Please help me with a decision

Nurses Career Support

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Hi,

I was accepted into an accel. BSN program in Pennyslvania for the spring of 2004. I already have a BS in Business and wasn't happy with my career path. I was a nurses aide for a while and liked it so that is why I decided on nursing but now I am having doubts. I have talked to alot of nurses and they wouldn't recommend the career. I think there are so many opportunties. I am also attracted to other healthcare field careers like physical therapy, occupational therapy and ultrasound. What should I do? I want to make the right decision.

There are not many Nursing Jobs where I live. Took me quite a few months to find a half-way decent job.

The "nursing shortage" has been proven to be a myth. Many nurses are leaving nursing to work in other fields, r/t poor working conditions and far too many pts per nurse.

I wonder what happened to the DH jobs. I remember seeing a lot of want ads for DH back in the 80s.

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Originally posted by RDH2RN

I am sorry, but I disagree here. (No offense meant.) As I said in my previous post, I am a dental hygienist. Nursing and dental hygiene are NOT very similar.

Also, dental hygienists are not "trained". It is a university education...4 yrs. for an associate's degree (counting 2 yrs. pre-reqs) and 5-6 yrs. for a bachelor's degree. Just like RN's, we take state board exams (although we have 2...one written and one clinical) and obtain a professional license that must be maintained with CE hrs.

Angel, RDH, BSDH

Very Interesting I know here in Oklahoma I have seen RNs working as dental hygenist perhaps there is achallenge to entwer the field by testing out or something but I have acuallyt worked with RNs that are also hygenists. Is it an Associate degree in applied science?

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Originally posted by Hellllllo Nurse

There are not many nursing jobs where I live. Took me quite a few months to find a half-way decent job.

The "nursing shortage" has been proven to be a myth. Many nurses are leaving nursing to work in other fields, r/t poor working conditions and far too many pts per nurse.

I wonder what happened to the DH jobs. I remember seeing a lot of want ads for DH back in the 80s.

Would thisa be dental health? Do you know how nurses can work in dental health?

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Originally posted by CCU NRS

Very Interesting I know here in Oklahoma I have seen RNs working as dental hygenist perhaps there is achallenge to entwer the field by testing out or something but I have acuallyt worked with RNs that are also hygenists. Is it an Associate degree in applied science?

There are RDH's who also have RN licenses and vice-versa. That's what I am personally aiming for. Once I get an RN license, I will still maintain my RDH license too. I know of one RDH/RN who has managed to combine both careers. She is an oncology nurse who educates patients about how to care for the dry mouth they get from radiation tx.

With the exception of Alabama, all states require a dental hygiene education in an accredited hygiene school and passing the state dental hygiene board exams. Alabama is the only state using preceptorship training for hygienists. Needless to say, this is a HUGE debate among RDH's right now!

My bachelors degree is a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene.

Angel

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Originally posted by CCU NRS

Would thisa be dental health? Do you know how nurses can work in dental health?

I don't know how nurses can work in dental health (unless they also have an RDH license, as I mentioned above), but THAT would be a cool concept! If there were a way for RDH's and nurses to work together in the same setting, think of the benefits for the patients! The only setting I can think of where this is (sort of) happening is in nursing homes, but the hygienists bring mobile equipment. Anyone know of any other settings where nurses and hygienists are working together?

Angel

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Originally posted by CCU NRS

Would thisa be dental health? Do you know how nurses can work in dental health?

By DH I was referring to dental hygiene.

If I knew how nurses could work in dental health, I would be there!

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An RN license will give you much more as far as varied avenues in which to practice. I originally started college with the intent of being a dental hygienist, probably because my good friend was one. 1 yr into prereqs and after a yr of listening to her as to what her day was like, I made the switch. I like change and tend to like to master something then move on to a new challenge..nursing is the perfect profession for me..it is a career where you can change your complete job description versus just your environment while doing the same thing. My friend is still a hygienist and has worked for several different DDS's, she loves it but I am so glad I changed majors..I have held several different jobs and all of them were completely different..just required the nursing knowledge!! Erin

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Originally posted by Erin RN

An RN license will give you much more as far as varied avenues in which to practice. I originally started college with the intent of being a dental hygienist, probably because my good friend was one. 1 yr into prereqs and after a yr of listening to her as to what her day was like, I made the switch. I like change and tend to like to master something then move on to a new challenge..nursing is the perfect profession for me..it is a career where you can change your complete job description versus just your environment while doing the same thing. My friend is still a hygienist and has worked for several different DDS's, she loves it but I am so glad I changed majors..I have held several different jobs and all of them were completely different..just required the nursing knowledge!! Erin

Erin,

Thank you for that.

That is one of the things attracting me to nursing. :) As you may know, with dental hygiene, it's a glass ceiling. Unless you get your master's degree in hygiene (which allows you to teach or do research), there's no lateral or upward movement in your career. I am attracted to the different directions one can go in a nursing career.

Angel

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