I need to interview an Rn

Moved to nursing careers forum

am researching this occupation and need following questions answered:

1. can you tell me how you became interested in nursing?back in a day before outpatient testing became the norm, i was an inpatient for a battery of tests for hypertension. i was impressed with my nurses and how they ran the place. it planted the see.

2. what sort of degree do you need to be an rn?there are two entries to the rn, the associate degree and the bachelor's degree both qualify the graduate to become rns

3. what are some important qualities/skills a person should have to do this job well?the ability to handle stressful situations, organizational skills, critical thinking skills, but most of all compassion and empathy.

4. what are some things you like/dislike about this job?i like being able to make a difference in people's lives and helping them when they aren't at their best. i dislike the paperwork, the rn to patient ratio, the inequality in health care given, and the unrealistic demands of both administrators, families and patients

5. what do you think the future holds for this occupation?there will be challenges to address as the baby boom generation begins to enter old age and more nurses will be needed. on the plus side it looks like the job opportunties for nurses will be around for a long time to come.

6. what do you find most satisfying about your job?again, leaving at the end of the day with a feeling you've made a difference in someone's life.

7. what would you change about your work if you could?change the rn to patient ratio to 4:1

8. can you recommend resources where i can find out more about this work?the best resource out there is http://www.allnurses.com of course. another good site is: http://www.discovernursing.com/

9. any advice for someone considering pursuing this field?do your research. know that it's going to be the hardest thing you've ever done. know you're going to have to probably do weekends and holidays at first.

10. may i have your first name and where you work.my first name is "don" and i work in st. petersburg fl in a med-surg trauma unit, that's all i'm willing to share.