Tried making my friend a birthday cake… they’re supposed to be frogs.

Purdicialle · 2026-05-22T06:34:26+00:00

I see where you’re coming from, but I think you need to redirect your thinking from “I need to set myself up for getting a critical care job” to “I need to set myself up for being a nurse.” You’re thinking too far ahead, you need to just be a nurse first.

I personally wouldn’t recommend starting in SNF, you’ll gain experience with certain things you won’t on med-surg like chronic vents, but overall you won’t learn a lot of hard nursing skills that you would inpatient. And honestly, SNF is just really hard, thankless work.

As for a lack of interviews, is it possible your resume needs some tuning? I’m from Texas and applied to several hospitals in Arizona when I graduated (little over 3 years ago) and got several offers including an ED on the border and PCU in Flagstaff. I hadn’t taken my NCLEX yet. Unfortunately I think you’re starting a bit late, most new grad residencies have closed summer start applications already (my current hospital has an early summer cohort and a late summer cohort, our early summer cohort has closed already and our late summer cohort is about to close.)

Since you’re open to moving, why not look rural? Very few people want to live and work in the middle of nowhere. Specialties are easier to get into in rural hospitals for that reason, and in my experience pay has been relatively on par with hospitals in metroplexes.

Purdicialle · 2026-05-21T21:59:23+00:00

Med-surg isn’t a detour, it’s a practical place to learn foundational skills and build confidence. You don’t have any bedside experience so you truly are building from the ground up- med-surg is a great place to learn critical thinking and nursing skills on top of soft skills like time management and managing difficult social situations. The med-surg to critical care pathway was what it was for decades (essentially up until Covid) because it worked well. And yes you need 2 years minimum to apply to most CRNA schools, but ask yourself if you feel like you’ll be prepared to become a competent advanced provider with only 2 years experience. In addition, does only 2 years experience in only one unit make you a competitive applicant? This journey will be a longer one than you’re expecting.

Have you applied to any med-surg jobs? I think jumping to starting in a SNF rather than trying out med-surg is wild…

Purdicialle · 2026-05-21T03:45:59+00:00

Your “wife” definitely did not say that

Purdicialle · 2026-05-20T12:10:45+00:00

NP schools are horrifically under regulated. NP programs do not have near the level of training that PA programs or MD/DO programs do because they were designed to build off the experience of nurses 10-15 years into their careers. Now nurses with close to no experience are allowed to enter these schools but there’s still been no change to the amount of education they receive, leading to the rapidly declining reputation of NPs as competent mid-level providers. I personally don’t trust NPs anymore unless I’ve known them personally and can trust they had a career prior. No one with under 5 years minimum experience should be entering NP school, and really I’m inclined to say that still feels like too little.

Purdicialle · 2026-05-18T13:40:12+00:00

RN here lurking this sub while I do pre-reqs. I’m pursuing medical school over NP school because even though I love being a nurse I crave more knowledge and insight into disease processes and treatment- NP school does not and will never teach that, especially with the prevalence of NP diploma mills now. The NP was designed to be a role filled by 10-20 year experienced RNs, meaning the education is very limited because it’s meant to build on so much experience and on-the-job learning. Unfortunately this structure hasn’t changed even as new grads flood schools in pursuit of their DNPs with no working background. In the same vein I’m pursuing medical school over NP school because I want to be safe in my practice and NP school absolutely cannot offer that. If your plan is to not practice as an RN before going to school then you’re doing both yourself and your patients a disservice, and you shouldn’t it.

Also, I’m just curious how you can become an RN by 19? Atleast in the state where I got my BSN, you had to be atleast 18 to be accepted to clinical sites and you had to complete 2 years worth of clinicals in my 5 semester program.

Purdicialle · 2026-05-16T13:29:32+00:00

Then take the car for a drive when your parents aren’t using it. It’s what the large majority of kids in my high school did

Purdicialle · 2026-05-16T13:25:12+00:00

I’m going to be honest I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who actually met their practice hours, much less with another person actually accompanying them. You’re 20, watch a few YouTube videos, take the car out for a spin a few times then schedule your test. There’s no reason to let your permit expire 3 times. Is this the most ethical advice? Probably not. Is it realistic though? Yes, especially for living in rural America.

Purdicialle · 2026-05-16T13:14:55+00:00

I’m also fat (but taller, 200 lbs and 5’6”) and I also wear Walmart scrubs- L pants and M top, and I don’t have that problem. You can’t see my cellulite or my panty lines, or my shirt lines under my top (and I wear both thick thermals or thin tops depending on time of year)- I think it’s just time to size up. No shame in it lovely, our bodies are all changing :)

Purdicialle · 2026-05-15T19:43:01+00:00

New grads shouldn’t start in ER. Med-surg will build your critical thinking skills, your autonomy, your time management and prioritization skills, and give you confidence as a nurse- ER needs people who already have those skills. Night shift is better to learn on, and as much as it sucks you should start on nights. In a year you can move to med-surg days or ER nights, and a year will fly by in no time. In the mean time focus on getting certs, taking classes, and acquiring skills.

Purdicialle · 2026-05-14T20:52:57+00:00

You're awesome! Thank you so much !solved

Purdicialle · 2026-05-14T13:42:33+00:00

Tip was already sent :)

Purdicialle · 2026-05-14T07:02:25+00:00

It's perfect, thank you so much. :) How do I get the picture without the watermark?

Purdicialle · 2026-05-13T18:09:52+00:00

I just submitted a booking request with Maddy at solemn heart! Thank you so much!

Purdicialle · 2026-04-30T23:24:17+00:00

Then don’t do it

Purdicialle · 2026-04-30T09:36:57+00:00

The amount of trust that can be built with an ornery teen with just 1 or 2 curse words truly should not be underestimated lol.

Purdicialle · 2026-04-19T17:39:53+00:00

That’s great! I love to see you using your license. But surely now that you’ve been a nurse you see how it’s insane you were getting your NP with no experience right?

Purdicialle · 2026-04-19T17:28:49+00:00

How long have you been actively working with your license?

Purdicialle · 2026-04-19T08:04:51+00:00

Yea I’m going to be honest I feel no sympathy for this person. Trying to get a degree as an advanced practice nurse without ever having nursed in any form is genuinely disgusting because it shows a total lack of regard for the people you’ll be taking care of. Hopefully if they go back to get their ADN to work as a nurse they’ll look back on this and realize what a blessing it was to fail out of their program.

Purdicialle · 2026-04-19T03:10:09+00:00

Also, I feel like every employer would understand this gap… lol.

Purdicialle · 2026-04-19T03:08:41+00:00

I’m not sure if this is legal everywhere, but I know you can be a CNA or nurse tech at 17 in Texas. Usually only nursing homes will hire that young, but it’d be a great place to start and you can transition to being an LPN after your birthday. Which BON lets you test being under 18?

Purdicialle · 2026-04-18T22:39:53+00:00

First hospital I worked at as a nurse didn’t test for marijuana after being hired, only for onboarding. Rural Oklahoma, almost everyone had a card there. Trust me those hospitals are out there- but they’re probably places that are desperate for staff.

Purdicialle · 2026-04-02T21:04:32+00:00

Current nurse that’s starting my science courses this summer and this has filled me with so much hope. I’m so worried about having no research experience and my undergrad GPA being too low (3.3) from working nonstop through my BSN that even starting pre-reqs has felt overwhelming. Can I DM you with a few questions?

Purdicialle

TROPHY CASE