JD getting RN -- where to volunteer for Experience?

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Hi,

I am new to allnurses.com. I have a JD degree, and I am in nursing school now too (RN program). I have never worked in law because I have been a stay-at-home Mom for the last 10 years (and I earned my law degree while being a stay-at-home Mom). When I graduate from nursing school, I plan to work as a nurse. Then soon after that, I plan to take the bar exam, and get licensed as an attorney.

What should I be doing now to get experience? I need to get experience in both fields -- heathcare and law -- because I have never worked in either field. I can only do unpaid volunteer work, because I need a very flexible schedule due to my children.

Should I volunteer at a hospital, or at a med mal law firm? Thanks so much for any advice.

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Hi there, I would recommend Hospital, bc you can always find your way in a law setting but medical field is another scenario.

Further I am also in the same educational predicament as u, but I chose to start with the LPN program and see how far I'd go with nursing in addition to my JD.It's fun.

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What about doing some type of volunteer internship in health policy or health law, depending on what's available in your area. I am hoping to get into hospital administration and risk management. The problem is that I don't have an RN or LPN and never worked in a healthcare setting. I have a B.S. in biology and am graduating from law school on May 15th (in 6 weeks, zomg!!) . Wow, I have never used "zomg" before, but I think it's appropriate now. I feel like I am doing it a little bit backwards, but I am interested in getting an RN and being a nurse for a few years. Then, once I have some experience I could move into a role higher up, but I really don't know how likely a scenario that is. You could volunteer at a hospital a couple hours a week (at my local hospital you can volunteer for as few as 4 hours per week), whereas a law related volunteer internship will probably require at least 10-12 hours per week (otherwise they'll think it's not worth training you).

I notice this post is a few months old now, so I'm wondering what you ended up doing in the meantime?

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Specializes in ICU, CM, Geriatrics, Management.

Hey there, This.

Sorry. Just don't get why a nursing student would be considering seeking volunteer opportunities in a hospital.

My suggestion: Focus on coursework, labs, clinicals, projects, and everything else they're likely throwing your way right now.

Most folks I've met got the volunteering in prior to taking the Nestea Plunge into school.

Good luck!

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Specializes in ICU / PCU / Telemetry / Oncology.

I'm a JD, currently volunteering in a hospital, it's a great experience for me considering that I have no health care background either. I'm hoping to start nursing school in 2010 after I complete my prereqs this year. I agree that if you're in a nursing program already your performance in clinicals should be the priority. But I think an advantage to volunteering during the RN program would be to network, you can never underestimate the power of networking in this economy. :up:

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Hey,

I am graduating from law school this May 2009 and am interested in going to nursing school. I am not sure about where I can take some courses to fill the prerequisites that I need to enter nursing school. Do you have any suggestions?

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Specializes in ICU / PCU / Telemetry / Oncology.
Hey,

I am graduating from law school this May 2009 and am interested in going to nursing school. I am not sure about where I can take some courses to fill the prerequisites that I need to enter nursing school. Do you have any suggestions?

Hi Robyn,

Best best is to take them at your local community college (I assume most community colleges are state-funded, that way your tuition will be much cheaper if you are a state resident). Most all the prereqs that schools require are courses that are available for students in the first 2 years of college. What you should do FIRST is investigate what exact prereqs are required from the nursing schools you are interested in attending. I found (unlike law schools which require LSAT, bachelor's and that's it) that almost every nursing school requires something different than the other. But I can tell you now that the 3 prereqs they all seem to have in common are Anatomy & Physiology (full year) and Microbiology. So you might want to start with these and then tailor the rest of the courses to what you may need for individual schools.

I assume since you're a law student you already have a bachelor's, the other non-science prereqs some schools require you may have already fulfilled as an undergrad (like English Comp and Psych). The school I am looking to attend wants math & science prereqs completed within the last 7 years, and I'm having to retake some of them because I originally took those courses more than 10 years ago. It's all good - I could use a refresher - the Rule Against Perpetuities has a nasty way of making you forget what bone connects to what muscle :lol:

Also know: don't get caught up with the "prestige" of the school where you do your prereqs. I know this is a big issue when you're applying to law school, but does not seem to be an issue with where you do your prereqs if in fact you're doing them post-baccalaureate. As long as the school you attend is regionally accredited that is the most important thing.

BTW, congrats on your imminent law school graduation! Are you taking that nasty ol' bar exam, too? :bugeyes:

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LOL the rule against perps. UGH.

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Specializes in ICU, CM, Geriatrics, Management.

Ditto what Paco said.

Good luck!

Query: After all that hard work in Law School, why not give a legal gig a go?

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