Looking for some advice before making a mistake.

[italianlifter]

Okay to start this discussion I would like to first explain and introduce myself. I'm a 22 year old male Firefighter who has been on the job for about a year and a half now. As everyone probably knows, firefighters are required to be at least EMTS. Ever since I start my schooling to become an AEMT I have throughly enjoyed the medical side and the one thing that I just love the most about my job is seeing a young patient who for example is so scared of something EMS related that you are there to show them compassion and to calm there nerves and show them that there is nothing to worry about. I can't begin to explain how heart warming this brings me and enjoyment/satisfaction. I can't say I feel the same about the fire side. I can go into a whole discussion explaining why I dislike the fire side but this is not what I am here for other then to try to purse what I love so I can enjoy something I am going to love doing. A little more about myself, I am what you call a fitness freak and by freak I mean like I take care of myself like its no tomorrow. I workout 6 days a week, Meal plan/Prep my food for the week and I take fish oil Pill and flaxseed oil Pill for my health. Now you can easily see that my ultimate passion would be something fitness related like opening up a gym or getting some form or degree in fitness but there is just no good use in any of that in todays world. Now to my main issue, I have been throughly considering going to college for a nursing degree but the only thing that is holding me back are (and I will list them)

1. Working long hours to the point that I won't be able to workout anymore

2. I love the aspect of nursing but what i dislike is the bathing patients and helping them pee. Thats the only things that just thoroughly don't interest me.

3. Worried that my loan debt will be too much or more then what I will make

Now a few weeks back I thought I found the career I wanted which was a CRNA until I realized the amount of schooling that it requires and the amount of loan debt I will be in and that just does not seem worth it in my view. I'm just trying to find a career that will not take up more then 6 years of my life that will pay decent (not looking to make 100k plus a year) and has a decent retirement. I love the medical field and I have had nurses and doctors in my family but for me I just don't wanna be in school for more then 8 years to finally start my career cause as you can probably tell I wanna eventually quit the fire department and have a career that I will love more then anything and thats why I was looking into cardiovascular nurse but i'm just not quite sure what I wanna do in the medical field per say. I was also looking into becoming a PA but then I heard that this career field would be a bad choice and is far from worth it. I am still living at home with my parents which still makes me feel like a huge bum and is causing me so much stress. I just wanna move out and get my career started but as you can tell I am stuck and I am hoping anyone can give me some advice. I would appreciate anything. Thanks everyone!

[Studentnurse365]

Hello Studentnurse365,

Thank you for your post and giving me your advice which is greatly appreciated. I would like to first say to everyone that has recently posted something, my intentions when I first started this thread was to just get an idea of what would be my best option while receiving great advice for experienced medical personal. Felt at the beginning that it started off bad but then eventually everything calmed down and everyone was giving great advice and working with me which I felt was heartwarming and honestly I received more then I should of and I cant begin to thank everyone here. Just recently there have been a couple post that just seemed unnecessary due to that fact that it started to turn into an argument with people on this thread and honestly I don't want it to come down to that and would like everyone to try and get along and I don't wanna sound rude when I say this but if you can't post anything nice then you do not have to post anything in the first place. I understand everyone means well and wanna give there advice but all I ask is that when you do be mature about it cause not everyone will agree with each other, thats why this thread was made to listen to everyones opinions.

Now that I said all that I would like to respond, firstly the ADN route might be the cheapest route and I can totally understand your advice and what you are coming from but I would also like to mention that if I do decide to go the PA route which sounds more along the lines of my career field I might as well just get my Bachelors and hopefully get into a PA school even though it is very competitive. The only thing I am concerned about with the PA school is not getting in and then kinda feeling lost at that point. I'm not saying that NP is a lot easier or a better route by any means but what I am going to say is at least when I become a BSN and decide to to become a NP, I can at least get into the school and have a chance of passing the school. Its hard to choose between the two careers though and what is truly stressing me out is the new semester for school starts in October and I have a little less then a month to make my decision so I can start to sign up for school. I understand Im the only one who can make my own decision and no one else can but thats why I started this thread, just to hear everyones advice. Worse case scenario I can always join the military after I receive my degree but we will see.

I don't know what courses you have under your belt already, but the pre-reqs for nursing and the pre-reqs for a basic bachelor's in biology are similar. You need your writing, math, chemistry, biology, anatomy and physiology, gen eds, ect. Maybe talk to the school counselors and have your transcripts evaluated to see what courses you need to start nursing as well as get a bachelor's degree. That way you are still working on furthering your education, but don't have to make a sudden life altering decision now.

[Libby1987]

I haven't caught up with all of the posts but here's what I tell my kids after 29 years as an RN..

For the subsequent decades following graduation, what do you want to do all day long, what type of schedule can you commit tolerance, what type of working conditions and what kind of salary?

Hands down, if you can make the competitive grades, PT has the best ROI if you look at scheduling and working conditions as well as wages. We'd hire you right out of school 115K M-F days, no call, no major holidays, pretty much everything that goes sideways is referred to mgmt and/or the RN. And the stress level isn't comparable to nursing or other providers.

It's 7 yrs of school. NP is going to end up around that as well after you've pieced it together.

[BeenThere2012, ASN, RN]

Hello Beenthere2012,

From what I have been reading from you is all about physcial thearpy which is not a problem with me by any means. The only thing about sports medicine is becoming a doctor. I'm not trying to sound rude when I say this but I just can't see myself doing just about 12 years of schooling or more to become a sports medicine doctor. Yes of course it is a very intriguing field to me and I would not mind doing it in the slightest, it's just the amount of schooling that it requires. Not sure if I want to be in school for that long and I really hope I do not sound lazy cause those are not my intentions by any means. Also the physcial thearpy was once thought about but I am not quite sure I still wanna do physcial thearpy. I'm not saying it's not a rewarding career or a waste a time cause it is most definitely a good career but I'm not sure if it is worth it to me. Not trying to sound rude but I have been hearing that majority of places require atleast a doctorate in that field.

I don't take your responses as rude at all. I realize now that physical therapists require a PhD now. That didn't used to be the case...I'm sorry I misspoke.

I have loved being a nurse. My only concern for you is your statement about bodily fluids...there is a lot of that in nursing...However, as others have said, there are specialties where you wouldn't have to deal with that as much, but in the beginning you would as a student and the first few years until you get some basic experience before choosing a specialty such as a surgical nurse etc...You already have gotten some good advice on how to minimize your expenses to pay for school. Community college

to start, then transfer to a state college , for example to get your BSN. It's doable without huge debt. Good luck to you! I hope it all works out.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

The typical physical therapy degree is not a Ph.D, it's a DPT.

[CardiacDork, MSN, RN]

I got my ASN for 8K.

My hospital will pay for my BSN 100%.

Local community colleges are key. Of course, if your prerequisites have horrid marks then you'll have to go to an expensive for profit school. Of course if you live in California you'll be on waiting lists for years.

[ohiobobcat]

Another avenue to consider, although you seem to have your heart set on nursing, is an athletic training degree. I have my BS in Health, Athletic Training/Exercise Physiology. Check out the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) website to get more info. A certified athletic trainer is different than a personal trainer. It's a great career to combine your love for fitness and desire to help people. I loved it until I became a single mom. It's a 4 year degree, although some do go on to get their masters. My fellow classmates are physical therapists (more schooling obviously), working for a triple A baseball team, working as head athletic trainers for multiple NCAA colleges at all division levels, and working at sports medicine clinics during the day and covering high school sports in the afternoon/evenings. I just thought I would provide you with more education as to what the athletic training degree is and what you can do with it, as you skimmed over other people mentioning athletic training and sports medicine. Good luck in whatever you decide.

I copied and pasted the following from the NATA website:

Professional training education uses a competency-based approach in both the classroom and clinical settings. Using a medical-based education model, athletic training students are educated to provide comprehensive patient care in five domains of clinical practice: prevention; clinical evaluation and diagnosis; immediate and emergency care; treatment and rehabilitation; and organization and professional health and well-being. The educational requirements for CAATE-accredited athletic training education programs include acquisition of knowledge, skills and clinical abilities along with a broad scope of foundational behaviors of professional practice. Students complete an extensive clinical learning requirement that is embodied in the clinical integration proficiencies (professional, practice oriented outcomes) as identified in the Athletic Training Education Competencies (PDF).

Students must receive formal instruction in the following specific subject matter areas identified in the Competencies:

• Evidence-based practice
  
• Prevention and health promotion
  
• Clinical examination and diagnosis
  
• Acute care of injury and illness
  
• Therapeutic interventions
  
• Psychosocial strategies and referral
  
• Health care administration
  
• Professional development and responsibility
  

[Extra Pickles]

Hello Extra Pickles,

Thank you for responding to my poster and I would like to first off by saying that yes if anyone would to read my username then they would assume exactly what you are assuming but that goes back to the old saying "Never Judge a book by its cover." I understand that my name does not indicate nursing by any means but no offense your name in my view does not as well but I am not judging you cause by your post you seem like a very well educated individual.

Very good point about the name thing! what I meant was that usually when someone comes here to ask about whether they should be a nurse or a PA or something else they choose a userID that is more keeping with that theme, something that says Nurse On The Brain lol. It's pretty common to see Aspiring Nurse or Future Medical Person in some way in their name and you chose something entirely unrelated, that's all I was saying. It just occurred to me that the First and Foremost thing on your brain was weightlifting and not nursing. LOL Yes Extra Pickles is definitely not Nursey sounding but in my defense I have been a nurse for so long it seems Old Hat and I don't trumpet it in my name like so many do! I wish you good luck in figuring all this out, it's a lot to consider.

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

Paramedics aren't firefighters around here. They may be housed in a fire station, but they don't run into fires.

You don't want to work long shifts because you don't want your job to cut into your workouts. You don't like bathing or pee. You're worried about debt.

Have you even looked into what nursing school costs? What being a nurse entails? What nursing schedules in your area even look like? The demand for nurses? Scope of practice?

You want a rewarding career, that pays well and meets your (slightly ridiculous) standards, that has a cheap degree. And you want people on the internet, that don't know you at all to tell you what to do.

Good luck with all that.

He sounds like a decent young man who just is trying to explore the world of work and make a good decision.

Why put him down like this? If he had all the answers, he wouldn't have come here.

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

Hello Studentnurse365,

Thank you for your post and giving me your advice which is greatly appreciated. I would like to first say to everyone that has recently posted something, my intentions when I first started this thread was to just get an idea of what would be my best option while receiving great advice for experienced medical personal. Felt at the beginning that it started off bad but then eventually everything calmed down and everyone was giving great advice and working with me which I felt was heartwarming and honestly I received more then I should of and I cant begin to thank everyone here. Just recently there have been a couple post that just seemed unnecessary due to that fact that it started to turn into an argument with people on this thread and honestly I don't want it to come down to that and would like everyone to try and get along and I don't wanna sound rude when I say this but if you can't post anything nice then you do not have to post anything in the first place. I understand everyone means well and wanna give there advice but all I ask is that when you do be mature about it cause not everyone will agree with each other, thats why this thread was made to listen to everyones opinions.

Now that I said all that I would like to respond, firstly the ADN route might be the cheapest route and I can totally understand your advice and what you are coming from but I would also like to mention that if I do decide to go the PA route which sounds more along the lines of my career field I might as well just get my Bachelors and hopefully get into a PA school even though it is very competitive. The only thing I am concerned about with the PA school is not getting in and then kinda feeling lost at that point. I'm not saying that NP is a lot easier or a better route by any means but what I am going to say is at least when I become a BSN and decide to to become a NP, I can at least get into the school and have a chance of passing the school. Its hard to choose between the two careers though and what is truly stressing me out is the new semester for school starts in October and I have a little less then a month to make my decision so I can start to sign up for school. I understand Im the only one who can make my own decision and no one else can but thats why I started this thread, just to hear everyones advice. Worse case scenario I can always join the military after I receive my degree but we will see.

The military would likely give you an opportunity to be in great physical condition, exercise, travel, meet lots of interesting people all over the country or world, and get into a career you really enjoy, plus there are good benefits for military members who do their 20 years. Please seriously explore the different branches - Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and so on.

Seriously consider the military.

And don't mind the crabby, mean people wherever they might be - here, in the world, wherever. A lot of people are jealous because you are young and healthy and have your whole life ahead of you. Be nice to all, as best you can.

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

Very good point about the name thing! what I meant was that usually when someone comes here to ask about whether they should be a nurse or a PA or something else they choose a userID that is more keeping with that theme, something that says Nurse On The Brain lol. It's pretty common to see Aspiring Nurse or Future Medical Person in some way in their name and you chose something entirely unrelated, that's all I was saying. It just occurred to me that the First and Foremost thing on your brain was weightlifting and not nursing. LOL Yes Extra Pickles is definitely not Nursey sounding but in my defense I have been a nurse for so long it seems Old Hat and I don't trumpet it in my name like so many do! I wish you good luck in figuring all this out, it's a lot to consider.

My screen name is based of an old email address (Carolina like the state, Pooh like the bear). If you see a carolinapooh on the web, it's likely me. It's unique. I've used it literally for the last twenty-two years and used it here before I even started school.

It has nothing to do with nursing. A screen name doesn't have to trumpet your interests and it doesn't mean you're not interested in a forum topic. My screen name on a travel forum I belong to is the name my dog's microchip was registered under when I adopted him. Easy to remember and unique. Doesn't mean I don't love to travel. I find this observation odd.

OP, I'm an active duty Air Force nurse. If you have any questions about that branch of service, feel free to PM me.

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

Hi, italianlifter. As you are already a firefighter, you are ambitious and intelligent.

If you feel a nursing degree would be beneficial to your goal, please discuss with academic advisors. We are nurses, not school counselors.

You are WAAY ahead of yourself worrying about bed baths and toileting. You would need to learn these skills in clinical education. In the grand scheme of things, you will be delegating that to nursing assistants.

You will be able to earn a degree through a community college, in less than 6 years, with a lower debt. I have an ASN, I started out as a cardiovascular nurse.. you can too.

Best of luck.. let us know what the advisors tell you.

Hi, BTDT

I always enjoy your posts. But didn't you get your degree a long time ago and you now work at home for insurance? This young fellow is just starting out and I'm not sure the Associate's Degree is the way to go any more. So many here say a BSN is just about mandatory. I don't know, I am just asking.

Peace

[TellYourGFThanks]

Why not take your EMT to the hospital? 1/3 of certified EMTs work as techs in the ER, etc. And if you get your paramedic youll be well-desired for an ER role. And then it's all medicine