I'm so new to this.

Do-over, ASN, RN · Nov 7, 2008

The only advice I have is to keep doing what you are doing! I think it is great that you are working so hard towards your goal.

The things you are learning now will help you out in your first college nursing classes. Good luck! :yeah:

vashtee, RN · Nov 8, 2008

I suggest you get a job as a CNA as soon as you are old enough (16 or 18?) so you can see up close what it is like to work with patients, and then you can see what the nurses do. This will give you an advantage in nursing school as far as confidence goes. Also, if you are working as a CNA while in nursing school, the hospital you work for might give you hiring preference once you are done.

Good luck!

MermiesGreatGig · Nov 8, 2008

WOW! You sound so mature for your young years. How fortunate for you to know this early what you want to do with your life. So many of us choose the wrong area, go get our degrees, then 15 years later we realize we made a mistake. Going back to school a second time is difficult with all the other pressures of adulthood. Sounds like you have a good head on your shoulders and will be doing things right the first time around. Congratulations on your choice and courage to follow your dream!

whiteoleander5 · Nov 8, 2008

That is awesome. And I thought I was a young one in my journey through nursing school since I'm only 20, but you take the cake.

I wish I had those classes to take in highschool. Because thats the exact stuff we learned in the first few weeks of my first semester and by the time you learn about it again you'll be a pro... lol.

Good luck. :yeah:

xobrwneyedgrlxo · Nov 8, 2008

Good for you!!!! It is really nice to hear of a teenager (especially only 15) ready to accomplished thier goals and dreams like you are, especially because it seems todays youth unfortunately is getting worse and worse(from what i hear on the news and hear from my four younger brothers that are in school). I am only 22 and done my nursing program dec 18th, you are really going to appreciate taking these classes that you are now when you begin your first year of nursing school bc in basic nursing fundamentals they are going to teach you about vital signs, etc and you will already of had good experience with that. As fas as the internship goes you may be a little to young still but dont give up hope and keep looking but you could def volunteer somewhere and i think that would be an awesome opportunity for you! Keep up the good work you are the future of our america and you are going to be a great nurse with that frame of mind!!!

lainith · Nov 8, 2008

Hey! Good job on beginning to learn the basics right away! Taking classes while you're in HS will be helpful. If you haven't yet and the class is offered where you are, try taking an Anatomy or Anatomy and Physiology class. My baby sister (17) took one at her HS last year and it was basically a watered down version of what I took in college. Trying to become a CNA will be incredibly invaluable. I didn't work as a CNA but as a home health care aid for 4 years and it helped me a ton! Basically, just focus on doing your best in school now and learning what you can. I personally found that even at my age, reading books about different medical topics of interest has helped me learn a lot and was fun. Keep at it and continue to read these boards because the information here is invaluable too. There is a wealth of knowledge on all sorts of topics here to be taken advantage of. :) Best of luck!!!

tripletrouble03 · Nov 8, 2008

Wow! Thanks everyone for the advice and information you have given me. I wouldn't call myself smart but deff. lucky. Its hard to be mature at my school; not that I really care what people think of me but I'm scared I will miss out on a bunch of the highschool "memories". I am so in love with the nursing field. I've always wanted to help people ever since I was little and I finally found out what I wanted to do two years ago. I'm just wondering whether or not I have the guts, brain, and strength to complete high school early and go straigh forward into college. I deff. have the passion to do this, but I know college would be hard. It would be very stressful and I'm wondering whether to open that box or not. Did any of you graduate early? What are aides? and CNA's? Many have refered me to CNA's and I feel stupid for asking but I would be grateful to figure that one out. Well I just want my career path to be choosen right, and I want people to look at me and know that I carry myself well.

Honestly I'm embarrasses of the kids that are my age. Sometimes I feel like i belong in another few decades. Its hard to try and be in highschool and know what I want to do.

My teacher of my healthcare class was the one who told me I could take an internship this summer. I was extremly excited since my mother has alot of connections at the hospital.

I also need advice on what type of a job to get this summer. I will barely be 16, I don't have much of any expiernce and I want it to relate to nursing. Yeah, I have a whole nother semester to learn even more, then junior and senior year I get the other classes!!

I've even considered taking college while doing highschool, they offer that where i live. But I really need advice!

If i really want to be a nurse in a few years I've got to get the show on the road!

Thanks again everyone!

It means alot.

vashtee, RN · Nov 8, 2008

A CNA is a certified nursing assistant. You have to take a short course in order to be certified, but then you would work in the hospital helping out patients. A good CNA is the best friend of the nurse. They help with things like taking vital signs, help ambulate patients, help with bathing eating, and toileting, things like that... These are the "caring" activities that the nurse often can't get to because of the paperwork they are required to do, and a good CNA is really appreciated by the patients. Also, this job really helps give you confidence for when you have clinical rotations in nursing school, and in fact, some nursing programs require their students to be certified as a nursing assitant before they accept you to their program. the pay is better than working at McDonalds, too. :)

tripletrouble03 · Nov 9, 2008

Oh, do you know what the pay is? Age requirments? What type of course is it? and how long?

peacelovestar · Nov 9, 2008

i think you're so ahead of the game. i wish i knew i wanted to be a nurse when i was that young! if you're really ambitious you can look into taking college credits as a high school student. at my high school there was a program called "jump start" and i took 4 college classes while i was in high school. that's only 12 credits but it helped speed up the process.

also start to look into what colleges you'll want to go to. your high school GPA can help you get scholarships and your college GPA is really important for getting into nursing school. so study hard and make every class count.

also, maybe you could volunter at a local hospital, just to get your feet in the water. good luuuck!

intuition · Nov 9, 2008

Make sure you try and take as much of the sciences and maths as possible while you are in high school. If you do this, it will save you some time when going into college, depending on which type of college you choose, they will accept some high school science courses.

Also I don't know what the rate is for pay in Georgia, but where I live CNA's make $8-$13 an hour. I only had to take a 6 week course during the summer at my local community college to get my Certified Nursing Assistant Certificate.

If you go to a nursing home, they usually have flexible hours that work around your school schedule.

Another option to look into is becoming a Health Unit Coordinator, in a hospital, when you are 18. In this position you enter in the lab/xray orders into the computer, manage paperwork, make phone calls to Dr.'s and all sorts of other people, coordinate transfers, and so on. It helps you become familiar with the medical lingo and understand lab tests and values.

You are way ahead of the game. Make sure you keep that drive, anything is possible if you want it bad enough.