melissagee

If you plan to go back and redo certain classes, I would opt to take them at a community college due to cost because you will get NO grants as a matriculated student. Search for the reputations of the colleges around you. Not all community colleges are created equal. Take courses at the one that is most well known for science and technology programs. I got lucky in that I chose the one closest to me, but it also happened to have its nursing program based on that of Stanford's and its Chem classes certified by the American Chemical Society, as well as other protections to make certain its graduates were considered valid and viable. I would also be very frank with the admissions counselors once you have these courses under your belt, and you can show them your As in them (hopefully). I would say that I wasn't certain what I had wanted to do as a biology major but that I had gained direction through volunteering (highlight this experience) and that I had taken steps to excel as a nurse. In my case, I also had some life experience to draw on. I have Type 1 Diabetes mellitus (formerly juvenile diabetes). For many years, I was outraged at the care that I received as a patient, so I went into nursing, hoping that I could give better, more understanding care to my patients, especially those battling Diabetes. My mom also had a laminectomy, where I was her primary care giver and driver for almost two years. Almost my whole family battles or has battled some sort of addiction, (except me - I don't even drink caffeine), so I have been that caregiver as well. You would be absolutely SHOCKED at how far life experience will get you in nursing. You just have to be willing to be HONEST about why you want to enter the field. Also, be willing to be rejected by 99/100 places, but know that there is definitely one place where they will see you and say, "THAT'S THE PERFECT FIT!" I keep telling myself this as I'm now applying for my first nursing job (it's much the same process). As far as associates vs. bachelors vs. masters, it all depends on what you want to do and your local job market. There are some places where ASNs have a HORRIBLE time getting hired (S. California and SE PA for instance). It isn't that there are NO jobs in these places for ASNs, it's that there's a glut of new grads, so it's hard to get noticed (see what I said before about honesty). I also wanted to do research, but I first want to get my feet wet with some patient care (hopefully in diabetes, where I also want to do research). It may help to try to tie everything together. What type of research are you most passionate about? Alzheimers? You could try doing geriatric nursing care for awhile and getting experience with sundowning etc. In my opinion, highlighting your life experiences also steers you away from the generic cover letters people are so used to seeing. I was sooo impressed with your university/hospital because they're interested in best practice! Well, yes... but... what does becoming an ASN/BSN/MSN nurse or working at a particular hospital really mean TO YOU? Why does it matter so much to you that best practice is utilized in a certain population? In my case, I battled diabulemia (where women with Type 1 omit insulin to lose weight) for years because a nurse said to me on diagnosis - "Look at you! You were 100 lbs when you came in, and now a week later you're back up to 120!" Wrong thing to say to an 11 year old caucasian girl. I will tell anyone that story, however, because to me, it highlights the exact type of behavior I wanted to ELIMINATE in nursing care of individuals with Type 1 where weight gain in response to rehydration is expected. So back to you - why do YOU want to go to nursing school? Why in your heart of hearts do you want to work in a particular specialty? These are answers that will make your school and job applications NOT generic and generate attention for you, especially once you improve your grades. I wish you the best of luck! Keep your chin up. -M

I wouldn't, mainly because I don't see pregnancy as requiring hospital treatment. I'd want to have my children at home, if I could with an experienced nurse midwife. That's my ultimate dream. What someone else pointed out about being able to read your chart IMO applies also. Additionally, if my coworkers were in my room all the time, I'd worry about their patients. In the end though, it's about your needs, finances, and expectations. Congrats!

So sorry that happened to you; I recall having nightmares about JUST THAT scenario in nursing school. When I was in school, I made spreadsheets (I am very good with excel) to calculate my grades for me. I was then able to calculate exactly how many points I could miss. Of course, I was always under the impression I couldn't miss a single point, but that's another discussion! Have you done this exercise to see where the 0 will put you? Is there any chance possibly at the end of the semester, the teacher might feel you earned an extra point by toughing it out? Basically, I'm asking you what your current average in the class is, how many points remain for the taking, and about the teacher's leadership style and severity, in general, not their reaction to your excuse for missing a test.

Congrats on passing. I didn't pray. I passed in 75, used Hurst, and treated every situation on the NCLEX as a life threatening one and applied what I would do in that critical situation. Had been reading Saunders all through nursing school and KNEW I hated cardiac, so I studied a lot in the area I hated most. For the treating everything like a critical situation, (aka what will kill the patient fastest): if they said they had a patient vomiting - I would ask myself what could cause THE MOST extreme vomiting and what I'd do in that situation THEN look for whatever treatments or diagnoses best matched my hypothesis. If the most extreme vomiting cause wasn't there, my mind hopped to a less extreme cause of vomiting and how I'd treat that. In the end, however, whichever path made it possible for you, is the correct path.

I was that way in nursing school also and had been previously all of my life - this is what I learned in nursing school: #1 Choose your friends wisely. You will likely see a lot of back biting. One of my best friends had a stroke early in our 3rd year (dissected artery - you'll learn about that) and lost much of her cerebellum. Nursing school was very hard for her, so I helped her and supported her through fundraisers etc. Her childhood friends, who were in our class, had the nerve to tell her that she would never have made honor society without me and that she leaned on her stroke to get special treatment. All of this was untrue and motivated by sheer jealousy. Don't let people who lack empathy get you down. They're everywhere, and they're smaller people than yourself. #2 Cover your behind and put yourself first. I had a clinical instructor who regularly would take me aside and say abusive things to me due to some disabilities I have. She would also lock doors and isolate me from my medications and testing supplies (I have type 1 diabetes). I recorded her doing these things with the technology the school required us to have in clinical. My dean wasn't a fan; I didn't care. I didn't get expelled, and I *did* stand up for myself at a meeting between my dean, this instructor, my course liaison and myself. Closely related: sometimes, you will need to pull all-nighters. Sometimes, you'll fall asleep anyway. Be gentle with yourself and forgive yourself for your mistakes and difficulties. You aren't yet a nurse. You can't know everything, and even nurses don't know everything! #3 Show your nursing team you love them each and every day. I'm not kidding. Nursing is a team sport. I'm a little intellectual, so it took me my first rotation to realize this. Nobody gets a prize for being able to answer every question right the first day. People will hold you in greater esteem though if you help them help themselves to be better nurses. Offer to help turn heavy patients. Offer to help do vent care. Offer to help with GI feeds. Help the nurses too. You'll become more familiar and more comfortable with the techniques by repeating the processes, and you'll gain confidence. That's what it's all about. #4 Even if you think you'll never need them, GET LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION FROM EVERY TEACHER YOU HAVE! The new grad programs are requiring these now; it's not just for grad school. Also try to get into class government or your local student nurses association. Looks good on your resume also, which helps you not require AS thick of skin later on when people say - well we have 300 nursing applicants who had ALL the same clinical experience you had, what did you do that was so special? -Then, you can talk about your work with the nurses association, helping out at fundraisers etc. Let your accomplishments lift you up when people try to shove you down. #5 Study groups aren't just for students who need help studying - my study groups were an incredible place for me to safely release the tension and frustration I felt at being an empathetic person in nursing school. It was helpful to see others had issues too and to be able to help them. Especially if you're an empathetic person, I recommend you do study groups. #6 Always strive to learn more than the minimum. It will HELP YOU tremendously. In that vein, buy NCLEX books - I used Saunders, which had a laid out section of each topic and questions. Please don't feel I'm plugging books - I bought mine used on Amazon, and it was an edition old. It served me well though because it allowed me to see what the main points of each system were, to differentiate the nitpicky details from the major ideas when we were in a time crunch. This comes back to confidence. Nursing school, NCLEX tests, and varied patient care methods will make you question your confidence in everything. The best way to have thick skin is to know you're doing the best you possibly can. That's all I can think of right now. I wish you the best, -M

I pulled up one of my old cover letters, so I could post what I'm saying to my potential employers. Dear Ms. XXXXX, The attached resume and documentation is in response to XYZ CARE CENTER's search for a competent, flexible registered nurse, who enjoys patient-care and working pro re nata. As a well-known provider of quality long term and rehabilitation services, I know that you're seeking an individual who is passionate and motivated by positive outcomes, evidence-based care, and teamwork. I am that person. My deep interest in this position stems from a work history with survivors of traumatic brain injury (TBI) for the past four years. In nursing school at LMNO University, I was known as the neuro-endocrine girl, the go-to for clarification of neurological principals of care, as well as those of stroke. Prior to my education at LMNO University, I became certified with Crisis Prevention and Intervention strategies and those of CPR, which are certifications that I maintain. I also obtained certification of nursing research with the National Institute of Nursing Research. My work experience includes delivering care to patients in states of confusion, irritability, and hostility, all of which may be applicable to your patient population. Prior to my experiences at XXX past company, I tutored extensively, which was where I learned how to teach at my patient's level and enrich their understanding. I enjoyed all of these jobs immensely, as well as the job of independent researcher. From that angle, I envision your facility as dynamically refreshing, engaging, and challenging from every vantage: ethical, legal, physiological, psychological, and social. I would, after learning more about your operations, enjoy moving into your rehabilitation unit because I enjoy inspiring and helping people to re-attain function. As a nurse, I'm always happy to teach best practice! I would enjoy the opportunity to expand my knowledge with XYZ CARE CENTER. I find your mission inspiring, and I believe that I will embrace your evidence-based approach to facilitate the positive outcomes and teamwork that are synonymous with your organization. Thank you very much for your consideration, Sincerely, A New Old-Grad Nurse Military Trauma Center Cover Letter: Hospitals are busy and goal-oriented. With that in mind, I offer my briefest, concise cover letter in response to Adagio Hospital's request for a PRN registered nurse in the XXXX, California area. My most recent job was as a PRN Brain Injury Specialist for survivors of traumatic brain injury (TBI), so I'm accustomed to short notice and weekend scheduling that accompanies this position. PRN is a good fit for me, and I enjoy the flexibility and varied experiences that working multiple shifts provides immensely. Employment as a brain injury specialist affords me extensive psychiatric experience, as each of my clients has battled several psychiatric diagnoses and traumas, ranging from schizophrenia to depression, compulsive overeating, anorexia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, sexual abuse, and borderline personality disorder. This offers me experience with staff splitting and manipulation techniques, as well as suicidal statement and safety protocols for clients and the team. In addition to psychological injury responses, each of my clients also experienced physical limitations that influenced their mental and physical health. Some of these were diabetes, hemi-paralysis, asthma, congestive heart failure, contractures, anophthalmia and resulting sensory deprivation, Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and chronic renal disease. To individuals without cognitive deficits from a major brain injury, these conditions would likely have been depressing and distressing. However, on a brain injury unit, assessing and addressing their ramifications was a daily ritual. To that end, I completed four years of crisis prevention and intervention training and used it regularly to assure that minor behavioral situations didn’t escalate and to diffuse already escalated occurrences. One of my chief principles was to build deep rapport with each of my clients, which allowed initial talk-through techniques of the program to work better and avoided physicality. This also reduced the need for intervention by on-call psychiatrists and support staff, especially on the weekends. I learn very quickly and enjoy new experiences and ways of tackling problems. I also enjoy goal setting and helping people to reach their goals, both as a nurse and as a person. If these opportunities are present at Adagio Hospital, that’s where I want to be. I look forward from hearing from you once you’ve satisfactorily reviewed my application for employment. Sincerely, Same New Old Grad as the last letter Another Cover Letter - this one from the view of the care I gave - this is an earlier cover letter and I stopped using the story style, though it is one of my favorites: "Well, the call is yours. I'm not there," my clinical manager said through cold plastic. As a nursing student, I looked at my long-term care patient and summoned everything I didn't yet know about emergency triage. He looked pale, gaunt, and listless, without his usual gruff humor. He didn't touch his juice at dinner and wouldn't drink the cup I brought during his evening routine. Brain injury had destroyed his self-assessment ability, but I knew it wasn't normal for him to swallow mouthwash instead of spit it out, occasionally at me. His temperature was low. I made the call, nervously. Paramedics came. I brought his wheelchair in the lift van and sat with him most of the night as he groaned and sighed that he felt fine. Before his injury, he'd been a lawyer, so we talked politics between IV sticks, temperature monitoring, and the hawkish watch I kept. The diagnosis was septicemia. At the time, I didn't realize how close my patient had come to death. As we studied emergency medicine in my final year of nursing school, I understood, and it terrified me. However, I felt that I had recognized the situation and done what was necessary to save his life. I bring careful, yet basic assessment techniques to XXX MEDICAL CENTER and an eager desire to serve my patient population and improve their lives through ongoing education. I'm committed to learning to be the best nurse that I can be and hoping to find my place in your impressive community. Sincerely, Old New Grad A Cover Letter for Bodynorth: My Contact Info Recruiter's Contact Info Dear Recruiter, The attached resume and documentation is in response to Bodynorth’s desire for a registered nurse focused on safe rehabilitative care. I am very interested in this position because I’ve worked for four years in a facility that addresses the various medical, social, behavioral, and rehabilitative needs of survivors of traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries. I find my patients, (and traumatic brain injury itself), fascinating. I’m particularly interested in neuroplasticity and its utilization in treatment to maximize patient outcomes, reintegration, and recovery. My present job focuses on maximizing survivor functioning in a partial community life through the use of sheltered workshops and business-sponsored programs. However, my patients are maintained in a medical house and don’t return home. Many follow dysphagia precautions, with copious queuing, and some have cervical and psychiatric precautions. Impulsivity and disinhibition are also common at my program, and I have completed Crisis Prevention and Intervention units yearly to address these and assaultive behaviors. I would enjoy the opportunity to expand my knowledge at Bodynorth and see people return to their families. I find your mission and success rate inspiring, and I believe that I will embrace the team approach you value and that I have a record of doing so at University, both as a health mentors liaison and as a tutor. My goal is to exceed your eighty percent rehabilitative return and facilitate positive outcomes that embody teamwork for my clients. I would very much appreciate the opportunity to meet with you and discuss how my experiences might best suit your facility. Sincerely, I was a less old grad back then

FLICURN and TiffyRN thanks for responding! The temp agencies won't take me because I don't have experience as a nurse, just as a brain injury specialist (my official title). My facility refused to hire me on as a nurse, which, combined with the saturated market in the Philadelphia area, was part of the reason moving looked good. When it became clear we were definitely coming here about six months ago, I applied to all of the LTACs (nursing homes) in this area because I didn't think I'd have much of a shot with the hospitals. I didn't know anyone, and I knew it was a tough market here. To this day, I haven't heard back. They also state they PREFER at least a year experience before hiring you, so I'm thinking my applications have fallen into the new grad black hole. I've also emailed HR recruiters directly, but I realize they're busy, and I don't want to be a pest when they don't answer. I also tried the VA because I know there's quite a lot of brain injury coming back from the wars, so I thought they might recognize my experience, but I didn't accrue enough points in their system to warrant an interview. Basically, I'm all out of ideas and frustrated. My fiance agreed to pay my subsidized loans, (the only ones left because I paid the others by working full time at the brain injury rehab and getting 2 scholarships for achievement in nursing school - also on my resume), but I'm already a year out now in May and will be competing with those new grads, so I'm afraid if I don't get a nursing job soon, I'll have to take a refresher course, and I know already I don't have the patience for that, unless they teach phleb and IVs, which I always wanted to MASTER. Other sites I've read say to volunteer, but I'm very gun-shy about taking that liability onto my license. Is this fear unfounded? Carmen says in her book to ALWAYS have personal liability insurance as a nurse, so I didn't really feel it was. This is pushing me away from nursing and toward possibly just staying home and having kids. However, I didn't tutor and graduate with highest honors and pass the NCLEX the first time in 75 questions to NEVER use my license :/ Now, I'm just venting. I'll tell you both if anything happens with all this. Hopefully, also, if I figure out how to get noticed, I can tell other new grads how to as well. Thank you for all of your suggestions -Melissa

I realize I'm going to get quite a few replies of "stop looking! CA is HORRIBLE FOR NEW GRADS!" or "MOVE!" I'm actually licensed in two states with my BSN, (PA and CA), and I can't find work in either. My fiance was just hired on full time as a computer programmer at a huge company, so relocation isn't an option now that we're here. Furthermore, I have Type 1 diabetes and am hypoglycemia unaware, which would make living on my own pretty impossible. I worked for the past four years with individuals who survived traumatic brain injury in a CARF certified facility and have several years of crisis prevention and intervention training (CPI) under my belt, as well as practical experience using it with people with devastating physical and mental impairments. You'd think this might help in my two areas of interest: neuro or pysch-based nursing, but it hasn't. I also have experience in research; I'm very interested in the neuro-endocrine of type 1 and type 2 diabetes and conducted an independent research project on upcoming therapies and interventions for patients with these conditions. I've also tutored for money and philanthropically and enjoyed teaching immensely in the last five years and placed that on my resume, as well. It hasn't helped. Finally, I was involved in leadership, and I was the clinical liaison for my health mentors group at my university, where I facilitated teamwork among medical students, nursing, and occupational therapy. Oh, and I graduated with a 3.92/4.0 while working. NOTHING has helped. I'm a year post grad in May, and I keep getting form rejections, (not even interviews!), and I'm getting very discouraged. I'm not sure what I can do differently or if I'm just approaching the application and drop off your resume and follow up process wrong? I've been following the advice in Nurses, Jobs, and Money by Carmen Kosicek, except she advises meeting with the unit manager, which I felt the unit managers might resent me feeling like they had time to meet with me. Was I wrong? Any advice, (other than leave California), would be appreciated immensely. I am near Irvine.

I forgot to add that I've worked in a residential treatment home for individuals who survived traumatic brain injury (TBI) for the past 3 years, so I've a bit of neuropsych under my belt, just not as a nurse.

Hi everyone, I always thought I wanted to do nursing research (and still do), but I believe that I want to specialize in psychiatric nursing first. I grew up with a mom who was a licensed professional counselor, and I excelled in my psychiatric rotation. It was definitely my largest interest, followed closely by pediatrics. A little more about me: I'm 33 years old, so I don't have time to take years off IMO. Nursing is a second career for me. I graduated from my BSN program in May with a 3.92 GPA and received several scholarships/high honors while there. I was a tutor to much of my class and the liaison for our interdisciplinary program combining med students, OT, PT, and nursing with the goal of aiding a patient in the community with a chronic health condition. I was accepted into a MSN, but I decided the track wasn't a good fit for my ultimate goals. Now, I'm looking for a psychiatric NP program, but I don't want to take the GRE or submit letters of reference. Does anyone know of any fitting these stipulations? I appreciate any help that you can offer me so much! -Melissa