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.
Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
FolksBtrippin said:
OR is not generally understaffed, from what I've heard. I've never worked in the OR.
Completely dependent on region and facility. COVID hit us hard in the OR too. My facility currently is using around 35-40 travelers in the OR to keep us from having to close ORs. This is actually down from the peak about a year ago as travel assignments are drying up and staff who left are looking to come back or those travelers say we're the best place they've worked and are coming on board as staff. Many of our travelers have been with us nearly a full year- they like us just want the higher pay until they hit that magic 1 year point.
Nursing school is just pure memorization. If you have a decent memory, you can get through.
?
I personally know an RN who used this technique to get through nursing school. Real-world patient care scenarios wasted no time in sending her running for the hills because of her inability to think critically and apply those memorized facts.
Questions on the RN NCLEX will have 3-4 facts as options. But it will be the concept behind the one right answer that will make or break you. You WILL NEED to know the 'why' behind those memorized facts to be successful in your nursing career. You WILL be asked why a certain right answer is the wrong answer to a given question.
Please don't underestimate the NCLEX because the creators of that exam are well aware that sick or crashing patients don't get the memo on facts. Neither do some healthy -appearing patients that simply collapse before your very eyes.
As with the potential on any exam, some people do just get lucky. Those are the ones that you find crying in the breakroom saying "they didn't teach us this in nursing school", shortly before the resignation letter or pink slip lands on the desk.
I personally know an RN who used this technique to get through nursing school. Real-world patient care scenarios wasted no time in sending her running for the hills because of her inability to think critically and apply those memorized facts.
Questions on the RN NCLEX will have 3-4 facts as options. But it will be the concept behind the one right answer that will make or break you. You WILL NEED to know the 'why' behind those memorized facts to be successful in your nursing career. You WILL be asked why a certain right answer is the wrong answer to a given question.
Please don't underestimate the NCLEX because the creators of that exam are well aware that sick or crashing patients don't get the memo on facts. Neither do some healthy -appearing patients that simply collapse before your very eyes.
As with the potential on any exam, some people do just get lucky. Those are the ones that you find crying in the breakroom saying "they didn't teach us this in nursing school", shortly before the resignation letter or pink slip lands on the desk.
You need to be able to memorize the "why" behind everything. You can understand the "why" but if you cannot remember it beyond a few weeks, you're not going to be able to pass the NCLEX. 95% of nursing is memorization. I never had a hard time thinking critically. It just came naturally to me. But for me, I've been studied for exams in other fields where it was much harder to apply concepts to complex problems. Nursing is hard due to the sheer volume of information that is needed to be memorized. But it's not the hardest when it comes to applying concepts.
The test makers changed the NCLEX to Next Gen style questions because it forces students to think critically. It's a better simulation for how the student will do in the real world. In fact, I think the NGN was easier than answering questions with the traditional style NCLEX. It's easier to understand concepts than to memorize the textbook
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?
RN NCLEX tests an RN candidate on a unique physical and mental situation I thought I gave a good example in my laboring and delivering mother. There is no 'memorizing" to know when to act when mother or baby are in distress. .
People all come into a health crisis with their own backgrounds, conceptions or misconceptions. A patient's solution to their health problem may be in line with traditional medicine or not.
I can compare the 2 exams because my husband took the CPA exam (passed on the first try) and I took my RN NCLEX (and passed on the first try). We both had 5-6 separate examinations in our respective disciplines. I am not a CPA nor is he an RN. We both learned about medical school tests because we have a son who completed medical school.
Calm down and get some LPN experience ( I congratulated you BTW) and I actually look forward to you taking total responsibility for patient care (unlike your previous pre CPA world where someone had to look over your workpapers),
I did not give you false information about nursing school. As I said, if you want to get into a non-profit, lower cost school you need a good GPA. Let's start there.
Specializes in Mental Health, Gerontology, Palliative.
As to information re nursing school, it may surprise you that there are members from other countries that arent America. I am from NZ and I answer based on my knowledge.
I got my LPN so that I can work for an employer who can help pay for RN school. I was an accountant for about year but decided that I would be better off working in a field where my talents could shine. I went through hell just to obtain my LPN diploma. Applications for RN school begins in about 6 months. But after hearing so much negativity about nurses leaving the field, I'm left wondering would getting my RN even be worth it? I'm going into nursing because it was a way to earn a good living, provide for my family well, and a field where I got to embrace my natural talents.
Don't you make a good living as an accountant? I hope you are going to low-cost schools/programs for the LPN and RN programs like community college so you aren't stuck with expensive student debt and if you don't like it, you can always go back to your prior work.
Not sure where you live, but LPN's usually work in nursing homes which are generally understaffed with high patient ratios and sometimes Dr offices, although they have been replaced by MA's for less money. Hospitals had done away with LPN's in a lot of places over the years, although some have brought them back since covid to help with the RN shortage. Hope you researched if that is an option or where you plan to work because it is usually a hospital that offers some nominal tuition reimbursement in exchange for working there for 2-3 years. Don't know about nursing homes as they generally have less profit so less benefits.
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 NCLEX and nursing is not about simple memorization! Your answer is frankly arrogant and stupid! You need to choose the best answer among competing ones, but more important you need to be able to prioritize your patients needs and understand complex human anatomy & physiology, pharmacology, as well as meet their emotional needs. Nursing is very complex and not rote memorization!
Don't you make a good living as an accountant? I hope you are going to low-cost schools/programs for the LPN and RN programs like community college so you aren't stuck with expensive student debt and if you don't like it, you can always go back to your prior work.
Not sure where you live, but LPN's usually work in nursing homes which are generally understaffed with high patient ratios and sometimes Dr offices, although they have been replaced by MA's for less money. Hospitals had done away with LPN's in a lot of places over the years, although some have brought them back since covid to help with the RN shortage. Hope you researched if that is an option or where you plan to work because it is usually a hospital that offers some nominal tuition reimbursement in exchange for working there for 2-3 years. Don't know about nursing homes as they generally have less profit so less benefits.
I live in NYC. Around me, I just know of 1199 SEIU union that provides free education reimbursement to those who have worked with them for 1-2 yrs. Then I also know of a hospital around me that provides tuition reimbursement after 5 yrs of service at their hospital. But at my age of 28, I don't really have the time to wait another 5 yrs to begin my RN.
Accountants don't make a lot of money unless they're either a CPA or have started their own business. It takes years to advance through the ranks in accounting. I was making 50k as a new grad with a tiny salary increase every year. Nothing will change unless I get a masters degree or CPA license. I left the field due to my dislike for the work rather than the pay. Nursing is more suitable for my style of work environment and natural abilities. I'm quite uneasy at the idea of being understaffed as a new nurse. Not sure if thats something I want to deal with for the rest of my life. I worked so hard for my license. It would be a tragedy to have it taken away from me due to an error associated with understaffing.
RN NCLEX tests an RN candidate on a unique physical and mental situation I thought I gave a good example in my laboring and delivering mother. There is no 'memorizing" to know when to act when mother or baby are in distress. .
People all come into a health crisis with their own backgrounds, conceptions or misconceptions. A patient's solution to their health problem may be in line with traditional medicine or not.
I can compare the 2 exams because my husband took the CPA exam (passed on the first try) and I took my RN NCLEX (and passed on the first try). We both had 5-6 separate examinations in our respective disciplines. I am not a CPA nor is he an RN. We both learned about medical school tests because we have a son who completed medical school.
Calm down and get some LPN experience ( I congratulated you BTW) and I actually look forward to you taking total responsibility for patient care (unlike your previous pre CPA world where someone had to look over your workpapers),
I did not give you false information about nursing school. As I said, if you want to get into a non-profit, lower cost school you need a good GPA. Let's start there.
I think that it's important for you to accept the fact that there will be exams that are harder than the NCLEX. I don't think it's fair for someone to get harassed by just stating something that is true. I spent a lot of time studying for the CPA. CPA really is not the same as NCLEX in many ways.
The NCLEX and nursing is not about simple memorization! Your answer is frankly arrogant and stupid! You need to choose the best answer among competing ones, but more important you need to be able to prioritize your patients needs and understand complex human anatomy & physiology, pharmacology, as well as meet their emotional needs. Nursing is very complex and not rote memorization!
I'm sorry. But thats just my honest opinion. I'm not trying to be arrogant. I just passed my NCLEX and I felt that nursing was hard just because there was so much memorization involved. Anatomy physiology, Microbiology, pharmacology was all very memorization heavy.
I'm sorry. But thats just my honest opinion. I'm not trying to be arrogant. I just passed my NCLEX and I felt that nursing was hard just because there was so much memorization involved. Anatomy physiology, Microbiology, pharmacology was all very memorization heavy.
The science is part background info and part weeding out process in my opinion. The most pertinent science is Anatomy & Physiology and Pharmacology. Depending on where you are getting your BSN you may have to take Organic chemistry, Physics, Algebra etc, and I believe BSN is mandatory in NY. You have to be able to pull it all together to take care of the patients safely.
Where do you plan to work as an LPN? Do they use LPN's in hospitals in NYC now? Wherever you work, you also have to take care of your physical and mental health from the stress. I advise staying active, physically fit, doing core exercises and hopefully they have lift equipment to protect your back.
For me and many new grads stress and anxiety are the hardest part about nursing, especially in the beginning when you are still learning and not sure when to call the Dr, don't want to make a mistake or miss something. With time and support it usually gets better, but each person is different. If you feel the need it is OK to seek out a therapist to help you cope with the first year or two and or mentor or support group of your peers, especially as patient acuity has increased, short staffing remains a problem so I've heard some places have cut their orientation down to get nurses on the floor quicker.
For me the mandatory psychology class opened my eyes about my dysfunctional family and how it had affected me, and I had a therapist during nursing school and my first year or two as a nurse. She had been an ICU nurse in the past so that helped with understanding the stress of working on a cardiac unit.
I think psychology classes should be mandatory, as well as personal finance, for high school students and definitely college students since they are both very important and useful to having a happy life and future regarding choosing wise personal relationships and making sound financial choices. The good news is even if one hasn't taken such classes there is a lot of free information on the internet and on YouTube, but you have to be able to analyze if it is sound vs if it just an add or a scam.
londonflo
3,002 Posts
Congratulations!