ORNurseCOS

Hello, when I began nursing I first orientated in the Transplant ICU. At the time the floor was merging with another floor and I did not anticipate the challenges this would bring. After 10 weeks it was deemed not a good fit and I was able to transfer to another floor in the same hospital. Should I include this on my resume? My time there was not a loss, as I did learn quite a bit and have taken the experience with me. A bit of background on what happened: Merging of two floors New nurse educator 6 preceptors in 10 weeks - only 1 having over a year experience Total orientation was to be 12 weeks Personality did not fit Issues were centered around charting not patient care Overall not a good fit for me but left amicably and remain in the same hospital I have now been a nurse for 1 1/2 years and I am planning on relocating. Thanks for any input - and I didn't mean to make this sound like a one-sided issue.

Yes. The assigned nurse was busy, I was approached by the family members in distress, I assisted and during this time accessed the chart. Thank you.

Hello, I was just put on administrative leave with pay for accessing a "XYZ" chart. I needed to access the chart as another nurse was busy, and there was a situation with the patient. What can I do? Where do I start? Should I contact an attorney?

I find this helpful. http://nursing.jhu.edu/life-at-hopkins/career-services/documents/interview_guide.pdf When your in a panel interview you need to bring presence. When you speak, make sure you look each person in the eye and divided you gaze across the panel, not just one person. The questions are pretty standard - use google here. I have some questions I can send you if you send your email. They want to see how you think, how you might react in certain situations etc.

Hello. I think you are ready to go. Everyone I know was scoring in that range on the Kaplan and they all passed in 75 questions. The NCLEX, IMO, is not hard at all. In fact, I found it so broad and general that it was "easy hard" if that makes sense. There really is no point in studying and I think that is peoples mistake, they spend too much time studying and would have been better off going right away. The material in the Kaplan won't help you on the test really but it is good for getting in the groove of the test. If you want to get a little bit more studying in I highly recommend a 1 month bank at U-world. It was far superior to the Kaplan in its explanations - I mean not even close, they have diagrams and teach you why the other answers were not right. Its like studying while you take a test. Do that for a bit and just take the test. Remember the basics - safety 1st, least evasive 1st, read the question and understand what they are asking; don't do the what if's and remove your mind from the context of the question. You'll be fine. Oh, one last thing, bone up on delegations to UAP and LVN's, electrolytes, Addison's, Graves, who you would see 1st. Good luck!

Hello, I did the same here in Texas. Here it is at exactly 48 hours. So try again, maybe it will be there!

Ha. I like your conception of what you will be up against soon, very healthy view. You will have no time for any of the above when things get going, and its worth every minute. I've been out since the end of July, got an amazing job and I am basically back in school b/c my position was an internship in the ICU. Let me tell you though, getting paid to study is way better! Some tips for what they are worth: -find a good person to pair up with, someone that covers your weaknesses and vice versa -Kahn Academy is very helpful for understanding Patho -When you are at clinical ALWAYS try and do something, volunteer to do everything, talk to the PCT/UAP etc, they have a lot to share. Never shy away from a procedure etc - this is the time to fall on your face and mess up, not when you leave. -test taking strategies that will serve you all the way through the NCLEX - safety 1st, least evasive 1st, if you can provide no relief by any action, contact the Dr - read the question and ask yourself what is it they want to know - -Pharm tips; try and learn the drugs as you learn the body systems - pharm really sucks and there isn't that much at all on the NCLEX. -Learn how to give report and be an active participant on rounds - this is really important, don't shy away from this as it is really important in the real environment

Hello. No amount of studying is going to prepare you for the NCLEX. It is a test of judgement and critical thinking. I think maybe what you need is some test taking strategies coupled with a re-newed approach. The hurst handouts provide a good review of the material covered in nursing school, and you should know them through and through. Next I would purchase the Uworld for a 1 month subscription. I did the above and was done with the test in under an hour at 75 questions. You can too. When you take the practice test, don't just pick and answer and move on, ask yourself why the other 3 answers were wrong. That is how you will start finding the pattern of the test. Key themes to remember while answering any question on the test: -Safety 1st -Least evasive 1st -Assess 1st -If there is nothing you as the nurse can do to promote safety/relief - contact the Dr. -Read the question! As dumb as that sounds, ask yourself - what are they wanting to know? BTW - what is your email - I have an idea

Hello, that seems awful high that you would need a 92% - maybe I'm reading this wrong. My school required a 73.3% for them to submit our authorization. I know of no one that scored that high (92%). For what its worth the school has a 96% pass rate of the NCLEX. I didn't study for the comprehensive, got a 74% which indicated I had a 96% chance of passing the real test. I took the NCLEX and was done in less than an hour, 75 questions. If you have done the Hurst and the Uworld and got a 78% on the ATI comp - you are wasting your time. You can take the test now and you'll be laughing on the way out to your car. Good luck.

Although I can not comment on pay at 1 year experience, I can on starting pay. Austin, for some reason, pays quite a bit lower than areas like Dallas and Houston and unfortunately the cost of living there is quite high compared. People I was in school with were being offered $22-$23 per hour starting - many of those were ICU jobs. I can not comment on differential though. Best of luck.

Hadasa, If you would be willing to email the cover letter I would take the time to give you my opinions on the letter. I have 10 years experience in finance and was recently hired at a magnet hospital in the ICU out of school. For what its worth, I think your letter is pretty good but could benefit from some changes. Remember, the letter is not only about you but it shows that you've researched the institution for which you are applying. From there you match your strength to their mission, values and goals and state your case for why you are a good fit for the position. For what it is worth I have posted mine below (edited) for your review to give you a different perspective. It is with great enthusiasm that I submit my application to the ************* Graduate Nurse Internship Program. I learned of the upcoming opportunity by staying attune to your website and by monitoring your LinkedIn page consistently. The mission to serve all people by providing personalized health and wellness through exemplary care, education, and research as a Christian ministry of healing speaks directly to me as a person. As a new graduate nurse looking to practice compassionate patient-centered care, I can think of no better place to begin my career. I will be graduating from the ************* in August and would be honored to be considered for your internship program with a focus in critical care. As my enclosed resume indicates, I have a had a previous career in finance. I believe the experience and skills acquired during these eight years will strongly support my transition into a career in nursing. Communication, leadership, compliance, adherence to stringent deadlines while maintaining focus in a fast paced environment are just a few attributes I believe will impact my ability to not only be a competent nurse but one that shall excel in the critical care setting. My personal experiences in the hospital setting, which occurred outside of my academic background, have had a major impact on my decision to pursue this career path. Having cared for my mother for three years until her death exposed me to the world of nursing. This journey led me to a personal realization I could do more. I was reminded of the words of a teacher from long ago, and for the first time in my life my path came into focus: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” I realized the only thing in the world that truly matters to me is to help people, just like those who had helped us over the last three years. I realized that laying your life down does not have to be in physical death, but in death to oneself. You can give your life, your time, and your energy to the pursuit of beating back sickness while helping those who cannot help themselves in a time when they need you the most. I truly believe my academic background, combined with my life experience, makes me a good fit for a position in critical care within your organization. I look forward to hearing from you about this program and would love an opportunity to further discuss the opportunity in person. Sincerely,

You seem to have the right foundation for wanting to be a nurse, so that is a good start. Don't let fear and anxiety be the determining factor in your career choice, if you are NOT afraid in the 1st semester your arrogant or delusional - being afraid is okay and expected. Confidence comes with experience and practice, your not just going to feel good one day, its progressive. By the time I got to my capstone in the SICU, I was doing about 90-95% of the work with almost full confidence. If you work hard and face those fears you can do it. I think it really comes down to what drives you to do this job. Do you have a mantra? What do you do b/f you go in for a shift? For me, I remind myself of a few things, that the person in that bed is having the worst day of their lives, and that the 1st shall be last and the last shall be 1st and that love know no better measure than this, that a man lay his life down for his friends. For me, that is not physical death but death to oneself with the purpose of beating back sickness and helping those who can't help themselves. This gives me the right mindset and the rest follows. Make mistakes now and don't be afraid to try everything while you are in a supportive environment. Best of luck!

God, I dislike Houston. Of course I live in Dallas so I am bias. I have lived in both several times and just came back from completing my BSN in Galveston, which is just south of Houston. I absolutely hated living in Houston. The weather is horrible b/c of the humidity, the roads are so worn down, the traffic is some of the worst I have driven in (live in DC 1 yr.) and overall the city is so spread out it took forever to get around. Dallas is far superior in my opinion. I find it laughable when people even try to compare the two. Rant over. Move to Dallas! Plano, Frisco, McKinney are great areas. Also, Flower Mound and Highland Village. Really depends where he/you are going to be working. The beauty of Dallas is with the tollways you can really be anywhere in 30 min in normal driving times if your some what centrally located. I just started at a "top" hospital in Dallas in the ICU. No experience BSN with a previous degree that didn't yield me anymore money. Im starting at $24.25 plus $3 for evenings $5 for nights $6 for weekends. Also you are guaranteed a 3% raise every 6 months for 18 months. I was joking a bit about Houston, but really, Dallas is much better! If you have any question let me know!

Hello. The book was much easier than the online A/B. I had like 5 days to go when I took the online tests and it took the wind out of my sail. I think I scored in the 60's? Can't remember now. Point being I was 98th percentile on the actual TEAS. Your fine. Really get your math down pact, like where you can speed through it and be confident with your answer. Girl I took it with had trouble in this section b/c she is OCD and wanted to do each problem twice. When you go through the online test A and B don't look only at what you got right but look at the questions as in why isn't the other answers correct. That helps. Your going to kill it. Best of luck!

Many people applying will not have medical experience and IMO they won't care really if they do. What they are looking for are the qualities that line up with nursing. Communication, leadership, management, working in a fast paced environment, attention to details etc. IMO its not so much the medical experience but more the characteristics they are looking at. Tailor your resume that way, what can you bring as a student in their nursing program? Will you excel? Will you quit? These are the questions they are looking to answer. Also, compassion and caring. Best of luck!

Hello, I can't comment as a traveling nurse bur I can as someone who was in finance for quite some time. I think you won't have any problem at all. What they are looking for is consistency, if you have the paychecks to back up the income for 2 pay periods your good, in your case it sounds like you can show consistent income for quite a bit longer. If you had any idea of the loans I saw that were approved you wouldn't be worrying. Although, some institutions are tighter than others so that can be a factor. Enjoy the new house!

Hmm, this is a tough question. I just graduated nursing school a few weeks ago, it as my 2nd degree. I worked 8+ years in finance/banking and it sucked. When I am at the hospital I literally walk around thinking to myself "I can't believe I'm going to get paid for this". The stuff you mention in your post about liking studying etc is good, b/c that is a big part of school and IMO even after if you want to be good. My opinion is your going to have to get a thicker skin b/c things in the clinical setting can be worse than what you described. I'm not saying what the instructor did was okay, but its common. As far as vomit etc, what that comes down to is what is driving you to be a nurse. For me i live by to mindsets, 1. The first shall be last and the last shall be first 2. Love know no greater than this, that a man lay his life down for his friend. I see the vomiting patients as an opportunity, not a burden. I don't like puke either, no one does but it is the reality of the job at times. To be honest, nothing bothers me except the wall suction canister when I have to empty it - it just gets to me. Everyone has their "thing" that they just hate doing but when you have the right motivator it doesn't matter. Money is a poor motivator as it will not satisfy you long term. Im like you and enjoy the studying piece, and one of the things I love about the job is that it is something you can completely dive into and it is a life long journey of study. You know what you want to do - make sure its for the right reasons and do it. Never look back.

Hi Rose. I did the same thing at your age, previous finance degree, and I just graduated from UTMB a few weeks ago. I would be more than happy to answer any questions but your post is a bit general. Do you have any specific questions or can you narrow it down a bit? Good luck to you - It was the best thing I ever did - I just got a job at Baylor in Dallas and you will be there soon too! If I can tell you anything it is to keep your eye on the prize, b/c it is hard, real hard.

Ha. Hell, absolute hell :) I saw your post and thought I would comment, I just finished nursing school at UTMB and have been home a week or so. Its such a blur. Don't bother trying to make friends or family understand what your going through. Say goodbye to your friends and family etc and tell them you'll see them in X amount of months. This is key. Surround yourself with a few good people, at least one. Find someone that is different than you and supports you where you are weak. For me, that was organization. My study buddy was great at that and I brought other things to the table so we worked out great. This is key. Stay ahead of the game. Plan and keep a calendar or have your study buddy do it. When you think you've done enough for the day do more. This is key. Talk to the upper class-man at your school. Get feedback on the professors etc. My school had a mentor program and the mentors passed down useful reviews etc. This is key. Don't be afraid to fail in clinical - speak up, go out of your way to DO THINGS - I was in my capstone with a classmate that didn't know how to program and IV pump...not okay. Really go out of your way to do things at clinical, even if they seems easy. Let your nurse/preceptor see your enthusiasm and offer to do EVERYTHING. This is key. You can learn from EVERYONE in the clinical setting, even housekeeping. Be humble, you don't know anything, and when you start feeling like you do, realize you don't. UAP etc. have a wealth of knowledge to share, and will do so if they like you. Arrogance in the clinical setting is like skunk spray. Try to stay health, both physically and mentally. This will be a rigorous time. Best thing I've ever done and this is my 2nd degree and I went to flight school. I wish you the best!

Hello, Its all going to come down to what shows on your background check. I had things I did in the past that were worse and they were not on there. Best thing you can do is get your background pulled and see what pop's. Good luck!

You absolutely need the ATI material. I posted a long review about the TEAS sometime ago - look it up if you like. The ATI materials are more useful than the McGraw-Hill stuff. Good luck.

I can relate to your post. I have a previous degree in finance and I am graduating nursing school in 30 days. I worked for about 8 years and was making close to 6 figures. Money isn't everything and nursing would be a life long journey for you. You can also further specialize and become a NP, DNP as well and make good money. For me getting up and putting on the armor is way more fulfilling than the money every has been. Good luck. P.S. - See about possibly volunteering in the setting your interested in - HIPPA makes it hard but who knows.

Wozers, I would stick it out as long as you can, ideally for 1 year. What you might want to do is be the change you want to see and look at this as an opportunity rather than a hinderance. Believe me I know this is more easily said then done, but it can be done.

That's a fine GPA. What really matters is how your TEAS/HESI score match up to your GPA. Today, everyone has a 4.0 b/c they go to community colleges that are not challenging or cheating is rampant. The Universities know this, that is why it is important they your test scores line up with your grades from class. This is direct from the mouth of the person that interviewed me for my program. Best of luck.

Hello. Life is life and the world keeps turning. A pause button would be great but unfortunately that is not an option. I just watched a TED TALK on stress and how it affects the body, the results were interesting. When paired with the correct mind set the results of stress were the opposite than what you would think. Patterns of thought is what wears us down, when you think about things and allow anxiety to take over it can be quite damaging. I am a huge proponent of meditation and yoga. I don't make it to yoga much but I try to meditate daily. Its all about controlling your thoughts and not allowing them to drive your emotions which in turn can take over your body so to speak. You can still experience your thoughts but allow them to pass like a wave that comes up with the tide then washes away. Your feeling lost is due to the lack of control you feel, which is an illusion to begin with. I wouldn't make any concrete decisions but you can take time off for yourself and step away. Get some perspective and spend sometime with your mom. There are programs in place, like a leave of absence, that allow your to do this. Talk to your HR. Best of Luck.