Published Feb 28, 2008
Anjeleyes214
14 Posts
Hello all,
I'm hopefully graduating this May and was wondering if anyone would please look over my resume and cover letter and let me know if it's lacking or if it's up to par. We are taking a class about this stuff but I'm not finding it extremely helpful my professor told me my resume was fine but something tells me that I might have too much about my old jobs or that it's lacking something.
I also don't even know how to begin to find a job. I would love to start my career as as an ER or ICU nurse and I know many may say it's not the place for a new grad but it's truly where I want to be....although...don't laugh...the site of blood gives me the hibby jibbys and I don't know why! When I did my maternity rotation I saw two episiotomy's and once I saw the gush of blood, I felt woozy and had a wierd electric type feeling in my body. Is that normal??? I need to get over it but not sure how. I know many will say than the ER is not for you but it's what I want and its something I have to get over just wondering if it's a normal feeling or not.
Ok I've written way too much...yikes sorry I love to write and I have a million questions. If anyone can review my resume and cover letter and help point me in some good directions please let me know. My email address is [email protected].
Thanks in advance,
Edith
TRAMA1RN
174 Posts
Check with your school they usually offer job finding skills, and beleive me DO NOT start in the ER is you are brand new. ER's are only getting busier and busier, and especially if you do not like blood we don't have time to be picking you up off the floor in a crisis.
Thank you I appreciate your input. My school does offer the job finding skills course but with 45 people in a small classroom it's kind of hard to get one on one information when everyone is asking a million questions so I was hoping someone here could offer some incite.
In regards to NOT starting in the ER, I've read numerous forums and info from nurses and it seems as though some people think it's great and some dont. Some say if it's what you want to do than you should definately jump into it but find a hospital that will you 6 months to a year of training. My professor did say that if there is a particular field you want to get into you should definately wait until the right one comes along and do it. I feel strongly about become an ER or ICU nurse and I know one of my major obstacles is getting over the bloodt thing but how will I ever get over it if I don't face it. I do like to work under pressure and fast, I can't deal with slow paced enviornments so I believe I have what it takes to become an ER nurse and as much as I hear people say it's not a place to start, it only makes me want it more.
Olie
2 Posts
A good area to look for new jobs is a site called konnects. It's a ery resourceful site that uses the power of social networking. i'll provide a link at the bottom. just post up any questions you have and someone will respond to it immediately.
precious33
65 Posts
Nothing is wrong with you starting in ER.If that is goal then go for it,how does one gain competency? it is through experience and practice.You must start some where.
you will learn a lot,just stay focus and ask questions if you don,t know or not sure.
Goodluck.
Nothing is wrong with you starting in ER.If that is goal then go for it,how does one gain competency? it is through experience and practice.You must start some where.you will learn a lot,just stay focus and ask questions if you don,t know or not sure.Goodluck.
THANK YOU!!!!
ladynurse2B
9 Posts
Anjeleyes214,
If you want to work in ER, and you know that you are competent with your nursing skills, go for it.
If it is fear of the sight of blood is holding you back, you can do something about it.
My suggestion is to desensitize yourself since most of our fear comes from how we associate certain things with something unpleasant, so the mind perceives the things as threats; therefore, our reaction is "flight or fight" response.
Try to voluteer to ER on your weekends, and watch closely those nurses and phlebotomists when they draw blood and start IV. Do it many times. Buy fake blood stuff from online stores and stare at it. Wash your hand with it if you will. Used red blanket to make the red color common sight for you. Get yourself condition to seeing blood or red color in a non-harmful ways everyday. Soon you'll feel comfortable and you'll be able to focus more on your tasks and the fear will go away.
The key is conditioning, conditioning, conditioning...
I wish you the best!
bluefabian
105 Posts
I know this is funny to ask, but...
Shouldn't you be over the blood-terrified stage by now? I can't really think of any hospital based unit that doesn't deal with blood, well maybe psychiatry.
Anyway, why not med-surg?
Thank you so much, that is an AWESOME idea. Funny thing is I never had an affinity to the color red, I barely ever buy anything red. I will definately try your approach. I would love to volunteer in an ER but between school, work, studying, home life I barely have time to breathe. But I'll definately try your other suggestions.
Thanks again!
Anjeleyes214,If you want to work in ER, and you know that you are competent with your nursing skills, go for it. If it is fear of the sight of blood is holding you back, you can do something about it. My suggestion is to desensitize yourself since most of our fear comes from how we associate certain things with something unpleasant, so the mind perceives the things as threats; therefore, our reaction is "flight or fight" response. Try to voluteer to ER on your weekends, and watch closely those nurses and phlebotomists when they draw blood and start IV. Do it many times. Buy fake blood stuff from online stores and stare at it. Wash your hand with it if you will. Used red blanket to make the red color common sight for you. Get yourself condition to seeing blood or red color in a non-harmful ways everyday. Soon you'll feel comfortable and you'll be able to focus more on your tasks and the fear will go away. The key is conditioning, conditioning, conditioning...I wish you the best!
To be honest, I'll be done with school in 2 months and the only time I saw blood in the hospital was through my maternity clinical rotations (3 lady partsl births) two semesters ago and one time in the pediatric ER, when this very messy nurse attempted to put an IV in a 6 year old 3 times. I just did my first dressing change last week and it was a stage 2 pressure ulcer.
I know this is funny to ask, but...Shouldn't you be over the blood-terrified stage by now? I can't really think of any hospital based unit that doesn't deal with blood, well maybe psychiatry.Anyway, why not med-surg?
RNursingStudent
43 Posts
I will take a look at your resume and cover letter if you like. We just finished a 2 week lecture on cover letters and resumes. Things to do, things not to do, and so forth. PM me on here if you would like me to take a look. Good luck to ya! I graduate in May and I have a job starting on Surgical Unit. I have a lot of people in my class who have job offers for the ER. So, obviously they are looking for new faces there.
Whatever you do ,as a nurse you must over come this fear of blood.Running away from it will not do you any good.If you run away then ,lets say ,for example you meet a friend or a family member bleeding, what will you do ? run away? allow him or her to bleed until 911 arrive ?Think about these simple questions.
Maybe you can attend the meat or fish market where they butcher these animals not to witness the actual slaughtering but to observe how the dissect the meat.Maybe this may help as there will be some blood in that area.In ER you will see all sort of bloody mishaps and even some of us who are in the servicefor years will shiver when you see the coditions some of these patients arrive in.It is just human nature to be scare at times and the empathy we have for human beings.