KayceeLeeRN

I'm hoping someone can help me decide where to go from here. I'm currently working part time (3 days/week) in an ambulatory setting and I have a one year old I'd like to be home with more. I enjoy my job, it's low stress. However, we've had lot of trouble with arranging child care bc my work days vary so much. I have no choice in making my schedule. I'm interviewing for a per diem med/surg float pool. With this I can work one 12 hr shift on the weekend when my husbands home and be home with the baby all week. We would never worry about childcare again, and I would essentially be a stay at home mom. The trade off is working med surg again 👎 There is no perfect answer, I know. Just hoping to hear some ideas on how other moms do it. Thanks!

I'm very interested in becoming an IBCLC. However, my nursing background is not in maternity and I currently do not work in this area. So which pathway do I take? I was thinking I have to go with pathway 3 and get a mentor. Is this correct? What are my options? Also, does anyone know the job outlook for the NYC area? I would hate to spend my time and money only to find there are no jobs out there. Would I have a hard time obtaining employment without maternity nursing experience? Would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks!

Hello all, I'm trying to decide if I should accept a position... This is a unit within my hospital that is being called a "transitional care unit" ...essentially a subacute rehab floor. My nursing background is med/surg and telemetry, very high acuity patients. I have never worked in this type of area so I'm not sure what to expect. What kind of patients will I have? Will they be as sick/heavy in care as the med/surg pts? I was told the nurse/pt ratio will be 1:10. That scares me a little.. I never had more then 6 on tele and 8 on med/surg. Is this reasonable? Thank you in advance

I'm trying to make the best decision for my family. I am pregnant with my first baby and I currently have a low stress job part time (8 hr shifts) 3 days/week in ambulatory surgery. I have weekends and holidays off. It's pretty nice. I only have 6-8 weeks of leave to stay home with baby. I'm worried about going back to work 3 days/week with a baby that young. So I applied for and was offered a per diem position on a sub acute unit my hospital. This will be only one 12hr shift/week. I could work a weekend shift and the baby could be home with my husband. However, I would be leaving behind a job I like that is low stress for a much more demanding floor. But it's only ONE SHIFT! I could essentially be a stay at home mom the rest of the week. What is best for a new mom/baby?? Thank you in advance for advice.

Thank you for all the info! So, it sounds a lot like a regular tele unit to me (just especially for the open hearts). They also have separate tele units though...I guess I'll have to wait to hear more about it from them! The ICU enviornment sounds so much more interesting to me...I want to learn about all those gtts, lines, caths, and vents! It seems very difficult to get into an ICU with only med/surg experience though. I'm hoping (if I get this position) that it will be great experience and a closer step towards an ICU. Thanks again!

thank you so much :)

Hello- I'm an RN with 4 1/2 years heavy med/surg experience in a large teaching hospital. I'm looking into a position at a smaller community hospital's open heart unit. They advertised the position as an IMC unit, but he nurse recruiter told me this is the open heart unit., but they also have a separate CTICU. First question- can anybody tell me what the differences might be between the "open heart" IMC and the CTICU? Second- Do you think 4 1/2 yrs on med/surg is sufficent to go into an open heart unit? I have no tele or ICU experience. But they have a good (3 months or more) orientation. I'm really interested in expanding my skills and I've always been drawn to critical care. Thank You!

Hello all- I'm a med/surg nurse with 4 years experience and I'm very interested in transferring into critical care. I have applied to a few positions that have advertised the requirements as being "at least 1-2 years med/surg experience" only to find that they will not consider me because I have no ICU experience. One nurse recruiter told me that I'm better off going into telemetry first and then I would have a better shot getting into ICU. I'm becoming frustrated beacuse I am a good nurse and I have a hunger to learn more, I know I could do well if they would just give me a chance! I hear of new grads getting into programs in the ICU all the time. Why won't they take a good, solid experienced med/surg nurse?? I have some tele experience, but I'm definitely not a pro. I guess my question is, should I try to get on a tele unit first?

I was very interested in Chamberlain and it seems like a lot of you are in the program and enjoy it. However, I've found that the advisor I've been dealing with has been very "sales-pitchy" with me, and now I'm kind of turned off. The school is very expensive and I really want to take my time making an informed decision. He called me numerous times and sent me several emails staing I was "expected" to complete the financial forms within a certain time period. Um, sorry, but I'll fill them out when I'm ready, thanks. I'm guessing that they get a commission if they get you enroll by the next start date, because he's pushing me to enroll for the next start date this April. Maybe I don't care if I start in April, or may..or June. Maybe I'll start when I feel ready. He also kept making it sound like I was getting such a great deal because I got 80 transfer credits off the bat, but the website says right there that ALL RN's from ADN programs get 80 cr. transfered! Geeeshh...I haven't had this kind of experience with any other school, makes me not want to go there!!

Would love to hear from anyone who has gone through or is currently enrolled in Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) online RN-BSN program. It's on the top of my list, but I haven't heard enough about it from other students. Thanks!

Hi, I'm going absolutly crazy over here reseaching online RN-BSN programs...I'm getting a little dizzy now I'm pretty interested in Indiana Wesleyan University and Chamberlain. Chamberlain seems quick and painless, but quite expensive. I would love to hear from current/past students from either school Thank you!!!

Hello all...I'm new to searching for a distance learning program and I feel so lost! There are sooooo many out there, it seems all so confusing!! Does anyone have some good recommendations? I would like something reasonably priced and doesn't require STATISTICS!!!

I'm sorry that I opened this can of worms. As the thread's title states I did not want to bash M.A.'s , and I don't think anyone here has. However I don't think the discussion can go anywhere productive from here. Feel free to close it. No, actually...please close it?

Very nicely put.

Very sad that she feels that way. I'm not sure that she feels that way because of nurses though. She has never worked with any, and I certainly do not intend to make her feel that way (you can read the title to my post). In fact, I try to avoid ever conversing about work or being a nurse when I'm not at work! I actually think she feels that way because of the attitudes of doctor's she worked with. She has worked at many offices and she has been treated like a servant at all of them by the MD's (as she explains). I can see that this could make her feel not so proud of her title. I continue to push her towards P.A. school. Funny, we must come from the same place. Thank you for finally posting a reply that focused on my question. However, I must ask you to think about how you would feel if someone you knew constantly regarded themselves as an M.A. but had never been one in any way, shape or form. How would you handle that? Because that is what I am asking.