abouttimeRN

Just expunge EVERYTHING. It's worth it. I didn't and after I took my NLCEX they held my license until I did.

I had a criminal history and sitting for the NLCEX was no problem, it was after finding out I passed and waiting and waiting for my license to come only to get a letter saying that I wasn't going to be getting it until I cleared up some things on my record. I went that very day to get my issue expunged and it delayed me but I am grateful I did it.

I went from ICU to Hospice and it certainly helped me. I don't think it's necessary, I think you can get that knowledge base elsewhere, but you become familiar with vented patients, pain management, dosages, etc and you are forced to know your disease processes well. A lot of times you have to have hard discussions about benefit versus burden of certain treatments and if its a treatment you haven't experienced first hand (weaning from vent, discontinuing vasopressors, etc), it can be hard to speak about it in an informed way. Many of my colleagues started in an inpatient hospice setting then branched out in other arenas of hospice and are thriving.

I called in saying I threw up but in reality the NP who ran the show on the hospital unit I was on severely embarrassed me and "chewed me out" in front of a patient and I went into the hospital bathroom to cry and needed a mental health day. Within a few weeks I was interviewing elsewhere then I was out.

I left the floor to do hospice nursing. I am a liaison who goes into hospitals to evaluate and sign patients up for hospice care to get them home or to their NH. It's M-F and normal daytime hours with better pay than floor nursing...something to think about :)

As I interviewed for ICU positions, I explained one of my goals as an ICU nurse was to build relationships with patients and families so I could do teaching and cater to their emotional needs in addition to their glaring physical demands. I was open about this being a passion of mine. I ended up getting offers from two ICU's in different hospitals and went with one that was a very well known and very prestigious hospital. I knew it would be hard but I knew even if it was bad all I needed was a year and I could do as I pleased (even though I really thought this was the unit for me and it would be more than a job and actually a long-term career). Now that I am out of it I am able to best reflect on it: -My preceptor was mean. Call it an ICU thing, call it whatever you want but my preceptor (and most of the nurses) were very short, not extremely interested in getting to know me and were not patient. If I made an error or asked for a repeat explanation about a procedure (mind you with no negative patient outcomes) it was not uncommon to get scolded/yelled at/reprimanded by a preceptor. Admittedly though one time my patient was becoming hypotensive and I titrated the levo up too quickly. Again, no negative outcomes. -Hours were unrealistic. Shifts were not 12 or 12.5 hours, I found myself there 13-14 hours and I was on top of my charting and not really behind but the expectation was to wait for rounding MD's in the AM and if they were late or pushed back rounds, guess who was staying? -No time with patients. This seems obvious in a true ICU but something I guess I needed to be in to realize. Patients are so critical and unstable that there is no bonding, there is no teaching, there is no sitting down and holding hands. There is stabilizing then getting them to the floor. I could go on but I'd like to contrast this with hospice nursing. I have only ever done ICU and hospice nursing. I did briefly do case management but in terms of floor nursing these have been my only two. I am so happy now. I feel like such a weight has been lifted. I don't dread work or have as many countdowns. I have FRIENDS. Oh and the doctors are amazing. The ICU docs I worked with (there were 6 who circulated) were terrible. Great and smart doctors who I'd trust with my life but it was normal and accepted to cry at some point/frequently as a right of passage with them. This is something I wasn't okay with. No rights of passage in hospice. There are a lot of expectations and the positions I applied for wanted experience and I see why. There is a lot of independence in hospice nursing and a lot of clinical judgement to make on your own and doctors trusting your eyes on the patient since they are not there with you. I love it and have never looked back. Also the pay is incredible! If you are on the fence, make the move!

I am a few months into hospice nursing, also loving it! Congrats!

I've been at a trauma 1 hospital hired as a new grad and my base is jus over $28 and that's without differentials which are about 30%. You can do better. I think you'll grow to resent the contract.

I graduated Nov 21, 2015 and I took NCLEX 12/8/15 if that gives you any insight...I am in IL

Since you THINK you know what you want but you're a new grad and may not actually have a grasp on what you want I would take money and experience...SICU will be there especially with a solid background. Don't mean to be offensive but I also thought SICU was my calling and I just gave my notice...!

I think this is a bad idea. Places that do this are sometimes understaffed and make it look attractive but it turns out not to be then you owe them money. 10/hr is not livable and not appropriate for the amount of work you will be doing. Even 24 seems low to me. Move on.

This is very helpful! The timing thing does make sense although I feel like they won't buy it for some reason. I hope I am being anxious for nothing and it will go smoothly and professionally.

This is my fear that she will say that she could put me on another shift or make an effort to accommodate me. In an ideal world I'd just hand her the letter and walk out but I know this is not reality

So I am paranoid about colleagues reading this so I will try to be vague enough to not be recognized but inclusive enough that I can get the help I need. I am planning on giving notice of my resignation in the next few weeks. I have only worked on this unit (PICU) for a short time. Let's say more than 6 months but less than one year. I am not quitting because my colleagues are bad or the unit is terrible. It's truly not what I expected it to be as a newer nurse. I have a new job lined up with more money and a far better schedule. I hate the thought of coming in and I have severe internal stress and anxiety about work. Part of the reason is the demeaning/punitive nature of providers but for the most part, even before this became common practice, I just didn't feel as if it was a good fit. Obviously I cannot say this to my manager as I prepare to leave. In addition to a formal, short, professional letter...how does or how should the verbal exchange go? I am embarrassed/guilty about the short time I've been on the unit.

I'm curious what you ended up doing. I am a newer nurse and planning my resignation in the coming weeks...I have another job lined up...

I am also a new grad in an ICU and it is chaos and it's busy and it's surgical/trauma. I feel stupid often. I feel dread going into work often. I've contemplated leaving often. I've found this personality type to be a trend. I was also told when I was on orientation many times "didn't we go over this before?" "why don't you remember this?" but you have to shrug it off. I am only about 6 months in, 3 months off of orientation myself. I feel good until I don't...I feel competent because my patient does fine until I've asked why I've done XYZ without even realizing XYZ was a problem or contraindicated. A lot of nuances to be learned. None of your story surprised me except that she called you dumb. That's not okay. I can also only imagine what is said about me but I try to bring it up so it can be said right to my face rather than behind my back. I've been called slow and heard "shh" as I've approached nurses but you shouldn't be crying. I'd say try to tough it out as long as you can, when you've hit your wall get moving. I am pretty much at my wall around six months and I have a few interviews coming up. I will stay here as long as I need to just knowing in the back of my mind it's not forever. I feel dumb often too.

I did direct entry. My bachelors was in bio and psych. Overall it was okay but unfortunately while you do leave very booksmart with a great understanding of pathophys and disease processes and can probably write a decent paper...you can't even even start an IV. This is embarrassing and totally invalidates you no matter how competent you are in terms of knowledge. Example: I have to use our vein finder, I had only done one central line dressing change before...much better now though!

For me it was within two weeks time so I am hoping you heard and have great news!

I appreciate the thorough response. I am trying to go through all situations and I'm not sure what I would do if I was told no to a FT to PT request. I'd really like a year at a place like where I am at under my belt and I am just a few months shy. So I am making about a dollar more per hour on night shift than I would be in this new job on day shift so for the extreme improvement in hours/scheduling that is definitely something I am willing to accept. PT would remain nights and ideally 20 hours, so I would suck it up and probably do Friday and Saturday nights and cut one of the two jobs loose once I reached my year mark at this facility. I get that these hours are not ideal with two but if it was only for a few months until I got a year under my belt I am sure I could do it...

So I was arrested for shoplifting also although I was never charged. I'm not sure that this is helpful but I never had any issues with getting into school or with clinicals. I did have an issue after passing my NCLEX with getting my physical license. I had to rebuttal a letter and go get expunged but after all of that work, everything worked out. Like I said though I was not charged, simply arrested. Good luck!

HELP! So I got a dream job on a dream unit (on paper) in terms of prestige...a lot of new grads do not get hired in a critical care position at a top hospital like I did. Anyway, it's been extremely stressful, it's been night shift, and there isn't a lot of slack for me being extremely new to nursing. Mostly, I am not happy and am frequently stressed. That being said, I recently got a call from a job I applied to a while back which it on the opposite end of the spectrum but literally crossing all wants off my checklist. Hours are amazing, no nights, no weekends, no holidays. Pay is actually more than I'd be paid dayshift where I am currently working and it's community health nursing in a field I am very interested in. I am wondering firstly--do I take it? I have an interview next week and want it. Secondly, I am wondering how to have a conversation with my current manager. I'd like to continue to work where I currently work (at least until juggling two jobs becomes too much) it's just I'd prefer to go from FT to PT. I am worried that being so new (within one year) that they would sooner just wash their hands of me than accommodate this request. In addition, I am wondering what to say...do I say it's another job? Do I just say it's personal? Thanks!

So I want to be a nurse practitioner and I am in IL. I was told the trend is toward requiring a DNP. While master's certificate programs still exist I have been told that these certificate programs are becoming like an associate's and the DNP is like getting a bachelor's...if you get my comparison...I'm just unsure. I don't want to start and go through a certificate program only to be told upon completion that it's not sufficient and that I still need a DNP. Help!

Hi newRN i don't come on here a ton. Did it get worked out? do you need tips? Thanks!

Firstly, do not do an ADN program. If you want to work at a good hospital that is perhaps Magnet certified, you will not get hired as a nurse and if you do they'll require you to go back to school for at least a BSN. That being said the DePaul program is just okay. I've found that there is a lot of confusion around the program among nurses who don't understand how you can have a Master's in nursing but no real nursing experience. I have found that people leave the program book smart and theory smart but skill/technical training is slim to none whereas Bachelor's prepared nurses seem to have a better grasp on the technical side to nursing and focus on the important aspects and not so much on dissecting journals, completing independent papers and research projects, and other nonsense. Pay is experienced based so master's or bachelor's with no experience, you start the same. the only benefit i see is that down the line i am able to teach if i so desire and there is overlap in classload with a NP program so that would knock off some credits if i went back to school.

everything worked out, my license posted online and I am feeling stellar. If you come across this don't hesitate to message me!