MiraRose

No the nursing instructor did not just walk into a patient's room to find the student trying to pour a carton of milk into the chest tube after being told by the nurse to go "milk the tubing..." :rotfl:

I am relocating to Denver in about 3 weeks. I was debating between Denver, Colorado Springs, and Boulder. I agree with the Springs being too conservative, and Boulder was a little too expensive for a new grad. I just landed a job at a Centura facility, now all I have left is to find an apartment. Any suggestions on what part of Denver is best? :Melody:

Not everyone is cut out for supervising. 1:1 sitting won't challenge you intellectually. There are a lot of healthcare positions out there in between 1:1 and supervising. Have you considered going back to school? There are so many medical jobs out there. You could be a med tech (CNA's with more education that pass out meds), an x-ray technician, a nurse, a therapist, you name it. Talk to your facility and they may even pay for your tuition. Good luck. :Melody:

Glad to hear that Porter is a good hospital. It is funny that you mention Exempla, I just got a call from St. Joseph's Hospital and got scheduled an interview. Good luck with your interview! :Melody:

I just graduated last week from the University of Maine nursing program in Orono. As far as clinical experience goes, you have 3 med/surg clinicals, a peds/maternity/ob, a mental health, and community. Each one of those clinicals were 84 hours each. You also have a preceptorship at a hospital your final semester and you must get 200 hours before your are allowed to graduate. I got plenty of experience and feel very well prepared. As far as professors go, they are all very well educated but some of them are not very helpful when it comes to things like helping you figure out how to apply for the NCLEX exam for example. Hope this helps anyone thinking of applying at UMO. :Melody:

Thanks for the info. I will probably steer away from Medical Center of Aurora. Does anyone know anything about Centura Hospitals? Specifically Porter Adventist? :Melody:

I currently live in Bangor, Maine (which is one of the "big" cities for Maine). You mentioned Presque Isle, which I have also lived. When you get into northern Maine(called Aroostook County) like Presque Isle you will find that it is a different culture. Many people are from Canada and they are about the nicest people you will ever find. However, Presque Isle is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. If you want a small town by the coast with a good cost of living, check out the Machias/Lubec area. Camden/Rockport is also VERY nice but you pay for it. Maine is a very spread out state and if you are looking to get away from the big cities, it is the place for you. Hope this helps. :Melody:

I am a new grad and am relocating to Denver, CO. I have had interviews at Swedish Medical Center and Medical Center of Aurora. If I happen to get offered a job at both, does anyone have any thoughts on which hospital is better to work at? When I mean "better", I am talking about new grad orientation, staffing, atmosphere? Thanks. :)