DnCali

The person who did this should be terminated. This is immature and unprofessional.

Hi! I live in west LA. I rent a 2/2 apartment for $3400.00 a month. It does not include water or utilities. I have been a nurse for 23 years and have my BSN. I make 56.90/hr at a magnet hospital. Traffic is bad here, taxes high, and everything is expensive!

I just switched from days to nights in January. I simply told my manager that it would fit my lifestyle better at the moment. There was an open position, and I moved into it in less than a month. I think in general that management is used to this type of request. I have worked both shifts, but at this time I prefer nights for my life.

Location: Los Angeles, CA Experience: 10 years LPN, 13 years RN, BSN Speciality: Oncology Hospital: mid size community, union pay: $56 hr differentials: $4.25 night week day/$6.60 night weekend

Cowboyardee, I disagree with your conclusion that nursing education is failing because a BSN can not identify certain rhythms on a monitor. Once a nurse enters a speciality area they usually acquire more specialized knowledge through on the job training and training classes provided by unit based educators. When I worked on a cardiac step down unit, I was required to take hospital sponsored classes and competency exams/check offs related to tele. Nursing programs are there to provide a broad base and set the new nurse up as a novice. It is through practice and learning that becoming a competent provider is achieved. When I became a bone marrow transplant nurse; I learned most of the competencies and specifics about this complicated process and the diseases BMT treats, through hands on and educational requirements provided by the unit. Just because one has a BSN does not mean the individual has in depth knowledge for all specialities. I reflect on Benner's stages of clinical competency...with many years of experience, I was a novice when I started oncology and BMT.

Maple syrup urine disease...I actually took care of babies with this very rare syndrome. It is true the urine smelled sweet!

Keeping it simple...NO!

You can get a job with ADN in LA. I found a good job at USC in urgent care and was offered a job in dialysis with only my associate degree. I had several years of experience so keep this in mind. I did get my BSN in 2014 and moved on to a good hospital that only hired BSN. If you don't mind taking jobs that may not be your dream job while working on BSN then I think you will be fine. Many hospitals such as providence and MLK will hire you but require a BSN within a specified time frame. Small community hospitals like Olympia hire new grad ADN a lot!

Mistakes like this do happen and I have seen it before. I have never seen anyone get suspended for it but rather counseled. I think there must be other reasons that they have suspended you. I know that all the employers I have dealt with in the past 12 years do a comprehensive background check by a 3rd party. They verify employment dates, send e-mail reference forms to former managers and co-workers, and are very thorough. I guess, I would keep it to myself and hope it blows over but learn from my mistake. I also would do a self evaluation to determine if there is more to this than this isolated incident...then I would work diligently to rectify the situation.

This just sounds very unrealistic. The pay may sound very enticing, but between taxes and insane cost of living, you won't be bringing home what you think. I live in SoCal, but my daughter and a friend lived in SF.....for a super tiny, no amenities studio they paid over $2000.00 a month! Your travel expenses and lodging alone make it not worth it. It is easy to romanticize over living in SF and working a dream job--but seriously it won't be dreamy when you experience the high cost of living first hand. I certainly would not do this!

I work on a high acuity BMT unit. All the patients are required daily showers and CHG baths. They all have central lines. We, the nurses, do all the IV wraps. I have to wait a few minutes to give meds often...but that is what it comes down to in non-emergency, but still urgent meds, a few minutes delay and saving me from situations like yours! As it always happens, patient is ready to shower at the most inconvenient times....but I always pause a quick minute, wrap that IV, and be done with it. I have been a nurse 20 years...I learned long ago that is faster and more efficient to bang out the little things... Me? I would have wrapped the IV in the time it took you to hunt the CNA down on her break. I often empty urinals, commodes, emesis basins, etc...teamwork, it is all about teamwork!

Location: Southern California Experience: BSN 2014, ADN 2005, LPN 1995 Speciality: Oncology Pay: $55.44/hr $2.50 wend diff day shift Cost of living: $2850 month 2/2 apartment

Move on. It is not worth the time or energy.

You can do this! I agree with using Kaplan.

I received an insulated cup with the hospital logo...I liked it :) Happy Nurses weeK!!!!!!

I often get asked by my co-workers how many patients I have or if I have any admits.....we all ask each other this. It helps us get a sense who may need help if we get any down time with our own patients. I certainly wouldn't e-mail management over this...then again I have developed some fairly thick skin in this business! Sometimes you have to let the little fires burn or you will be consumed.

According to Patricia Benner's novice-expert stages, I would find it hard for anyone to be at the competent level in a year. Typically, it takes 2-3 years in the same area for a nurse to reach the level of competent. I have been a nurse for over 20 years and have served as a preceptor in all the positions I have held. While experienced nurses gain competency faster (usually), it does take new grads a few years to reach that stage. As for advice on taking a management job with a year's experience....I personally would not. I have noticed that generally, the more respected nurse managers, have a good deal of experience under their belt. Of course, all circumstances are different, and this may be great for you! Good Luck!

This sounds terrible and highly stressful! I would look for something else. It is normal to feel overwhelmed when you are a new nurse....but again, this seems like too much!

It is not in the policy of any of the hospitals I have worked at, for a PIV (unless it is a vesicant or irritant). It would cause more harm, as others have mentioned, to keep placing IVs every time we did not draw blood back. Just because you do not draw blood back on a PIV does not indicate it is improperly placed.

If you like having a roof over your head and food in the fridge; I suggest you suck it up and go to work. I get anxious to go sometimes (and I am 20 years in), but I am ok once I get there. My employer would not allow call ins for over a month. I hope all works out.

I am licensed here in California and graduated in 2005. It is NOT that you must be graduated by 2003, but rather enrolled in the program by December 5, 2003. You must maintain enrollment with no gaps. Potentially, if you enrolled by this date and kept up your enrollment, you would be allowed in California when you graduated....regardless of the graduation date. Besides this clause, there is no other way. The information is on the boards web site and Excelsior's as well. California has become very picky.

City of Hope has an excellent new grad program. If you are interested in Oncology then it may be of interest to you. It is about 30 minutes outside of LA. They do require that you have a bachelor's degree.

I would also like to add that I believe nursing should evolve to keep up with current trends. We want to be recognized as professionals but have set the bar way lower than our counter parts (PT, OT, etc.). Not only are nursing schools, nursing organizations, and boards of nursing propelling the BSN as entry along BUT employers are the biggest driving force. Employers should support and assist in funding ADN nurses to obtain their BSN. I think a reasonable time frame should be offered and those nurses not willing should be placed in open positions where they may not need a BSN (such as a clinic) or they should seek employment elsewhere. Those nurses set to retire within a specified time frame (say 6-8 years), should be allowed to complete their service without adhering to this requirement. These are my opinions only. Eduction is a positive thing!

Here in Los Angeles you will be hard pressed to find a hospital job with an ADN. That is the reason I went back to finish my RN-BSN. My hospital only hires BSN and it states that on their web site. Personally, I think we need to raise the educational level for nursing. I have worked as all levels LPN, ADN, and BSN.....we are moving toward a higher educational level as entry, regardless of our own personal opinions. Employers are forcing this movement forward.

It is not horrible and certainly not toxic, but it is however annoying to hear negative comments about several people....I shall continue to stay focused and ignore her. As another suggested, I shall try to not schedule myself when she is there.