Did I make the right choice by going for my RN

Nurses General Nursing

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I am currently a 2nd sem. nursing student that will graduate in may 2012 with my nsg diploma. I graduated with my BS in biology with a poor gpa (2.8) I think. I took alot of harder classes together and was rushed to graduate after transferring and switching majors. I had considered switching to nursing to eventually become a crna, but it was going to be impossible for me to get into the bsn program at my former school. Anyway, I chose biology and was looking at AA school or PA school. After graduating with a poor gpa and working I figured instead of going to grad school and showing I could do that level of work and then applying to PA/AA school I opted to go to rn school and set out to become a crna.

I have been working for a few months as a cna( the only male one) on a med/surg unit and I really dislike it. It is stressful and sometimes nasty and it makes me wonder if I made the right choice going to rn school. I'm not sure I would enjoy working on the floor as an rn, but could see myself working in the OR or possibly the ICU(limited exp. there). I know there are is a variety of jobs for rn's, but I have a few concerns. I'm a male, which is good and bad, I'm over 6'5" and worry about back problems down the road. I am also concerned that I with my low gpa that I will never get into crna school.

I like the idea of getting my feet wet and some experience b/c I have always been interested in healthcare and medicine. I know it's still early, but I have been looking at a few options for myself such as PA, Perfusionist, possibly MD(although not likely), even a med/surg sales rep, etc. I'm just not sure I would be happy with being a floor rn for the rest of my career and I would like to have a job that I enjoyed and made a decent amount of money doing.

Any advice at all would be helpful to me and greatly appreciated. If I were to go another route besides nursing what would you suggest?? Since I am currently in rn school I think it would be a bad idea not to finish...

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Specializes in Dialysis, Home health.

Yes you made the right choice. I hated clinicals, hated the nursing home..and yes a lot of it was gross to me. After graduating, I vowed never to work M/S or the nursing home or wipe another butt again, and I haven't. I am currently working a position that doesn't require all that, and I am not stressed out. I am making 74k/yr and I'm glad I suffered through nursing school. I would not try to go through it again though. Once is enough. Keep going and know that there is a light at the end of the dark, horrid, fearful tunnel called nursing school.:o

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Specializes in Step Down.
Yes you made the right choice. I hated clinicals, hated the nursing home..and yes a lot of it was gross to me. After graduating, I vowed never to work M/S or the nursing home or wipe another butt again, and I haven't. I am currently working a position that doesn't require all that, and I am not stressed out. I am making 74k/yr and I'm glad I suffered through nursing school. I would not try to go through it again though. Once is enough. Keep going and know that there is a light at the end of the dark, horrid, fearful tunnel called nursing school.:o

Did you get into Dialysis right out of nursing school? I'm really interested in it, but most places want experience.

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Specializes in Psych, LTC.

I have gone to school to long to play in poop, so I don't. I love nursing and would do it all again. Money is great and have job security. NOBODY has ever asked for my GPA during an interview. The only concern has been a clear license and a heartbeat.

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Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

I think that you would do well in the OR. No poop to clean unless a pt has a code brown during emergence from anesthesia. I think in my total years of experience in the OR, I have cleaned up maybe 8 code browns...not bad for 8 years in the OR!

Yes, you must go through some icky times to get where you are going. Think of it like being a teenager...you go through a period of awkward gangliness with the zits and the uncertainties, but then you blossom into this wonderful ADULT.

If you wish to pursue the CRNA route, you must have ICU experience, and the OR does not count, I am sad to say. Although I am a strong advocate for nurses seeking the OR experience, I am also a strong advocate of nurses wishing to further their education/career, and you would need to choose ICU.

I would not worry too much about your past GPA. If you make good marks in nursing school and have some strong references when you apply for CRNA school, you will likely be fine. However, if the school you are applying to does not, in fact, feel that your marks from your Bio degree are acceptable, they will let you know and give you the option to take certain courses again. I had a friend who went into the Duke CRNA program after being a nurse for 8 years. She did horribly in chemistry when she was in an unrelated undergrad program, and Duke gave her the option of taking the course over again at any university level program. She did well, and got accepted.

Dude, you have to slug through the trenches to get to success. You have to do the work, you have to face the yuck. Believe me, there is light at the end of the bed pan, and you will be so glad that you stuck through it. I am rooting for you!

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I just started college,ifeel lost i tried to take the pre requiste to the math class to get me into nursing program and i had to drop the class,I basically have to start math from 0,I work with nurses that told me all this math is not needed they dont even know it ,how can I even think of being a nurse if i dont even know multiplication tables.

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Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.
I just started college,ifeel lost i tried to take the pre requiste to the math class to get me into nursing program and i had to drop the class,I basically have to start math from 0,I work with nurses that told me all this math is not needed they dont even know it ,how can I even think of being a nurse if i dont even know multiplication tables.

Not everyone is gifted in math, myself being the President. This is how I overcame the math hurdle:

Get yourself some BASIC math software. It may feel ridiculous at first, but you will soon catch on and surprise yourself at how easy it is once you get the BASICS down. Everything in math must build from a basic approach, and if you don't have the basics down, you will not be able to follow in advanced math skills. Once you feel comfortable with your basics, plan some one on one time with your instructor or a tutor to understand the advanced skills. Think of math like spaghetti. You need a base of tomato sauce. Then you add some meat, then some garlic, then some herbs. You combine that with the pasta, and you have yourself a MEAL! Math is the same way. You have to build on a basic ingredient.

When I was growing up, my community grew WAY faster than the education system could keep up with...we had 45 students to a class, and that was back in the 80s. I did very well in verbal, history, science and language arts, but fell short in the math department. Since one on one time was not an option in my day, I was relegated to "learning it on my own" with the help of my parents-who were absolutely no help at all since they were never home. All of the kids in my house had trouble with math, so we had to learn it all over again as adults. Since math is just logic, we used software to teach us the basics and understood quickly about formulas and advanced math skills. My brother is now the leader of his bio-research company and my baby brother is graduating from Yale this May. It can be done!

Go to Best Buy. Get a basic math software package. You will not be sorry, and when you understand how easy it really is, you will be doing a happy dance!

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I was feeling the same way about my choice. But this definitely makes me feel better knowing that there is a light at the end of the tunnel =)

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You've got a bio B.S? I would suggest getting some lab certs and looking into various research positions. It's interesting work.

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Just wanted to comment real quick because if I didn't know any better, I would've thought I wrote this initial post! haha I'm a 6'5 male, 6th qtr nursing student (out of 8 qtrs) also with a BS in Bio with pretty much the same GPA and backstory (worked in physical therapy for a few yrs out of college before RN school). I definitely wasn't a fan of the nursing home and certainly don't enjoy the wiping asses part of the job, but know it's necessary right now to get to where I want to be. One direction I'm thinking about going is flight nursing, which would also require experience in critical care. And after working for several years as a nurse, I think I will most likely go back for a NP degree, which would be similar to the PA route I also had initially thought of as an undergrad. So, long answer short...with so many different avenues to explore, you definitely made the right choice with the RN. Good luck!

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I just happened to catch this thread in the corner of my eye but would like to thank everyone for their motivating responses =)

The OP's situation resembles mine very closely, I'm first semester in the program, male, 6'4", have a previous bachelors in biology through which I did poorly on gpa (2.6ish), seek to eventually be a crna down the line after exhausting all critical care excitement that normal registered nursing has to offer, and also don't want to "play in poop" as it was stated =P It's definitely great to hear how it gets better! I got slightly swayed when in the beginning of my second week just now we are learning all about ostomy care, catheters, perineal care, bed pans, and removing fecal impactions. Of course I understand these are the basic requirements of life and nurses are the one's to be there for the patients needs when the patient is vulnerable and can't fulfill these needs by themselves, however THAT particular part of nursing is really not in my bag of interests and it's good to know that after those dues are paid (and done with understanding, care, and professionalism) there's light at the end of the tunnel.

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Thank you all for understanding and it does make me feel better that people are going through the same. I just get a little down when all my friends are graduated and making salaries at what seem to be cushy jobs, while I make 9/hr wiping up poop, lol, while going to school. Some patients and family really appreciate everything and others look down on you and make remarks. Nurses complain and one was saying that every time she comes into work it's like getting slapped in the face. I would rather not be s#!^^%# on figuratively and literally everyday at work.

I would absolutely love to be a crna, but it is a long road indeed. I love surgery and the OR, but I'm not sure that I wouldn't be just as happy as a perfusionist or a PA working in a large doctors office with alot less stress, holidays off, 9-5. Plus I am worried about finding a job as an RN after graduation. Hopefully I would be able to find something in an ICU, but if not I wouldn't mind the OR to start. I have heard working as a cna helps to get a job after graduation, but is this true? What other jobs or experience can I get to increase my chances of employment after graduating?

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