re: Calling All Nurses

RN/BSN. May '14 graduate here.

As far as my experience goes.. I started on an ortho/neuro/med surg overflow unit. I completed roughly 5 months on that particular unit, working days and nights to "get my feet wet".

Around 4 months ago I applied for a surgery position (OR, not clinic), and I actually got the job (skeptical b/c I had little exp). In the OR, my title is a circulator, a position which requires a BSN degree. Surgery is an entirely different environment in almost every way. My schedule is 6:30a-3p on weekdays, weekends off unless you're on call, with around 12-15 call days a month (I'm CVOR, we take more call days). If surgery becomes a possibility, I would recommend it highly.

In regards to salary, I would guesstimate 50-70k (surgical) depending upon amount of call days and actual instances where you're called in.

Definitely go for BSN, there are more opportunities available. I can't comment regarding going through the hospital, as I went strictly through the university. I did, however, work in ICU as a tech throughout nursing school, and it helped a lot when interviews came around.