BSN/MHA/JD

I don't know how much advice you are REALLY willing to take but if you have any interest in dating a nurse, don't even consider becoming one. NEVER, NEVER get your paycheck and your dates from the same place. Not only will you be the focus of a great deal of gossip (never comfortable because it's never good) but you will automatically be considered unprofessional. As a manager, I've seen this many times (dating coworkers) but I've never seen it work out well, not once. Occasionally the relationship works out but the problems created in the workplace with other staff usually results in one or both being asked to leave. Decide early on, what are you looking for, a career or a social life? In school, either study alone, with members of the same sex, or as a group in a public place. Never one male/one woman or even mixed groups in private. In the workplace, never socialize with the opposite sex co-workers except in public and in groups. If you marry, date, or even just talk socially, YOU WILL PAY a price. Keep your work professional and keep discussion of your personal life to a minimum. Be friendly but don't try to be sexy. The difficult thing to handle will be when coworkers want to be more than coworkers. The professional will back out before it starts. If you do want to become involved, plan on changing jobs. It will be expected of you. Oh, and NEVER EVER date a patient. Not only will you lose your job, you may lose your license.

for the record, c-officers (ceo, coo, cfo, cno) and md's (most notably cardiologists and surgeons) working for not-for-profit hospitals, on average, are paid more than their counterparts working for for-profit hospitals. another interesting point - from my own experience. a friend of mine and i got together and discussed a recent opportunity. a hospital was looking for a new ceo and cfo, after having lost a great deal of money when the previous duet embezzled several million dollars and allowed the hospital to get two years behind on submitting complete and accurate billing statements to the center for medicare and medicaid services (cms). the hospital was operating in the red, capital improvements had been neglected for years, the medical staff had taken a 10% pay cut to prevent the hospital from closing, payments to suppliers were greater than 90 days past due, etc. we decided we would take up the cause and turn this hospital around. what we brought to the table was this: i have a jd in health law, two related masters degrees, two bachelor degrees, years of health care experience, i'm an experience critical care nurse, over ten years management experience (you get the picture). my colleague has a phd in ergonomics and a masters in finance, also with all the requisite experience. we met with the board of directors and offered them a two year contract, at the bargain price of $200,000 per year (total, not each). we stipulated that at the two year point, they could either renew our contract and increase our pay to the "going rate" or let the contract end, no golden parachute. our thinking was that our sacrifice would enable the survival of the hospital and give us a "warm and fuzzy" for helping the patients and employees of the community. a week after our proposal to the board, we were turned down and they announced a contract with a temp management service for a three month contract at $60,000 per month to provide two people (ceo & cfo), with an option to renew for one month. during a later conversation with one of the members of the board who was very much in favor of accepting our offer, we were told that three member of the five-member board voted against us because we had offered our services too cheap. lesson learned, demand high pay! it's expected.

mike, the cost is going to be different, depending on who you are. the price can be radically different for two people, using the same aircraft on the same day and receiving the same services. it depends on their insurance. people with no insurance will be billed the most. by law, those on medicare and medicaid will be billed the least. the center for medicare and medicaid services (cms) has established the bill rate they will pay to air ambulance providers. that rate varies depending on the zip code in which the patient boards the aircraft. there is one rate for fixed wing aircraft and another for helicopters. in addition, there is a payment for how many miles the patient is transported on the aircraft. the cms makes absolutely no adjustment for the type helicopter that is used. it doesn't matter if the helicopter is a bell 206, a bell 222, or a s 76. it doesn't matter if the patient is simply strapped onto a stretcher with no additional services or received two large-bore iv's, is intubated, on a cardiac monitor, o2, and receives cpr. the cost is the same. there is no consideration for the services that are provided. it doesn't matter if the medical crew consists of two nurses, an emt and a nurse, a md and an emt, just one nurse, an rn and an rt, or any other combination you want to consider. the only consideration by cms is where the patient boards the aircraft, was it an airplane or helicopter, and how many miles the patient is transported. each commercial insurance company will have its own bill payment allowance and the criteria for payment, such as particular drg and evidence of necessity. private pay, with no insurance, will have the highest bill rate and that depends on each individual air ambulance operator. individual states have no control over air ambulance operators and cannot set or influence fees. this is in accordance with the airline deregulation act and affirmed by a federal court in the middle district of nc this past november. states cannot require a certificate of need (con) or regulate air ambulance operators if it tends to influence the "aviation" aspect of the operation. this influence is very broadly interpreted and pretty much excludes the states from what is considered exclusively reserved to the faa. the cms however has established reimbursement rates. again, by law, cms gets the lowest rate and cms dictates what that rate is. commercial insurance companies negotiate various rates, as long as it is more than the rate for cms. individuals can't negotiate and they will pay whatever the carrier asks. many of these people simply never pay.

Hi curious female, Everyone has a story to tell. Most people have a very interesting background. I enjoy asking others about their journey in life but seldom tell my story, especially at work. If you ask, it will surprise you to learn about the variety of backgrounds of the people that work with you. As for me, nursing was neither my first career choice nor my last. It is only part of the scenery on the road of life. Initially I was a Military Policeman, became an Infantry Officer, then a pilot (flew search and rescue and many other types of missions) then Military Intelligence Officer. Retired. Went to a 2-yr nursing program in 1995, then obtained a Masters in Hospital Administration and JD in Health Law. Eventually found my way back to the classroom and obtained a BSN. In healthcare, I have worked as a consultant, attorney, and health facility inspector. I am now enjoying myself as a travel nurse, primarily in ICU's. I keep very low key and bill myself as a relatively new nurse, allowing others to teach me whatever they feel inclined to share. (When asked at work, I just say I was in the Army and I've had a BSN for four years - that's all the people I work with need to know.) One day I will return to the office, but for now, the bedside is a good place. But what about you? What brought you to nursing.