Interested in Nursing School

amoLucia · Dec 12, 2015

Good grades, good references and extracurricular activities influence nursing school admissions. And it is a VERY competitive process. So attention to those factors are critical to your application.

You'll need to do your 'due diligence' (also known as research) into the various 'entry to practice' routes and school requirements, incl pre-requisites. School costs with financing options influence school too.

There is NO nursing shortage. REPEAT - there is NO nursing shortage. Initial employment opportunities for new nurse AND experienced nurses is arduous for most - your desired practice area may NOT be easily achieved and that can be very disappointing.

Nursing is HARD work; it's 24/7. There's human dynamics beond one's control that direct much of what's done in healthcare. Nursing school can only remotely begin to IMPLY/SUGGEST what the real world of nursing is all about. So there's much to be learned even before you make a full commitment.

Best wishes.

Vana21, ADN, BSN, RN · Dec 12, 2015

Nursing school isn't a piece of cake but it's also not do difficult you can't make it through with some hard work.

Keep in mind that after school though, you aren't guaranteed that dream job. Mine was to be a trauma ER nurse, and my job now is going to be in an ICU and in cath lab. You might get lucky and get into OB right away but you also might have to tough it out for a year in another dept.

L&D isn't always a happy place either. It's easy to get caught up in babies being born but with that also comes hemorrhaging mothers, and babies that don't make it.

Maybe get your CNA certification and try to find a job on an OB floor and it'll bring you one step closer into the medical world and see if it really is something you like. It's not the same as nursing, but it is a good foot in the door.

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Dec 13, 2015

Good grades, good references and extracurricular activities influence nursing school admissions. And it is a VERY competitive process. So attention to those factors are critical to your application.
You'll need to do your 'due diligence' (also known as research) into the various 'entry to practice' routes and school requirements, incl pre-requisites. School costs with financing options influence school too.
There is NO nursing shortage. REPEAT - there is NO nursing shortage. Initial employment opportunities for new nurse AND experienced nurses is arduous for most - your desired practice area may NOT be easily achieved and that can be very disappointing.
Nursing is HARD work; it's 24/7. There's human dynamics beond one's control that direct much of what's done in healthcare. Nursing school can only remotely begin to IMPLY/SUGGEST what the real world of nursing is all about. So there's much to be learned even before you make a full commitment.
Best wishes.

I disagree with a lot of this. Extracurriculars? Umm, no. Not for nursing programs. And every one is different.

It also depends on what part of the country you live in as far as jobs go. I happen to live where nurses are needed. You can't blanket the entire country based on what some people say on the Internet. It's frustrating to me when people make these blanket false claims. I'm getting ready to enter my final semester in January and while I'm not going into it on here, I do not anticipate having an issue finding a job.

You need decent grades to get into college. At that point, do extremely well in your prereqs to get accepted into a program. Nursing programs are competitive and they only accept the best. As it should be.

I will agree nursing is hard work. Lots of jobs are hard work. That's not inclusive to nursing. The real world is full of hard work.

Do what interests you the most. There are so many careers to choose from. Choose what will make you happy and want to go to work everyday!!