I am doing research on my new career in nursing (I am waiting to hear from schools now) and I just finished a great book about the state of hospitals in the 90's. I am wondering though how things have changed since then.
What hospital do you work at? Do you feel like the hospital is a good palce to work as an RN? Are you forced to work overtime or are your hours flexible? What is your nurse to patient ratio? Are you distinguished from nurse aides or are you a "patient care associate"? Do you feel like your patients are often in unsafe situations? Do you feel like you could tell somebody if they were? Do you feel like anything would happen if you did? Do you spend more time at the beside, or doing paperwork? Do you have any time to further education through the hospital? Do you feel like physician and RN communication is encouraged, and does it happen?
Anything else that would be helpful to share is appreciated. I am very interested in what you have to say!
You're the most informative person I've read so far, although i just joined this forum. Do you commute to the city or do you live in the city? If you commute do you car pool how is the commute I live 45 min away from the city and wonder if this would take a toll on my family life ( I dont have kids just a loving husband ) ;D I am not a Nurse yet but am working at it - pre-nursing student - I just like to get all angles on this field as much as possible. I bought the NCLEX book, and a Pre-Nursing book and a calculations Booklet for some spare time reading before I re-enroll back into school and finish up.. Any suggestions, i am trying to get a job as a Unit Secretary Nights so I can go to school during the mid afternoons. I am crossing my fingers
I actually JUST moved into Manhattan. With gas prices sky-high, plus working nights and going to grad school, I needed the extra time. Rent is only a little more per month than what I was spending on gas and tolls. (I do share a 2 br apt). My commute was around 1hr 20 min each way depending on traffic. Had I only needed to drive in 3x/wk from 45 min away, I would have stayed out of the city. But with grad school and working nights, it got to be too much.
A unit secretary job will be very valuable unit experience.... then you can progress to a nurse-tech role once you complete your first fundamentals of nursing course..... Good luck!
SteveNNP, MSN, NP
1 Article; 2,512 Posts
I actually JUST moved into Manhattan. With gas prices sky-high, plus working nights and going to grad school, I needed the extra time. Rent is only a little more per month than what I was spending on gas and tolls. (I do share a 2 br apt). My commute was around 1hr 20 min each way depending on traffic. Had I only needed to drive in 3x/wk from 45 min away, I would have stayed out of the city. But with grad school and working nights, it got to be too much.
A unit secretary job will be very valuable unit experience.... then you can progress to a nurse-tech role once you complete your first fundamentals of nursing course..... Good luck!