is nursing right for me...

lonestar9918 · May 28, 2012

I'm not an RN yet, still in school. My wife is an RN new grad.

I spent 10 years in sales and finance. I was a car salesman and a mortgage broker. I can tell you I've learned that ppl with good sales experience have developed a certain way of communicating with people, and that can lend itself to beinga good RN.

Communicating often sensitive information or complicated information to patients and their loved ones is a big part of being a nurse as I understand it.

I wouldnt look for a whole lot of appreciation, I am told nurses are in general under appreciated. Nurse is a well respected occupation in the community and society though.

Dont let anyone tell you what you are cut out for though man, if you want to do it and think you can be an assett to your fellow human being..go for it brother!

IEDave, ASN, CNA, LVN · May 28, 2012

Hi I need some advice as I would like to go to school for nursing and become a LPN. I'm 23 and have been a sales representative for a cell phone company for about 4 years but I'm starting to get tired of my job. I work 12 hours a day 7 days a week and have no enjoyment from my job. I deal with people coming in my job complaining with their phone problems and no one not even my boss really appreciates me and gives me no time off. I think nursing would be a good career for me but my wife who is a LPN finishing up to become a RN thinks I'm not cut out to be a nurse but I have a big heart and want to make a difference in peoples lives. If she could do it I believe I could also do it. I need advice on where to start to get started with my schooling any help is appreciated. Thank you for your time.

Gotcha - in my case I worked in IT for about a quarter-century before making the move to nursing. Not there yet, but I'm working on it (hospice volunteer & on-call CNA, plus going to summer school to work on my prereqs).

First - having a big heart, wanting to make a difference, strong interpersonal skills from your sales background; all good traits. But. There's an awful lot of "not so nice" that occurs in nursing that you have to take into account - not all patients want your help (even though they'll almost certainly need it) and will actively work to prevent you from helping, not all families are stalwart defenders of an ill relative, not all nurses are "angels in white", having to clean up anything (and I do mean ANYTHING) that comes out of a human body, etc. You have to be willing to do ALL of what's in your job description, and you have to be able to do it both safely and FAST.

If all this sounds like I'm trying to dissuade you - I'm not. In fact, as per your request, what I would recommend (if you can figure out a way to do it - 12 hour days/7 days a week means you're going to have to either cut your hours back drastically or just resign outright) is to either volunteer with a hospital/hospice/nursing home, or get certified as a CNA/STNA and get an entry-level job in home health/nursing home/hospital/etc. so you can see the "real world" of nursing. CNA training can be done through the Red Cross, or Adult Ed/ROP programs, or community colleges, or in some cases nursing homes will pay you to learn to be a CNA - many different avenues to get a CNA certification.

After that - assuming you're still willing to give nursing a shot (so to speak) there are a number of educational arenas. If you're looking at an LPN and don't intend to go on to an RN, you can go to a tech school for your training, or there may be a local Adult Ed/ROP program that has an LPN program in place. Going this route, it'll take about a year - but, it's unlikely that you can apply your coursework to an RN (your units typically aren't transferable - check with both the school doing the LPN training AND the school where you'd like to do your ADN/RN training) so be advised. Going the college route - well, it'll take longer (somewhere in the neighborhood of 1 1/2 - 2 years) but typically costs less, plus you won't end up re-taking a lot of coursework to go into an LPN-RN bridge program.

Since you've not mentioned RN, I'll keep this part brief - the move in the industry is away from the 2-year ADN/RN programs to the 4-year BSN programs; so, if you're planning on going after an RN be aware of this.

In any case - short & sweet. Get your feet wet first, then decide. And, the very best of luck to you no matter what you decide to do!

----- Dave

GitanoRN, BSN, MSN, RN · May 28, 2012

first of all, let me congratulate you for having the desire in furthering your education, 2nd. you already have the material that your wife used for her rn program. therefore, if i were you i would get all of my pre-reqs in order and try to get a better than average gpa because this will place you in a better position among all of the applicants. in addition, now a days you can do most of the pre-reqs on line, first make sure you speak to a nursing adviser at your university of your choice. in conclusion, if nursing is your desire career don't let anyone place obstacles in your path...wishing you the best in all of your future endeavors....aloha~

sauconyrunner · May 28, 2012

Hi I need some advice as I would like to go to school for nursing and become a LPN. I work 12 hours a day 7 days a week and have no enjoyment from my job. I deal with people coming in my job complaining with their phone problems and no one not even my boss really appreciates me and gives me no time off.

You may have just described a nursing job. I mean...I used to work night shift in an Emergency Room. I've been choked, spit on, kicked, punched, and verbally yelled at. I don't imagine that all that happens that often where you are now.

Seriously, you would ant to shadow a Nurse or two and then talk to an admissions person about nursing. You can do it, but I am not sure it will be what you imagined.

nurse2033, MSN, RN · May 29, 2012

It's not all fun like sauconyrunner described. There are a bizillion environments a nurse can work in and it sure is interesting. More importantly it gives a lot back. Good luck.

sauconyrunner · May 29, 2012

It's not all fun like sauconyrunner described. There are a bizillion environments a nurse can work in and it sure is interesting. More importantly it gives a lot back. Good luck.

And nurse2033 is correct. I actually work in a totally new environment lately. So quiet I can literally hear pins dropping.

But I felt all sorts of alarm bells go off...when you go into a job looking to be appreciated...any job...you are setting yourself up for frustration.

Merlyn · May 29, 2012

Hi I need some advice as I would like to go to school for nursing and become a LPN. I'm 23 and have been a sales representative for a cell phone company for about 4 years but I'm starting to get tired of my job. I work 12 hours a day 7 days a week and have no enjoyment from my job. I deal with people coming in my job complaining with their phone problems and no one not even my boss really appreciates me and gives me no time off. I think nursing would be a good career for me but my wife who is a LPN finishing up to become a RN thinks I'm not cut out to be a nurse but I have a big heart and want to make a difference in peoples lives. If she could do it I believe I could also do it. I need advice on where to start to get started with my schooling any help is appreciated. Thank you for your time.

To start, take some time off and volunteer at a hospital or nursing home. It will introduce you into the med flied. If you like that, talk to some Nurses, wife excluded, you need objective advice. After that contact a school of nursing, talk to them. Talk to people first then act. It is not just a new career, It's a new way of life.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · May 29, 2012

Do you excel at math and science? That is what it takes to be a nurse, not a vague people skills /wanna make a difference ideal. Nursing is a combination of courage, heart and brains.

If you feel your boss doesn't appreciate you now, WAIT UNTIL YOU GET INTO NURSING! They will throw you under the bus and look the other way.

If your wife feels this is not the place for you..... that says it all. She is a nurse, she knows you better than anyone.

Listen to your woman.

Lbharath10 · May 29, 2012

Congratulations on having a desire to better yourself. Wondering if you have what it takes to be a nurse? Well it takes all kinds of nurses just like it takes all kinds of people in other jobs. I don't believe that there is a certian personality that makes you a good nurse. I came from a construction back ground. Everyone I knew thought i had lost my mind. I've been doing now for 17 years and know its one of the best decisions I have ever made. All nurses are not alike, and all types of nursing do not require either the same skill set nor the same personality. To widely differentiate I would use ER nurses as an example. They can be known as hard asses. They have to deal with drunk and disoerderly as well as critically Ill. Not to say they are not caring people, but most ER nurses are not warm and fuzzy. But, If your dying..........a good ER nurse is exactly who you want at your bedside. I would like to think that each person on this planet would recieve some gratification from helping others. If you feel that you could too..........go for it.

Btw......don't mess with LPN. Just stick it out for at least an ADN progam. LPN's get most of the same responsibilities and half the pay.

TheLastTime · Jun 5, 2012

Do you excel at math and science? That is what it takes to be a nurse, not a vague people skills /wanna make a difference ideal. Nursing is a combination of courage, heart and brains.

Math? Seriously? You don't use Calculus here. You don't use Trigonometry. You don't even use Algebra. If you can add, subtract, multiply, and divide, you're fine. Science, courage, heart, brains, sure. Sense of humor is also quite helpful.

If you feel your boss doesn't appreciate you now, WAIT UNTIL YOU GET INTO NURSING! They will throw you under the bus and look the other way.

Pfft. What profession doesn't?

If your wife feels this is not the place for you..... that says it all. She is a nurse, she knows you better than anyone.
Listen to your woman.

I have been a participant in many, MANY online forums in the past fifteen years. This is one of the absolutely worst pieces of "advice" I have ever read. Other than an example of how misandrist a very select few female nurses can be, there is no useful item that can be gleaned from this. Do your own research. Make your own choices. Careers - and unsupportive partners/spouses - CAN be changed. This comes from a male nurse who has also been there and done that.

Spiderman74 · Jun 5, 2012

I disagree w/ Been There,done That...only you can decide whether or not nursing is right for you (not your wife). I was in the banking/mortgage/investment for 12 years, and studied economics in college. I had a lot of naysayers who thought I wasn't going to like it & that they didn't think I was going to be a "right-fit."

But guess what, I returned back to school in an accelerated post-baccalaureate program, received my BSN, passed my state boards, and now I am a full fledged nurse. Did I mention I absolutely love it, and my patients love me? The cool thing about nursing is that there are many directions you can go into. I have noticed many men, like myself, go into the adrenaline-rush jobs found in trauma, ER, and critical care. I eventually want to become a CRNA or Flight Nurse.

I highly recommend you move on from your job and start taking your pre-recs. Someone mentioned getting a job at a hospital/ clinic/ or lab to get your feet wet (which I agree with). I spent way too many years unhappy in my line of work, and should have listened to my inner voice telling me I needed to get into the field of nursing.

Lastly, in many regions LVNs are being phased out and many ADN prepared RNs are being over-looked for BSN prepared nurses. I would actually recommend you shoot for becoming a BSN/RN. You are still young and can do anything you set your mind to. I decided to become a nurse and returned to take my pre-reqs at 34 y/o. It took me 1 year since I had previous classes I was able to transfer. I started the RN program at 35 y/o and finished at 37 y/o. I passed my boards and have been working as nurse at 38 y/o. My point is that anyone can go back to school no matter what age. Anyway, GOOD LUCK!