lots of unanswered questions!

Music in My Heart · Apr 18, 2011

I have more then a couple questions regarding nursing.
I want to become a LPN (license practical nurse), then a RN (registered nurse), I'm currently in high school, but I would like to know more about this program, because I don't want to be completely clueless, and I want to get as much info as I can.
- Would I need to go to med school? or is that part of the program?
- Hardest and easiest thing about nursing school?
- Best university to go to? (I live in Canada, AB. Anywhere in Canada is fine) Average fee for university?
- How much breaks / holidays / vacation days does a nurse get?
- what's the difference between the TEAS test, and HESI ?
- Would I be around blood a lot? (I have a cring sometimes)
- Anything interesting that I may not know about ?
- Umm, anything nursing in general. Thank you.

- You go to med school to become a physician; you go to nursing school to become a nurse.

- Hardest thing: The unrelenting pace. Easiest thing: The science and math are rudimentary.

- Best university? I don't know anything about Canadian schools. In the US, *where* you went to school matters very little except insofar as your clinical sites *may* offer the opportunity to gain employment there upon graduation.

- How "much" (er, many) holidays and vacation days depends entirely on the employer. Some offer wonderful time-off benefits; others (like mine), offer only minimal such benefits.

- I don't know anything about the TEAS and HESI tests. We were required to take a different one.

- The frequency of being around blood and other body fluids depends a lot on the type of nursing you do. In the ER, we see quite a bit of it. On med-surg, it was somewhat less. (What's a "cring"?)

- Anything interesting? Um, not really, except to say that US nurses, especially new ones, are facing significant challenges in finding good work.

julie.t · Apr 18, 2011

- You go to med school to become a physician; you go to nursing school to become a nurse.
- Hardest thing: The unrelenting pace. Easiest thing: The science and math are rudimentary.
- Best university? I don't know anything about Canadian schools. In the US, *where* you went to school matters very little except insofar as your clinical sites *may* offer the opportunity to gain employment there upon graduation.
- How "much" (er, many) holidays and vacation days depends entirely on the employer. Some offer wonderful time-off benefits; others (like mine), offer only minimal such benefits.
- I don't know anything about the TEAS and HESI tests. We were required to take a different one.
- The frequency of being around blood and other body fluids depends a lot on the type of nursing you do. In the ER, we see quite a bit of it. On med-surg, it was somewhat less. (What's a "cring"?)
- Anything interesting? Um, not really, except to say that US nurses, especially new ones, are facing significant challenges in finding good work.

Thank you for replying.

Woops my bad, I meant to type "cringe" instead of cring.

xraytech · Apr 18, 2011

Getting an ADN (associates degree in nursing) is always an affordable and quick option that works for a lot of people. But, at least where I live, the wait list for getting into these programs can be two years or more. So, I always recommend people just go for the BSN. In my area, it will take you the same amount of time (because of the wait list), and you come out with a 4 year degree.

As far as cringing at blood goes, you can either deal with it or not. But regardless of where you work after nursing school, you will have to deal with gross bodily fluids during nursing school. Most people get over this quickly. If you think you are unsure, volunteer at a hospital to get some experience, and take a CNA course through your local adult education program. You can take the CNA course and work part time to see if its what you like.