advise for a prospective nurse

lpnstudentin2010, LPN · Mar 9, 2005

please does anyone have any advice :crying2:

Cznurseintraining · Mar 9, 2005

please does anyone have any advice

Okay... here goes nothing! :wink2:

I'm a freshman in college, going for my BSN (hopefully graduating in 2008!!). One of the most important things to do is to keep your grades up. Nursing is very competitive and I know my program requires us to keep a certain GPA to stay in it, along with a certain entrance GPA.

Also, research everything you can about nursing. From what I've learned so far is that there are ups and downs, and you have to decide if you can handle the downs... from what I've heard, the glory is great but it's got its pitfalls too. I know that I believe I can handle it... just make sure you can!

You might want to find a volunteer position in a hosptial to see what you can experience through observation. I personally did not volunteer, but I'm regretting it now. At the moment, I'm working to become a Patient Care Tech/Nurse's Aide for the summer... maybe you can find something similar?

But now, as a junior in high school... study study study! It's not cake to become a nurse... it's lots of hard work and dedication.

Good luck... and I hope I helped even a little bit! :wink2:

lpnstudentin2010, LPN · Mar 9, 2005

Cznurseintraining thankyou.

i have a genetic disorder (neurofibromatosis) which has caused me to have 4 surgeries and all my nurses were awsome. i want to do that for others and your info was helpful

PDCNurse · Mar 9, 2005

i want to become a nurse. i am about to go off to college (i am a junior in high school) any advise?

i think you should volunteer or work part time in a health care facility so you can get a good idea of what is involved in working with patients. it looks very glamorous on television, but nursing involves hard physical labor, intelligence, patience, decision making skills, being able to interact well with others and a host of other qualities. it's not a career that is easy. if you have what it takes, you should pursue your dreams. make sure your counselor has you on the right track concerning your high school cirriculum and keep your grades up so you can get into a good college. i think nursing is a wonderful career and i have been in it for 25 years. i don't regret a minute of it but it is far from easy. there are many nursing opportunities out there and if you choose to do this, you will find an area that will suit your interest and skills. i would advise going for a bsn if you can because it gives access to positions that an adn or diploma would have difficulty getting.

SmilingBluEyes · Mar 9, 2005

1. Shadow some nurses to see if this even something you truly want to do. See what it is we do everyday. it is NOT for everyone!

2. http://www.allnursingschools.com check this site to see where the Nursing Schools are by state and what kinds of programs they offer (BSN, ADN) etc. This will help you narrow down your choices.

3. Once you have narrowed down your choices, speak to those schools about pre-requisite coursework you need to do and start ASAP. Get a degree plan and do all the non-nursing/support course work before you apply. Nursing school itself will keep you busy enough without your having to work on courses like English 101, Speech, College Algebra, etc. And, Keep those grades up; typically, nursing schools are VERY competitive for entry requirements.

4. VOLUNTEER!!! Wherever you can, do this. This will help you develop your understanding of the health care environment and is very good for the resume.

Good luck. Hope this helps you some!