RN44

Hi there, I received my conditional offer June 7th. I have done everything for both background checks, my physical is booked, and I have written up my nursing criteria. My question is how long the firm offer takes after conditional? I submitted everything last week. I can't get in for my physical until beginning of July. I am just trying to plan because they are asking me to start in August and I need to give my current employer notice. However, I do not want to do that until I have a firm offer (obviously). Just looking for insight into how it worked for other people. Also, really hoping that my write up shows enough participation to get a decent offer. Anyone have positive stories to share about that, especially those who started at a level 2 nurse.... Thank you.

Curious about working in the ICU. I have worked med/surg, cath lab/ep lab/IR lab/vascular peripheral interventions (combo lab), and also the prep/recovery side of those procedures. I feel like not having any ICU background kind of inhibits me. I feel like I should have gone med/surg to ICU to cath lab. At any rate....do you think after doing procedural nursing and prep/recovery it is possible to really get back into the swing of bedside nursing and ICU level nursing? Obviously I have run emergent drips, given sedation, had vented patients, etc in the lab.... but not all day everyday. I have been involved in many RRTs and codes being in lab. Just curious what you guys think about ICU nursing right now with everything going on around covid. Tks in advance.

Old post I know but thought I would comment. Our EP is combined with Vascular/Cath/IR. What do I love about EP....well, it is an ever growing field. There is a lot of different kinds of equipment to learn and know. What did I not like....honestly how long some of the cases go. You ever had no relief at 830pm and have to pee...not fun at all. Our teams only had 1 nurse at the time..... so no one else to give meds. You had to stay in the room.

If you can get your cardiac vascular board certification. My facility highly encourages this certification for RN's in cath lab. Once you are in the lab you should also consider getting RCIS and/or RCES.

We have 3 people and the doctor. It is the circulating nurse (who also does the sedation), the scrub tech, and the CVT. The scrub tech in my state is always a rad tech...the CVT is usually a rad tech but can be a nurse too.

Well....I am almost to my 1 year anniversary of working as a nurse! In some ways I still feel as green as I did the 1st month, in other ways I've learned so much. I started on med surg. I'm still on med surg (days instead of nights now though). I have a couple of thoughts about all that.... 1. Why is med surg such a soul sucker some days? I mean honestly, some days I come home and can barely walk the next day, just physically exhausted from running, running, running. AND mentally/emotionally drained from demands of family members or abuse from patients/family members. 2. I come in 30 minutes early every shift and look up my pts (unpaid). I make my sheets for the day and review orders, etc. I also make my PCT sheet if we have a PCT. Even doing this there are days I get out late, most days most of us get out up to 30 minutes late BUT I have days occasionally where I get out an hour late. It is just really draining.... and I usually "eat lunch" at the nurses station while charting. I have started doing more for myself, I am getting massages monthly, practicing intentional thinking and relaxation and eating healthier. It is helping ... but man, some days still I feel my energy is just zapped. 3. New grads ... med surg is a great place because us new grads really bond. Also there are generally some seasoned team members on each shift to learn from. Also my skills are pretty good as far as variety. I've done many different drains, dressings, NGs, several drips, etc. I've been exposed to many medications too, and tons of doctors/staff from multiple specialties. AND I must add working med surg nights is worth it for the fun breakfasts after shifts with your coworkers, nights has a special camaraderie I have not found on days. 4. I'm thinking about starting to look at other positions....I'm finishing my BSN (have a bachelors in business from previous career). I eventually want to get my Master's or DNP. I really want to specialize in an area where I can provide teaching...teaching to patients and families. Also I want to teach, precept, etc. I do like med surg but I feel like it is a young nurses field, what I mean is all the running is hard on me already, in a few years how much harder will it be to keep up? This is my second career and I am no spring chicken. ALSO I hate when people say oh your a nurse, whats your specialty....when you say med surg the general response is oh. People don't even view it as a specialty even though prompt attention to detail on those post surgicals really helps prevent negative outcomes! ALSO prompt assessment on new arrivals from ED and direct transfers, getting them to the ICU when you realize they need higher care asap, that makes a huge difference! I am looking at the big patient picture and notifying all the team when there is a flag! I minimize negative outcomes daily. Frustrating that people view it the way they do....I truly feel med surg nurses are honed on assessment skills, you will get great assessment skills in spades after time spent on med surg. 5. Will I ever get better at IV starts? I seriously had such a good roll....but I have been on a bad run for what seems like months now. Any tips on getting better? Any resources? Short of trying to start a new IV for every A/C the ED sends that is. I just feel so defeated with every IV I miss or blow when trying to advance. 6. Taking my ACLS next month, that feels like a lot of responsibility. We get overflow from all floors except labor/delivery, mom baby, peds. So we do see a WIDE VARIETY of stuff and are expected to be capable of running a code situation after ACLS. As of now I usually scribe, get needed supplies, or do vitals during our emergency response situations. Also very much needed roles, and I am more than okay with pitching in wherever help is needed. Anyhow.....that is kind of my year in review. Any advice from others out there finishing up their year? Any experiences you have to share? Any career advice you've learned that the rest of us could benefit from?

Wish I had the perfect answer for you! I switched to days months ago and still question if the best fit for me is where I currently am. Days are much more busy....and just so many interruptions.

Thanks for all the great responses! And the headlight idea!

So I am a newer nurse.....and started in med/surg. I'm still in med/surg and honestly I was really thinking that it was for me. I enjoy the variety, I enjoy the people and being busy. However....last week I had some really rough days.....and a 6 patient load on day shift pretty consistently, sometimes with no tech, it made me think maybe I need to look at my skills and look at my career goals long term. I worked over the weekend and it went really well .... but then yesterday happened. I had quite possibly the worst work day I've ever experienced. Now I know I can't evaluate my career on one day....BUT.....it was pretty awful. I didn't get a break, I didn't eat all day, I didn't get water until about 3pm, I didn't get done charting until after 9pm. Today I was so sick from running on adrenaline only yesterday....I was literally physically ill until about 3pm. Yesterday was just, well it made me think I might be wrong or just plain nuts for wanting to put myself in that type of situation. How do you guys leave a bad day behind and move forward...or when do you say too many bad days maybe it isn't for me?

I would do this in a heartbeat!!!! I don't work in peds but we also have low census in the warmer months. We have nurses called off every shift and you have to use your paid time off which means many are short paid time off for their actual scheduled vacations. I would gladly put a little aside every month or pick up some OT in the busier winter months to sit aside for when I am off in the summer. I have been a single mother for many, many years. What I wouldn't have given to be able to spend more time with my kids when they were younger! They are now older teens and getting ready to leave the nest...... so long as you can budget well this could work I think.

My current and new grad job as a R.N. is on a med surg floor at a hospital, overnights. We have had a lot of new grads on our floor. I think it is a great place to start as you acquire so many skills...it can be quite busy and chaotic at times when you are new because time management skills are still being developed..... BUT .... I feel that time spent on this unit is preparing me to work in ANY other area of the hospital. We see just about everything....not vents of course but we do most everything else including drips.

What is the best bag or tote for takin all your stuff to and from work? I want it to be organized.... currently I use a bag but it is full of mini bags for each of my groups of stuff. I can't stand everything just dumped into one large pocket. Suggestions?

FIRST OF ALL - Congratulations on your recent graduation and license! That is an accomplishment! Secondly....I too am a brand new nurse. I have been working since Nov 13th, I have two weeks on the floor. I am up to 4 patients now. AND guess what....I too don't know everything. AND get nervous and anxious...AND that is okay! We are brand new nurses! Of course there is stuff we don't know, and stuff we are going to be nervous about. If we weren't they def shouldn't have hired us...ppl's lives are in our hands! It's okay to feel that way....just go in everyday and do your best. It will come. It will get easier. You will get it :)

THANKS :) I appreciate the advice!

Hi there :) I start my FIRST R.N. job after graduation and passing NCLEX. I start on Monday. I am so nervous, this is a second career for me and I have not worked in medical before. Is it normal to question did I get enough experience during my clinical times, did I do well enough in school, am I ready? Is that normal... Any advice for someone brand new starting out in med/surg?