beekee

You should anticipate being reported to the BON as well.

Ha! My preceptor called in sick my first day. I was told to take the cart and do what I could. First job as an RN, new grad. It went about as well as one would expect. I eventually got 3 days orientation. I can’t remember if it included that first day.

Absolutely this. The only way to get into acute care after a couple years out is to know someone, move to an area desperate for nurses, or, if you are lucky, take the most undesirable position out there.

Oh look! Our nurses can handle 12 patients for an hour, why do they have just 6 now? ?

What skills did you learn from those two jobs that apply to nursing? Nurses educate. Your T.A. job highlights your ability to teach to a wide variety of people, modifying based on their learning needs. Employers are huge on customer service. A cashier is on the front line of creating a pleasant service experience for the customer. Nurses use technology. Your experience as a secretary shows that you are able to use basic office equipment and software. These are all skills you will use as a nurse. Don’t be afraid to highlight them. (I didn’t look at your resume).

Try applying to med surg jobs. Once you are in and are a know quantity, it’s easier to move into a specialty.

I’m amazed too. I’ve had a lot of “bad” jobs. Nursing is in its own league.

Absolutely no way I’d stay in acute care if I was forced to do 5-8 hr shifts instead of 3-12 hour shifts. I agree there should be an option for those who want it, however. I’d quit in a hot second if I had to work 8s again. Way more problematic I think is the rotating shifts. My employer requires most to work day and night shifts. Absolute hell on the mind, body and spirit.

I wouldn’t. I spent less than $10k on my ADN and BSN combined. I have coworkers with “brand name” degrees and “pay to play” degrees. Neither makes or breaks the nurse. I suppose it might be worth it depending, possibly, on your career goals (as in want to teach nursing at an Ivy League school).

Three steps: 1. Determine the appropriate length of notice to give your current employer. Generally, people give two weeks. However, some employers require more. Check your employer’s policies or your union contract. If you do not give the appropriate notice, you can be marked as ineligible for rehire, be ineligible to receive payout on your unused PTO, etc. 2. When accepting the offer with the new company, tell them that you can start no earlier than X date because you need to give appropriate notice to your current employer. They will understand. 3. With offer in hand, give notice to current employer.

I’m guessing you are very book smart? Book smart gets you through nursing school and the NCLEX. It sounds like you focused on the technical side, but not so much the human side.

Depends on the country, hospital and unit. In the US, most nurses buy their own scrubs. However, some units, like the OR, will supply scrubs. For those that buy their own scrubs, the hospital may dictate the color and style, just color, or allow anything at all.

From ANCC:

I do it for the money. I’m a nurse and I have no idea what most of those random letters mean. I can’t imagine patients and their families know. ?

I got “fired” by a patient who was a paraplegic once. Why? I wouldn’t help him leave AMA. For the record, neither would his girlfriend who was also in the room. Dont sweat it. It happens.

I probably would have done the same thing, honestly. As an added bonus, you will probably get talked to about your overtime too. Welcome to nursing!

Yes, I believe so. A monitoring program is typically the only way to keep disciplinary action private (only available in some states). https://www.msbn.ms.gov/disciplinary-action

Give two weeks notice.

It’s ok. Nothing bad is going to happen because you forgot a blood glucose check. You are human. You made a mistake. Find a way of better organizing yourself and move on.

The Emergency Room where I work hires EMTs as techs too.

You have no negotiating power. Acute care typically (in my experience) gives no credit for prior experience as a LPN.

Can you quit and work agency until you find your next job? Do you have any support outside of work? Personally, it sounds like you should leave. It also sounds like it’s time to check in with your PCP for a mental health checkup. Best wishes to you. ETA: Don’t leave if that means you lose health insurance, though. Or if you can’t financially afford to do so. Adulting sucks sometimes. If no money is going to make life worse, then step up your job search efforts and leave when you secure a new position.

Depending on your location, many hospitals hire during your last semester of school before you take the NCLEX. You may be too late for a new grad program. If you get a job at a hospital in a specialty you don’t really care for, take it! It’s often easier to transfer units if you are in acute care than it is to transition from non-acute to acute. Plus, nursing school is NOTHING like actual nursing. You may love a specialty you think you aren’t too keen on now. It happens frequently (you hate what you think you’ll love and love what you think you’ll hate). Whatever the specialty is, learn all you can because much is transferable. And your future coworkers will appreciate your knowledge in that specialty later. If acute care turns out to be a dead end, take a look at other options, such as SNF, dialysis, clinics, rehab, etc. Learn as much as you can and try again in a year or two. There are jobs out there. A week of looking is nothing!

Who is “they”? A lawyer? You should speak with one if you haven’t yet. And don’t expect any $$ for emotional distress.

Take the pulse of your unit. Does everyone display their certifications on their badge? Only the “know-it-all’s”? No one? Do whatever is the practice in your unit. Or, do what you want, you earned them. I seriously never look at my coworkers’ badges. They could say their name is Big Bird, MSN, CCRN, and I would probably never notice.