ALL NP's PLEASE READ THIS!

[jewelsg627]

(I know it's long but I am in need of help..badly! Please bear with me!)

This is how I feel about nursing right now:

I am currently graduating from UCLA with a B.A. in Psych (I graduate in June)

(I can't tell ya'll how happy I am about that!).

Anyhow, I was pre-med until about the Fall of last year. I decided that perhaps nursing was a better option for me. Now I am wondering...

I intially wanted to go into medicine b/c I had alot of experience being around that sort of thing and it really fascinated me. My brother, who was three at the time (March 1982), fell in our backyard pool and was underwater for 15 mintues before anyone found him. He was severly brain-damaged and was in a coma, but survived. My mother couldn't bear the thought of letting her son go (taking him off life support) and so we took him home and for then next 18 years of his life, he lived, albeit not in the best of conditions. We were always in and out of Stanford and Good Sam and such b/c of his many surgeries etc. I helped take care of my brother until he passed in July of 2000 at the age of 21.

My entire life I knew I wanted to be in medicine because of my brother. I was pre-med and then really started thinking about my options. I would like to have a family someday, I don't want to be in debt forever, I don't have the pre-req's required for med school (which would be a 1 year post-bach program of condensed Physics, Chem, O Chem, Bio, and Calculus), the thought of the MCAT terrifes me...these are a few of the reasons I decided to opt out of med school and go INTO nursing. Many people I have talked to believe in me and think it is a good decision. Recently, however, I have been doubting myself (something I, unfortunately, do often). My sister won't get off my case and always finds a way to bring up the question of "Tell me again why you are doing nursing instead of going to med school?" though I have explained it MANY times. (She's in law school and I think is one of those kinds of people that believe nurses are ' below' doctors and therefore, less desirable a profession, etc. etc. The other night, though, she asked me AGAIN. I was brought to tears thinking. "Did I in fact NOT make the right decsion?" And now, reading some fo the posts on here, I feel discouraged.

The one post about "Would you do it again?" and many answered "No".

The post about NP's salaries (I want to be an NP) and many of the figures were shocking--thinking about what NP's do.

The hours (mostly 6 am- 6pm). Part of the reason I wanted to do nursing is b/c people said I would be able to pick my own hours, etc. and so that way I could raise my family, instead of be at work all day!

Also, I shadowed an ACNP in Neuro (the specialty I was thinking of doing) and as we were doing rounds, we came upon this one lady who had a stroke in the left side of her brain. Of all the 15 or so pts. we saw that day, she was doing GREAT! Greats vitals, etc. However, she couldn't verbally tells us what she wanted. I thought about how frustrating it must be for her. She was such a cute old woman. After the shift I fell into tears thinking about it. Due to my situation with my brother, I am EXTREMELY sensitive and wonder whether or not I can do this. I asked the CNS I work for in Neuro, and she said that you eventually "toughen up" and get used to it, but I don't know that I ever will. What should I do?? Do I give up nursing/a career in medicine b/c of my emotional issues?!?!?!

I keep thinking, what do I do?????!?!?!?!?

I"m sooooooooo confused right now and need help/advice/margaritas ()...ANYTHING! :eek:

[zenman]

Posted by jewelsg627:

THIS is the EXACT reason WHY I am posting on this forum! To found out MORE about nursing and see what ACTUAL professional nurses think about my situation. As I said before, I think of myself as being more intelligent than jumping into a career before I do my research more deeply, first...

Do some research, but not too deeply. Your subconscious already knows what you want. Did I say that? :chuckle

[RN2BUKY]

CRNA stands for certified registered nurse anesthetist. They administer anesthia.......Like an anesthsiologist, only cooler b/c they were a nurse first!!

[tmiller027]

Originally posted by ceecel.dee

and a NURSE cannot become a physician without a labotomy, if she is truely a NURSE in her heart.

.

Or HIS heart

[grouchy]

As a nurse, you're going to be in and out of people's rooms fast, too. As a hospital RN, I do not have a chance to sit down and talk to people; it's move, move, move to make sure they get the minimum safe care. It's like an assembly line. While I am not an NP, I once worked in a clinic where NP's were scheduled to see one patient every 15 minutes. I have cared for family members, and it is very different from being employed as a nurse. I'm not saying don't do it, but have a realistic picture of what nursing is like.

[grouchy]

P.S. I had to take Bio, Chem, Anat & Phys., Physics, Statistics, and a special Organic Chem for nurses as part of the prereqs to get a BSN. Check the prereqs for the programs you are considering.

I once took a class with a psych major who was thinking of going to med school. I heard from a friend that she instead went straight into a Master's program, which did not require an undergrad nursing degree, to be a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, which she is now doing.

You could also consider becoming an occupational or speech therapist. You'd probably have more sustained, one on one interaction with pts that way, than as an RN or medical NP, you'd be helping people, and you might not have to take all those science prereqs to get into a Master's program. The salary is probably comparable to an NP.

[kc ccurn]

It sounds to me like your heart is telling you nursing. You have a life experience that not many others have and will be able to share your empathy with families. You also want to spend time with families. Don't forget about working with head injured patients. We have a wonderful hospital near by that specializes in rehabilitation of spinal cord and head injured patients, they are one of the best in the nation. One of the reasons that nurses there love it so much is because of the time they get to spend with their patients and their families.

Good luck, I think you already know what you want to do. Don't listen to your sister.....only you know what you want.

[jemommyRN]

I'm sorry but people can not "tell you what to do in your situation". This is something that you have to decide for yourself. I hope you don't regret not going to med school in the first place. I don't want to become an NP, I am going to become a CRNA (certified registered nurse anesthetist) so all I can say is follow your heart and make sure you are doing for more reasons than the money.

[Dragonnurse1, ASN, RN]

CRNAs are nurse anesth. When pts go to surgery the Anesthelogist (MD) are only present while pt going to sleep and waking up. CRNA stay through surgery and monitor pt and make any changes necessary to keep pt sleep. Here a CRNA starts at 6 figures. BUT there is always call and req. weekends and the 24 hr shifts.

You spent many years in a care giver role(RN). Thus you feel the pull of the medical field. The question is If your brother had not been so unfortunately disabled would you still want to be in the field?.

Many nurses are born not made. Either you have the deep desire inside to help or you don't. Do you want to help people DESPITE their attitudes and intelligence?

Can you care for an overdose even though it is the one thing that you personally despise (suicide attempts)?

Can you back off and not press a patient to have a blood transf. if it is against their faith?

Can you hold the family's hands while their mother/father/sister/brother/child dies in front of you? Yes you can cry with them!!

Can you care for a patient that has 95% third degree and 2% second degree and 1% first degree burns? Place foley, start central line, wrap and transport this patient to burn center 1 hr away knowing that he is going to die and his pain and suffering will not be controlled during transport?

Can you walk the new residents through making a patient a DNR and then at families request give the one comfort measure that you know will sent the patient to her eternal rest?

Sorry this post is so long but please bear with me. I have told many people not to go into nursing (including own children) but I have helped several to make nursing a reality. I started nursing late in life but I had lived all my life looking up every med given to family and researching every dx. doctors made. Also I was a night person so it all worked for me.

I think we all gripe. I was very unhappy but not with my job just with the way I had to perform my job (employer :angryfire . I LOVED nursing and according to all the ER MD's I worked with I was good but latex got in way and finally won.

IF you decide to go to med school I will suggest the same thing that I suggest to all - go Emergency. No Call, no pts calling you at home. Greet 'em, treat 'em and street 'em.

Good Luck and God bless you and your decision.

[Sheri257]

I'm not trying to stray too much off topic here, but since the differences in NP and CRNA salaries were mentioned ...

Are NP salaries lower than CRNAs because of the emergence of PA's and, therefore, more competition in the labor pool?

The physicians lobby is also pushing for AA's, like they did with PA's, and I'm wondering if in ten, maybe 20 years, if AA's could potentially reduce CRNA salaries if AA's become more prevalent.

Seems like PA's might have had the effect of reducing NP salaries, but I really don't know if this is true. But if it is true, could the CRNA versus AA situation potentially have the same effect?

It also seems like the physicians lobby is always trying to take back certain areas of nursing when nurses start making a lot of money, like pushing PA's over NP's, or AA's over CRNA's. I'm trying to figure out where these trends are going before I invest in any more education.

[Dave ARNP]

You need to also understand that alot of what you make in the $$$ department is up to you. You have to fight for what you want (well, usually). I make more money than any CRNA in our area (I'm a ACNP/FNP). I also am co-owner of my own practice. That helps alot.

I'm starting to get the feeling that some are more concerned about the money, than they are the medicine. If you're not absolutely head over hills for this job... it's not going to work for you. Ask any RN why they would endure an 18 hour shift with cranky patients, over the top family members, no supplies, no support and then have to call a MD who is pissed because you just interruped his golf game. They're NOT going to say its because of that whopping $25 an hour wage they're getting.

As RN's, NP's and CRNA's, we do this job because its whats in our hearts. All I wanted from this job was enough money to take care of my family. Honestly, there has not been a day go by since I graduated that I cannot beleive they're actually paying me to do what I do. It's that much fun!

Dave, off to have some fun. (AKA work)

[TMPaul]

I am a nurse AND a Nurse Practitioner; have bee for 11 years now.:) I could take up this entire BB with comments, so if you'd like more info on the role of a NP, salaries, etc. you can e-mail me at [email protected]

[Sheri257]

Originally posted by MD Terminator

I'm starting to get the feeling that some are more concerned about the money, than they are the medicine. If you're not absolutely head over hills for this job... it's not going to work for you.

Well, I'll be honest. I AM in it for the money. Especially if I have to go into serious debt for an advanced education. Not to mention that even a basic nursing education is incredibly difficult and, obviously, an advanced eduation is even more difficult.

Why go through all of this if you don't think you're going to make a decent living and be able to pay off a potentially massive debt? CRNA school, for example, costs at least $40,000, not to mention at least two years of lost income, which potentially adds a lot more to the debt. So if an NP makes an average of $80,000 and a CRNA makes an average of $110,000 (just hypothetical numbers here), you have to consider that as a student.

I'm tired of hearing that it's not supposed to be about the money. I would agree if we all didn't have to worry about money, but that's not how the world works. If you're overburdened with a massive debt, and you're not paid well enough to manage it -- you're going to be stressed --- and that's not going help patients or medical practice.