Nurse & Nursing School Megathread: The NCLEX is the spookiest test you'll ever take

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Business, Finance, and Careers > Nurse & Nursing School Megathread: The NCLEX is the spookiest test you'll ever take

Axim: Dec 21, 2004; sheeeeeeeeit

I graduated from nursing school this June (BSN) and passed my NCLEX-RN in late august. Since September I have been looking for work, and its almost the end of November now and I have not gotten any hits.

This is New York City, almost every hospital is not hiring because of the financial crisis (plus some medicare restructuring), I've seen one or two part time positions, I'm currently on a wait list at one large hospital for OR nursing, but its tough.

I hope its better in other parts of the country because NYC is very stagnant now, hospitals need nurses but don't have the money to make more positions or to train new-grads.

# ¿ Nov 27, 2008 20:35

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# ¿ May 2, 2024 15:17

Axim: Dec 21, 2004; sheeeeeeeeit

Hughmoris posted:

Anyone here have experience at going from terrible grades in another major into being accepted for a nursing program? I am a 3 year Electrical Engineering major and I hate my field, so I am looking at going into an RN program. The downside is, my grades are TERRIBLE due to the EE classes that I sucked at. Any advice on how to improve my chances at getting accepted into a program? Should I find out what the prereqs are for my school and just take them over and try to ace it or what?

The issue with many nursing programs right now is that there are not enough nursing educators. Back when I was in school, the minimum was 2.8, and was raised to 3.0 before I left.

The thing is, over 300 students applied for only 80 spots, so the lowest GPA accepted was 3.48, in my year anyways.

# ¿ Jan 29, 2009 21:11

Axim: Dec 21, 2004; sheeeeeeeeit

b0nes posted:

Come to California, tons of positions over here.

I am a male nursing major, returning back to school after about 8 or so years off.
Right now I am getting my pre-reqs, which is a bitch because I am working and taking one class at a time, just finished my math requirements. Eventually I would like to get my Masters and become a Nurse Anesthetist or work in Nursing Informatics (Nursing + IT). The military is also an option after I graduate to pay off my loans.

For anyone wanting to become a nurse and looking for schools, only 2 major things you need to ask.

#1`what percentage of students pass the NCLEX. Personally i wouldn't bother with less than 80%, there are schools out there with 100%. USC and UCLA are 2 of the best (well known) schools out here in California and their passing rate is 50%.

#2 How long have they been in business. Again personally I wouldn't mess with anyone with less than 20 years.

If you want to become an LVN(LPN) the cheapest way is through a community college or adult high school. The programs offered on late night tv and during the day are hella expensive, and when you graduate you might be earning less per year than your cost of your school, usually $30K. The only positive part is there usually are no pre-reqs to get in and you finish in about 1 year.

In general, BS programs are easier to get in once you have the required classes. ADN programs are harder to get in because many people apply and many don't want to spend 4 years in school.

Working while in Nursing School is impossible unless you are an idiot savant and pick up everything you read. It isn't impossible but not recommended.

I finally found a job about two weeks ago. The unit is a cardiothoracic telemetry unit. Most patients are 2-3 days post op.

I am somewhat excited, and I am currently forcing myself to re-read my cardio nursing school lectures, just so I don't feel completely lost my first few weeks on the unit.

Axim fucked around with this message at 05:49 on Jul 14, 2009

# ¿ Feb 18, 2009 00:52

Axim: Dec 21, 2004; sheeeeeeeeit

Carebear posted:

My older sister just finished her nursing school and clinicals, and is looking for a job. Absolutely no one in NYC is hiring, she's been looking for half a year now. She might have to move to a different state at this point and let go of her dream to live in NYC.

Pretty much, I finished nursing school in NYC in June 2008, passed boards in august 08, got a job in feb 09.

As for work, the hospitals in NYC that are currently hiring are:

NY Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn (Park Slope) They are between hiring freezes all the time, try calling nurse recruitment.

Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan (got in person to nurse recruitment, do not bother with online crap to HHC, doesn't work).

Kings County in Brooklyn, also HHC, go there personally, don't do their online crap.

I also hear Maimonides may be hiring MAYBE.

If your older sister can drive, try North-Shore LIJ, I heard they are hiring too, not far from queens, an hour or so from Brooklyn AFAIK. They have two big hospitals and a ton of small ones.

# ¿ May 17, 2009 04:47

Axim: Dec 21, 2004; sheeeeeeeeit

I've been following this thread for a bit and I know I have posted in some earlier SA threads regarding nursing.

I have been working as an RN on a Cardiothoracic telemetry unit for almost 6 months now.

I finished nursing school in June 2008, passed NCLEX-RN in August 2008 and started working in my hospital in early 2009.

I work in a very large metropolitan hospital, very busy ED, and my unit's primary patient load is 1-3 day post-op open heart patients, usually valve replacements, CABG, and many other open heart procedures, no transplants though.

I also get patients who have something else wrong with them, but are in my unit because they also have a heart complication, such as a patient I had last night who had a history of breast ca with metastasis. Patient was post-op after having a splenectomy and a pancreotomy, but she was on my unit because she went into A-Fib sometime during her post-op stay on a different unit.

I also have ED patients who come in with chest pains, etc. If its summer time, that means less surgeries are done, so we have more varied patients because the ED will send us anything they have if they need a bed. Empty bed = no money.

In any case, if anyone has questions, I would be glad to answer them. Nursing school is 1+ years ago now, but I still remember a bit, first year nursing is where I am currently situated in, so I can answer stuff about that too.

# ¿ Jul 14, 2009 05:46

Axim: Dec 21, 2004; sheeeeeeeeit

I am on a tele unit too (adult), and our leads keep slipping off also. We have very long wires that attach to the tele device, the gowns have a hole in them, let the wires go through into a chest pocket and then the device stays inside that pocket. If a patient fidgets a lot, the wires do release from the leads.... in which case I grab the older wires that use clips rather than tiny gators, those seem to stay on better.... only two clip wires though on the whole unit.

# ¿ Jul 26, 2009 23:32

Axim: Dec 21, 2004; sheeeeeeeeit

Bunway Airlines posted:

I was curious about this so let's have an informal poll:

What degree do you have? AA, BSN, MSN?
Why did you go into nursing?
Was it your first career?
What area do you work in?
On a scale of 1 to 10, how happy are you with your job on a daily basis?

I'd really like to hear from anyone and everyone on these questions. If you're still in school, you can answer as well.

1. BSN
2. Working with people, helping people. (That changed quickly for me unfortunately, I still want to help them, but sometimes time won't let you)
3. Yes
4. Did cardiac/tele, but now i'm trying to switch to psych or OR.
5. Was not happy at all with tele, not sure yet about future.

# ¿ Oct 8, 2009 18:40

Axim: Dec 21, 2004; sheeeeeeeeit

Lost Downtown posted:

What degree do you have? AA, BSN, MSN?
BSN

Why did you go into nursing?
Helping people and getting paid (pretty well) to do it, just without all the stress, financial cost, and lack of social/family life that plague doctors. Also, after witnessing someone collapse in a restaurant and being just another rear end in a top hat standing around not knowing what to do, I felt awful. I was embarrassed, ashamed, and felt wholly useless and spineless. It made me feel like I'd never really done anything for anyone that truly mattered (I realize, in hindsight, that it was a lot of emo waa waa self pity, but whatever). So I decided I was never going to be that rear end in a top hat again. Now I save lives every day. Or ease them into a death with dignity and as much comfort as possible. It's a pretty sweet feeling.

Was it your first career?
Nope, union politics. This is also why I'm incredibly cynical about all things political and avoid talking about them at all unless someone's REALLY annoying.

What area do you work in?
ICU. It's loving awesome for a whole plethora of reasons. Eventually going back to get my MSN for anesthetist, but I'm still a little "all schooled out" after that trip back for my BSN.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how happy are you with your job on a daily basis?
Once I'm there, 8-10. Getting up for work still sucks as much as it does for anyone else, but hey, at least it's only three days a week! (Soon to be two, and yes, it'll still count as full time )

Are you going to do a 24 hour and a 12 hour shift weekly? Are you sure you can handle that?

# ¿ Oct 16, 2009 19:16

Axim: Dec 21, 2004; sheeeeeeeeit

I'm a psych RN, used to be telemetry.

Being a psych RN is cool, less physical work, more observations and assessments, but when poo poo hits the fan, its rough, you can be assaulted and hurt, and don't ever think it can't happen to you, its happened to some good coworkers of mine. Even if you do everything right, some patients can snap.

But I love it and don't want to go back to the medical side ever again.

# ¿ Feb 6, 2010 08:13

Axim: Dec 21, 2004; sheeeeeeeeit

Axim fucked around with this message at 07:39 on Dec 14, 2010

# ¿ Feb 6, 2010 17:41

Axim: Dec 21, 2004; sheeeeeeeeit

Axim fucked around with this message at 07:46 on Dec 14, 2010

# ¿ Feb 7, 2010 17:39

Axim: Dec 21, 2004; sheeeeeeeeit

Danksauce posted:

That being said, I'm looking for people's opinions on FOOTWEAR. What did you wear to work today?

I'm a psych RN in NYC, my unit policies are pretty relaxed on footwear and clothing, just no tshirts, no blue jeans. Since its psych, no scrubs. I wear black jeans and a polo every day, comfy and no one has said a word! I hated wearing fancy pants and stuff so I just started wearing jeans.

The shoes, New Balance White (available in black) 5xx something, I forgot the Xs, shoes arent near me. Very comfortable sneaker. I wore these same shoes in telemetry for 6 months, my feet NEVER EVER hurt, and in telemetry I used to run all the freakin time, now in psych I still love them and keep wearing them, the have lasted me for 15 months now and I am going to buy another set.

# ¿ Apr 22, 2010 07:08

Axim: Dec 21, 2004; sheeeeeeeeit

Axim fucked around with this message at 07:48 on Dec 14, 2010

# ¿ Apr 26, 2010 17:34

Axim: Dec 21, 2004; sheeeeeeeeit

Iron Squid posted:

I finally got together the money to go to a trade school for nursing. I'm sooooo excited. Someone, please tell me that there will be some kinda decent job market for LVNs in a year. Lie to me if you have to.

Many hospitals I know in NYC have an enormous choice of new grad RNs with BSN's, and its impossible to get jobs for many people. Brutally honest here... LVN... maybe in a nursing home? Get your RN/BSN ASAP. My hospital is phasing out all LPN (similar to LVN) positions as people retire and hiring only RN's now.

# ¿ Jul 19, 2010 07:59

Axim: Dec 21, 2004; sheeeeeeeeit

In Nursing school, I used a Littman Master Series II Classic Pro or something.

I remember it was great because the bell and diaphragm were the same thing, and if you pressed lightly, it acted as a bell, and if you pressed harder, it would work as a diaphragm.

I used it for 6 months of telemetry (cardiothoracic surgery unit) and I loved it. I went into Psych nursing afterwards and unfortunately its gathering dust now, but I sure did love it when I used it.

# ¿ Aug 6, 2010 15:10

Axim: Dec 21, 2004; sheeeeeeeeit

HollowYears posted:

Anybody have any experience with Psych Nursing?

My girlfriend just finished her first semester and she's learned basically next to nothing, the only content she's learned is from her online only course where her common sense was more or less solidified. From the handouts I've seen her prof is awful, her assignments are basically one line saying "write an essay on ____" with no rubric. Every essay I've been assigned so far I've been given 1-2 full pages with mark breakdowns, etc. To me that's unacceptable. My friend who has completed the same program said the same thing about her, awful presentation of assignments and she gives students bad marks because they literally don't know what they are supposed to be writing about.

Another thing, they just wrote their final exam. Apparently so many students complained on their message boards that the prof had to look at each individual exam and omit every question where the majority of students got wrong, as the study guide the prof gave out was completely opposite of what they were told to study for.

It sucks because my girlfriend is getting extremely discouraged. Any other psych nurses care to chime in on the quality of their program?

I'm a psych RN, but I never heard of seperate psych programs for RN's, only NP and such. I finished a 4 year school, got a BSN. If you have any questions for me, shoot.

# ¿ Dec 13, 2010 05:41

Axim: Dec 21, 2004; sheeeeeeeeit

Axim fucked around with this message at 17:00 on Dec 16, 2010

# ¿ Dec 14, 2010 05:50

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# ¿ May 2, 2024 15:17

Axim: Dec 21, 2004; sheeeeeeeeit

Chillmatic posted:

Most people don't understand that you can't just "go" to nursing school. It requires at least a few years of very difficult pre-requisites and a lot of determination. At least I know it's that way for RN programs. LVN programs I guess you can get in without pre-reqs, so yeah I would worry about that market becoming overly flooded, but RN programs are tough to get into and are only going to get tougher as more people try to do it.

I just finished my RN program and am taking boards this coming week. fffffffffffffuuuu

Best advice I can give you for the NCLEX:

If you don't know the answer, its the one that will kill the patient the fastest... this applies to drug side effects too

# ¿ Dec 25, 2010 22:13

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Business, Finance, and Careers > Nurse & Nursing School Megathread: The NCLEX is the spookiest test you'll ever take