Lookingdor more info about nursing

caliotter3 · Jun 25, 2010

You can get a good view of nursing by spending some time reading the threads on this site. All of these questions have been addressed many times over.

beachbaby31 · Jun 25, 2010

If you have never worked or volunteered in the healthcare field I would suggest that you do it prior to commiting yourself to a nursing degree. Myself, I love my career, I started out as a nurses-aide when 16, then CNA, then LPN, then RN and now I am an RN Certified Multiple Sclerosis Nurse and work in an MS Center, I run the infusion room, do research and patient advocacy along with many other administrative and patient clinical work, this is not a profession for everyone just as all the other choices out there. I have worked med-surg, ICU/CCU, pediatrics, OR, Dr. offices and started in Neurology in MS about 15 years ago and I have to say they all were rewarding and I really didn't dislike any position but I found my niche, chronic disease is tough but staff and patient's are like a great big extended family becasue the relationship goes on forever... :nurse:

Get some experience, I actually worked with a nurse who went through the 4 years of education, worked for about 6 months in nursing (didn't like it) and ended up going back to college, so it's just a heads up to find out what you want to do in your life should come from your heart.

Good luck to you in whatever it is you decide to do.

llg, PhD, RN · Jun 25, 2010

My first "job" in health care was as a high school volunteer, many years ago when I was 16. I got to see lots of different areas in the hospital as a volunteer and that experienced confirmed for me that I wanted to specialize in either pediatrics or with premature babies.

After high school, I went to a major university for 4 years and earned a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing. Then I worked as a staff nurse in a Neonatal (neborn) Intensive Care Unit (NICU), taking care of newborns who were either born prematurely or who had significant birth defects or illnesses at birth.

After a couple of years providing direct nursing care in the NICU, I went to graduate school earning a Master's Degree. Later, I went back to school again and earned a PhD in Nursing when I was 42 years old. Now, I work for a children's hospital and do staff education, nursing research, and help the staff integrate the latest research findings into their practice. I also teach a nursing class at one of the local universities.

I just thought I would jump into this thread to show you that there is more to nursing than just the bedside caregiving roles most people see. A lot of us have advanced educations and do things "behind the scenes" that the average patient and/or family member never sees.

Jules A, MSN · Jun 25, 2010

1. What schooling does it take to be an RN? I got my LPN first which was just over a year including pre-requisite classes then another 9 months to get my RN.

2. What was your first job in healthcare? I worked in psychiatry.

3. What is your schedule like having a nursing career? I love mine. I have done all different shifts and hours.

4. What do you like about nursing? You get paid fairly decent money to help people. I have been blessed to work with mostly super intelligent and very nice people. It is a flexible career schedule or speciality wise and I've never had a shortage of hours.

5. What would you tell someone going into nursing, like me? Get good grades and definitely consider trying a part-time job as a tech to see if you like it.

6. What struggles do you have in this career? Short staffing is really my only major gripe especially now that imo hospitals are using the economy as an excuse to cut everything.

Good luck!