Stella-Ohio

No, roads are definetely roots here.

I'm not sure I would either. I would make that decision if/when it comes up. I too am not opposed to those workers and strongly feel they are not acting against the unions. Thanks for posting that about insurance companies......agree with that one also

:yeahthat: I have to agree. These nurses aren't out to take your job and few of us would turn down an opportunity to make huge sums of money to do what we normally due for much less. These nurses go through a lot to gain the opportunity by maintaining licensure and not knowing if there will be a strike until it actually happens and they get the 'go' from their agency (at which time they are on a plane within hours). Once they arrive they are taunted and called names by the staff. Few are left to orient them to the units and they are often extremely short staffed when all they are really doing is taking a huge risk to take care of your regular patients and trying to do a good job as you would like it to be done. The scabs are not your enemy. They want you to resolve your contract issues and get back to taking care of your patients WITH the benefit packages you deserve. In the meantime, they are trying not to have the patients suffer since they didn't agree to go on strike with their illnesses. So what they soaked your management. Management will soon realize it's cheaper to give in to you then to continue paying their agency bills.

once you pass it, are you done, or would another place rewuire you to do it again?

Even if an agency takes you on, the contracting hospitals often won't. I have had to be less selective about area due to only having 18 months experience. Many hospitals will not budge off of their 'experience requirement' by even a small amount.

I was shopping around for a company. A male recruiter called me and left a very positive message. When I called back he was on vacation and I was given to a different recruiter. She and I were like oil and water from the first conversation. She was very negative and I could tell she was not going to work for me. I tried to call the male back and give the company a fair chance. Go figure, the female called back ranting at me. Guess which company I am not doing business with since I can't even talk to whom I want?

There is another post on this subject. Basically it says go for it if the hospital has a good track record for precepting new grads into the ICU. I agree, there is no reason not to jump into the ICU if the hospital has a good program to get you started in the ICU. You are going to learn all you would learn in med/surg as far as the technical stuff and then a million times more. What you wont' learn to do is manage 8 patients at once. You will learn to handle fewer, but more closely. It is a different kind of time managment. But the nursing skills you will learn, well...........go to ICU.

Regarding students/young nurses checking off or teaching the skill, don't underestimate that they are learning as much from this as the person they are checking off. If you are open minded, you may find that this is a win/win situation. Everybody gets checked off on the skill when it's convenient and not sent to some boring class during their off/family time. Patient uti's indcidents should likely be reduced or at least the risk will. And as mentioned, a better understanding of teaching, better communication is all being addressed with a relative small task. It sounds like management did not blow a mole hill into a mountain with this one.

I'm interested in knowing the answer to this also, as I saw one person had signed with 4 travel companies. Is this necessary and/or confusing?

where is this 'eval of companies'? I'm looking for a travel job.

Another vote from me for straight to ICU.

No you don't have to get your med-surg experience or any floor experience right now. If you choose to later, you can do so when you apply for a new position (whether or not you choose med-surg then also). I would keep track of your hours you put in on the floors doing bedside nursing though as that may affect your pay rate should you choose to change positions. Wouldn't you rather get paid for your experience rather than starting out at rock bottom?

No need to make it a male nurse thing papawjohn, I do the same thing working nights and can accomplish any daytime task I need to. I don't frequently have an after work drink but when I do........very odd looks from any observer.

You are all fantastic. It was the pick me up I needed during a time of doubting. Tomorrow I am going to make certain with my manager that my work schedule can accomodate the school schedule (but with my DON behind the whole process - it shouldn't be a problem as this is being encouraged from the top down). It has been discussed briefly before but not the nitty gritty. Friday I will attend my program orientation and buy my books. I talked to my family matter of factly and explained. We agreed on one more year of less than perfect housekeeping, no real vacation, tight budgeting, quiet hours for studying etc. All the things that we have been doing for 3 years. I'm going to handle the overload the same way I handled the ADN program. It was hard to see the end but I could always focus ten weeks ahead to the end of the quarter. I have six, 8-week sessions and I will have my BSN. I can bite off littler pieces I can actually maintain control of. Again thanks everybody. I feel better just knowing I can come here for a little encouragement from others who have been there. No doubt I'll post again when I'm feeling buried. I also feel better having started to formulate a workable plan with the school days crossed off in my calendar. 377 DAYS TIL GRADUATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow, thanks Daytonite. I'm going to sit and absorb this wealth of information for a bit when I get done thanking you for a well-thought response. I'm trying to figure out what my gut is telling me. I think my gut is telling me to drive on but my head is getting in the way. My gut also tells me to be very wary of delaying this because I'm afraid of the trap of not going back when I am (thought I was) motivated to do so. My motivation like yours it seems, is just because I want it. I would have some time before my science requirements became outdated, so that is not putting pressure on the decision. I wouldn't really be eligible for a supervisory position due to my 'new' status and yes do possess the maturity to think that would be a bad decision on everybody's part anyway as I truly believe that to supervise effectively, the best teacher is experience. So far I love my staff position anyway. Regarding that, due to recent turnover rates etc, I am one of few that are full time on our night shift. This is not a perpetual problem as the ones that all recently left did many years there and then sort of all at once moved on and a new influx is coming to the department. I have talked to those who left and they were not unhappy with the position, most left to seek better hours for their families etc. That has put me in the position that I have been selected to go to the hospital's training program for charge/preceptor. So it is a supervisory roll to some extent right out of the shoot, but not management. I love the idea of adding to my 'bag of tricks', education has always seemed like a good thing. I know I will get frustrated when I see something wrong and have little idea of what to do about it. The completion program is coming to our hospital as there are no Universities at that level in town, just the community college for nursing ADN. My employer offers a small amount of tuition reimbursement which can be applied towards any education so that is the extent to which they will pay for any of it. This program is new and is similar to this College's BSN program as a four year program. They are moving it off-site to our hospital as a matter of convenience to reach this area. (and to make money for themselves). The college itself is about a 40 minute drive down a desolate state road. The college is Ohio Northern University (Ada, Ohio) which is well respected in many fields particularly law. I think they've been around since the late 1800's, and this program is now accredited. I really couldn't say how much if any control our hospital had in the say of the curriculum. I know that our DON is very excited about the program. I formerly loved writing but my ADN program kind of killed that. It had been about 15 years since I had been in a college classroom. I had done well back then. I struggled with the research papers in my ADN program and the adjunct professor was of little assistance. I scraped by. I can still write one heck of an essay but the rules of more formal papers elude me. I really think this is a shortcoming and would not keep me from seeking the degree as it is something I would like to overcome and feel confident about as you do. Lastly, I am by nature, one of those annoying 'why' people to begin with. So, I have alot to think about. Thank you for arming with me with a little more information.