ChadleyNC

I had a BA in psych when I returned to school for my ADN. I also completed a BSN but not to secure future employment. It was really a prereq for graduate school (I am waiting to learn of my acceptance). Now the system I work for is talking of all BSN staff with a target date that is about six years away. Theyre also requiring managers to obtain a masters degree. The word so far is that non BSN staff will not be termed or grandfathered, but rather would be unable to move from their current job since new hire RNs would require the BSN. In addition the system operates several schools of nursing both ADN and diploma, so they will continue to educate people and turn out nurses who are not hirable where they trained. I simply dont believe that there are that many unemployed BSN educated nurses to take the place of those that would thin the ranks from attrition. I do know that the current push is magnet related. I also recall the days when magnet status was more dependent on nursing staff and their delivery of safe and competent care, and less about how far in educational loan debt we all were.

I was an ICU nurse for 4 years before I relocated. I took a non-ICU job in PACU at a much smaller hospital. I did it for numerous reasons. I have been here for three years. I can tell u that here..not everyone has ICU experience. While we do see some critical patients, they are less challenging because we do not remain in care of them for very long. In my unit we float between preop and pacu and that keeps it interesting. Somewhat. LoL I dont want to discourage you, but to answer your question, I miss ICU everyday and I am not challenged by what I do. So Im going back to school for NP and heading hopefully back to ICU albeit in a different role. Hope this helps some.

Hey there. Im in Charlotte too. I applied to UNCC and UNCW. UNCC is AGACNP.UNCW is FNP. No word yet from either. Director of UNCC program said in April. I can not imagine where my head would be if I had applied earlier than I did which was NOV. I also applied last year to UC online. I was not accepted due to my inability to provide a syllabus from 1995. The school didnt have it either. Hopefully answers are forthcoming. I stopped looking for out of state online programs after they started cutting so many out. Good luck to all..it sounds like none of you will need it!

I too live in NC and am trying to apply to NP programs. The FNP program at UNCW is available online. I am also applying to UNCC but I live here in Charlotte. ECU has changed their program to a DNP option and consequently have jacked their admission requirements through the roof. I have a coworker that just missed the cutoff for Cincinnati. The unc website listing approved programs indicated South University as an approved school but they told me when I called that they were not. It really is rather maddening. Western carolina has a hybrid program that requires a portion of your classes to be taken in person. I do have a friend that went to UMASS for her fnp but she did a post masters certificate. Hope you can find somewhere to do your studies that works for you!!

In my facility phase 1 is from adm to pacu until back to floor for inpts. Phase 2 is only used for outpts. If theres a bed delay then we place the pt in a hold status until ready for transfer. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the reply. I'm to be on orientation in STICU for 5 nights, and then be given my own assignment with a resource person. I am certain if I need extra time they would give it to me. There are 10 of us that were interns. There wasonly one position in MICU and they gave it to someone that needed some extra time and nurturing to further develop their skills. I was in MICU for 10 weeks, CCU for 3 and CVICU for 2. I appreciate your advice.

New Grad (May) here and started my ICU internship in August. Was intended to be 6 months and then we apply for open positions where we were interested in working. Instead. We are being cut off 6 weeks early and have been assigned to full time positions where they want us to go. For the coming YEAR. I started my rotation in MICU. I wanted to return there. At the end of my second rotation (CCU) I find out that we are being cut out early and I am going to STICU. STICU at my hospital is not an area I feel I could fit with. Haven't ever worked there. The assignment was made prior to my having been through that rotation. Also it is a very volatile unit in my hospital, full of very aggressive personalities that tend to not get along and rather act like high school cliques. I recognize the learning opportunity. I recognize that the other option is to go to med/surg, which I did not want to do, that is why I started in the units. But I am looking for advice from STICU nurses, especially males, that could tell me a few pointers maybe on how to cope or deal with this new assignment, and maybe what to look out for? I start tonight. I should be in bed right now, but can't sleep as I have no clue what to expect. Help?

Please refill my Comedy and my Privacy. ah, scuse me? Oh, you're Coumadin and your Prevacid... I'll send the message back, and have it called in for you.. what pharmacy? "Carry Drugs" Carry? Oh, Kerr? ok, no problem.. This took place some years ago when I worked in a GI office. I also truly enjoyed explaining what it was in Marinol that increased a patient's apetite to her husband. I live in NC and rural people think some things are just plainly evil. LOL

It's up. I am now official. Feels really good to have that over with. Now I just have to deal with HR. LOL OH well.. I start orientation Monday, regardless. That's scary and fun and crazy and frightful, and exciting all at the same time. Thanks for listening to me rant. Chadley

I was extremely pleased to find that Professional SUper Birkis are wide enough to accomodate my feet. I'm a 13 EEEE and while New Balance is the only shoe company that makes sneakers that fit me, I wanted something less sporty to wear with my scrubs. Once I tried them on I was hooked. I wasn't allowed to wear them in school because they weren't white, so I had a pair of professional Crocs for clinical days. I'd recommend either one, but the Birkis are the greatest.

I have called pearson once. The person I spoke with there informed me that it can take up to 4 weeks after the test is taken until final results are communicated by the board. I have called the board twice. Once was 9 days after my test and the most recent was yesterday which is 16 days. Both times I was abruptly told I had not waited long enough and should stop calling, and be patient.

The internship is applied for the same as any other position. They only conduct it once a year, and it begins in the fall. Application, interview and selection is in the spring though. My interview was in march, and offers were made within a week. To answer your question, No, I did not have previous experience in any clinical position. I am 34 and have worked in hospitals and MD offices for 17 years but all of it has been clerical. I am not sure if it would have helped me more to get in if I had had some clinical background. I do know that a few classmates of mine who I thought would be certain to get a slot, did not. I don't know a great deal about the selection criteria. The interview is a bit nerve wracking since there's you and 7 directors at a table and they can ask you absolutely anything. Mostly standard questions though, like why ICU, and What do you bring to the table etc. It is possible to work a year in med surg at NHRMC and transfer to the units, BUT it's not a lengthy orientation like the internship which is 6 months with floating between units during that time. Apply early, like in January or February and list ICU as your first choice if you are asked to prioritize. they are changing the way things are done in HR so it may be different by then, but I would make early HR contacts if you are a spring grad, by doing it in the first or second month at the lates of your last semester. Best of luck ChadleyNC

Took and passed my NCLEX on 7/16. Still no verifiable license with NCBON and when I call (I have done so twice) I am told I have not waited long enough. I know all of my classmates have taken theirs and those that passed already have theirs, even those who took it after I did. THey waited around 24-48 hrs after quick results were received. I got a call from HR today, as I am supposed to start work on 8/13 in an internship for critical care. They called to tell me they still can't verify me online with the board, even though I called them as directed and informed them of my pass status. 30 days would be 8/15. I hope I won't be ousted from this opportunity if this is the case. I'm freaking out quite seriously about it.. How long did you guys wait between your passing the test and your receipt of license verification/confirmation etc. ??

Hiya, and welcome to the area I moved here 4 years ago and took a job at a local Substance Abuse facility in finance. I graduated nursing school in may and I begin working at NHRMC on 8/13. I can tell you a few things about the community here so far as nursing jobs in hospitals go.. New Hanover owns all 3 hospitals in the area. NHRMC is the largest employer in the county. Cape fear hospital is a smaller facility with only 3 floors. They see more orthopedic cases there, and they do have an ED though it is much smaller. NHRMC itself is pretty large, with 10 floors. full range and compliment of services, departments, and thus most positions for nurses. Pender hospital is a nursing home on one level and I think, about a 30 bed hospital on the other. they also operate a home health facility out of the same campus. it is very small and while owned by New Hanover, lacks some of the more modern seeming conveniences. in school we did clinicals in all 3 locations. I liked the intimacy afforded by Cape Fear, but my ICU internship is to be done at New Hanover Regional. My partner, on the other hand, works in the ED at Brunswick Community Hospital. It's a rural facility located about 40 miles southeast of Wilmington. Sure it's a lengthy commute, but they are owned by Novant Health now, and things are well on the rise there. They are even breaking ground soon on a whole new location and campus soon. They also actually tend to pay more there than what NHRMC will in terms of base pay rates. Regardless of where you go, you may run into the same problems with HR departments in both places. If at all possible, I highly recommend following usual protocols, and applying as you normally would through them, but if you don't hear anything back, it can NEVER hurt to find out who runs the area you want to go into, and call them directly. Hope this helps some. Take care, and welcome to Wilmington