tash14

Hi! I am a new grad (graduated in May with my BSN), passed NCLEX this month. I have been looking for RN positions & am having a hard time finding anything in my area. I may have to drive an hour away from home just to work. I have been a CNA at our local hospital for 2 years & applied to many new grad positions that the corporation offered & did not get a single one. I truly feel burnt out working at the hospital & would like to not work in a hospital. My passion is pediatrics & there are no pediatric units around here. Unfortunately, my husband & I cannot move yet, but we will be moving once we become more financially stable. I would love to work as a school nurse or in a pediatric clinic. It seems like it is hard to find a RN job in our area because the corporation that I am working for now is taking over every hospital & clinic here & they want you to be trained in their residency program. My question is this: what else can I do or go into while I am waiting to become financially stable to move? Home health/private duty want a year of experience, so that is out of the question as well. Thank you for any suggestions.

juliegrace: I knew what to expect this time around...I honestly thought that NCLEX was making up medications (I only had 1 medication) because nothing was making sense to me. I actually left the place feeling like I failed when the first time I didn't have that feeling. My friend told me that if I took the first test in 265 questions & this one in 75 questions, that I passed. I had to have a lot of friend reassure me the 2 days following my test. I would never go home & research the question/answer...that would just freak me out more. I thought of it like this: I took the test. What's done is done & there is no turning back. Just learn from your previous experience & change your studying habits if need be. I hope you passed!

I apologize for not responding sooner....I have been at work the last few days. Thank you to all for the congratulations! Now, I need to find a job! I wish my husband & I could just pack up & move to an area that has a lot of RN positions, but financially we can't at the moment. I have been working as a CNA for the past 2 years at the local hospital but did not get hired on my floor or any floor for that matter. Oh well...I just think that not being hired was meant to be & I am destined for something else!

I took NCLEX the 2nd time this past Tuesday. It shut off at 75 questions & I started to cry because I thought I failed. I actually left, thinking I learned nothing from the last 4 years of school (BSN program) & that the studying I did the past 3 days, 12 hours a day was for nothing. Everyone was telling me that I passed if it stopped at 75 questions, but there was still doubt. I got the quick results today & unofficially, I PASSED!!! I started crying, jumping up & down, screaming, etc. I am so happy right now! If I can pass, you can too! Just stay positive, persistent, & if you need too, change your studying habits. I took 20 minute breaks every 3 hours during those 12 hours study days, but I knew after the first time I needed to just sit down, focus, tune everything out, & study hardcore. Good luck to everyone that is taking NCLEX!

I took NCLEX for the 2nd time today. I failed the first time at 275 questions. I passed all sections besides one that time. This time around, I studied non stop-on my days off I would study 12 hours a day. I was determined I would pass this time around. The last 3 days all I have done is study, study, study. I took the test & it shut off at 75 questions!!! I started to cry right there at the computer. I honestly wanted the test to turn back on. I either failed miserably or I passed. I had a lot of SATA (yet again), so I'm hoping that is a good thing. I am too scared to try the "trick" now that you have to enter all of your info before you can see if the "good pop up" appears. I can be patient for 2 days, right? I didn't tell anyone when my 2nd test date was, so not one friend or family member know I took it today. We'll see how I did in 2 days.

I worked as a CNA & was in a BSN program. I don't remember if I was full time or not (I don't think so). I know of people in my class who worked full time as a CNA, but I truly do not know how they did it. I did part time because there was no way I was going to be able to study, work on assignments, & do outside clinical work while working full time.

30days2nclex, I am having to retake the NCLEX as well. This will be my second time. When I found out I failed, I cried. I didn't start studying again until yesterday & decided to change my studying habits. I'm going to study longer hours (4-5 hours/day if I'm not at work), having a friend tutor me, make flashcards, etc. I think my problem is that I am a fast test taker. I realized today that when I take my time, read the question fully, look at all the answer choices, & then go back to read the question I do better on the practice quizzes. In nursing school, I was envious of the ones that would get good grades but then I had to realize that they were also not working so they could spend hours studying when I could only study in blocks because I worked full time to support my family & pay for school. I am confident that I will pass NCLEX this time around. I talked to a friend today & she told me that I have 6 hours to take the test. My issue is that I watched a Kaplan video & the lady freaked me out talking about how your test is graded if you run out of time. I just need to tell myself that I have 6 hours to take the test & to go slow. I have confidence that you too will pass NCLEX. And I like your thinking-just realize all the hard work & dedication you have done to come this far. Getting that license will be even sweeter. :-) I also tell myself that if some of the nurses I work with now could pass NCLEX (and I don't know how they did), I too can pass NCLEX! One more thing I tell myself: just because I have to retake NCLEX will not make me any less of a nurse. I have been telling my friends this who have taken the test & I need to listen to my advice. :-)

Update: I did NOT pass. I checked the PVT before I went into work & when I got home 12 hours later & I failed. :-( I cried for about 5 minutes & then told myself that I WILL pass the 2nd time!! A friend is going to tutor me & I'm going to see what I can do about Kaplan. Maybe get my money back or get an extension on the site. I wasn't stressed going into the test. I think my problem is not being able to decipher what exactly they want at times. And med-surg I know for a fact is a weak point of mine. I hardly had any med questions, peds or psych. Peds & psych are my strong points! Hardly any delegation as well, but a lot (or so it seemed) of SATA & "this nurse is going to a conference...what should she teach?" Oh well. Here's to next time! :-)

Thanks! I apologize for not replying earlier. I couldn't log in for some reason... Anyhow, I am all for relocating, but my husband & I can't at this time due to financial issues-working part time on a CNA salary & having to pay my own way for this degree (no financial aid due to having a bachelors in psychology). I think at the moment, I am looking into working on a med-surg floor for experience then moving onto peds private duty if we stay in this area. If we do decide to move, I will be looking for a position in a children's hospital or something similar.

Thanks for the tips & the luck! I'm hoping that the PVT changes. But if not, it is what it is. The only downfall of retaking it is having to pay the fee all over again & not getting to work as a RN as quickly as I had hoped. I'm getting burnt out working as a CNA & am ready for a change!

I took NCLEX today & had all 265 questions. I tried the PVT & it took me to the CC screen. I feel like crying. I know the PVT is pretty accurate, but I still have hope that I passed. We have been told to not trust the PVT, but still. I took the Kaplan course, studied 4 days a week since the end of May(I worked 3 days a week & too tired to study when I got home), my Kaplan scores were in the mid 50-60's range. I just hope I passed. The worst that happens is that I have to retake it & repay the test fee. I feel as if all the hard work & dedication I have put into studying was for nothing if I didn't pass. If I didn't pass, what are some strategies I can use for next time? Thanks!

Hi! I graduate with my BSN in 4 months and need some advice. I have always wanted to work in pediatrics. I think I want to work in pediatric oncology. My problem is that we do not have a pediatric unit or a children's hospital nearby. We do have a peds unit at the hospital I work at, but it is mainly for surgical overflow. My second passion is mental health. I have thought about working in mental health until I have enough resources available to move to a town with a children's hospital or pediatric unit. My question is: should I go into mental health first then when the time is right, look for pediatric positions? Would I get a pediatric position since I would have no experience starting IVs and skills of that nature? I've thought of school nursing as well. It seems as if the pediatric positions are hard to get into in my area (small town & it's hard to get into a pediatric position in this area-office, school).