I graduated from LPN school and took my NCLEX yesterday. Further down the road, I want to study for an RN. Nursing school is an expensive, hard journey which I am reconsidering due to all the negativity associated with the work environment where nurses are leaving the profession in droves.
I can understand the understaffing can be a problem but is it like this in almost every nursing specialty?
My goal is to work as an operating room RN. Would it still be understaffed?
Are there fields where I wouldn't have to deal with the massive understaffing yet still make great money?
I would really appreciate it if someone experienced can shed some light on what really goes on.
If you thought completing PN school was hard, you better get a grip on professional nursing school and the NCLEX. You have not taken the CPA exam nor the RN NCLEX in addition to the work and preparation. Why are you saying one is harder than the other???? You do not know what you are talking about.
PS How come you can work as an accountant under someone but you cannot work as an RN until you pass RN NCLEX?
If you thought completing PN school was hard, you better get a grip on professional nursing school and the NCLEX. You have not taken the CPA exam nor the RN NCLEX. Why are you saying one is harder than the other???? You do not know what you are talking about.
I went to an accelerated PN program which was what made it so difficult. Anything accelerated will be much more difficult than the slower paced programs. The things you learn in LPN school, you will re-learn in RN school. I don't see the RN as more difficult than the LPN, I just see it as being tested on a bit more material. RN exam just tests 2 extra sections compared to the LPN.
I studied for the CPA exam once. It has 4-5 sections where each section has to be taken separately and each section is very lengthy. It was too boring for me to study. Way more boring than nursing.
I also studied for the CFA which is a finance licensing exam. CFA was significantly harder than CPA but it was an amazing experience. There were 3 huge lengthy major exams for this license. It takes an average of 1-2 yrs for test takers to pass each stage. I loved finance but I could never imagine myself working full time in accounting or finance.
If you thought completing PN school was hard, you better get a grip on professional nursing school and the NCLEX. You have not taken the CPA exam nor the RN NCLEX in addition to the work and preparation. Why are you saying one is harder than the other???? You do not know what you are talking about.
PS How come you can work as an accountant under someone but you cannot work as an RN until you pass RN NCLEX?
The CPA exam is made up of 4-5 separate exams. NCLEX is just 1 exam.
On average, I would say CPAs have higher earning potential but I can't imagine spending the rest of my life in accounting.
Nursing is not for everyone, one has to have an uptitude for it. Higher pay should not be the main motivator. While giving love and care to your patients, you will receive back the responce that will replanishe your energy and zest for providing the care your patients deserve.
There will be ups and downs, no doubt. There will be days when rest after a challenging shift is a blessing. But there will be days when you will be overwhelmed with joy for making a positive impact in someone's life.
Life is about finding a sweet balance. I would use the remaining 6 months to work as an LPN to see if nursing is for you and whether you can come close to finding that balance that will be equally rewarding.
do you know if there is understaffing in OR nursing?
delrionurse said:
In answering your questions, I believe it has to to do with the state you work in. I don't believe OR is understaffed. I think there is a requirement that a certain amount of RN's need to be available.
I live in NYC, a state known for chronic understaffing.
OR is not generally understaffed, from what I've heard. I've never worked in the OR. It's about as opposite from the specialties I've worked in as they come.
Nursing is a very broad field, and burnout is definitely worse in nursing than in most other fields. There are many reasons for this, not the least of which is that it is a historically pink collar job.
To be successful as a nurse, you need to find your niche.
I was just surprised at the number of nurses who entirely quit the field compared to just moving to less understaffed nursing fields. I know things are much less stressful in doctors offices or clinics or case management. Maybe its a pay problem? I chose nursing because this is what I'm good at. I don't have many other things that I am good at.
The things you learn in LPN school, you will re-learn in RN school. I don't see the RN as more difficult than the LPN, I just see it as being tested on a bit more material.
You are extremely wrong here. Why would we have 2 levels of licensure if you just "re-learned" the same content and were tested on "a bit more material"? Would a Medical Assistant just have a simpler test than an MD -
I fear you are headed into a head-on collision. I am retired but my NCLEX was 2 full days of testing. Now they have streamlined it so that each question gets HARDER if you get the previous question correct.
I am assuming you need to retake the CPA and CFA tests but I would encourage you to direct your energies back to CPA. Best wishes and if you are still wanting to go into an RN program, do some research....like buy a professional nursing textbook like Brunner or Lewis
You are extremely wrong here. Why would we have 2 levels of licensure if you just "re-learned" the same content and were tested on "a bit more material"? Would a Medical Assistant just have a simpler test than an MD -
I fear you are headed into a head-on collision. I am retired but my NCLEX was 2 full days of testing. Now they have streamlined it so that each question gets HARDER if you get the previous question correct.
I am assuming you need to retake the CPA and CFA tests but I would encourage you to direct your energies back to CPA. Best wishes and if you are still wanting to go into an RN program, do some research....like buy a professional nursing textbook like Brunner or Lewis
You don't need to be super smart to become a nurse. Nursing school is just pure memorization. If you have a decent memory, you can get through. I have done my prerequisites for the RN program; it was difficult but very doable. Same questions asked on the PN NCLEX are also asked on the RN NCLEX. Of course RN NCLEX will be a bit harder than PN NCLEX because they test on a bit more material. But I don't think its astronomically more difficult.
The CPA exam is made up of 4-5 separate exams. NCLEX is just 1 exam.
Okay - Here is how the NCLEX has mastered turning 5 exams into one...For exam, you have a woman in labor who is an insulin dependent diabetic. What are her insulin needs? What can you expect to see in the baby? The baby is born and becomes lethargic ten minutes later - what should you check FIRST - temperature or blood sugar? What changes should be expected in the mother's insulin needs? What questions might she have about breastfeeding? How might the family dynamic in the home change because of another family member?
A series of 4 -5 questions will measure the knowledge of a couple of nursing areas:
Okay - Here is how the NCLEX has mastered turning 5 exams into one...For exam, you have a woman in labor who is an insulin dependent diabetic. What are her insulin needs? What can you expect to see in the baby? The baby is born and becomes lethargic ten minutes later - what should you check FIRST - temperature or blood sugar? What changes should be expected in the mother's insulin needs? What questions might she have about breastfeeding? How might the family dynamic in the home change because of another family member?
A series of 4 -5 questions will measure the knowledge of a couple of nursing areas:
Neonatology
Maternal-child
Pediatrics
Pharmacology
Nutrition
Sure there are multiple sections in NCLEX too. But these topics are not tested in depth to the extent that the CPA exam is. Every section of the CPA exam is tested extremely in depth, very into detail. Not only memorizing concepts but also knowing how to apply concepts and understanding how to navigate certain unique problems. Whereas nursing mainly involves just memorization. You can't claim that the NCLEX is harder than the CPA if you know nothing about the CPA exam. I don't really understand why you would even try to compare the two exams. whats the point?
londonflo said:
Of course they are 'doable'. The fine point is you need a 4.0 GPA (out of a 4.0) on pre reqs to get into an affordable school.
I know thats not true. GPA for admissions varies greatly from school to school. But on average a 3.4-3.7 GPA is most popular for acceptance.
londonflo
3,002 Posts
If you thought completing PN school was hard, you better get a grip on professional nursing school and the NCLEX. You have not taken the CPA exam nor the RN NCLEX in addition to the work and preparation. Why are you saying one is harder than the other???? You do not know what you are talking about.
PS How come you can work as an accountant under someone but you cannot work as an RN until you pass RN NCLEX?