going to give us "extensive feedback" on the narrative so I just want my first shot to be really good try. Any advice? How long should it be? What points need to be addressed? Thanks in advance!

We have different labs, we have 'skills lab' and 'sim lab' in skills lab we usually practice skills on each other (or on a fake arm, mannequin... skills like BP, respirations, HR, IVs, giving meds, sterile dressing, Foleys) then in sim lab we go through different scenarios without any help from instructors, giving meds, changing dressings, etc. My favorite part is with the sim man (this really expensive mannequin that talks and breathes and can actually die) we are put in a situation where we have to use the crash cart and "call" a doctor to order meds, etc. That parts fun because we work together to try and figure it out then afterwards talk about what we did wrong/right. Clinical is a completely different ball game... typically we get one patient. We go up to the hospital to get meds/labs on the patient then do a lot of paperwork before the actual clinical day. Then we either have two 6-hour days or one 12-hour day a week. We basically do everything the RN does (only with our instructor present) this includes giving meds, starting IVs, foley catheters, etc. We help out the CNAs with vitals, bed baths, etc. Basically anything you can find to do you do it. It's a lot of fun and my favorite part of nursing school altogether although the paperwork is stressful because we don't have a lot of time to finish it before the actual clinical day and there is a LOT of stuff to do, especially the meds. At the nursing home my patient would have 20+ meds I'd have to reserach and put on my med sheet (brand name, generic name, type of med, side effects, etc.) that takes awhile. Labs and clinicals are the FUN part of nursing school... class on the other hand, that's where it can get tough and where a lot of students don't measure up. The trick is to balance the both. It can be done, you just have to want it! When you're in nursing school your life is nursing school. Good luck and congrats!