hardkorthree

I figured I would post an update. About two weeks ago, I officially began working as a medical/surgical nurse at a small hospital in Indiana. The hospital actually owns the nursing home in which I previously worked, so I was still inside the company system. I am still unsure of what my future holds, but this is the first foot that I have been able to get inside before it slams shut.

I guess I should clarify on this "support". Your average support might just be great support from where I am coming from. I'm not looking for a ton, I come from a factory where I worked 75 hours a week every single week.. I've worked every single weekend for probably 25 straight weeks at the nursing home I work at, and that will continue to be the case. So "outstanding out of this world support" for me would be 36-40 hours a week in 12 hour shifts with an occasional weekend off so I can run a marathon again, attend a sporting event, or try to learn how to ice skate/play hockey. A hospital would provide more of a challenge in my career.

Thank you for the advice. I can see how hospitals have been burned by the new grad that stays for a year and leaves. I'll keep that in mind as I apply for future jobs, as that might have been one of my flaws in previous cover letters and interviews. However, I believe I would stay at a location a long time, as long as they provided great support for my career, life outside of work, and had advancement opportunities. Most of my family and friends live nearby, but I believe I could be able to explain how I've wanted to relocate away from home for the location, sports teams, and people.

Quick Background- I graduated in April of 2013 as a BSNRN male student with a 3.67 gpa from a top nursing school in Indiana. Couldn't find a job in three months, so I took a job at a nursing home. I don't mind it, but I would really like to challenge myself and work in a hospital. I've applied for hospitals across Indiana and Ohio, thinking that with my recent experience I might finally get calls, but only three calls. One, I absolutely froze on. One, I did well, but was told I didn't have the experience. I'm hoping I can get a 2nd interview at a great hospital this coming week, but I'm not sure I will get called back for one. I'm willing to move across the country, heck I'll move to Canada to work in a hospital. Any recommendations for states that are really needing nurses? Pay's not a big deal for me. I wouldn't care if they only paid me 15 dollars an hour. How would you recommend going about this? Just relocate and hope for the best? Apply for license, and then start applying for the hospitals even though I live across the country?

Throughout college, I swear I was taught to "re-orient" all confused patients. I started working as an RN at a nursing home, and I pretty much extensively follow through with the creative fibbing approach for many patients now. For the patients that say they are heading home a couple times a week, I tell them I need to call the doctor for the final order to go home and that they should get their bags ready. For the resident that wants to ride the bus, I take her to her room and set her down in her recliner and say the bus will be there in 5 minutes. For one resident, she was taste-testing home-made pudding instead of taking medication. It's weird, because I would have the same conversation every time I tried to get her to take the medications.

I have an agility/physical exam on Monday, kind of scares me a little bit even as a male. I am 6 feet tall and weigh 145 pounds. I get a ton of flack as I am really weak physically, but I have always preferred running to lifting. It's kind of hard to motivate myself to lift even after my short runs of 7-8 miles a day as I am training for a marathon. Hope I pass this test, as I rejected another job offer to work here, also don't have any other offers that look to be coming any time soon lol.

I graduated as one of the top members in my class, mainly because I studied 2-3 times more than anybody else by locking myself in my room. I decided not to get a CNA's license, because a local factory was giving me 72 hours a week during my summer and winter breaks. Now, I can't get any bites as a registered nurse. My parents recommend I go get a Master's degree right now, however I have to believe any kind of experience is needed for now.

Just want to start by saying I was a good student- 3.67 GPA, sigma theta tau, but couldn't find a job as a new grad RN in 3 months. I have sent over 100 applications out, had a couple bad interviews, so I started applying for nursing homes. So, I drove 6 hours to interview at a nursing home. I get asked one question and the rest of the interview consists of them trying to sell me to the nursing home and get offered a job on the spot pressured into signing papers as a "3rd shift floating nurse". Asked 2-3 times what the nurse staffing looks like, but they skirt around the question. I get one week of training (no experience as a CNA or RN). I accept offer a day later asking if there are any nurses to help me in gaining skills- I am then moved to second shift to work with another nurse on a unit rather than being by myself on third, but no description of number of patients.. It sounds like I was moved from 50 on 3rd to now 25 on 2nd shift The nursing home looked decent, owner is actively involved, administrators been there a long time, no mention of floor nurse experience, good ratings online. 40 hours a week, no holidays off, overtime very possible. I worked at a factory last summer putting in 72 hours a week, so no problem as long as adequately staffed. I come home and talk to my parents about it.. I tell them about the red flags (overtime could be mandated maybe they are understaffed, job offer after a freebie question, sounds like they just hired 4 new nurses, 5 day orientation, but they say I'm being negative. I was pretty much forced to call back the next day to accept as I am being threatened to be kicked out Questions- Are there good sites online to rate nursing homes? Second, is it possible to get into a hospital as an RN after a year experience at a nursing home Third, is there a risk to your license if it turns out to be unsafe? I'd be stuck for 6 months to a year with my apartment lease Fourth, what would be an acceptable patient ratio in your mind?