I get my life back in 8 short weeks!

[ReneeA]

I graduate from nursing school in 8 weeks!!

Which in short means I gain at least 3 days a week. My kids get their mom back, my DH will hopefully not be asked if he is a single dad at school anymore!

I will be working full time on the unit I work now (ICU stepdown - I work 2 12 hour shifts a week right now) only as a RN! Yay!! Three 12 hour shifts a week means I will be home LOTS more than I am now, and will not be sitting on the couch with a book and the Cheetos when I am home.

Other RNs on this board - remind me how tough it will be...because right now I am just THRILLED with the idea of finally getting my life back.

 

[npmommie]

Congrats!!!!!!!!!

You will do great! Just remember the real world of nursing is different than nursing school!!
how long is your orientation on the unit going to be?
you already know the unit, so that is great. being familiar with how things run there will definitely help you.

 

[ReneeA]

Congrats!!!!!!!!!

You will do great! Just remember the real world of nursing is different than nursing school!!
how long is your orientation on the unit going to be?
you already know the unit, so that is great. being familiar with how things run there will definitely help you.

Thanks!!

It sounds like this is how they work it:

a week of hospital orientation (even though I've worked at this hospital for 4 years)

I will work as a GN and have a RN shadow me until I take the NCLEX

I'll have 2 weeks of "nurse residency" classes after I pass the boards - basically geared toward the specialty of my unit

I'll be orienting on midnights and have a resource nurse that I can go to on my unit if need be for 3-6 months after that depending on how they think I'm doing.

It sounded pretty thorough to me. What's your thoughts?

 

[wdwfan16]

Congratulations!!!

 

[laurie31]

It sounds awesome!!

And being a nurse is SO much better than being a nursing student! Seriously!!

My last year of school when I was getting my BSN, I was so frustrated and overwhelmed, that I might have considered changing my major if I wasn't already working as an RN and knew what it was like in the "real world." Not to say nursing isn't stressful, but wow, it's better than being a student!

 

[ReneeA]

It sounds awesome!!

And being a nurse is SO much better than being a nursing student! Seriously!!

My last year of school when I was getting my BSN, I was so frustrated and overwhelmed, that I might have considered changing my major if I wasn't already working as an RN and knew what it was like in the "real world." Not to say nursing isn't stressful, but wow, it's better than being a student!

Your post made me feel so much better. I was warned when I started nursing school that it was alot of work...but it was shocking how many hours a week it took up. Just classes and clinicals were at least 3-4 8 hour days a week plus there were hours of studying on top of that.

My poor family...I couldn't have done it without them.

 

[everylastbreath]

CONGRATS!!!!!

My Daughter has 8weeks & 1 Semester left!!! I know first hand about Nursing program and how demanding it is!! But like I tell my daughter- if it was easy everyone would do it!! You did it!! That is terrific!! Congrats!! I know it wasn't easy for you or your family, but it will pay off (all your hard work!)

 

[Tinkerbelle'sMOM]

Congrats! We just started a nurse residency program where I work and it is great. You will be doing a lot of skills which will make it so much easier when you start orientation!

You said a nurse will shadow you...okay, I hope this doesn't mean that you will have a patient load and the preceptor will have a patient load...that isn't right. You should have one on one work with your preceptor. You may have worked on that floor, but you are in an entirely different role now and need to be oriented for at least 10-12 weeks as a new graduate nurse, esp in an subacute ICU setting. Just don't let them try to short change you because you have been there...I've seen that happen on other floors where I work (I help head up our preceptor/residency program) and we did put a stop to it. After orientation, you should have a resource person for at least 3 month.

Good luck!!! And your family will love having you back