I need your honest feedback. I'm on several other forums (Occupational/Physical Therapy, etc.) and thought I might come here, too, even though it's probably a tad biased in each forum ;0). Here's where I'm at in life:
I'm a 25 year old lady who doesn't mind putting in another 4-6 years of college, but I also would like a family someday..preferably by the time I'm 30.
Just graduated from LPN program and was looking to transition to RN, but haven't started
LOVE the actual job of nursing, the bedside care, etc. I love helping patients.
HATE what I have seen/experienced so far in the nursing field, from several areas: backstabbing, cattiness, gossiping, stress, abuse, harassment, bullying, insane workload, constant fear of lawsuits/losing license
Don't feel nursing is recession proof, in fact, I know there's no shortage at all. I got into it specifically for my passion. I knew there would be some suffering, but didn't realize JUST how much
Feeling VERY pressured by my family and EVERYONE to continue for my RN/BSN. It's as though if I do NOT go on, for my RN, they consider it "taking the easy way out" or "running from a challenge"..like I'm giving up and I don't feel that's the case. Even my fiance acts that way..they don't say it OUTLOUD, but from all their comments, it's easy to read between the lines.
Don't feel like nursing really is what it's portrayed to be. I want to help people, not have depression and anxiety because I'm fighting with my coworkers nonstop or being treated like dirt.
I know that I wouldn't stay in nursing unless I eventually earned my Masters, due to my concerns above. A Masters would enable me to eventually become self-employed..my ultimate goal.
I have 60ish college credits, total, and would like to stay IN the health science arena. It's just what I love.
Considering OTA or PTA program, but I want to make sure that I will be able to go on for my Masters and/or PhD after I finish my associates. I have heard that it doesn't work like that, and I'm confused.
Really wanted to finish my BSN, but have this terrible feeling that I'm going to look back in a few years and think "What a regret, I wish I would have gone for OTA/PTA, etc.".
Whatever I do, I preferably want to specialize in Geriatrics.
Don't mind making a little less, so long as I'm happy w/ my career
Any advice?Are there awesome Nursing Jobs? Sure, but you better believe that you need experience, seniority, and a good reference. You don't just apply and stroll right in...and let's face it, experience takes YEARS...if you want to be any good anyway . In those years, I feel like I could be finishing a degree in a "less-miserable" field. I don't want to bash nursing, so please don't take offense. I really wish Nursing WAS Nursing, but I just don't feel like it is. I don't mind blood, feces, vomit, yelling patients, etc. What I *DO* mind is the terrible management and being treated like dirt...as though I'm stupid. I've seen it with my own eyes..at several different facilities, ALL over the country. Thinking that I'll have to deal with more of that, than I already did in my awful nursing school, actually depresses me. At the same time..I don't want to make the wrong choice. Any suggestions? Are OTA/PTA much harder to get into than Nursing programs? Am I absolutely being unrealistic wanting to make this change?