Queens or Starub

jgaddi · Apr 5, 2014

Sure, I will look at also taking the Kaplan course. For me, I definitely want to take the NCLEX-RN within a month month period. No more than 45-days post graduation for me. =)
I graduate in May of this year.
I went to one of the QMC job fairs this year. This is how they got my information. I got a call from one of the department nurse managers. I couldn't pick up the phone, so she left me a message. called her back numerous times, and left numerous voicemails on her answering service. Wup wup, no luck, and she never even bothered to call me back. I find it so upsetting that I have volunteered over 300 hours to this hospital, yet get no job preference in the application pool. Heck, I also applied for a job in another department, only to learn that another nursing student got hired for that on-call position. I hate to play the sex-card, but I feel that male nursing applicants, whether it's RN position, or CNA position, get the short-end of the stick.

really? I'm sorry that you feel this way. what nursing school are you graduating from? to be completely honest with you you'd probably need to work as an aide to get into the new head program at queens. I hear they have a new grad program every year, but only hire within. try your best to get into a position. once you get in, you're set. unless you want to work at a different hospital for now and then once you have a year of experience apply for a RN position at queens. whatever you do though, never give up. its hard and I had times where I felt as if I would never find a job, but everything happens for a reason.

LVHI_RN · Apr 5, 2014

Ecstatic2014,

From a different perspective... I took my NCLEX about a month after I graduated. I graduated a little less than 2wks before the holidays. I got my ATT New Year's eve. I didn't start studying until after the new year. I would probably say I took like 2 wks to study. I was planning on waiting a little longer because I felt I needed the review. BUT I decided to take it early. I started off by doing Saunder's. That didn't last long because I was so not into it, to be completely honest. I started doing just questions everyday. About 50-100, sometimes more if I had time. I went to college on the mainland and went back to HI for the holidays so I was extra distracted. I didn't take more than an hour a day to study.

Honestly, if I could turn back time I would have taken the exam right away. I felt like my nursing school studies definitely prepared me. I also felt like there really is no right way to study. So my advice is to focus on doing as many questions as possible and look into test-taking strategies.

Good luck!

LVHI_RN · Apr 5, 2014

localboi808,

I graduated in Vegas, but I wanna go back home so bad. I don't think its feasible. I also looked into Queen's new grad program. A recruiter emailed me and told me the dates of when they would be posting the app... never came on. I have a colleague who works there and told me that they posted a flyer about a new grad program and to keep a look out on their website. It never came on, which led me to believe they only do it for in-house.

About the whole volunteering thing, I have a friend who started off as a volunteer. Within a week, they hired her. So I think it's possible. BUT I just don't know how I feel about having to start off as an aide :/ If worse comes to worst, I may have to just suck it up and do it.

jgaddi · Apr 5, 2014

localboi808,
I graduated in Vegas, but I wanna go back home so bad. I don't think its feasible. I also looked into Queen's new grad program. A recruiter emailed me and told me the dates of when they would be posting the app... never came on. I have a colleague who works there and told me that they posted a flyer about a new grad program and to keep a look out on their website. It never came on, which led me to believe they only do it for in-house.
About the whole volunteering thing, I have a friend who started off as a volunteer. Within a week, they hired her. So I think it's possible. BUT I just don't know how I feel about having to start off as an aide :/ If worse comes to worst, I may have to just suck it up and do it.

yeah I hear he the new grad program and they take a lot. I guess they like those already working in the queens system. are you working in Vegas? how is it getting a job there as a new grad? you could do what I did and work somewhere else until you get experience and then work at queens. queens is a great hospital. have you looked into straub to see if they have a new grad program?

LVHI_RN · Apr 5, 2014

No, I'm not working. I'm still looking for a job. I've been actively looking for about 2 months now. It's pretty tough, but it's not impossible. As usual, people who know people have usually gotten jobs first. Luckily, we have a lot of nurse apprentice programs here. So the people who worked as apprentices got jobs already. But for the average new grad... it can be tough. I have heard it takes at least 6 months to get a job.

I haven't found any info on Straub having a new grad program. What island was your new grad program on?

mcubed45 · Apr 5, 2014

I am a nurse that got offered a job at both places for medsurg. career wise I really don't know what I want to do. maybe ICU later. right now I like medsurg.

Cool. Congrats!

I think either hospital would provide great opportunities. They both have a lot of great resources and career opportunities. Straub is part of Hawaii Pacific Health so it's actually the bigger organization of the two (though QMC is the bigger hospital). HPH includes Straub, Kapiolani, Pali Momi, and Wilcox. So if you're ever looking for a change scenery, there's a lot of room for lateral movement within HPH.

HPH and QMC both have ICU training programs. I've gone through the HPH program and it was a really fantastic opportunity. But I've heard great things about QMC's training programs as well. HPH is also very pro-education. You can take whatever classes you want for free (ACLS PALS NRP TNCC etc). And you get an annual $1k bonus for holding additional certifications (not sure if that one is HPH wide or just Pali Momi).

From what I've seen the pay/benefits are pretty comparable between HPH and QMC. Not much difference there.

jgaddi · Apr 5, 2014

No, I'm not working. I'm still looking for a job. I've been actively looking for about 2 months now. It's pretty tough, but it's not impossible. As usual, people who know people have usually gotten jobs first. Luckily, we have a lot of nurse apprentice programs here. So the people who worked as apprentices got jobs already. But for the average new grad... it can be tough. I have heard it takes at least 6 months to get a job.
I haven't found any info on Straub having a new grad program. What island was your new grad program on?

I actually did my new grad program back in 2011 on the big island and have stayed at the hospital until just now applying for queens. its a tough market out there. I had a hard time too. straub I believe has a new grad program as well as pali momi. you should call them and inquiry. they should be starting up soon. the place I did my new grad program has one in Oct and you don't need to be in house to apply. however, that's if you want to move to the big island.

jgaddi · Apr 5, 2014

Cool. Congrats!
I think either hospital would provide great opportunities. They both have a lot of great resources and career opportunities. Straub is part of Hawaii Pacific Health so it's actually the bigger organization of the two (though QMC is the bigger hospital). HPH includes Straub, Kapiolani, Pali Momi, and Wilcox. So if you're ever looking for a change scenery, there's a lot of room for lateral movement within HPH.
HPH and QMC both have ICU training programs. I've gone through the HPH program and it was a really fantastic opportunity. But I've heard great things about QMC's training programs as well. HPH is also very pro-education. You can take whatever classes you want for free (ACLS PALS NRP TNCC etc). And you get an annual $1k bonus for holding additional certifications (not sure if that one is HPH wide or just Pali Momi).
From what I've seen the pay/benefits are pretty comparable between HPH and QMC. Not much difference there.

thank you! you are very helpful.

LVHI_RN · Apr 5, 2014

Thank you for all the info! I will definitely look into Straub and Pali Momi's new grad programs. I wouldn't mind moving to the Big Island, honestly. I would love something new and closer to home. If you don't mind me asking, how is the pay and cost of living compared to Oahu?

jgaddi · Apr 5, 2014

Thank you for all the info! I will definitely look into Straub and Pali Momi's new grad programs. I wouldn't mind moving to the Big Island, honestly. I would love something new and closer to home. If you don't mind me asking, how is the pay and cost of living compared to Oahu?

well on the big island compared to Oahu the cost of living is less, rent is less so of course the pay is less. however, its still good compared to all the other jobs around. and I would think its the same for nursing on Oahu. higher pay, but the cost of living is higher also. so I guess it equals out.

LVHI_RN · Apr 5, 2014

That's true. I'll look into it. Thanks for all the info. Good luck with your decision. I'm sure whatever you choose will be a great choice nonetheless.

Ecstatic2014 · Apr 13, 2014

keep on calling and be persistent. once they see this they for sure have to listen to you.

Sup Localboi808,

I called and still no response. So I stopped by QMC this past week. Guess what? That manager has stepped down, which is the reason why I didn't get any phone calls from her. She could have at least told me that. Oh well. I also applied to another department for a tech position at QMC. Turned down. So disappointing, considering that I have been a student volunteer for this hospital for quite a while, only to be turned down, and other less-qualified applicants with less credentials being hired. I even talked to the manager of one of the departments, and she told me to apply for that position. I check my online QMC job account, and find out that I have also been turned down by that department. I feel that QMC plays a lot of favoritism with certain applicants, and to a point, discriminates against certain applicants as well.