cicf2005

It's my last day of clinical tomorrow and I want to bring in some food for the staff. Would you rather have people bring in bagels, doughnuts, or something else? I feel like doughnuts have been done so many times and that people are just tired of them in general. Is that true? Also, everyone seems to be on a diet and I want people to eat my food too!! If not bagels or doughnuts, what type of food do you suggest I bring in to a clinic? Thanks!

If you go on idealist.org, you can search for health related volunteer opportunities abroad. A lot of the places welcome medical students so I imagine a nurse will be an asset to the community, as long as you are willing to learn. I agree that something like Doctors without Borders or Int'l Red Cross needs experience but there are so many smaller clinics or organizations abroad that have programs willing to train those who are interested and can use the extra people. I am also about to graduate from school this summer and am interested in international health. I have been searching that site for some opportunities - so far, I've found some really promising ones. Some of the opportunities are cheap too, you just need to look at the details. I actually did a volunteer opportunity in Mexico last year (not in healthcare though) and I found it on idealist.org so many of the organizations are valid and not just some made up place trying to trick foreigners of their money. I hope that helps and good luck searching for a program!

How can you tell if a hospital is good to their new nurses? I've been on several interviews but HR and the nurse managers always seem so nice and supportive. I would love to talk to the staff during the shift but how do I go about doing that? Do I excuse myself from the Nurse Manager and speak to them separately? How do I get an honest opinion about a particular unit? I've seen so many posts here about having a horrible first experience and I don't want that to happen to me!

Thank you all for the advice! It definitely made it much easier to decide on the full-time night shifts with no regrets. I was really worried about the learning experience but I'm glad to hear that I will learn just as much on the night shift. I was already leaning towards that position as I like the concept of 12 hour straight shifts and also that one is on a med/surg oncology floor (although the NM said 1/2 the patients are respiratory) so I thought I would learn more. There was a little doubt in my head though because I wasn't sure about the learning experience on the night shift but after all the replies, I have no more doubt in my mind! The rotating shifts one is on a surgical floor and the shifts would change every 4 weeks. I was considering it because it is in a more recognized hospital and it is located in a safer area but I think there are too many negative points (rotating 8 hr. shifts, it would be harder to schedule with my school, and it was a surgical floor which I think might be too limiting for a first job). Thank you all again for your great replies! I really appreciate the time you all took in answering my question.

I am a new grad and am deciding between two jobs (different hospitals). One is 12 hour night shifts (7p - 7a) but no rotating shifts. The other one is 8 hr days/nights/evening rotations. I am a person who values good sleep so I would rather work the night shift and working 3 days a week sounds great to me. However, since I am a new grad, I also heard that you don't learn as much since the patients are asleep and that there is also less support. Is it true that I wouldn't learn as much working on the night shift? Would it be better to take the job with rotating shifts so I can gain better experience? The other alternative would be to look for a full-time days job but I know that would be impossible to find as a new grad. Full-time evenings (3-11) don't work so well for me either as I take classes in the afternoon 3 x a week. Thanks in advance for any advice

I will be graduating this year and have several interviews set up. I am just wondering, would a surgical floor be a good place for a new grad to start? Or, is this too limiting? Would a medical floor be better? I wanted a general med/surg floor but all the floors seem so specialized. The other interview I have set up is for a med/surg oncology floor. Thank you all in advance for any advice!!