TexasPediRN

epiglottitis :) Pedi emergency...big time...

I used to live in Houston, and I dont think its the best time for a new grad to look for jobs.. Reason being, is that all new grad internships are in Jan and June. You just missed the June ones, (for the May graduates), as all interviews were done a long time ago. There are many hospitals in the med center: Hermann & Hermann Childrens (trauma center) Texas Childrens (best childrens hospital) LBJ and Benn Taub (both public community hospitals- very busy, but will learn lots.) MD Anderson (hiring freeze last I heard) (oncology) some ortho hospitals, a Shriners...Kindred.. Methodist. Thats all within a 5 mile radius. Depending on what you want, Hermann is a level one trauma center. They see it all. Methodist always falls into the category of top 10 hospitals to work for, across the US. There are also hospitals outside of the med center, Hermann, Methodist, etc.. Just google them. Benefits of working on the med center: Experience is one of a kind. You see it ALL Pay is more. Benefits of not working in the med center: Less chaos. You make less, but you also dont pay for parking. You must pay for parking, or park off site and shuttle in, in the med center. Good luck choosing! I do think your best bet would be to contact HR, and get the name of the manager for the unit, and email them your resume directly. Some places have openings, but not the typical new grad orientation opening.

Actually, where I went to school, the vast majority did NOT pay the full tuition price. Nor did anyone in the area. Financial aid was readily available to all of us. I dont know of one person who attended my school, or schools in the surrounding area that paid full price. They sent out pamphlets as well stating the vast majority of their students received financial aid, statistics provided. And, I never said the percentages were 100%. I said the majority...

The school I attended was 25k a year, 100k total for my BSN. That was without student loans, scholarships, and financial aid. I owed about 30k in loans when i graduated, I think thats pretty good. Most people fail to realize that the vast majority do NOT pay the full tuition amount. There is always fin. aid offered from the college and scholarships. But to not get anything, and have 100k in loans, I dont think so!!

OP: I just read this entire thread, and I am sorry you were fired, but I commend you on being able to speak 4 languages. With that being said, you do need to take a course to brush up your english, so that you can be more understood. For your assessment above..heres what I am reading and what I feel should be changed.. Patients vitals Within normal limits (this is ok, as long as the vital signs are charted somewhere else) Breath sounds clear (again, this works, until you keep reading..) something is soft and symmetry(is this the abdomen? If so, Bowel sounds present x4quadrants, abdomen soft, symmetric, or nondistended.). Lung sounds (or left side), clear bilaterally?? If its just the left side, it cannot be clear bilaterally (which means both sides). And, we already charted lung sounds above with breath sounds..so this is a repeat and not very clear.. Skin WNL ( this works, but would be better to chart skin with no signs of redness or breakdown. ) Maintained patient safety (how did you maintain patient safety. How about, side rails up, call bell within reach, encouraged to call nurse with any questions or concerns?) Does that make sense to you? It would be a better way of charting what you were charting, so that you have covered the information you were hoping to chart, but in a clear and concise way. I wish you luck with your english! Just keep practicing and soon you will understand the words much better :)

BEFORE you look into this, please realize something. The reason any hospital in the Valley (border of Mexico and texas), is willing to pay such huge sign on bonuses is b/c they are extremely desperate for nurses. The working conditions are terrible there, and the nurse: patio ratio is extremely high. They have to offer sign on bonuses, b/c its the only way to keep nurses down there. Once you take a sign on bonus, you owe the hospital x number of years, otherwise you must pay the bonus back. Again, its also why they are offering relocation packages. They are desperate for nurses to work in such terrible conditions. I highly recommend AGAINST it for a new grad to work there. Its a danger to your license - Think about it.

What a very smart 4 year old!! I would have died laughing to have heard a child say those words.. Thank you for teaching her !!! And, that MA was completely uncalled for. And to say that if you were a great nurse you wouldnt be there?? Um, does she not know about viruses and how they spread?? Nobody can keep their kids from getting viruses, unless they had them locked in a bubble! Ugh..but, I agree, she needs a nice treat for that one!!

65$ every 2 years in Texas..

I have friends who graduated from TWU's NP program, and who have nothing but good things to say about it. The same goes for UT's NP program - nothing but good things to say about it. Good luck!

Best way to get your answer is to contact your state BON. The ability to get ones LVN varies state to state. Curious, why dont you want to work as a CNA? You'll get more hospital experience and be more prepared to work in the hospital when you obtain your BSN. Most hospitals (not sure about your area), are not hiring LVN's and you would be working in a nursing home/assisted living facility. Just curious..

There are plenty of other students out there who would do anything to become a nurse and would be smart enough to not drink and show up for a physical. If you are dumb enough to show up to a physical drunk, you don't deserve to have one of those coveted nursing student spots. Since the student obviously was impaired at a physical, which you would think would be common sense to NOT be, how is her judgment going to be at work? Might as well show up impaired at work as well.. No thanks. Others deserve the chance. She lost hers.

Lol.. Oh how I could echo your post.. I moved to Houston as a GN From PA as well, 3 1/2 years ago due to hubbys job transfer. My one recommendation : Get a job before you move down here!!! Have something lined up and accepted.. I came down in Sept, and wasnt able to get a hospital job ( no internship programs at that time). So, I worked private duty for a while before getting back into the hospital setting. Just do awesome at the interview and make sure to follow up. Good luck!

Methodist have a pedi section?? Know anything about it??

Welcome to Houston! Methodist is apparently a great hospital system to work for, and receives rave reviews from everyone. I do not work there, but many people that do are very happy there. Also, if you come to the med center, take into acct that you must either park off site, or pay for parking. I dont think you need to do that in sugarland. I dont know much about st. lukes. Good luck though, and welcome! Houston is glad to have you!

I'm thinking its possible, but only on a VERY strict budget...and assuming you have no other bills (car/cell/cc's/etc) at 8$ an hour, thats 320$ a week working 40 hours/wk. 320$ x 4 weeks is 1280$ a month. Lets say less taxes you bring home 1000 a month. minus 450-500 a month for rent/utilties is 500-550$ leftover a month. Lets say 30-50$ a week on food, thats 120-200$ per month in food. That leaves $400ish left over. Can you do it? Sure, but you'll need to be strict about it. Anything to get yourself out of a bad situation - you can make it work. Good for you for realizing the need to get outta the situation. As for nursing school, apply for grants/loans/scholarships - anything to cover you during the entire course of your schooling. Then, worry about paying it off later on. Another thought is to work some overtime as a CNA, which perhaps that facility needs. Most overtime is time and a half pay. Added bonus! Also, weekends and evenings usually pay more. Good luck!

Sleep. Snacks. Water. Get enough sleep, nutrition, and drink throughout the day and you will be fine (and pee!) Try to eat breakfast (either at home or at work) lunch, and perhaps an afternoon snack. I am always famished by the time I get home and jittery on the days that I dont eat the afternoon snack . And most of all, enjoy it! You will learn lots!

plagiarism, in its most basic definition, is using someone-elses work and turning it in as your own. In order to turn in that paper, you would have to put your name on it. But, if you didnt write it, you are taking credit for work that was not yours. Which, is in turn plagiarism. The website will give you a paper with references, but again, you didnt write the paper. Can you honestly think that paying someone to write a paper for you, and you putting your name on said paper, is ok? How is that being honest? I too, suggest you visit the writing center at your school if you are unable to effectively write your own term paper.

omg me too. where do we need to move?? i hate working our picu b/c of having 2 intubated kids - but 1:1 and i can stay in the room with my pt all day and give proper care?? sign me up!!

I highly recommend it. It gives you a foot in the door at that hospital after graduation (remember, many new GNS will be applying for not so many GN spots), and, it makes you more confident in clinicals. I went to school in Pennsylvania, and there you could work as a student nurse aide after one semester of clinicals. It helped me immensely. As far as having other commitments, you get hired on supplimental, or PRN. You only work as needed, based around your schedule. I worked usually, 2 8 hour and 1 6hour shift a week. And, I did that 6 after shift after an 8 hour shift of clinicals, so it can be done! Best of luck to you!

I'm starting the weekend program next weekend. Ours is work 36/paid 48. Its every Fri/Sat/Sun or Sat/Sun/Mon with a 6 month contract. The positions are usually offered few and far between, and most nurses tend to keep them. In my hospital new grads are not elligible for the position - you must be an nurse for a year or more. But, as someone else pointed out - you will have no problem Scheduling yourself for weekend days as they are not desirable shifts and most people dont want to work them. You just wont get paid the extra for it.

i know it sucks, but there are only so many nurses to orient new grads. no hospital can take 300 new grads at once, they'd sink. each unit can only handle 2-4 new grads at a time so that new grads can get the best orientation possible. just keep applying, and call for follow up. also, make sure you apply to everywhere and every unit, not just the one you want. you'll be able to transfer to a dept, of your choice after a year. good luck! congrats!

Did the same thing. Graduated, moved to Houston, couldnt find a job. However, began doing private duty nursing after not being able to find a hospital job. They oriented me completely and I became very competent with trachs, vents, gb's, and chronic care children. (RN's could be new grads to work Private Duty, LPNS had to have 1 year experience) If you cant get a hospital job, start applying elsewhere. Nursing homes, assisted living, private duty, ANYWHERE to get experience. After 9 months of Private Duty, I transferred to a hospital setting, and then eventually to the med center 1 year after that. Loving it ever since! Good luck! Also, be persistent. Hospitals get hundreds of applications, but only so many phone calls and follow ups. Also, send resumes to the managers, not just to HR. HR gets so many, but if the manager likes your resume, you may get a call and get a job. And, as a new grad, apply everywhere - doesnt matter if its your dream job or not - you need to get the experience.

only time i ever saw pancreatitis with no pain was in a child.. and she had a pain tolerance d/t another disease process.. she just didnt feel pain until it got severe.. was odd cute kiddo though.

jan: couldnt have said it better myself...!

well.. as for coworker issues..well.. i guess i'm anal. i have high standards. if you cant meet my standards for patient care, i have an issue. i have coworkers who come out of a babies room, and call the tech to change the diaper. i have issues completely with that. actually, i have issues with laziness, and not caring about ones unit. i am proud of where i work, and i want that to show. now if thats by going the extra mile doing something for the unit, or changing something for the better, well, thats just me and thats what im going to do. some people are in nursing for the money, and you will find some nurses who do the bare minimum possible to get through their shift. you will also find with management (almost anywhere) that they will also get by with the bare minimum - least amount of staff possible to staff the unit, even when you need more nurses. its all about money- which is the bottom line. its the budget. i think i could ramble on for hours..but i shouldnt.. nursing is a great job, a great career, and you can make a difference in someones life each and every day.. no matter all of the bs that we nurses deal with, nothing can equate to the feeling of pride and accomplishment you get after a hard days work, knowing that you made a difference..