Okay to start this discussion I would like to first explain and introduce myself. I'm a 22 year old male Firefighter who has been on the job for about a year and a half now. As everyone probably knows, firefighters are required to be at least EMTS. Ever since I start my schooling to become an AEMT I have throughly enjoyed the medical side and the one thing that I just love the most about my job is seeing a young patient who for example is so scared of something EMS related that you are there to show them compassion and to calm there nerves and show them that there is nothing to worry about. I can't begin to explain how heart warming this brings me and enjoyment/satisfaction. I can't say I feel the same about the fire side. I can go into a whole discussion explaining why I dislike the fire side but this is not what I am here for other then to try to purse what I love so I can enjoy something I am going to love doing. A little more about myself, I am what you call a fitness freak and by freak I mean like I take care of myself like its no tomorrow. I workout 6 days a week, Meal plan/Prep my food for the week and I take fish oil Pill and flaxseed oil Pill for my health. Now you can easily see that my ultimate passion would be something fitness related like opening up a gym or getting some form or degree in fitness but there is just no good use in any of that in todays world. Now to my main issue, I have been throughly considering going to college for a nursing degree but the only thing that is holding me back are (and I will list them)
1. Working long hours to the point that I won't be able to workout anymore
2. I love the aspect of nursing but what i dislike is the bathing patients and helping them pee. Thats the only things that just thoroughly don't interest me.
3. Worried that my loan debt will be too much or more then what I will make
Now a few weeks back I thought I found the career I wanted which was a CRNA until I realized the amount of schooling that it requires and the amount of loan debt I will be in and that just does not seem worth it in my view. I'm just trying to find a career that will not take up more then 6 years of my life that will pay decent (not looking to make 100k plus a year) and has a decent retirement. I love the medical field and I have had nurses and doctors in my family but for me I just don't wanna be in school for more then 8 years to finally start my career cause as you can probably tell I wanna eventually quit the fire department and have a career that I will love more then anything and thats why I was looking into cardiovascular nurse but i'm just not quite sure what I wanna do in the medical field per say. I was also looking into becoming a PA but then I heard that this career field would be a bad choice and is far from worth it. I am still living at home with my parents which still makes me feel like a huge bum and is causing me so much stress. I just wanna move out and get my career started but as you can tell I am stuck and I am hoping anyone can give me some advice. I would appreciate anything. Thanks everyone!
I always enjoy your posts. But didn't you get your degree a long time ago and you now work at home for insurance? This young fellow is just starting out and I'm not sure the Associate's Degree is the way to go any more. So many here say a BSN is just about mandatory. I don't know, I am just asking.
Peace
It all depends on the geographical region. In some areas, BSN is pretty much required. In others, it absolutely is not.
See the reason why I keep switching back and forth is cause I keep reading about the requirements about becoming a PA and how tough it is just to get into the school. Stuff like that really scares me cause I hear people talking about have better then the minimum requirements and still not getting accepted in and Im not going to sit here and tell you I'm the smartest guy out there cause I am far from that but what I can say is that I am a hard worker and I am willing to work for something. I am just nervous that I will not get accepted into PA school no matter how well I do. Sorry for the sob story.
Italian lifter...Over the years of applying to schools at different times in my career, I often, in fact, usually heard how tough it is to get in, only 40 spots for 200 applicants and so on, and got in every time. I am not "super" smart either. I think a lot of the decision comes in with how you present yourself, how much they see you want it and will be a good fit etc...The fact that you already have some medical background will tell them you have an idea of what you are getting yourself into and so on. Your devotion to the program and to achieve will go a long way. I wouldn't worry about how hard it is to get in if that is what you really want. If you don't get in the first time, then try again. Or, switch gears at that point if you want, but don't shoot yourself in the foot before you even try. The only looser is a quitter. Nothing in life is guaranteed. You seem to be wanting assurances before you even start. That is not available for anyone. You just need to figure out exactly what you want and start planning from there. That is what everyone does and the only way to go. That is, just go for it!
I'm a bit confused by your posts. Physician's assistants have a medical focus; Nurse Practitioner have a nursing focus. I do not understand why a person would choose nursing as a profession and then switch to a medical focus. It sound like you may want to do some more research as to the direction that you want to go. If you don't love what you are doing and you are choosing it for any other variety of reasons you will be very disappointed in your career choice. The challenges will be even harder as they come at you and the same challenges will come more often with more vengeance. If you want to be an RN and then go to PA school you may want to just keep going and become an NP. Other wise I would get a biology or chemistry degree and then apply to PA school. Even though the perspective is different for a PA and an NP they are somewhat similar. You will always be answering to someone no matter what you do. The licensing laws are changing faster than one can keep up with.
Nursing school at any level is extremely competitive just as I'm sure physician's assistant school is competitive. Not only was it difficult to get into nursing school but it was also extremely difficult as the cut began to take place. Every semester our class size diminished; 36 started and 9 finished. The nine who finished all finished with honors. I'm not sure how many passed the exam the first time around, but it was not all of us. Once you are in the nursing tract it is easier to keep going. If you don't get in the first time and have good grades then you try again until you get in if that is really what you want to do.
I would encourage you to do your homework, take some placement tests, and some personality type tests that help you determine what your strengths are and see how those strengths fit with possible career tracts. In the mean time get into school and start applying yourself to make the best grades you can possibly make. The closer you are to a 4.0/4.0 GPA you are the easier it will be for you to get into the school you want. GA has some great schools all the way around.
Would you be a NP/PA no matter how much they paid you as long as it was a living wage? How much does the money really play into your career choice. Wishing you the best.
I always enjoy your posts. But didn't you get your degree a long time ago and you now work at home for insurance? This young fellow is just starting out and I'm not sure the Associate's Degree is the way to go any more. So many here say a BSN is just about mandatory. I don't know, I am just asking.
Peace
As several of us have responded, I think Beenthere,donethat is simply saying to START with the associates. He has already stated he wants a bachelors degree. He is trying to decided which route to go 1) to achieve that and his ultimate goal in the least expensive way, and 2) trying to decide if after that, he should look into PA or NP.
Specializes in Utilization Review/Case Management.
If you want to look at the Military option: They will pay tuition/student loans for physicians, nurses, and other healthcare jobs. I don't know the service obligations, but many people do this. I know they did have a program where you enlisted as ROTC with a College/University and they paid for schooling, then you entered the service, but I don't know if that is still an option.
The military can be a great starting point for a lot of people, and there are a lot of benefits during and after service. But also a lot of hard work, being away from home and the possibility of being deployed to a war zone. If you are able to get into one of these programs - you can get your degree AND experience that will probably open doors to a lot of opportunities once you get out.
Whatever program is available, make sure if your recruiter says that you have something as a benefit - GET IT IN WRITING! Also make sure all the details about what happens if you don't complete the service obligation.
Sounds like you are good at doing research, so you should be fine. But recruiters are just sales-people, don't let them double talk you! (My husband spent 3 years as an enlisted recruiter, he tried to be honest and helpful, but he HATED it, because it was all about the numbers.)
I am stressing this because when I joined (enlisted - not a healthcare field), I didn't follow up on all the details and lost some benefits. I'm not saying it was a bad choice, I was the one who didn't read the fine print. However, my husband did remain in the service, and I was able to get my nursing degree and then work at the military hospital. He recently retired after 25 years. Then he decided to go to nursing school :)
You have a lot of options - and I wish you the best of luck!
PS another small bonus - not as much "toileting" for patients at military hospitals. Most patients are generally healthy soldiers and family members with injuries or short term illnesses. Generally not the type who need much of "that" kind of help. If you go into nursing, there will be SOME - but it's really not a big part of the overall job. Actually the worst is suctioning trachs -
Horseshoe, BSN, RN
5,879 Posts
It all depends on the geographical region. In some areas, BSN is pretty much required. In others, it absolutely is not.