Going back to school to get my BSN...

[DeadRabbit099]

Hi all,

I was just accepted into Salem State University's BSN program for the Spring.

A little background about myself, I'm from the Boston area and I have a BA in political science and received a Master's in Public Administration and another Master's in Political Science while working full time in the State Legislature. I joined the National Guard in 2011 and received my commission as an officer a little over two years ago.

Politics burned me out and I realized it was not the right career path for me. However, I did realize I enjoyed helping and interacting with the people I helped each day, but I wanted to do this at a more direct level.

I'm currently enrolled in an EMT-B class and hope to receive my license in January.

I'm looking for any advice as to how I can set myself up for success and get a job as an RN in a hospital in Boston upon completion of my BSN program. I am hoping to work as a Hospital Tech once I receive my EMT-B license and later a Nurse's Aide once I finish a portion of school.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[jcaron]

Definitely keep going with your plans to work with the EMT and most certainly the nurses aid thing. It will give you a definite idea of whether nursing is for you. I worked as a cna for 3 years before I became an RN and the experience is invaluable. I will warn you however, that there is an adjustment period of at least 6 months as you acclimate to the culture of healthcare and build a knowledge/skill base. You will find the learning curve is steep and pretty much never ends, but that's one reason to get into nursing as a profession. Don't let the setbacks discourage you. I think many people give up in their 1st year or 2 thinking "this isn't for me" but I would encourage you to stick it out through these kind of Feelings as they do pass as you become more competent and confident.