help!! whats the differences?

arciedee · Sep 15, 2005

I'm in a college right now that doesn't offer nursing. I have always wanted to be a nurse but the thought of bed pans freaked me out. I know thats a stupid reason. Well i took a personality/career profile in one of my classes and the results came back and said i should be a nurse. So i was looking into one of our hospitals and they have a nursing school. It's a 2 year program. The lady said it was diploma and you would have your associate RN degree. What exactly is this? How does it differ from an RN? Also what is the average salary for this type of degree. I also need to know if its easy to find a job. I'm so confused and i need these answers. Thank you so much!

There are three basic routes to become an RN (there are a few more, but to give the most common...): diploma, ADN (associates degree), and BSN (bachelors degree). Completion of any these three will qualify you to sit for the NCLEX-RN, the licensing exam, and assuming you pass the exam, to work as an RN. It's unclear from your post whether the program you are looking at grants a diploma or an associates degree, but regardless you would end up as an RN.

Many areas are suffering a shortage of nurses right now, so I don't think many people are having difficulty finding jobs. This is something you might want to ask the woman at the hospital about (how many new grads they hire, etc.). Check something like salary.com to find out what nurses in your area make.

Now, I notice that you said you took a test which "said [you] should become a nurse." Please don't think this is what you HAVE to do. Such tests are great tools in determining where your talents lie and what might be something for you to explore, but don't think it's cast in stone. Continue to research the career by reading about it and possibly volunteering in a hospital, shadowing nurses in different areas, maybe even get your CNA license. You will learn a lot and it will help you decide whether this is, in fact, the right path for you.

Good luck!