Hello everyone, i am a 16 year old male interested in Nursing. I am currently doing my high schooling online, which allows me plenty free time to research careers and what not that i may be interested in doing after high school. I was interested in Neurosurgery for quite a bit, but felt as though i was more into it for the money and not the job itself. Plus, have you SEEN how much debt medical school students end up in? No thanks LOL. I would like to go to college for Nursing because i feel the job will suit me better. More time spent with patients, flexible schedule, the benefits of travel nursing, as well as good pay. I would much rather spend 2-4 years in college learning to do a job i'll enjoy and still get paid well, then go to school for 14 years, doing a job i only got into for the money, as well as ending up in tons of student debt. Also i have a question. How flexible is the nursing schedule exactly? Is it true that you can work three 12 hour shifts a week or are you always on call? I love the idea of over time as well. If i felt the need to work more, that option is always there for me. Also Nurses have more flexible specialties and what not. Do you love your job? What is your work schedule like? If you could go back in time and become a doctor, would you?
I don't want to become a Nurse and be treated differently and feel like I'm at the bottom of the barrel and what not because I'm not an MD or something lol.
I am also interested in perhaps shadowing a nurse during the summer, so i can get more of a feel of what goes on and what not. I feel like it'll really benefit me.
Please do your best to expose my young mind to the career of Nursing as much as possible, It will really help me with deciding my career after these two years of high school are up, although I'm still pretty set on nursing.
Thank you for your time (:
P.S. i know i still have plenty of time to decide my career but i see no harm in researching what career i want to do after high school, and learning as much about it as i can now, then in two years. I like to know what i want to do right off the bat, instead of winging things. Plus, since i'm doing high school online, i have plenty of time to conduct research. I would just like to hear from the Nurses themselves. Thank you, i hope to be a Nurse one day!
OP, I like your enthusiasm, and you are asking all the "right" questions. :)
DLHWbe and Big Al mentioned volunteer work and EMT training. I agree. Do you have a local Volunteer FD? Many departments have a "Juniors" program, and you can do that until you turn 18.
Thank you for your reply! I have many reasons for wanting to go into nursing, my main reason isn't necessarily the three days a week, flexible work schedule. As i said above, knowing myself, i would most likely end up doing tons of over time anyway just because nursing seems like a job i will really enjoy.
I'm really curious where you seem to think all this overtime is available. Some hospitals go out of their way to make sure you know it's highly undesirable to work OT (also, if you're single, your OT gets taxed to infinity and beyond and you'll be exhausted and wondering where your money went and why you even bothered to do it in the first place). Exceptions apply but I'm not going into my job thinking there will be gobs of OT - after a certain point, you're no longer safe on the floor. That's why float pools exist. For what it's worth, what I've seen is that in the most miserable places the need for people to work OT is high and no one wants to go in. In the awesome places, people get called off because census is low.
Also, it's good you know your 16 year old self. But do you have any idea what your 30 year old self's priorities are going to be?
I wouldn't mind working holiday's. Not like i'll have any actual family to celebrate it with anyway. Work, WILL be my holiday lol. It's crazy because it seems like what most people would consider "undesirable" i would honestly love. I wouldn't mind taking night shifts, as long as i love my job and have enough sleep/caffeine to make it through the night. I wouldn't mind working holidays. Instead, i'll be selfless and help the people who cannot spend quality time with their family on holiday's. Oh yes, that seems like an idea of a perfect Holiday to me. Or, maybe i'm just weird lol.
I'm in Houston TX, and i actually do have a FD near me. I'll go see if they have a volunteer/EMT training program that i could do during summer! Thanks everyone
I'm really curious where you seem to think all this overtime is available. Some hospitals go out of their way to make sure you know it's highly undesirable to work OT (also, if you're single, your OT gets taxed to infinity and beyond and you'll be exhausted and wondering where your money went and why you even bothered to do it in the first place). Exceptions apply but I'm not going into my job thinking there will be gobs of OT - after a certain point, you're no longer safe on the floor. That's why float pools exist. For what it's worth, what I've seen is that in the most miserable places the need for people to work OT is high and no one wants to go in. In the awesome places, people get called off because census is low.
Also, it's good you know your 16 year old self. But do you have any idea what your 30 year old self's priorities are going to be?
Hmm.. let's see. I plan to become a Nurse and have kids around in my thirties. If that. I've always wanted to adopt a kid but that may change. I guess it all depends on how stressful my job is and what not. But most likely, I plan to have kids in my thirties and do Nursing for the rest of my life lol. Also, volunteer EMT work. That sounds really interesting. I'm a pretty cheap guy, so i doubt i'll NEED over time but if the option does come up, depending on how i feel i may take it. Unless were required to work over time if were requested to do so? LOL
Also the reason i was stating "Tons of over time" was because i had several people tell me that "The option to do over time is always there if you need it" So i was like "Woah that's cool. If i want to work more, i could always do it" now i'm understanding that that's not entirely true, nevertheless I'll still love my job
I encourage you to do the 4 year program-BSN. Per the ANA="In 1964, the ANA House of Delegates (HOD) adopted a motion "that ANA continue to work toward baccalaureate education as the educational foundation for professional nursing practice." Every hospital in my area will hire ADNs but require you to sign a contract that states you will obtain your BSN within 2-3 years. Your young and seem so driven, I encourage you to go for the BSN.
I encourage you to do the 4 year program-BSN. Per the ANA="In 1964, the ANA House of Delegates (HOD) adopted a motion "that ANA continue to work toward baccalaureate education as the educational foundation for professional nursing practice."
Yes, get that BSN right from the get-go.
Right now, you're in high school. Make sure you get a good grounding in science, especially biology, microbiology, and chemistry.
I am really good at science and am pretty average at math. But next year, I'll be taking precalc and taking all Honors classes along with College level social studies. So next year will be my blooming year for knowledge lol. Lots of studying to do
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Farawyn
12,646 Posts
OP, I like your enthusiasm, and you are asking all the "right" questions. :)
DLHWbe and Big Al mentioned volunteer work and EMT training. I agree. Do you have a local Volunteer FD? Many departments have a "Juniors" program, and you can do that until you turn 18.