Junior In High School interested in the field of nursing

Kim5/08 · Jan 31, 2011

As you may have already found from this site is there are those who will discourage you stating things like nursing isn't all it cracked up to be, there are no jobs out there, get into something else! There are just as many of us who love our jobs and our areas have plenty of opportunities! Some people are very narrow-minded and assume their experience is everyone's experience. Listen to what everyone has to say, the good and bad, and use it all as a learning tool.

That being said, research is one of the best things you can do right now. Feel out your job market. You mentioned you live in a small town with only one hospital. Do you plan on staying "home" after you graduate? Is your expectation that you will be working at a hospital? (there are MANY areas of nursing and not all are in hospitals) Are you willing to move, relocate, commute?

Job shadowing is another awsome experience. Once you know/decide where you may want to work or are willing to move/relocate or commute to, job shadowing gives you a peek at that location if it is not where you will be doing your clinicals. Try for a two day shadow if possible. You do not have to decide right away what type of nursing you absolutely want to do. Your clinical experiences should give you a peek into different areas. Where you go to school will depend on the variety of clinicasl you experience.

You are thinking ahead so seeking volunteer opportunities is an excellent idea. These look good on your resume as well as being potential networking opportunities. Don't limit yourself to the hospital. Extended care facilities, kids summer camps, Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, your church or place of worship if you attend one. Volunteering in the hospital does not give you nursing experience-so that should not be the motivation. The point of just being a volunteer is what looks good. (and hopefully makes you feel good!)

When you look into where you plan on going to school, find out how many applicants there are for the program and how many are accepted. What are the pre-requisites and is there a point scale for getting in? These things can vary greatly from school to school, state to state. And remember my mention of clinical experiences? When you attend your school tours (if they are offered) ask what clinical opportunities are offered. Again, these vary greatly.

And a note on the "CNA route". That IS wonderful for hands-on patient experience, but it is not nursing experience. a CNA and RN have two different job roles but work together to provide whole patient care. I do not say that to diminish the role. I count very much on my CNA's. Experienced ones are my second set of eyes and ears and often notice that "something just isn't right".

Good luck to you!

OldNurseEducator · Jan 31, 2011

kim 5/08: While I appreciate most of your post, and I am glad you have "many opportunities" open to you, don't fool this child with stories about lots of job opportunities. New grads in 2011 are not finding the job market as lucrative as it was in your year, which I assume is 2008. Read the newspaper, or your favorite TV news on line...there are no jobs. R-E-A-L-L-Y!!! The job market may open up again once this person graduates and passes NCLEX. No one knows. The nurse shortage has a cyclical nature. :nurse:

LTV950rn · Jan 31, 2011

I agree with the cyclical nature. However, go for what your heart really wants, and if it's nursing, then so be it! Too many people have gone into nursing for what they felt was security and a nice paycheck. Jobs are hard to come by, but I imagine they will be more plentiful by the time you're done. You also may need to be willing to work in the less than ideal setting for some time just to gain experience. The dream job may be years in the making. Hang in there, stay positive, and go for it if it's your dream!

AgentBeast, MSN, RN · Jan 31, 2011

It's irrelevant what the job market is like NOW considering the OP is only a Junior in HS. It'll be 2012 before he/she even graduates HS, and at least 2016 before he/she graduates college. That being said OP you don't need to know what area of nursing you want to go into the education is the same (aside from the Advanced Practice roles obviously). You pick your specialty after you graduate when you start working.

Giulia · Jan 31, 2011

Hi Haley; you and I are of the same mind.

I'm 15 right now, so i am waiting to sign up as a volunteer at a Med Center in my town. I've been able to volunteer for a support group connected with another Hospital--that experience is unbelievably great! I'm just trying to keep my grades high enough so i can qualify for scholarships at some of the schools that interest me. thank you for mentioning the CNA. I'm lucky to be able to learn from so many people on allnurses, including you!

:)

Giulia

hcm1217 · Jan 31, 2011

Thank you everyone! Yes, I'm not sure exactly what I want to do but I just know I want to go into something in the medical field. Since I'm only 17 I don't pay much attention to the economy, but I thought nursing was a job where there were always jobs available everywhere, I guess I'm wrong. That's not why I wanted to get into the field, that's just what I've heard. But ScottE is right, I won't be graduating until End of May 2012 and I won't be going to college until The fall of 2012.

Kim 5/08 - Yes I plan on staying in my hometown right now. It's actually not my hometown..I've only been here for almost 3 years and I live in Georgia and I moved here from somewhere up north and I've gotten adjusted to it and I don't plan on moving back up north at least not until after college if I do happen to. But I've already taken the SAT and the college I plan on going to is in my hometown. I will be taking early childhood classes then human development to just help with being around kids. (answering to your statement about helping out with kids camps) I've also applied for a summer job at a parks and recreation kid's camp here!

We had an on campus program at our school ran by the technical college here and I was going into it for a nursing certificate and it was a college level class all online and I took the entrance exam, got accepted, applied for financial aid and evertything, but they decided to take it out of our school because the success rate wasn't very well this year :cry: So I won't get to take that. I'm finishing up my year of my internship in the nurses office next year (my senior year) Thanks for everything!

Kim5/08 · Feb 1, 2011

kim 5/08: While I appreciate most of your post, and I am glad you have "many opportunities" open to you, don't fool this child with stories about lots of job opportunities. New grads in 2011 are not finding the job market as lucrative as it was in your year, which I assume is 2008. Read the newspaper, or your favorite TV news on line...there are no jobs. R-E-A-L-L-Y!!! The job market may open up again once this person graduates and passes NCLEX. No one knows. The nurse shortage has a cyclical nature.

I am basing this on the availability of jobs NOW in MY area (I have stated before I am in Michigan-from my sister-in-law on the west side of the state, me in mid-MI, mother-in-law and two cousins on the eastern side and good friends in the northern and UP-we ALL have hospitals and ECFs hiring). I have given this child the advise to research localities she is interested in. It is not that there are NO jobs but some areas are way more saturated than others or in the middle of hiring freezes. I did not "fool" this child with stories about lots of job opportunities. I do read the newspaper and there ARE nuring jobs in my state R-E-A-L-L-Y! I'm just tired of everyone who paints the picture that there is NO hope!

bree* · Feb 4, 2011

kim 5/08: While I appreciate most of your post, and I am glad you have "many opportunities" open to you, don't fool this child with stories about lots of job opportunities. New grads in 2011 are not finding the job market as lucrative as it was in your year, which I assume is 2008. Read the newspaper, or your favorite TV news on line...there are no jobs. R-E-A-L-L-Y!!! The job market may open up again once this person graduates and passes NCLEX. No one knows. The nurse shortage has a cyclical nature.

Yep..exactly. It's not about us discouraging them. It's about us being realistic. I refuse to encourage this person to go into nursing. I have a dozen BSN friends who have been begging for a job for almost a year...that's PATHETIC!

OldNurseEducator · Feb 4, 2011

I wish young people would open up their eyes to the real world. Things will get better in nursing. The smart 17 year old DOES pay attention to things like national and world events. I think 17 is old enough to pay attention to things like the economy and job situations in different parts of the country. Wake up and smell the coffee! Just my :twocents:

BluegrassRN · Feb 4, 2011

For god's sake, people. Can you please name a degree that has a 100% employment rate upon graduation? Do you know that, for example, architects graduating in the last four years have an employment rate of less than 50% one year post-graduation? Why would you tell someone to stay away from nursing, simply because there aren't 10 jobs for every one nurse? There's this little thing called the economy, and it's in the crapper right now, and there is not a professional area that isn't suffering.

To the OP and other potential nursing students, nursing is a great career. There is currently no nursing shortage. You are not guaranteed a job as a nurse upon graduation, just as architects, teachers, journalists, physical therapists, and all other professions are not guaranteed a job simply because they completed a program of study. That is not in and of itself any sort of reason to avoid nursing as a profession. There are still jobs available. Nurses retire and move on in large numbers. New grads are getting jobs; some geographic areas have greater need than others at this point in time.

I love being a nurse, and I would encourage any intelligent, motivated person to pursue a career in nursing. Nursing is this wonderful combination of the cerebral and the hands on. Intelligence and knowledge is vital to understanding the big picture, and to providing safe, smart care for your patients. One of my patients had funky lab and heart rhythm changes during the night that kept me hopping. Another was taking an experimental drug I had never heard of, and the pharmacist and I spent quite a while on the internet, learning as much as we could. One pt had several complicated health issues, and I spent all night balancing adequate blood pressure vs fluid overload. At the same time, nursing can be very physically challenging. Last night according to my pedometer, I walked four miles. I had two patients who needed assistance standing, turning, and walking, and I had to physically help them do these things. I had one patient who was incontinent of stool, and I had to roll up my sleeves, put on my gloves, and dive in. I love that. I love that my job is physically and intellectually demanding.

Don't be discouraged by those who have had a less than ideal career. Every career has its bitter members who would tell you to run away screaming. Every career has negative aspects. In economic times such as today, the negatives are amplified. Many forget that nursing still has a fantastic employment rate. Not a 100% employment rate, for sure, and new grads suffer the worst, as in most professions.

Sorry this is so incoherent and rambling. I worked all night and am merely stringing together thoughts at this point.

Good luck in high school, and in your future, whatever path you choose.

hcm1217 · Feb 21, 2011

Thank you! Yes I'm old enough to understand that I might not get a job right out of college/nursing school/whatever schooling I decide to do. I understand that the economy is not in a wonderful position right now. But thank you so much for all of the feedback! :)

OCNRN63, RN · Feb 21, 2011

I wish young people would open up their eyes to the real world. Things will get better in nursing. The smart 17 year old DOES pay attention to things like national and world events. I think 17 is old enough to pay attention to things like the economy and job situations in different parts of the country. Wake up and smell the coffee! Just my

Heck, I was watching the news when I was a little kid. No fooling. At seventeen I was very well-versed with what was going on in the world. I completely agree with you; these days you can't afford to be indifferent to what's going on around you. Case in point: the current strike in WI.