Vegas is not only lacking water...

[Rioplatense]

but CRNA's too. I have been here in the CICU for only 7 months (out of a very expensive 20 month contract) and I am really wanting to get close to a CRNA community. My bro, who works for CAT in NC, lives in Apex, near Durham. I think it would be awesome to move and get a job somewhere like Duke Hospital and be right near it all it seems. Does anyone work in that area? Would a ICU job be easy to come by? Let me know.

[Rioplatense]

I also wanted to ask of anyone took a Kaplan class prep for the GRE? They are offering one this month and the next is in Sept., so I kind of want to take the one this month...except its on MOnday nights 6-830 and I am working almost every Monday for the next two months!! I knew I'd have to put in my time, but I wish I had some senority sometimes!

[assilem]

i just bought the kaplan gre review book. cd came with it and then i had a code to access their online review site. worked for me.

[Hold'emRN]

I took the course. I think it was very helpful. You take a practice exam the first day to see where you stand. I improved my score by 250 points. If you have been out of school awhile like myself, I think it will really help. I enjoyed the class. They will give you access to their internet site. There are alot of practice tests and self help tutorials there.

I would say it is worth it! It cost me $1000 to take it.

[944S]

I did not take the course but I did use Kaplan's computer program. Although not totally inclusive, I thought of the many study aids and books I used it was the best. It can be found here (http://www.amazon.com/Kaplan-GMAT-LSAT-2006-Platinum/dp/B0009NR67I/ref=sr_1_4/002-1905617-5624808?ie=UTF8&s=software&qid=1178647298&sr=1-4) on Amazon.

[Gasspassah]

I think it would be awesome to move and get a job somewhere like Duke Hospital and be right near it all it seems.

Yes and No....as you'll find out if you work in any hospital with a "name" that they depend on the name A LOT with their employees. Found it to be true at both Duke and Georgetown when we worked as travelling nurses.

Does anyone work in that area? Would a ICU job be easy to come by? Let me know.

Duke has and has had for a long time TONS of travel nurses. With a little experience you could easily get a travel contract or perm. position. I enjoyed working at Duke and would have stayed perm except........lets just say their pay is not necessarily commensurate with the area's cost of living. (See comment #1).

[Rioplatense]

[QUOTE=Gasspassah]
Yes and No....as you'll find out if you work in any hospital with a "name" that they depend on the name A LOT with their employees. Found it to be true at both Duke and Georgetown when we worked as travelling nurses.
QUOTE]

Could you elaborate with examples for me on that, I would really like to understand that better. This is my first career and I have no previous hospital/medical experience, so alot of this culture is new to me. For example, I work at an HCA hospital that has a new CEO/President and she has alreasy gotten rid of the manager that hired me, and other nurse managers of other units.

[nicuSRNA]

I have had experience with the name factor as well. To clarify: certain "big name" hospitals seem to be of the opinion that you should be honored to work there and their compensation may be considerably lower than other, less "prestigious" hospitals in the area. Also, some believe that their way is the ONLY right way to do things, regardless of your past experience and education. It can be a very good experience to work at this type of institution, just don't be surprised or discouraged if you come across some people with these attitudes.

[MmacFN]

heheh


Name is meaningless. I used to teach ppl from a mayo hospital and they had as many clueless physicians and nurses as anywhere else. I always laugh when someone says "i worked at XXX" and they expect me to think that means anything..

Same with the school you attend. Be it the a big name or the smallest school, your a CRNA either way and when you graduate you'll make the same money (or have the option to).

[tinkirbel]

I worked in Vegas a while myself. Although I really liked it, I felt the medicine was WAAAYYY behind times. I also worked at Pitt in Greenville, NC (about 1.5 hours east of Raleigh) and really liked it. Even though it was a small town, I felt it was of the best travel assignments I had. I don't think you will have a problem finding a travel assignment in the area. I made decent money there. At least comparable to Vegas.

[halothane]

I would work at UNC Hospital or WakeMed before I'd work at Duke. UNC and WakeMed have better benefits and better pay. Never ran into a UNC nurse that didn't LOVE working at UNC.