Mumto4

Good luck with your interview! Don't fret about a new grad position. I start next week to mother/baby and I haven't worked on that unit is over 12 years. They are giving me 6 weeks of orientation which can go up or down depending on what I need. Most hospitals will want to do their best to ensure that you are safe and are able to keep your patients safe. As someone said, postpartum nursing is a specialty and it's more than making sure mom is able to breastfeed and baby is maintaining his/her temperature. Also, my bit of advice...when they ask you your biggest weakness....be honest! The manager doesn't want to hear 'I don't know' or you to take a weakness and make it a strength. My weakness...I told them it has been 11 years since I worked as a nurse....I'm rusty. But I said that I'm aware of it, I'm reading, I took a refresher course, did a clinical rotation this summer, I learn quick...and most importantly, I know where to find the answers I need and who to ask.

Congrats! There's a lot to learn, but I loved L&D when I worked it. :)

If you're looking to ease up in the lifting and moving patients, then L&D doesn't sound like the best move. There is lots of bending, lifting, and twisting...and yes, you still end up lifting of patients in L&D. It most definitely isn't an easier job....but when you're talking about nursing most jobs aren't easy. If you're looking to ease your back, perhaps you would be interested in case management. I have a friend who did that for an insurance company for years.

Baby #3 was a surprise (birth control and I didn't see eye-to-eye, that one was an IUD baby)....anyhow, I found out I was pregnant with her the same week I was accepted into my school's nursing program. I ran into pregnancy complications with her and when she was born she had a birth defect that took us a few weeks to diagnose. All of those issues messed up my schooling and I was forced by the nursing program to drop my clinical that semester. They held my spot, but the whole thing pushed me back a year. Plus, I have always been one of those very lucky people who doesn't have to spend a lot of time studying and I still had to work hard to get through the nursing program. Adding a baby to that was very difficult and not something I'd openly recommend to anyone.

Yep OSHA doesn't allow due to potential contamination. Also some states have laws against it. Plus it's usually against hospital policy--do you really want to potentially risk biting the hand that feeds you? Sneaking snacks just doesn't seem like a smart move to me. Besides, it's for your safety as well. If you can't manage more than a couple of hours without something, then find a good time to excuse yourself to the break room where you can grab a handful of nuts or something quickly. Some hospitals do have a centralized conference room where food and/drink may be kept.

The course was self-study via modules and recommended reading. Then I had a written test. They sent a copy to me and the original to my BON. Then my BON approved me for a temp license. The number of hours I had to do for my preceptorship was determined by my BON. The clinical appraisal and worksheets were also turned into the program and after they reviewed them, they again sent me a copy and sent the originals to my BON. I had heard how tough it was for out-of-practice nurses to even get job interviews, but my first interview was on the floor I had my preceptorship on. They liked me, but thought I would be happier in a different unit. So that director spoke to another director and got me an interview elsewhere. I start orientation at the end of the month. :)

Congrats on the job! Don't fret over how things go right out of the gate. You are working med-surg in a hospital setting. They know you are a new nurse and they don't expect perfection from you. You will spend time orienting to the hospital, then to the unit. You will work with a preceptor from anywhere between 2-6wks...and sometimes they will go even longer in orientation...depending on your needs. They don't expect you to be super nurse and have all your skills down pat. If your preceptors are in their toes, then they will go out of their way to try and gain you experience...in everything. And even after all of that and your on your own, remember that in a hospital setting, you are never alone. During your orientation time take the time and effort to get to know the staff you will be working with, form relationships and build a sturdy network. Then, when you need help, ask for it! Learn where to access policies and procedures and know who you can ask for reliable information. If your not sure, double-check. If you can't seem to be able to keep up, ask for tips. If you have stuck a patient 3x's and you can't seem to get an IV in, talk to your charge nurse or call the resource nurse to get your line. Are you part of a New Grad program? They tend to offer a lot of classes as part of orientation and can be helpful, but they aren't mandatory to success. I have been out of nursing for over 11 years, I did a refresher course last winter/spring and was scared half out of my mind to do a clinical rotation this summer because it had been ages since I had performed any skills. Amazingly, it all came rushing back like a tidal wave. Like muscle memory. But when I was interviewing for work in August, I was very upfront with the directors. I've been out of nursing for a long time but I know where to find the information I need and I am never afraid to ask for help. I start work a week from Monday. A little fear is healthy, it'll keep you on your toes. :) Good luck!

I was hired into an L&D/mother-baby program immediately after school, but I originally graduated right in the middle of a nursing shortage in my area....back in the time of sign-on bonuses, lots of openings, etc. some of the things that helped my application and interview, though, was that when I did reports and papers in school I tried to center them around OB nursing and health issues. Not always possible, of course, but it was enough to both give me something to talk about during my interview and to show my passion in that particular field. I lasted 2 yrs before my personal life became too overwhelming. I am going back to mother/baby at the end of this month after an 11 year hiatus and I couldn't be more excited. I couldn't believe how giddy I was when the unit educator emailed me my unit orientation schedule yesterday. LOL! RaceMom, what a transition from hospice! I admire anyone who can do that job. I hope your return to mother/baby is a good one for you. :)

I can understand how you feel. However, aside from the fact that you may need to work someplace other than your desired specialty after school, you need to recognize that you need some sort of med/surg to be able to take care of any patients. For example, I was an L&D RN for a time. As an L&D nurse I had patients who had pacemakers and required tele monitoring, I had pregnant patients with pneumonia, I had patients with cancer, patients with HIV, patients with diabetes Type 1. Postpartum, a friend of mine had a patient have a heart attack and code, and I've seen patients during c-section go into DIC. My point being, those are typical med/surg experiences, caring for those situations while the mother is pregnant, laboring, or postpartum adds another layer. And when you deal with peds and NICU, they are different layers that build. You need the basics to be able to go up. What does the NCLEX test you for? It's minimum safe competencies. Try to keep all of that in mind and maybe it'll help motivate you to get through.

I applied in June. Interviewed for 3 different units....one at the end of July, the other two in August. All three times the jobs were marked as closed/filled before I interviewed. That hospital closes positions once applications have been reviewed and the groups for the next phase (interviews) are scheduled. If they still have multiple positions to fill, then they will post another opening for that unit under a new job #, this is to get a new selection of applications. I did receive an offer from my interviews and start orientation later this month. I hope you hear good news tomorrow!

Favorite...hands down, L&D. I love the one-on-one care, the pacing, the autonomy...everything. Least...psych. I only ever had to do psych through my clinical rotations, but I hated it. Med/surg or OB patients with psych issues? No problem, but when the main issue is psych, I'd rather be elsewhere.

Thanks! It varies by state and how long you've been non-practicing. I took the online course thru nurserefresher.org. It was a lot of reading, but because I've been working from home, I didn't have a hard time being self-motivated. I'm used to keeping a schedule. The program is accepted in several states, but you need to check with your BON to see if your state is one of them. They have an RN program and an LPN program. The written course itself was quick for me, but it took me ages to get everything thru my BON and then to arrange a preceptorship. I think a classroom setting would've been nice just because I feel that lectures reinforce learning for me, but it wasn't an option in my area.

I'm an RN who recently did this. I got my RN in 2001 as an ASN. I worked for 2 1/2 years until I couldn't continue. I had a 4th, very unexpected, child and a slew of medical issues and it was too much. I spent the last 11 years home with my kids, raising my family, and doing some 'work from home' types of jobs. Right after my youngest's birthday last year, I sat down and talked with my husband and told him about my desire to go back to work. He was very supportive. I enrolled in a refresher program in November. Even though I did very well on the written portion and the final test, I was scared out of my mind to go back into an acute care setting. Then, I did my preceptorship in June and it was amazing at how quickly everything came back to me. By the time my clinicals were done, I was handling a full assignment almost entirely on my own. And the following week, I was missing it immensely. My license was reinstated last month and after a couple of interviews, I recently received a job offer. I am looking forward to going back to work and doing what I loved. :) Good luck!

I'm planning on starting an online ADN/ASN to BSN program in January. When I spoke to them a few weeks back they said that as long as your program is "core certified" then it's a simple process and the pre-reqs are accepted. They told me that they have transcripts from over 20 years ago that go through without having to take a bunch of extra courses.

Definitely start the application process before you graduate. From what I've seen, the new graduate programs are competitive and tough to get in to. However, where I live, the new grads are conditionally hired. Meaning the offer is placed but the graduate must pass NCLEX before they start. Here, the residency applications for the December/January are due in October. Good luck!