I NEED HELP!

Is the job really way too hard?

You will get lots of opinions on this based on people's experiences and their educational levels and preparation for the jobs they do. I never thought the job was "really way too hard". It's not easy either, but I was trained to do it. Being an RN is a very responsible position where you are managing the care of patients and where you are often making decisions about what needs to be done for them. RNs are constantly solving problems. That's what we are trained to do along with giving medications, starting IVs and doing basic nursing care.

Do nurses make decent to have a good living?

Yes.

Plz share ur experiences.

I've worked medical nursing units, ICU stepdown, as an IV therapist and as a supervisor and nursing manager. I also worked in nursing homes as a student and later as an RN part time to make extra money because I liked working with elderly people. I think you should read more about the career at these websites designed to educate people who want to be nurses:

• http://www.discovernursing.com/
• http://www.nln.org/careers/resources.htm - NLNs resources page for nursing students
• http://stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos083.htm - about Registered Nursing from the U.S. Department of Labor; will have some salary and wage information
• http://stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos102.htm - about LPN nursing from the U.S. Department of Labor; will have some salary and wage information
  

Do they have an option to be an MD after ther RN.

The way someone becomes an MD is to take the pre-requisites to go to medical school, take the MCAT exam and then apply to medical schools though the medical school application service. There is no RN to MD bridge programs if that is what you are asking. There is no similarity between the two jobs. I have 2 friends from college who went on to medical school. You need nearly 4.0 grade averages in college, a degree in chemistry and scores of 9-10 on the MCAT exam for a medical school to even call you for an interview. If you get into medical school you are in for 4 years of intensive study + another 4 to 6 years of a clinical residency. You don't start making any kind of money for 10 years.

do they [nurses] get fired.

As with any job, a nurse can be fired for failing to follow rules, policies and procedures that an employer has established for the employees in any job position. RNs and LPNs also have to follow the nursing laws of the state in which they are licensed. If they don't do that they put their employers in jeopardy of being sued for malpractice for any serious mistakes they make as a result of violating these laws and of losing their licenses to practice nursing if their employers report them for violating the nursing law to their state boards of nursing.

And yea, how much will you be making per year if you work in houston medical centre.

This is something you will have to find out on your own. Some Houston employers may give you these figures, but most won't.

plz disscuss the asscoiated risks that a nurse,may have to go thru.

We, meaning all citizens, are exposed to communicable diseases, however, we nurses are taught how to protect ourselves from catching the diseases and getting sick with them. If you ignore using the personal protection provided by employers or fail to get the inoculations for the common communicable diseases (many are required before you even start nursing school) whose fault is that?

My second question, as I have taken my pre-reqs will be taking hesi this month..any recomendations on how to prepare for that.

The HESI consists of:

• Mathematics - 50 questions that focus on fractions, percentages, addition, and subtraction. You have 50 minutes for this section.
• Reading Comprehension: Medical topics that you must review and answer questions about the main idea, and topic sentences. You have 50 minutes for this section of the test.
• Vocabulary and General Knowledge: Medical terminology and vocabulary exam. 50 questions that must be answered in 50 minutes.
• Basic Grammar: 50 questions related to punctuation and capitalization topics. 50 questions-50 minutes.
• Chemistry: 25 questions. Mostly inorganic related topics. This section of the test may not be required by your program.
• Anatomy and Physiology (A&P): 25 questions. Basic A&P topics like smooth muscle, muscle function and basic physiology.
• Biology: 25 questions. Wide variety of biological topics. May not be required on your program's entrance exam. You have 25 minutes to complete this section

The most important thing that you can do preparing for these tests not getting stress out. A score in the 90th percentile is not required in most cases to get into the nursing school your choice. The test scores are only one part of your application to nursing school.

Here are some steps for preparing for these tests.

1. Watch out for the words: except, always and not in all test questions.
2. Get a good night’s sleep before the test.
3. Wear layered clothing to the exam.
4. Practice with a watch and bring a watch to the test.
5. Study for each section of the test individually.
6. If you are extremely weak in one area of content, focus on that section separately.
7. Don’t cram for your test. Read over a good practice study guide at least one week in advance.
8. Stay away from negative talk about the test with other students.
9. Use the study guide linked on the right side of this website as your primary review resource (http://nursingexamprepinfo.com/test_preparation.htm).
10. Review each section of the content on this website thoroughly.

This is one website that sells a HESI study guide: http://www.mo-media.com/hesi/. You might want to ask this question on the General Nursing Student Discussion Forum (click on the Students tab above to find it).

1) "are male nurses really..btw, are male nurses attracted to guys..?"

- This is like asking "do firefighters drink too much and cheat on their wives." As a man in nursing, and a former firefighter, I can tell you that these are both inaccurate perceptions. The "homosexual male nurse" is a nursing stereotype just like the "naughty nurse" or the "battleaxe." Certainly, there are men in nursing who are gay, just as there are in society. In my experience though there aren't any more gay men in nursing then there are in any other profession (and I live in the San Francisco bay area!).

2) "I have heard many nurses becoming MD, and not to mention CRNA which even make more than a physician."

- I don't think the RN to MD route is common at all. It's reinventing the wheel, as you have to learn a whole new discipline. A CRNA is a nurse, an advanced practice nurse, like a nurse practitioner or midwife.

3) "And gpa of 4.0 is impossible..I have had some of my friend having 3.5 and they were able to get in as they look for a full package..? AM I RITE"

- I'm not sure what you're asking, but a gpa of 4.0 is not impossible. I'm sitting 10 feet away from my fiance, and she maintained a 4.0 gpa throughout all four years of our grueling Bachelor of Science in nursing program.

4) "Secondly, did you ever catch TB while on clinicals..'

- That would be a very rare occurence, as we take precautions to prevent that kind of thing.

[quote=lilsporty111;3668328]I have got quite a few questions for nurses.
Is the job really way too hard?

Harder than you could imagine. Nursing ruins backs, knees, and feet. It is mentally stressful and well as physically tiring. Not that it's a horrible profession;there are wonderful things about being a nurse. But I have to tell you, after 32 years of nursing I'm ready to get off this carousel.

Do nurses make decent to have a good living.

Yes, you can probably support a small family on a full-time salary if you are frugal.

Plz share ur experiences..Do they have an option to be an MD after ther RN..

Sure. If you go to four years of college, 4 years of medical school, 3-7 years of residency. Woo-hoo! You're a Doctor!

btw, do they get fired.
Yes they do and sometimes it's not for good reasons. If you live in a Right to Work state like I do your employer can let you go for any reason or no reason at all. Being a nurse is no guarantee of work.

plz disscuss the asscoiated risks that a nurse,may have to go thru

Probably the biggest risk is not from illnesses you encounter,but on-the-job injury from poor lifting techniques.

..are male nurses really..btw, are male nurses attracted to guys..?

Oh, pleaz...

How much the monthly check is gonan look like..if you work fulltime..

Depends on where you work and how much experience you have. Ask a nurse in your area.

And yes, you most certainly need a college degree of some kind to be a nurse. Would you want your nurse to have a high school diploma? I don't think so.

[quote]

if you could have your college degree in nursing?

I have a Bachelor's degree in Nursing

I have heard many nurses becoming MD, and not to mention CRNA which even make more than a physician. And gpa of 4.0 is impossible..I have had some of my friend having 3.5 and they were able to get in as they look for a full package..? AM I RITE

Anything, I'm sure, is possible. Did you talk to these people and ask them why this happened? You should also talk to doctors and ask them about their salaries and what they had to do to get into medical school.

Secondly, did you ever catch TB while on clinicals.

No. And never heard of a nurse on the job getting TB. For someone, on the job to get TB they would have to be unknowingly exposed to the TB bacteria continuously and having a compromised immune system would be a great help. They know so much about its prevention today that it is people with high risk behaviors that are getting it. Nurses are not in that group. You can read about TB here: http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/tuberculosis/default.htm

I'm not trying to be mean but you should go into nursing because it's your passion not because of the money. When your taking care of patients you shouldn't have a paycheck on your mind. I would still be a nurse even if I got paid the same amount I do now.

Thank you to those who have offered helpful advice to the OP.

Regarding salaries/pay: Some people honestly want to know if a nursing career can generate the kind of paycheck on which one may support a family = a valid concern.

Good luck to you, lilsporty, in choosing a career.

Please try to offer helpful advice and stay on topic, thank you