JennRN65

Well, submitted an application and was notified that I am not eligible for the flexible start program and the earliest start date would be spring 2013. I would be just about done with another program by then. Oh well!!! Thanks anyway!

Good afternoon,I have read through most of the very long thread and had some further questions. I saw that there were some challenges getting transcripts reviewed. I am hoping that has been resolved. I wouldn't want to start a program and then discover that much more in the way of pre-reqs would be needed, but have read that they are generous with accepting prior learning. I have considered WGU and almost started, but the 90 hour clinical requirement on top of working 48hrs of night shifts hours made me reconsider. I also am awaiting notification for an in person, one night a week, 12 month program. The program sounds great, but I may have some difficulty with the day of the classes. That is why I am checking out this program. So, would you choose this program again?Tia!Jenn

Don't feel guilty. Let it go and enjoy your life and free time.

Sorry your mom doesn't respect you or your knowledge. Many hugs to you......:hug:

I have worked nights for 18 years. For me, scheduling all three shifts (or in my case four) in row has helped me have a normal life on those days off. My normal days are Monday - Thursday nights. On Friday, I sleep till noon and then transition back to a daytime life through the weekend. The weeks I have my weekend requirement, I am off Thursday night. When I split the shifts up it makes it harder to resume a daytime life with my family. As for working every weekend, they should have outlined your expected schedule on the new job. Is this a weekend option position or one you have to work every other weekend, every third weekend etc. Good Luck on your new job - you will figure out what schedule works for you eventually.

We have three rotations and within that you can bunch or split the holidays. I bunch mine so my holidays this year are Thanksgiving eve, Thanksgiving Day and Memorial Day night. Next year is Christmas eve, Christmas day and July 4th. The 3rd rotation is New years eve, New Years day and Labor Day night. So we only really lose one major holiday a year this way. There are people who split them, so within those rotations they are working two different winter holidays, but that is the rotations they chose. Thanksgiving Eve, Christmas Eve and New Years eve are the winter holidays, with the day afters (Thanksgiving day, Christmas Day and New Years Day nights) being the "hard to staff" days. Memoral Day night, Labor Day night and July 4th night are they other holidays. You have to work 3, with 2 being winter holidays. I think it works since you know from year to year in advance what your next rotation is. Hope this makes sense to you!

I am interested in WGU's RN to BSN program, but am interested in hearing how you have satisfied the 90 hour clinical requirement. Does anyone have any information? Thanks!

Hugs to you! I had shoulder surgery 6 years ago after a patient tried to remove my arm. I was out of work for almost 7 months though with the recovery. Shoulder surgery recovery is the most painful thing I have experienced in my life and I have had three kids. Unfortunately, the injury was never completely fixed and I still have pain to this day. The level of pain varies though. There can be times where it's just a slight ache and others where it hurts to move my arm at all. This past week I had a patient that was quite large and helping them sit up just set off my shoulder pain intensely. Thankfully, it has calmed back down. Good news though, I can still work as a critical care nurse, I can still turn people, I can still function well. It will get better and you will learn to live with it if it flares back up.

You can choose to believe that. There are issues in every profession, but you aren't reading a board about every profession, you are reading a board about nursing. If 10 people post about a bad day here, that's a lot. Think about the sheer number of nurses working each day. If you have decided at this point in your education that "we have a lot more bad days than other professions," maybe you would be happier looking into another profession.

No, what you see are nurses being human. We all have bad days, but we also have good ones. You aren't going to remember the posts that say, "I made a difference today," but you are going to remember clearly those that show another side of nursing, the bad days. There are many great places to work, many days that you impact someone's day in a positive way and tons of great coworkers that you can count on at work for help/a shoulder to cry on/a ear to vent to. It's like anything else in life - but maybe we should post more about the good days, the patient or family that appreciates everything you do and the coworkers that don't leave you out a limb. I love being a RN. I have been a nurse for 18 years and although I have had bad shifts, I wouldn't change what I do for a minute.......(unless I win the lottery and then I will be a retired nurse)...

Some people are just toxic.......and don't get that 36 hours a week is a full time job...... It is her normal behavior towards you?

Wow, they show a ton of open positions. Now if they didn't have such big bugs down there.......... They are all close to disney though..... :)

I went through the "overage" of nurses in 1993 when I graduated. It was tough then too. The majority of my classmates who had jobs at graduation were people who worked at facilities as tech's, unit secretaries or in some other capacities. I was able to find a part time job in August after graduating in May at a hospital that I was a candystriper at for 5 years. Thankfully, I worked full time hours (picked up hours in any unit I could) and started a full time position at another hospital in March of the following year. I was a single parent at the time too. Nursing graduates today are graduating in an economy that stinks and into a medical system that is in the process of undergoing major changes, if not a total overhaul. The ONLY way to get a leg up on your competition is to be working in a hospital already. In places like NY (where a family member graduated last year May and still looking) it is even more vital to have a foot in the door. I realize some people will say that they cannot work and go to school, but that is the reality of today. If you are in an area with real glut of graduates, you are going to have to bite the bullet on it....... Nursing demand is cyclical, but I don't think the pendulum is going to swing as it it did in the past. I think the shortages of the past are gone as many people flock to what they think is a "guaranteed check."

While many of the nurses I work with commute the 45 minute to an hour drive, it would drive me nuts. I have done it before and it gets very old, very fast. Add traffic, bad weather, accidents, etc etc......stir. Add to this that you will be driving home that distance after working all night. For me, Job A is definitely the one I would choice. You have a tough decision and only you can figure out if the the NICU call is strong enough...... Good Luck, you have two great choices.

We recently started bedside reports. Complete report takes place as normal at the desk, but when the report is complete, both nurses go to the bedside to confirm all of the information (checking surgical sites, IV's etc etc). We have always done bedside on the the critical patients, now it's done on all patients. So far, so good.