Breyson

Breyson's Latest Activity

1. 

   San Francisco VA

   Breyson posted a topic in General Career

   Hi everyone! Does anyone here work at the SF VA hospital? I was thinking of applying for a position on one of their med surg floors and I want to get an insiders perspective. What's the environment like, do you feel like you're being supported, etc. Anything would be great! Thank you
2. 

   International Travel Nurse companies

   Breyson posted a topic in International

   Hello everyone. I've been Googling up a storm on trying to find a website that'll explain how international travel works or what options are available out there. Unfortunately most of what I've found relates to international individuals who want to move to the US to get into nursing. I'm the opposite. I'm an American, licensed in California (currently working on my first year of acute care experience) and I'd like to see how possible it is to meld my love of travel with my work as a nurse. Of course I'm fine with actually moving to another country and just traveling from there but I just want to know if there are businesses that are geared specifically for individuals who want to put their nursing skills to use in a variety of different areas around the world. Thanks!
3. 

   LA nurses!

   Breyson posted a topic in California

   Hello all, I'm moving to LA this march to start my first nursing job (yahoo) and I could use some advice. 1) I'm looking for a place to rent and beyond Craigslist I'm not sure what resources there might be. CL is being a bit sketchy with some of the ads being scams or people just trying to get my contact info. Are there any other websites that are a bit more trustworthy? I'm not looking for much, just a cool roommate or two that's reasonably close to work. 2) This one is sort of job specific. I'm going to be working for the VA and they've got a really LONG hiring process. I don't mind really; they've got to check their candidates after all. But are there any VA nurses out there would can give me an estimate on how much longer it's going to be for them to send me the "firm" offer? I was told last week that HR has all of my employment information and is looking it over. I've got my salary quote and the start date but am still told that nothing is for sure until HR contacts me. This is a bit of a pain since I can't give any potential renters/roommates a solid yes or no. It would nice to at least be able to give them a timeframe. 3) Since this is a VA new nurse program that I'll be doing, any advice on what skills/information that I can brush up on so I'm more prepared when I do actually start? Thank you in advanced for any constructive replies!
4. 

   VA Hiring Process

   Breyson replied to wife&mommyRN's topic in Government

   Hi everyone! I figured I would add my current experience with the VA and hopefully get some advice. So I put up all my info on USAjobs and started applying for random position even though I'm a new grad and all the postings wanted someone with experience. Luckily a recruiter actually called me to see if I was interested in their new nurse program that they just opened up. Naturally I said yes and went in for the interview; getting the "conditional" job offer a week later. So in the past 2 weeks I've gone in to review my application packet, got a salary quote, just did the physical and background check the other day, and filled out the VetPro forms online. My HR contact told me that they are waiting on some forms she sent to the people on my professional reference list. Is there anything else that I should be doing? Given the complicated/lengthy hiring process, I feel that just waiting for them to call/email would be a bad idea.
5. 

   West LA Veteran's hospital

   Breyson replied to Breyson's topic in California

   Thanks for the information; yeah I figured they weren't bound by Ca ratio laws but I wish that I knew someone who has experience working there. It's strange that I can find nursing reviews for other hospitals but not for the VA.
6. 

   West LA Veteran's hospital

   Breyson replied to Breyson's topic in California

   Well the recruiters actually called me but that was only after I applied through USAjobs.gov. So my advice would be to start there if you are going to apply. Each job has the requirements and recommendations listed. Hope that helps!
7. 

   Concealed Carry for Caregivers

   Breyson replied to ClaraRedheart's topic in Nursing

   Australia. Massive shooting, they got ride of their gun and haven't had a mass shooting since since.
8. 

   Concealed Carry for Caregivers

   Breyson replied to ClaraRedheart's topic in Nursing

   As a veteran, I'd have to say no. So many people are viewing mass shootings through some kind of video game mentality. 1) the gunman will probably shoot you if he seeing you trying to draw your weapon which means you've just given him another gun 2) let's say you do manage to get your gun out before reaching him, then all that means is that more bullets are flying around. You could end up being the one who shoots a coworker/patient or you could end up being shot because the police have no idea who the bad/good guy is. 3). Just because you have concealed carry, doesn't mean that people won't know that you've got a gun. You could be giving treatment and a disturbed patient could get his hands on your weapon. We all like to imagine ourselves being a hero or being able to prevent a tragedy but real life rarely turns out how we imagine it. There is no magic solution to preventing mass shootings but there are ways to reduce the damage someone do. Relying on a gun to save you is just like replying on airport security stop a person who is carrying a bomb. It should be the last line of defense and it also means that the gunman/bomber has already succeeded in his goals. He's already decided to trade his life to kill as many people as possible. A bomber can kill just as many people in an airport as he can on a plane and a gunman will have to start shooting before someone with a concealed gun will know that he/she needs to use it.
9. 

   West LA Veteran's hospital

   Breyson posted a topic in California

   Afternoon everyone! I was just speaking with a VA recruiter and he mentioned that West LA VA was looking for veteran new grads and I was wondering if anyone here works at that location. I'd really appreciate some information on what it's like working there (specifically med-surg since that's where I think the open positions are) and any advice on what to expect for the interview (should they offer one). Anything would be appreciated. Thank you!
10. 

    US to New Zealand

    Breyson replied to Breyson's topic in Registration

    Thank you much!
11. 

    US to New Zealand

    Breyson posted a topic in Registration

    This has probably been answered several times already but given the massive amount of paper work associated with nursing, I figured it would be best to make sure that the info I find is up to date. My question is how does a nurse from California manage to move to and work in New Zealand as an RN. I'm licensed in my state, I have a BSN but how does that translate over to other countries? What applications/testing is involved? Is there a website that explains all of it? Thanks!
12. 

    My NCLEX GOOD POP-UP

    Breyson replied to CriticalCareRN1's topic in NCLEX

    Um...no need to talk me down; I'm not the one ending all of my posts with exclamation points. I'm very much aware that I'd have to wait for the official results but that wasn't what I was wondering about. What I wanted to know was if the PVT worked or if it was just a story that keeps getting passed around but doesn't really work. If it's a sure thing then great, I don't have to spend time and money preparing to take the nclex again. If the "good pop-up" doesn't really mean anything then I know that I should budget to retest.
13. 

    My NCLEX GOOD POP-UP

    Breyson replied to CriticalCareRN1's topic in NCLEX

    Wow, who peed in your pool? Look I want to know because if I failed then I can spend that 4-6 weeks studying with Hurst or Kaplan instead of waiting and wondering if I'm going to have to spend $600.00 in prep and registration costs. Take my advice, if the best response you can come up with to someone asking a simple question is "suck it up" then it's best not to respond at all.
14. 

    My NCLEX GOOD POP-UP

    Breyson replied to CriticalCareRN1's topic in NCLEX

    Hi! I was just wondering if that pop up worked for you. I just took the Nclex and got the same thing. I really hope so because California doesn't do the 48 hr unofficial results and I don't want to wait 4-6 weeks. Thanks!
15. 

    What is Your Biggest Challenge as a Nurse or a Nursing Student?

    Breyson replied to Brian's topic in Nursing

    Completed it as well. I would also also like to add that I am worried about my GPA. Some of my teachers are under the impression that medical facilities don't look at it so they feel free to knock us down a few points on meaningless assignments. I know now for a fact that some do look at GPA; the military is a good example. I spend tons of money and effort to get my degree and for what? Teachers spending hours droning on with outdated power points that they didn't even create themselves.
16. 

    ATI EXIT EXAM

    Breyson replied to Danny, Are_In's topic in NCLEX

    When you all say that we should keep practicing the online tests, does that mean the ones you can take over and over or the ones that you need a code from your professor to access? Thanks!