djc1981

Most RN's get paid more than RTs or Rad Techs. Something else you need to consider is that the glut for these is exponentially worse than RNs. There are nearly as many programs for Xray as RNs, and there is much less need for rad techs than nurses. It's a much smaller niche area in hospitals and require fewer employees. The xray programs keep churning out hoards of grads every semester, though. Ive heard some horror stories about grads not being able to find ANY job ANYWHERE. I hear half of them are giving up and applying to RN programs. Doesn't seem worth the risk, as well as techs getting even less respect than RNs (if that is possible).

Actually, I think alot of people use nursing not as a "stepping stone" but as a backup plan. They work as nurses when they want to/need money per diem, but do what they really want to do as their fulltime job. If they lose their job or need to move quickly, its easy to step into a nursing job somewhere. I've seen this happen alot.

Speaking as a former 16 yr old male, he is NOT a pervert. That is basically all that we do when we are alone at that age. The OP handled it well by ignoring it and not causing any undue embarassment.

I feel sorry for most unit coordinators. They are soooo busy most of the time with lights and patients families and doc order and phones. Half the time they are harried and stressed out to the max! All this and their pay is barely above minimum wage. So my hats go off to them!

The facility I'm looking into only has RN, no matter what the degree. Frankly, after RN most patients don't know or care what all that alphabet soup means. There's a certain line where it goes from being imperative information to being an awkward display of bragging rights which tends to only display the inferiority-complex of the badge wearer!

My school has a nuclear medicine program. I've been told that I should do radiology tech first and then do a nuc. med program to build on my skills. They say it would be better that way, and that nuc med jobs are few and far between, especially for new grads. Thoughts?

Thanks for everyones replies! Certainly gives me things to think about.

Apparently the only thing worse than being in nursing school is actually working as a nurse!:roll

More and more hospitals are preferring BSNs, and with this economy and even nursing being affected, I don't think it would hurt to get your BSN. Better safe than sorry.

I've had an alarming amount of working RNs trying to persuade me from becoming a nurse. At first I just brushed it off as a fluke - thinking they were either new, burnt out, etc. But they seem to be from all walks of life. They all say that I'm "too smart" for nursing and that if I can do it, do something else. They say the lack of support, respect, from the public, administration isn't worth any monetary rewards and that it quickly gets old and the understaffed hours are long. They also said that while the pay is nice in the beginning compared to some college majors, the salary cap is reached quite quickly and that if I pursued a MBA ( my other option), the opportunites and potential salary rewards after working a while are higher. If someone came to you and asked your honest opinion, would you recommend a person to go into nursing?

I told a PA I'm in nursing school, and he laughed and said that he will one day probably be my boss.

For what its worth, in job listings I have sometimes seen requests for ANCC certification specifically but have never seen AANP specifically.

I'm sorry, but what's wrong with getting into nursing for the salary? As long as you give good, competent care -- whats the big deal? I think that is why nurses have been underpaid for so long. Many treat money as a dirty word, and frown upon any of those who dare mention it. Most male dominated professions are higher paid...wonder why? Because men are not afraid to ask -- to demand - higher pay. As long as nurses are stuck in this handmaiden, Florence Nightingale attitude, they will continue to not get the pay and respect they deserve! I think as you see more men enter the profession, this is changing -- which only helps the entire field.

I would assume there would be a mix of women who would or would not be uncomfortable with a male in this job. However, speaking personally, I think I would be terribly uncomfortable in this position having to grab boobs and get babies to suck all day long. But hey, that's just me.

Does anyone else feel with some of the OP's over-the-top posts that we are all getting punked??