I have a lot of material and books for nursing exams and further study:
If there is the need, I will share with othersThose materials include:
1. canadian registered nurse exam
2. CGFNS
3. NCLEX
4. General nursing review
5. Critical care nursing program provided by George brown college, Toronto
-timtom(Boys);
2006-11-2{182}(#3299265@0)
Is there any agency nurse here? How do you find the work and pay?
-timtom(Boys);
2006-11-2(#3299344@0)
Thank you, tearen, I read all the articles in your blog. They are great!I really appreciate your support!
Mentioning about our kids, I always encourage my 2 sons to become a doctor even though they are so young now. one is 3 and the other is just 1 yr old :-)
-timtom(Boys);
2006-11-2{188}(#3300551@0)
Tearen, do you know what kind of nursing business we can do as a part-time thing?
-timtom(Boys);
2006-11-2(#3300562@0)
I heard about the RN ran a home care business. They have to have more knowledge about community care. Here in BC, there is a BCIT specialty course for it.Or, a occcupational RN can run a office either in a health care agent or in a community setting for infection control. A special trained hemodialysis RN with degree can also work as a clinical educator for a huge hemodialysis machine company, ect.
tons of options if you really want to try. Good luck. I do not know if my son is a talent to become a doctor or not, so just take it easy for a career plan for now. No push. Haha.
-tearen(茶人);
2006-11-3{429}(#3300693@0)
In BC, there are no care aids in specialty care units, the RN do everything for the patients.Also, it usually requires 2 years med/surg working experiences before you move on nursing specialty courses. There are more mental stresses in ER and ICU than med/surg floor, the experiences is important support. The most important thing is you love the job itself. All patients have their own dignity, and they only need you help in their fragile period of life. I take it as my honor to help them, even I have to wipe the butt some times. Take things easy, it is your job for living.
-tearen(茶人);
2006-11-8{485}(#3309455@0)
What's the difference between RN and nurse practitioner? normally nurse practitioner has higher rate.Nowadays it requires master degree to become nurse anesthetist. Nurse anesthetist has good pay, the average in the states is between 100k - 120k.
-lile601(lile601);
2006-11-2{145}(#3299918@0)
Hi, are you interested in working in States? I guess it's easier in states to get the nurse practioner's qualification and jobs.
-timtom(Boys);
2006-11-2(#3300554@0)
how are you?
-timtom(Boys);
2006-11-7(#3307113@0)
suggestionHow about working as a Pain Service nurse. Paid better and does not have to work shifts.
-cococandy(Summer);
2006-11-2{88}(#3300243@0)
The pain service nurses I met in our critical care unit are all either nurse practitioner or advanced practise nurse. That's not an easy position to apply.
-timtom(Boys);
2006-11-2(#3300559@0)
Have thought of an instructor position or even teaching? I do not know what your goal is though, just my thinking.
-cococandy(Winter);
2006-11-3(#3300694@0)
maybe teaching for preparing nursing exams in part-time, for now, I still wants to remain as a full-time critical care nurse. I am looking for something in part-time
-timtom(Boys);
2006-11-3(#3300774@0)
There is no nurse anesthetist in Ontario for now. Ontario nurses have an union: ONA (www.ona.org).For full-time nurses, hourly rate is based on our contracts which is due for another renewal now. I have 7 yrs experiences, but with my degree in nursing, they push me up 1 level to the maximum of RN pay which is $35.8/hr. Personally I guess when we get the new contracts, the maximum rate will increase 3%. By the way, what's NS?
-timtom(Boys);
2006-11-3{331}(#3300778@0)
Nova Scotia, the poor province on the east coast. You mean you have the RN degree? It is a must in NS. I heard that some people are making over 100k here with the overtime. Is that the same in Ontario?
-zhu(猪头);
2006-11-3(#3301935@0)
yeah, ontario nurses easily make 100k with OT , for the full-time nurses, it's difficult as the maximum is 35.8/hr,but for part-timer and agency nurses, they are holding higher hrly rate up to $50/hr, so with their OT rate of 1.5 times the regular pay, you can do the calculation:
let say a part-time nurse's hrly rate is 35.8X1.13=40.45
she works 90hrs biwkly(that's including OT, which paid as 1.5 time), then yearly income will be:
40.45X90X26=94662, and she has holiday lieu day payout which will add her income to be higher than 100K, not mentioning all the evening, night and weekends allowance and etc
-timtom(Boys);
2006-11-3{498}(#3302506@0)
In AB, RN got paid double for OT. U can always pick up OT if you want to. But if someone works 90 hours biweekly, it would be too stressful unless she/he does not have kids.
-cococandy(Winter);
2006-11-3(#3302576@0)
90hrs/biwkly is not based on the hrs you physically worked,I calculated the way as the OT hrs=1.5x11.25hrs, so my 90hrs means physically 6 shifts, plus 1 OT shift.
Sorry that I made it complicated, my calculation may not be correct or the pay check is not calculated in my way too.
By the way, in my unit, we normally think physically working for 8-9 shifts/biwkly is quite OK and reasonable. As full-time and senior nurse, you have lots of vacation time
-timtom(Boys);
2006-11-4{397}(#3302830@0)
But she/he does not have the job security, right? Otherwise why less people want to be Agency nurse?
-zhu(猪头);
2006-11-4(#3302673@0)
agency nurses in critical care unit do not worry about geting shifts,in nights and weekends, the ICUs are always short of staff.
I guess comfort level is the main issue that why less nurses work as an agency nurse.
Generally people are nice, but as agency nurse, you may be treated as a dirt. so I may prefer to work as a regular staff nurse that at least I won't be bullied by others
-timtom(Boys);
2006-11-4{318}(#3302834@0)
you are right! are you doing full-time 12hrs schedule?
-timtom(Boys);
2006-11-5(#3304320@0)
Yes, I am. I enjoyed my full-time position as a hemodialysis RN, and once a while, the casual positions in cardiac telemetry and ICU settings.It keeps my skill refreshing, and I can choose the casual schedule on my own interest. I love it. Sometimes, money is not as important as you enjoy the work itself. It is your value and enjoyment to help people around there. Keeping your license as a safe practice record is also a key.
-tearen(茶人);
2006-11-6{286}(#3304623@0)
thank you for your reply!Hemodialysis nurse is a good option, I may consider it.
I did enjoy working with the hemodialysis nurses in our CrCU, most of them are asian in my hospital, they do help me in taking care of the patient. I bet you must be a wonderful dialysis nurse!
-timtom(Boys);
2006-11-6{250}(#3305386@0)
Too much night shifts are not good for your health for the long run. It is true of the saying that the health is for the money before 50 years old, and the money will be for the health after 50 years old.
-tearen(茶人);
2006-11-5(#3304743@0)
night shifts is not always easier.But it may work for the family with small kids. In my case, I have 2 young children at home and I prefer to be around in the week days' day time, so I am kind of sacrificing myself to work more nights.
-timtom(Boys);
2006-11-6{203}(#3305374@0)
Take care. For me, after years of hard working, as a nurse, sleeping in my own home bed every night is a very specific happiness. I love my this job more.
-tearen(茶人);
2006-11-8(#3309273@0)