FutureLatinaRN

I am also in the same position you are in....career change in school and needing to work to make ends meet....hope this helps 1. I'm in the day program full time. 2. I chose the day full time program because its 2 years and I just wanted to get it done. I was put on a wait list everywhere and waited around for about 3 years before I finally started. I work full time as well and pretty much have no time for anything but it is going by pretty quick and I didnt want to drag it out with a night program. Also i learn better during day hours... 3. I work as a Nursing Assistant at the local hospital. I work 32 hours a week. I work every single weekend during the semester and maybe 1 weekday. It all depends on my schedule. I was working a 16 hour shift every single Saturday first semester due to my class schedule. My shift is 3-1130. 4. With any job that you decide to take while in school, it is not always guaranteed that you'll be able to study while at work. I few times I can, especially if I am assigned a 1 to 1 and my patient is asleep for the full 8 hours. But like i said before...its not always guaranteed. Ive had assignments where i barely get the chance to use the rest room!! Its give or take. The pay if alright. I am a float aide so I am never in the same unit for the most part. Its great because you get to see a lot and when the nurses find out you are a student most are willing to show you things and explain things. Its why i chose to work in a hospital while in school. It helped so much in clinical in comparison to those students who didnt work in a hospital. Much luck to you!

hi every, just curious how do you stay in shape or make time to exercise while in nursing school? i work full time and go to school full time and am going to start a workout routine. just wondering what people do...thanks!

And also stop asking questions that you already know that answer to and just want to the teacher to see that you are a know it all. Especially when there is 2 minutes left of the 4 hour class and the rest of us want to get the @#$^ out of there!

can you please keep your personal stories to yourself. i am paying really high tuition to hear the instructor speak not you so i don't care about how you're an aide and this is how they do it at your hospital or things you've seen.

i work as an aide right now and have the same attitude and views that you have. i am in nursing school right now and being an aide has been a wonderful learning experience. have you ever thought of going to nursing school? you sound like you would be wonderful!!

there is nothing easy about nursing school. if its your dream you will do what you have to and get through it.

Hello Everyone, I am a nursing assistant and i start school this Aug (finally!!) My shift at work is 3-11:30. Does anyone have any suggestions about how to stay in shape, exercise programs etc. By the time i get home and showered its way passed midnight, i have a difficult time waking up to go to the gym. If anyone has any suggestions I'll gladly appreciate them!!

I am not sure whether school should give points to students how are CNAs however i think all RN students should be required to be and aid before or during nursing school. I am an aide myself (I start RN school this Aug). I have been working as an aide for over a year and I have learned so many things. I work in the ICU. On my floor we get RN students from various colleges and I cannot tell you how frustrating it is when they don't know the basic bedside manners. And the students we get are senior students who are months away from graduation. I just feel that they need more clinical experience than what is taught during school times. For examples I get questions like "what is a yankaur?" "How do you suction" and from seniors!! I think it would beneficial to RN students to just work as an aide for a summer or a semester. You would be surprised what one can learn. And when you become a nurse..makes you appreciate your aides!

I am just an aide and i start school next fall (Aug 08) I get told by several nurses that i shouldnt go to RN school or just become an RN. They say that being an RN stinks and so forth. I just ignore them and look at their situation....some have been RNs for so long that i think they are just burnt out ( I work in ICU) and others just say the responsibilites are way to much.

I am nowhere near taking my exam however I work as an aide in a hospital and some of my fellow coworkers who were aids to the exam this summer. Some passed others didnt. The ones that failed are continuing to work as Aides per diem and or only 24 hours. They are reviewing as well as taking advantage of asking the RNs help. I am sure you will do fine on the next one.

Mitch, I work as an aid in ICU and we have 2 travel RNs. However they have had ICU or ER experience in the past. At least 1-2 years.

After waiting forever (actually 2 years) I finally got off the wait list and was officially accepted into a RN program. I am so excited!! However its like a truck just hit me because now I am super nervous! I have been working as an aid at a hospital while waiting and due to bills etc..i cant afford to not work while in school. And also the school i finally got accepted to is about and hour and half away one way!! I'm just freaking out because i am beginning to doubt myself and i know i shouldnt. Anyone have similiar feelings???

Thank you all for responding. I work in Mass and started at 11.33 with differentials depending on shift and weekends. I do a lot and work with other aids who just don't do anything at all. All the nurses tell me that I am great and will be a wonderful nurse (I will be going to nursing school next year so the experience is great.) I just get frustrated because the other aides are just useless. The nurses are always asking for me and want my help and not anyone elses and I just get overwhelmed. I do speak up and tell them that I am only 1 person (only 2 hands and 2 feet to keep up) and that as much as I appreciate all the compliments, its not fair to have me helping all the time. I am going to approach my supervisor because I just don't see it fair that just because I may be a harder worker, I should get paid the same amount as the other aids. I am lucky as the RNs in my unit really back me up with this. I think as aids we do a lot! More than what we get paid for. It is great for aids who are students because we get the basics down. We have students all the time in our unit who don't even know how to turn a patient and other simple bedside techniques. And these students are graduating this may!! Sorry I went off a little there...but thanks everyone for replying. Aids are awesome!!!!

Curious as to what the pay rate is for nursing assistant? Ranges are fine..and please include state you live in. Thanks!!!

To All, I brought a car in 05 and by the time I'm done with school i may as well buy another one!!! Today in mass we got a ton of snow!! This is what i am most afraid of.