How I came to be...RN bound

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I was enrolled in a local vo-tech school in my area, in the PN program. The program lasts one year, and is divided into 3 levels. After the first final of the second level, two friends and myself went out to dinner. We were joined by my friend's mother.

Of course, as students, unwinding our conversation turned toward school. My friend shared a story with the others mother about a student who told her he actually didn't get a sufficient grade on one of his final exams to pass the first level, wherein, the instructor (who didn't teach that particular class) told him, "Don't worry, I'll take care of it".

Our conversation that night was about many things...which teachers we liked, which ones we didn't, etc. Turns out, there were two first level students of this particular vo-tech program sitting at the table behind us. These first level students took it upon themselves to go to the school and report us for "bashing" the program.

Needless to say, the three of us were told we were "suspended" from the program, and could finish it in January if we, "still wanted to attend this program".

Blah, blah, blah...they said things to us like, "If you would go out in public and discuss teachers, what's to stop you from going out in public and discussing patients". NEVER would we do that!!!

They were "kind" enough to allow us to finish our finals for the second level, and I'm proud to say I've had A's all through their "two-bit" program.

Hence, I'm now enrolled in an actual college where I am taking my pre-reqs for my RN :p

It's great to have this forum!!!

Genesis

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How I came to be...RN bound

I had just graduated highschool and I was still living at home. My mom (a single mother) had my sister who was 2 years old at the time at home with 12 hour a day nursing care because she was handicapt. She had sudden infant death syndrome when she was very little and my mom caught it and rushed her to the hospital but the oxygen was cut off to the brain for too long and she was left a vegtable. So my moms insurance paid for the 12 hour a day nursing care to come to our home so my mom could still go out and make a living (working full time in a machine shop...she never graduated highschool) I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life and one of the nurses told me about nursing and that I'd be good at it because I helped take care of my sister and that I should go out and get my CNA. I went to a local state run nursing home that ran the CNA classes in the basement all day and you worked the 3-11 shift at night for pay and the classes were free. That was 9 years ago. I passed the class, and worked at that nursing home for a few years. Then I went to 2 other nursing homes, then worked for hospice for a year, then took some time off and worked in a book factory (more money and I was burnt out and my sister died a year after I got my CNA.) Then I met my best friend who is a nurse (RN- Trauma, ICU) and she brought me back to nursing. She encouraged me to come back and finish for my RN. She helped me get the job 3 years ago at the hospital I work at now. I'm back in college for my RN now. I should have done it long ago but the money and the opertunity was never right. I should graduate in 2006.

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best of luck to you!!

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Specializes in Home Health Care.

My story isn't at all as interesting as the one's i just read!

In high school, my first job was working in Dietary @ a new nursing home. A couple of my friends became CNA's there. After a couple of years of working in the kitchen, i decided to be a cna.

I then went to work for a home-health care, got burnt out and get this, went to beauty school! I got my license work in a salon for 2 1/2 yrs then went on maternity leave. That was 8 yrs ago. i'm still on maternity leave, but i've decided i really don't want to go back to doing hair. This summer i had a light bulb moment when i was watching t.v-( i'm addicted to The Learning Channel on Monday night, when they have Labor & Delivery, Code Blue, Life in the E.R & Maternity ward) my husband came in and said, "geeze, do we have to watch this? why don't you go get a job doing this ?" and i thought that's a great idea! So i enrolled a my local jr.co, and just started my first pre-req class. I'm hoping in a couple of yrs i can apply for my adn program. I just don't know how moms balance kids, school, & taking care of the family. Yesterday i about freaked when my daughter's school called me to come & get her , just an hour before my Class was to begin. My daughter was running a temp, and the baby sitter wouldn't take her. Thank goodness i got it all worked out, but what do you do when your in school and you have to take care of your sick kids?

anyway, can't wait to read the rest of this thread!

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Specializes in Home Health Care.

Sorry about the typo's! :imbar

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Tanzanite, you just do what you gotta do :0) I am two quarters away from graduating with my ADN and with a family, it has been a challenge. I only have one child, but it feels more like three if you include the dog and my husband (the cat is pretty self-sufficient :0) On the subject of the thread, I came upon nursing when I was pregnant. I just loved the whole aspect of pregnancy and birth and thought I would become a midwife. I looked into it and realized I had two options: 1) become a CNM and go to school forever or 2) become a lay midwife. Neither was really what I wanted and I decided that working L&D as an RN was great middle ground between the two. I have tried to keep my mind open throughout my program about other areas of nursing, but my heart keeps telling me L&D is where I belong. Med-surg is just not my thing. It's been a year since my L&D rotation and I can't wait to have that incredible feeling that I get seeing those wonderful babies being born :0)

Good luck to you all...

Court

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I should've also added why I wanted to become a nurse in the first place :)

Initially it was to become an LPN, but as you've read, my decision was changed.

When I was 28, I found out I had hodgkins. I endured 6 months of chemotherapy, and 1 month of radiation therapy. I'm now 37, and free of cancer. It was during this entire experience with health professionals I thought, "I could do this".

The oncologists in my area will only hire RNs. Now, since I had my OB rotation when I WAS in the LPN program, I realize I'd also enjoy working in L&D, or the NICCU, both departments where ONLY RNs are hired in my neck-o-the-woods.

We have no children, married for 15 years and I currently work p/t as a pharmacy technician. I took the job to help me with pharmacology. I've also worked as a CNA in a LTCF.

I wish I had realized in highschool what I wanted to be when I grew up :) THEN, I could have taken algebra and chemistry when it would have been FREE.

Good Luck to all,

Genesis

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