I'll see you in the ICU!

What I did yesterday

Drove around again.

I went down to the Santa Clara Kaiser info session. It wasn't posted on the Kaiser website, but on Aftercollege.com. I didn't get any new info, other than they don't take new grads into the ICU (nevermind that their website is openly advertising for such, and the paper they just handed you says NEW GRAD TRAINING and one of the departments listed is the ICU.

While I was still there, before the info session started, I placed a call to Steve, the recruiter for San Mateo County. Their website says they have ICU nurse positions and that they do train new grads (I've heard this before, and it's a lie)

So, he called me back, and I was quick to lock down a meeting with him as soon as possible. He was openly recruiting and selling me saying that once I saw the hospital and met the nurse manager/educator, I'd be hooked.

So, I went down there and met him, he toured the entire hospital and I have to say, it's nicer than CPMC. I had no ida a county hospital could be so nice.

They've got by far the best pay and benefits I've seen, and although it's a small ICU and I'd be on nights, I'm confident they would be willing to teach me everything.
They even want the ICU nurses to get certified in Chemo, and Peds and all sorts of things, so...hey, if you're willing to train me, that's just more stuff for my resume, go right ahead!

They scheduled me for an appointment Thursday to come back down and meet with my preceptor/Nurse manager and according to the recruiter, if she likes me enough, she'll tell him to pull off the ad and they'll wait for me to pass my NCLEX.

I've got high hopes for this one.

Also, I got a call back from the CVICU director at SF Kaiser, who was one of the people I gave my resume to...she sounded impressed with my resume and said twice in one phone message that she is eager to talk to me about a position.

So, things are looking slightly up.
I don't want to get my hopes up, because as has happened in the recent past, things don't always pan out with these folks.

I'll keep you posted!

posted by sketchmonkey @ 8:13 AM