TXERRN

Most jobs I hear about come from other NP's who know of docs looking for an NP. Another great place is your local NP association. Go to their meetings or dinners and ask around. I heard of three jobs at the last one I was at (in Texas). Good luck. :)

Thanks. That is what my gut (and my professors) have told me. I'll be looking for another job for the sake of keeping my license.

Trained as an adult np, I did not receive any hospitilized patient care training. I only received primary care training -- in didactic and clinical preparation. The MD I'm working for now wants me to do rounds and take call for hospitilized patients (including critical care). I never even worked as a floor nurse, only ER. Am I treading into muddy-legal waters or can I have him train me to do this? Am I wrong for wanting to run away from this job and find another? Thanks for any comments. :uhoh21:

Agencies here in Houston for specialties will pay anywhere from $34-38/hr, yes. But you aren't guaranteed hours. "Mandatory overtime" is illegal in some states. Also, it is not a spoken requirement in most hospitals. But if you want your vacation time granted or a day off, you had better work the overtime when THEY ask you or you won't get anything YOU ask for. I learned that when I was a new grad just several years ago and naive myself. Hospitals do pay off loans and give bonuses, but you must sign a contract agreeing to work for them for 1-3 years, depending on the contract. There is always a catch and "never a free lunch". I just got a great job where I actually get a lunch break, get paid well and am not coerced into working overtime. I have no complaints. My opinion is if you don't like your job -- go find another one, don't just gripe and moan and bring others down and the profession along with it. Most hospitals here in Houston, as well as surrounding areas are going to 12 hour shifts because it takes less staff to do 2 shifts per day than 3. So you might have to do 12's depending on where you work, but hey, you get 4 days off a week! Staffing does suck, we DO have a nursing shortage -- SO GOOD TO HAVE YOU! Be prepared, you are entering a profession of women and men that must work as team mates. Just remember that, and you'll do ok.

I joined the ENA but not the ANA due to the cost. It just costs too much. I wanted to get the magazine (The Emergency Nursing Journal) and help support ENA research. ANA is not necessarily pro-choice, but pro-patient and supportive of what is currently law in this country. They know that if Roe v. Wade is overturned, nurses will have their hands full taking care of women, again, who have backstreet abortions. (See the post above).

The following link: http://www.nursingworld.org/readroom/position/social/screpr.htm explains the ANA's position on abortion, quite well in fact. I don't think avoiding the ANA for that reason is worth it considering what they are trying to do for the nursing profession. For instance, a bit of personal info here, I am pro-choice, yet I voted Republican for the MAJORITY of the practices of the party. I don't make choices based on one thing. But, you have your own choices to make, as do we all.

When I started 3 years ago in an internship program I started at $14-15/hr. In 2 years up to $16/hr. Now I make PRN rate over $24-26/hr full time. It all depends on where you live. Texas pays well, from what I understand. My mom has been a CCU nurse for 30+ years in Pennsylvania and I make more than she does, so it all depends on where you live.... Good luck!

Any time you leave the finger wet, with water or alcohol, it will change the results. The American Diabetes Foundation says you can clean the finger with alcohol swabs or soap and water with good friction cleaning methods.So just make sure which ever method you use, the finger is dry before using the lancet. Diabetics often can't afford swabs and use just soap and water, often they reuse syringes throughout the day as well and don't have infections because they introduce their own bacteria.

Hey Ms. Milazzo... I just got my packet of info. from Kaplan in the mail a few days ago, haven't had time to open it. I live in Houston, maybe I'll give you a call instead! ------------------ TX ER RN

hhebertrn1 who are you posting to? I believe the original conversation was started discussing M.A.'s versus nurses. I agree that there is no difference between ADN/BSN nurses, except ADN nurses get more clinical experience in school. I have my ADN and am proud of it. I am currently getting my BSN and see no benefit in the courses I am now taking. They surely haven't taught me anything my ADN program didn't already teach me.

I feel the need to correct you on this point. An MA with an AD does NOT have the same education that an RN has, under any circumstances. If they did, they could sit for the NCLEX. The MA does not have the same pre-reqs, classes or clinicals. They cannot do plan of care for patients, discharge planning, blood product administration and monitoring, chemotherapy administration or many other skills unique to the RN. They may not hold charge positions, delegate patient care, or manage patient care. A degree is not a degree. I have an AD in another field, does that mean I should have been able to practice nursing? No. If you so vehemently protect your AD, go back and become an RN and then you will see why we RN's protect our titles so carefully. ------------------ TX ER RN

I agree with hollykate. Here in Texas, there are no first names, honey and sugar are standard. In the ER, the docs buy us lunch when they know we've had a rough day/night. Our manager as well will buy us lunch, she even came in on her own time on a weekend to do so. Our docs respect us and stick up for us with the patients and the "specialist doctors" as well. That doctor handing that nurse a $50 in no way to me showed disrespect. You all are just too sensitive. Take a thank you for what it is worth. Doctors make a lot of money and maybe that is the only way they know how to show thanks is by giving money.

That really sucks. Why, in a field where we have such poor support, must we attack our own? It sounds like you've done everything you can. If it doesn't get better, get another job. Hey, there's a shortage, there has to be better jobs out there. Try doing some agency work and seeing what other places are like and that way you will have some ideas. Agency work is good because you don't owe them any specific amount of hours, so you can do it at your own pace. When you find one you like, and they like you -- go for it. Good luck.

I feel that my ADN program prepared me adequately. Too much time in nursing school is spent on care plans and more time should be spent on making sure nurses are able to handle their organizational skills, time management skills and working under pressure so that in the real world of nursing they are a little more prepared. My mother is a nurse and prepared me for the reality of nursing, so I was fortunate to know what to expect, but too many of my colleagues were not. I am currently receiving my BSN and have learned nothing new that will help me in becoming a better nurse. It's mostly the same fluff and unrealistic objectives from the first go around. All of the community health and pro-health stuff is great, but who really has time to do it in real practice? I sure don't in the ER.

First, please clarify, did you graduate from an RN or LVN/LPN school and did you take the NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-LVN/LPN? Any questions on the NCLEX-RN are geared towards the practicing RN. Therefore if you felt that they were geared towards an LPN you should have been able to answer them. The LPN is not schooled as long as the RN and has less assessment and evaluation training. They are skilled and important nurses and I work with some of the best, but their NCLEX is very different, I took the test half way thru nursing school for my RN as a practice test and I found it to be much less complex than the NCLEX RN. The NCLEX-RN has more questions pertaining to care planning and evaluation, as well as discharge planning and community health. Maybe you can buy some of the books that prepare you for the test. They have sample questions with rationals that help prepare you for the exam. There are also seminar classes held over 2-3 days that you can attend to help you. Contact your school or a local college for information. Good luck.

The "just" was a bit harsh. But you know that you are not a nurse, so I would figure that the rudeness of this person is what offended you. Nurses go thru 3-4 years of training. It is my understanding that M.A.'s only have weeks of training in technical-only type training. I know that a lot of doctor's offices are replacing their nurses with the M.A.'s, which does hurt a lot of nurses. I have seen the M.A.'s in my doctors office be called "nurses" by the doctors! I told my doctor, who I've known for a long time, that he shouldn't do that. It gives the public the wrong idea. ------------------ TX ER RN

I am an ER nurse who starts her first job as an OR nurse this coming Wednesday. You would think one wouldn't get bored in the ER, but I guess I have. I am looking forward to something new. I too have no experience in the OR and they are willing to train me. This is my third career at 32 and my last if I can help it. I chose outpatient surgery for the 8hr days with every weekend and holiday off. I was told that the main OR, in just about every hospital, does 10hr shifts. Why? I don't know. Most hospitals have their own weekend crews, at least the one I am going to does. I am not looking forward to being there at 0630 either. Good luck! Keep in touch. We can compare notes and give each other support through this rearranging of our nursing lives. ------------------ TX ER RN

This is all well and good. But we KNOW what the situation is. What are the SOLUTION? Grants for school loans and training programs are not the answer. Proper staffing levels and appropriate pay are two things to start with. They just don't get it....

Thanks for the words of advice. I start 2/21. I am still a little afraid, but I think all will go well. I hope. I'll let you know.... ------------------ TX ER RN

Here in Houston, Texas there are many opportunities for internships in any field you may be interested in. They start in June for new grads. http://www.chron.com/ is the Houston Chronicle and has job postings in the Classifieds. Check them for the Sunday postings. I had my choice of 3 ER internship offers right out of school. I had two Canadian nurses in the internship program with me. The cost of living in Texas is HALF what it is in California. There are no state taxes or personal property taxes. I am a transplanted yankee from Pennsylvania and moved here almost 10 years ago and love it. It's hot, but I love it. The medical center is one of the best in the U.S. We have Hermann Hospital, Ben Taub, St. Josephs and MD Anderson Cancer Center, to mention a few. And many, many rural hospitals. There are no unions here, and you really don't want a union anyways. It takes away from the professionalism of nursing. Just a suggestion. Good luck with what ever you choose!

Three semesters, one day a week. Plus your pre-req's ahead of time. That's in Texas. Go for it. I graduate with my BSN in May. I got my ADN 3 years ago. It's so easy to go back!

Do what YOU want to do. Don't listen to us. We get frustrated just like every other profession. We just have a place to publish our frustrations. Nursing is long hours, no thanks, poor pay. Nursing is warm fuzzies, a pat on the back, a feeling of job well done. It goes both ways. Just like any other job. I hate it. I love it. And the nice thing is, there are so many avenues to take, if you don't like one part, go to another part. And we all aren't back-stabbers. You can see that by this site. We are here to support one another. Good luck.

Do you hate nursing or just women?

If they aren't frequent flyers, and truly have a migraine, they may get narcs from some of the docs. Some docs tell the FF's that "sorry, you've been here too often, call your doctor, you won't be getting anything from us". Others give NSS bolus plus compazine and benedryl or inapsine. Sometimes as a nurse I have a problem not treating patient's pain. I was taught "the patient's perception of pain is the truth, no matter what the doctor or nurse thinks". But the ER seems to make us callus. It's awful I think. ------------------ TX ER RN

I got into the ER by applying for an internship program. It really helped prepare me for the day to day torture of the ER. With the nursing shortage as it is, for example, our ER will hire RN's who have at least 6-12mo. ICU experience. I wouldn't recommend coming into the ER without some critical care experience or at least an internship. The ER is no place for a new nurse, trust me, I know. They will eat you alive, there is NO time to learn. You must have top assessment skills and excellant time management and organizational skills. You must be able to manage several unstable patients at one time. You get no report on your patients because they just 'walk in' off the street. Established ER nurses are usually too busy to help teach you (my experience). These days we are understaffed and have too many patients that are high acuity. Please be sure your nursing skills are steady and strong before even thinking of going to an ER. Good luck. ------------------ TX ER RN