The process of getting registered and set up with the Board of Registered Nursing is long and extensive. Your nursing school is probably going to have complete your application to the board and get you LiveScan fingerprinting done well before you graduate because that’s just how long it takes. The processing times are two to three months behind as you’ll see here: http://www.rn.ca.gov/times.shtml

I remember after graduating in mid-June, I had my Authorization To Test(ATT) which allows you to go on PearsonVue.com and schedule online on July, 27 2017. I took my test after completing all of the UWorld questions – approximately 1400 of them then took the test on September 1, 2017 which I failed.

Unions cost you money from your paycheck(about 3-5%) BUT also make you a lot more and protect your rights as a nurse. Chances are you’ll never get fired, be given step increases year after year, work cancellation rights, shift differentials, mandatory breaks, required bonuses(missed meal break, holiday), self- scheduling, severance, layoff rehire requirements and many more benefits. See this real attached Union Contract.

Once a union is established in hospital setting they are pretty much there for good. This is why when there is a signature collection to establish a union, the hospital attempt to immediately stop the actions, remove the collector from the site claiming the collectors are “disruptive during work hours.” The hospital will do whatever they can at all costs to prevent an organization. Union representatives usually show up at orientation to meet the new nurses and introduce themselves and will also get a copy of a new hire report.

Management hates unions for the fact that they make it nearly impossible to fire an employee. The union contract usually have a three strike policy that resets every 18 months and as an employee you have the right to request union representation almost like your personal attorney. In a traditional employment “At Will” setting, an employer can fire you for any reason.

The ugly part of this is that bad employees can be giving care to patients after repeated offenses. One of these employees may be your coworker. Let’s face it some employees are just bad and will run to the union for any issue.

Most hospitals do not like to new registered nurses simply because it is wicked expensive to train an RN. The pre-cepting nurse usually gets a big premium per shift to train and, the new grad needs anywhere from six weeks to three months to learn and the hospital is getting nothing in return for the moment. According the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees(AFSCME)https://www.afscme.org/news/publications/health-care/solving-the-nursing-shortage/the-cost-of-failure , the new grad will cost around $50,000 to teach and retain.

Retention is another issue for hospitals. What is to stop a nurse from receiving training and moving on to another higher paying job? The hospitals sometimes circumvent this by employing minimum length contracts as a stipulation to their employment, but these contracts offer signing bonuses and seniority year bonuses. Also by giving back in other ways such as a spectacular Nurse’s Week, free health insurance, self-scheduling, cheap employee meals, etc.

It’s actually pretty darn hard to get a hospital nursing job right after you pass you boards. The best opportunity you get is typically during your last term when you work independently with a preceptor to showcase your skills. Many of my classmates passed their exam within a month of graduation and were able to reconnect with their clinical instructors for a position. The clinical instructors like to refer their own previous students for jobs because they can send nursing students to train with them during clinical hours.

The point is to take your clinical hours seriously because the nurses are watching and taking notes. Try to keep your cell phone in your locker or pocket the whole session (besides breaks) and pay attention to to your patients’ needs. The hours are long and burdensome but will definitely be worth your while when you’re on your own.