mmarlene93

Maybe you could go back to school for something that truly interests you or that won't require as much social interaction with people but in the meantime you could use your nursing license to work per diem or single shifts whenever you need to, to supplement your education. You could always pick up shifts in PACU which are much less stressful.

I think hospitals that have new grad residency programs are tailored specifically to support new nurses and give them the tools needed to succeed. In my residency program, you got 3 months of orientation and you had the option of extending if you felt like you needed more time.

I would suggest applying specifically to hospitals that offer new grad residency programs because you will most likely have a longer orientation period as well as classes that will help your transition. If you worked as an LPN in the past, maybe you could talk to the managers you were employed by, to ask them if they can give you an opportunity. If they know you and believe in your capabilities that may be the best place to start. Don't give up, you just have to keep applying and something will turn up.

I think you should pursue what you're passionate in and not give up. Continue to apply and it if you think it's a good idea to gain more certifications to make you stand out as an applicant then you should do that as well. Keep applying, and maybe reach out to those jobs that didn't offer you a position and ask them what you could do to improve in the future.

You could apply to St. Jude and St. Joseph hospital in Orange County, Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, and Long Beach Memorial.

I feel like you should ask everyone that you possibly can since you were in their classroom and even if you didn't interact with them that much they still have data regarding how you performed in their class. Most of the time, the professors have a general outline of the letters of recommendation they will write for students since they are asked every year. It doesn't hurt to try and it is always better to have extra letter of recommendation just in case.

I think that having ICU experience will help you once you are ready to apply to graduate level programs as you are required to understand in-depth the pathophysiology, patient history, and how that interconnects to account for the nuances in treatment that will be provided which is usually individualized.

I wouldn't recommend taking a job that has those ratios. It will place you at a greater risk to experience burnout and it may discourage you from continuing your career in nursing. You also want to ensure that you are always protecting your nursing license, with such a heavy patient workload you may be prone to making more mistakes or overseeing warning signs of patient decline in condition.

I would recommend Coronary ICU as it will be helpful to have cardiac experience if you ever want to apply to graduate programs in the future.

I think that you should definitely see another provider for a second opinion, but I wouldn't suggest waiting too long to start gaining work experience because it may be harder for you to find employment after a prolonged gap between the date of your graduation and your first date of employment. Maybe try to get accommodations at work for your health needs, but work per diem or part-time to gain that experience.

It depends in what state you live as well as if the hospital you are applying to is a union hospital or not because often times union hospitals have a set breakdown of the pay rate according to years of experience and in my experience they will no deviate from the established parameter. I started off as a new grad in Southern California earning $38.99/hour base rate not including night shift and weekend differential.

Yes, it is possible. You will just have to do your research to find hospitals and new grad programs that will accept you in the OR and apply early. As long as you have a solid reason for wanting to pursue a career in the OR you will not regret starting off in that unit. Best of luck!

It is normal to experience imposter syndrome as a new grad especially in the ICU as well as anticipatory anxiety prior to a shift. It is stressful to communicate our needs when we are inexperienced but the critical thinking aspect will develop gradually as you care for different patients and start to notice trends. I think that as long as you know how to do an assessment where you are able to identify abnormal findings and have the ability to notice acute abnormalities in a patient's vitals and EKG, then that will be the information you communicate to the doctor. Ultimately, it is not only on you to find a possible solution or treatment. Once you communicate those findings to the doctor, they should have their own recommendations. Again, practice and experience will help develop those critical thinking skills.

I would recommend starting off in an inpatient setting as it may be difficult for you to obtain a higher acuity job once you commit yourself initially to an outpatient setting. At the same time, if you don't see yourself wanting to work in an inpatient setting then you should be OK. A lot of hospitals offer new grad programs that give you an extended orientation period and resources/classes to help you transition to an independent role.

Hi, Typically when you start as a new graduate nurse at a hospital you will get an orientation to your unit. During this time, try to absorb as much of the information that is provided to you by your preceptor. The best advice I can give you is to take a little notepad where you write down helpful tips that you pick up during your first weeks and months. Going in with an understanding of nursing basics such as lab values, ECG interpretation, and a refresher of the material associated with the unit you will be working in will make the transition much smoother. For example, I started as a new grad in the Neuro ICU so I reviewed the Neuro section of my critical care book before beginning.