Career Counseling PLEASE!

AmyLiz · Oct 9, 2003

A PCT should pay a little more than a CNA, but I don't know how much in Chicago.

Can't tell you what to do, though. That's up to you. You could just get your STNA status...go to work somewhere (hospital, LTC, etc) and see if the institution will help pay for school. Any way you go, if you're going to eventually go for an LPN or RN, you'll need those pre-req's. If it were me, I'd be looking for financial aid possibilities & start in on them to get a jump on them.

I'm in school now waiting to get into the nursing classes (I'm on a waiting list) and biding my time taking pre-reqs in the meantime.

Good luck to you! :)

cannoli · Oct 9, 2003

Don't know anything about Chicago. That sounds like a lot of money to me.

The hospital I work at trains the PCTs so it doesn't cost the PCTs anything, they draw labs, do fingersticks, ekgs.

I would call around to the hospitals in your area and see if they do the same and try to get a job with one of those hospitals and let the hospital do the training.

Good luck.

sonnynurse · Oct 9, 2003

Hi Ninatobella-

I would look into a Nursing Home type of CNA course..in my area of New England...many NH's offer the course for free or a minimal amt. of $ and then upon graduation..you have a job with them. You still learn a great deal being a CNA at a LTC facility and while you work part-time you could start those pre-reqs. Good Luck!

Genista, BSN, RN · Oct 9, 2003

ninatobella-

I would hold off on spending that amount for a position that (here in CA anyway) really won't earn you that much more income. I can't speak for Chicago, though.

Consider this...if you can get hired as a CNA in a hospital, often they will pay a part to large portion of any tuition for advancement in a health related profession, such as nursing. Several of the CNAs on my unit are doing just that. You can easily find out how much local hospitals are paying phlebotomists & PCTs by looking in Sunday paper, checking online, or even going down in person (many job postings at my work are posted for in house staff to see & if you ask the folks at the information desk, they will tell you where they post it). Also, you can go to http://www.salary.com and type in your county & state & many job wages are available.

I would hate to see you spend a bunch of money unless it really was going to pay off. Another option would be to apply to LPN/LVN school and then bridge to RN after that. Of course, you might want to go straight for the RN degree. I am simply suggesting, so you can consider some options.

Good luck! :)

ainz · Oct 9, 2003

Here's some advice that was given to me when I was agonizing over what to do.

Dream your dream. Set your goal. Go for it, do whatever it takes and never look back or doubt yourself. If what you want to do takes 3 or 4 years and you are worried that that is too long, well 3 or 4 years from now, if you have not pursued your dream, you will still be saying that 3 or 4 years is too long. Point is the time will pass so use it.

There is one area in which all people are truly created equal, we all have 24 hours per day. The difference is what we do with that time.

If you want to "eventually" be a nurse, then go for it now!!!! Time is passing.