maddienurse

JUST DO IT! Your wisdom and experience will make you a great NP.FNP's will be in charge of most of the health care in our country, especially with changes in health care in the U.S. FNP's will be the ones doing most of the primary care for families, the elderly,etc. I made a decent wage as a women's health care NP and I am now going back for MY masters at age 61 so I can teach.(Got my NP before you needed a masters to do it..) I would say get busy and get back to school! You can do it!

I worked as an NP at PP years ago. We did have LPN's working in the recovery area on abortion days. They also had to handle and dispose of the products of conception. I would suggest you volunteer first to be sure you are okay with working with groups of women and their partners who are there for abortions. The posts use the euphemisms we all used : "surgical" area, " recovering from their procedure.." But you need to look carefully at the fact you will be assisting women who are having abortions. I personally am PRO CHOICE to the max but still did not enjoy working on the abortion days in the abortion clinic. I only worked in the family planning clinics. It's emotional and can be draining even on those who are very supportive of women's choice. Just spend some time there first. Good luck!

Iasis does not have the best reputation in the area. Chandler and Mercy Gilbert fall into the "BEST TO WORK FOR" category every year here in Az. I worked for Chandler and the benefits were great. Van Buren is NOT a safe area. Just be careful in the parking lots. Living in Gilbert and working downtown (35 miles!!??) is a very very big commuting commitment. I don't know why anyone would do that when you can get a good nursing job close to home anywhere in the valley. Gilbert and Chandler are very nice, affordable suburbs with great hospitals and very good public schools as well as charters. My friends all have kids in the PUBLIC schools here who have gotten scholarships--don't need to pay for private school! Arizona is awesome but be aware that the COMMUTING ISSUE can make or break the joy in your life! Our traffic situation is miserable. Find a job close to hoe or find a home close to the job. No one wants to LIVE in downtown Phoenix.You could find something in Ahwatukee and grab the freeway over. Gilbert/East Valley?? I wouldn't even think about it! Give Chandler/Mercy another chance? Quality of life here in the East Valley is awesome! . Also try Mountain Vista. GOOD LUCK

Thanks ! I am feeling this company is very caring. The salary actually works out to a little more than 30, I am content. Mostly,I want a position where I can enjoy my work and have some autonomy . In training right now--hard work! Thanks for the encouragement.

I just signed on to Chamberlain for the Online BSN program. They are VERY HELPFUL and friendly. The time factor over rides the expense, for me.I can complete my BSN in 10 months! I start Sept.1 . Do look into them..they were the easiest and most friendly and thorough college I have dealt with as I did my research!

I am having a problem figuring out how to Private message--want to reply to some nurses who have PM'd me!! Am in the process of getting accepted to chamberlain (BSN and then MSN!) I understand I will have to write a bunch of papers. I did this in 1994 for the NP degree at U of Px. But I forget about APA format? In fact,I believe my study group gave our stuff to a typist and she put it into APA format for us! I am a good writer,not so good at the footnote thing. Do the papers for Chamberlain have to be in APA? Is there a program I can buy for my MACBOOK to do this for me?? or--did most of you have someone else type the papers?? HELP!:wink2:

HELP! I somehow can't private message--have more questions about chamberlain..I was on vacation, river, and came home to your nice email how do I PM you??? MADELINE

I just got an offer for Hospice nursing here in the valley.I need to work full time while I finish my BSN/MSN program. Not interested in acute care.I am worried I did not negotiate better for pay rate. I have been offered $30/hour( paid on a salary basis ) for hospice case management. I have been out of acute care for a while-- and I know hospice may not pay as well as acute care.. Am I in the ballpark? I will be getting paid health care and vision and dental, 3 wks PTO and a 401 k. Am starting CHAMBERLAIN on line program Sept. 1.. .. my BSN in 9 months!!!! Have I done okay with the salary negotiation for hospice? Mostly, my heart is in this..I know I want the autonomy of hospice and the time with families. (Am a little worried about the on call and I am taking a position with a small agency, not a big one..) I am hoping to move into education when I get my MSN.. for a home health or hospice agency or perhaps in a college..we'll see! Thanks for any replies!

I am an NP (14 years) and I am leaving office practice to finish my MSN and get into education! (I got my NP before you needed to have an MSN to do it..) Offices use you as a "mini"'doctor. at half the MD salary.You will see too many patients in a day.you will have on call responsibilities, have to make pt. call backs during your lunch "break" and you will work at LEAST 5 days a week. Many offices offer extended hours and you may have to work weekends and evenings. Managed care has caused private practice to become a "mill" of seeing as many pts. as possible to cover overhead. I am also not a spring chicken. Not interested int the private practice route anymore. I am willing to enter the world of education with perhaps a different pace, and focus, and a salary cut. I also strongly believe it is time for some of us seasoned nurses to mentor the young 'uns! I wish that we could teach after we have ,oh, say 20 years experience! But the Master's is a necessity today.So--MSN it is for me. I would say you are dreaming if you think you could keep up the pace of private practice as an NP AND teach! I do not believe this is humany possible! Whatever your choice: I say try to shadow someone in each role for a day or two and make a decision after you see a typical "day in the life.." GOOD LUCK!

I went the community college route in the early 80's-- in Iowa.. no wait lists. Cost me about $4000 for the 2 year program and when we moved to Az. that year I got a job immediately. I had taken student loans and was able to pay them back promptly. Yes, the costs have become high. But nursing remains a very good career with excellent opportunity and income potential.I say an investment of $40, 000 for an education that will get you into the workforce immediately upon graduation is a bargain! The waitlists I hear about (YEARS!) just sap your motivation and energy-- and keep you from employment and a salary you could be making (AND SATISFACTION you can be enjoying!) Just get into school ASAP, take student loans if you have to-- you will make more than the cost of school back in your first year of employment!!!! GOOD LUCK!

Anyone have experience with CHAMBERLAIN on line nursing degree? The RN to BSN option? Costs? clinical? Any info at all?Thanks-- :zzzzz

Thanks to both replies..I do love to teach.I LOVE students, mentoring. When I worked in clinics or on the "floors" I ALWAYS readily took a student with me for the day-- I guess the time will pass no matter what--I may as well have something to show for it.. I wish that experience counted for more in the education arena-- I'd love to be able to teach while getting m degrees..I have 25 years experience in ALL KINDS of OB/GYN!! Well-- I better get this ball rolling..

Advice?I am 54 yrs. old. Very fit and healthy, Energetic. Wanting to return to nursing full time due to economy AND my own mid life discoveries! Background in OB GYN.I have an ADN and am a certified nurse practitioner in Az.. but befoe you needed a masters. So I have an ADN ,an NP, but not a BSN!! Is it too late to go back to school and get my BSN, and get a job teaching clinical while I complete my MSN so I can teach full time? I want to work till I am around 70.. in education.. but am feeling worried to go back to school so late? Will I get hired at my age?I can do the BSN in probably 18 months?? Should I just get a "regular" nursing job instead? I have been working in a physician's office part time, not as an NP..no interest in NP work right now-- . Really want to be in education. ADVICE???ANYONE ?? THANKS

How do I PM someone??? Also--thanks to replies regarding massage. I have found out that an NP may perform massage but not calling herself a massage therapist.I actually have taken a number of massage classes over the past few years, and have been doing one hour Lomi massages for friends and family for some time.So-- am just considering where to go with it all-- Thanks to all who have replied.I do appreciate the training an LMT takes, but as an NP do not need A and P classes,etc. And I particularly do mot want to spend another $10,000!!!

Are nurses in Arizona already able to perform massage therapy under their RN license? I have received mostly a "YES" answer to this. Though I'd like to take some targeted courses on the types of relaxation massage I want to perform, I do not want to spend another 10,000 dollars on education if my RN and NP license suffice. Thoughts on this?