HouTx

Have you thought about laboratory science? Nuclear medicine? Radiology? They are all healthcare fields that are more math-oriented than nursing. Here is a comprehensive list of healthcare professions so you can compare their characteristics.

You're very fortunate to have supportive parents who believe in your potential. Many of us aren't so fortunate. Please let your parents know that Nursing has been rated as the MOST trusted profession in the US for the last 15 years. Salaries for nurse leaders are commensurate with other healthcare executives.

CTs systems maintain a constant negative pressure when they're patent. In my organization, nurses do a 'fold and squeeze' to dislodge clots or occlusions rather than the old fashioned stripping technique. However, JPs are only under pressure if the bulb is compressed or not full and tubing is much smaller... so they can obstruct really easily. They are also not used to drain tissue that is super-delicate like lung tissue. I'm going to follow this thread. Maybe someone has actually done some research on this topic. If so, I hope they'll share some info.

Don't shoot the messenger. New (strict) rules for the use of medical interpreters is making the nurse's job even more difficult. Just like all the other regulations that roll downhill to the bedside. Initial assessment/admission should include determination of the patient's preferred language & learning methods. If preferred language is not English, then the patient MUST be asked whether s/he wants the services of an interpreter. Determining language proficiency/literacy is not within the nursing skill set. Aside from English skills, the issue of 'health care literacy' is a whole 'nother kettle of fish that affects native English speakers as well. We've discovered that wanting an interpreter it doesn't always mean lack of spoken English proficiency - we've had patients who seem to be highly English fluent, but still request one. Spoken language skill does not automatically mean literacy... so maybe the patient wants someone to help them read and interpret written documents. It's not our place to judge or determine. We just honor the request.

Uh oh, not again. Am I the only one who wishes that there was a way to trace these NDx questions so we could give some feedback to the 'guilty' schools??? They're obviously not providing students with a clear understanding of how NDx are established. Eman, You cannot identify Nursing Dx on Medical Dx. Nurses assess & treat human responses (physical & psychological/emotional; actual & potential) to disease..... not the disease itself (see ANA definition of nursing). First, you have to assess the patient to see how she is responding to her illness - then, compare your assessment findings/data to the defining characteristics of NDx to see which ones to choose.

Grumpy offers some very valid points in his very cogent assertions. But the fact remains - I'm not a huge fan of NCLEX because the current version (like previous ones) is not a true indicator of real life clinical reasoning skills. It still focuses on one's ability to regurgitate factoids. Maybe we'll get there eventually as technology becomes more affordable? Most well-established traditional programs utilize QI processes to ensure that their tests are reliable and valid. This requires the skill set associated with qualified and competent educators -- not newly-minted MSNs or NPs who are plunked into an academic job without sufficient preparation or orientation. Unfortunately, with the current state of faculty salaries, this is a common scenario.

LVNs in my area are employed in LTACHs also... very much acute care, including vents and such. The patients just have longer stays. Some hospitals are also re-introducing LVNs in new models of care delivery - care teams led by RNs.

Unless the classes have synchronous (everybody online at the same time) requirements, it shouldn't be a problem. It should be pretty easy to fit your coursework around baby duties.

You may want to double-check if you're counting on a phlebotomy job on weekend nights. In my area, most hospitals expect night nurses to draw their own labs... it's a very common cost savings measure.

I was a bit confused also, but I think OP is using the word "stats" to mean grades rather than an actual Statistics course.

Unless your treatment was a consequence of/related to events that are going to show up on a background check (e.g., DUI, Public Intoxication, etc), I would advise against disclosure. If you opted for treatment voluntarily, in order to deal with your addiction, it is just as confidential as any other any other type of health care record. It will not be accessible in a background check. However, if any substance abuse events are going to appear on your background check, you will want to disclose the treatment to provide evidence that you have taken substantive steps to overcome the problem. Wishing you all the best on your career change.

I hope a qualified educator is evaluating this new initiative. Many times, a snazzy delivery media can overpower the actual educational process. The overall effectiveness should be evaluated by measuring achievement of the learner objectives.... comparing the new method to the older, more traditional methods. Frequently, it turns out that 'new' is not better, no matter how much fun it is. As an educator, I am amazed how many times I come across horrible 'digital' educational courses. They have simply taken a tired old text-based module and put it on a screen..... what a waste. Instead, we (educators) should re-design the content to take advantage of the new media by adding video or animation, inserting hyperlinks to encourage self-exploration of interesting topics, providing real-time feedback, etc. So, PLEASE - apply the same level of evidence-based logic that you would for other interventions. Insist on evaluating the effects of change before just accepting them.

OK - now I am confused. Are you telling us that "secondary diagnosis of personality disorder" is a qualification needed by people seeking to fill the job??? Or is this a type of client that is cared for by people in this job? I really hope it's the latter. Although . . . in some organizations . . . .

It helps to always remember our scope of practice - "Nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, facilitation of healing, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations." (ANA definition of nursing). Those responses may be physical or emotional.... they may be actual or potential.

You're still very young. You're obviously smart. You apparently have a supportive family. These are all wonderful assets. Can you talk to your parents and let them know how you feel? Most of us parents want our children to be happy, but we also want them to have secure futures - and a 'steady job' with adequate income is a big part of this. Before talking to your parents, do some exploration and be ready to propose some alternatives that they could agree with. There are a lot of AN'ers who claim that "money isn't important" in a career choice. Srsly?? It is important in terms of decreasing stress and achievement of your life goals. That would be really hard to do if you're struggling to afford the basics. So... my suggestion is to take a look at other STEM fields. These professions are aligned with the economy of the future and are associated with higher income and career development. The educational requirements aren't easy - but you've already proven that you have the intellectual horsepower to handle it. I have a family member who switched from pre-nursing to computer science in her 3rd year of college.... for very similar reasons. She just couldn't see herself dealing so closely with people for the rest of her life. It was an excellent decision. By age 30, she had obtained a master's degree (fully funded by her employer) and was making a 6 figure income. The possibilities are out there - you just need to go after them.

LOL - I think you may eventually realize that those "garbage" classes ARE related to nursing..... just about everything is. Students are usually so focused on the visible 'skills' of nursing that the value of these other courses doesn't even hit their radar screens until much later. Wishing you all the best on your educational journey - we all made it, you can too.

I agree with the advice - seek counseling services to develop skills for coping with stress. Nursing is an inherently stressful career - because we deal with humans who are frequently at their lowest ebb. Those coping skills will be helpful no matter what you do in life. Wishing you all the best.

It's a balancing act: Quantity (course load) vs. Quality (GPA). Only you can determine the right pace for yourself. There are so many different variables at stake such as the need to take prep (non-credit) courses, need to keep working, previous knowledge & skills, etc. Some of us have the wherewithal to plow through with 18 hrs a semester but others need to take a slower, more deliberate pace. There is no "right" way.

There's some info missing from previous posts - the fact that GPA requirements are not just arbitrary targets to make it more difficult to get into a program. Those requirements have been established as a result of analyzing the characteristics of successful students. There is a direct positive relationship between pre-requisite GPA & academic performance in nursing courses. This shouldn't be a surprise, because those pre-requisite science courses are the foundation for the development of clinical reasoning skills. It also should not be a surprise that the expensive "low threshold" for-profit schools have very dismal NCLEX pass rates & are more likely to lose accreditation as a result.

Congratulations on your recovery & attitude. I've beaten Ca twice myself - so I have an inkling. I take personal pride in the fact that your nurses made such a positive impression & inspired you to become a nurse also. That's wonderful. But in light of the extreme competition and rigorous GPA requirements, you may want to explore other health professions as well. After all, many other clinical disciplines also contributed to your recovery even though you may not have actually encountered them. Take a look at THIS - it's a listing of many types of health care professions. Many of them have educational requirements similar to nursing, but with programs that are not so competitive right now. Best wishes on your continued good health & future educational journey.

Unfortunately, there's no way to accurately answer your question. The length of time required will depend upon the resources that are being used. Some (very expensive) external vendors with top-notch resources can perform the process very rapidly. On the other hand, if the organization is using a less expensive vendor or internal resources, it could take a loooong time because I am assuming that they have to access international information that may not be in an electronic database.

In general, there is no room for negotiation in entry-level jobs- AKA, jobs into which newly licensed nurses are hired. It's not unusual to dislike the idea of working in acute care because of all the negatives (shift work including holidays, high stress, etc)... but that's exactly why those jobs are associated with higher salaries. By moving into an acute care work setting, you'd undoubtedly gain additional acute care knowledge & skills because you'd be working with patients who may have multi-system illness. In my experience, acute apheresis is frequently provided in an ICU setting. But if the on-call requirement & flat salary are off-putting and you're OK with staying your own specialty area, perhaps you could explore the pathway to supervisory or management positions in order to increase your salary.

You want to know "our" position.... HERE it is. I agree - activism is the way to go. ANA is our political action arm & have a strong lobby in DC. I have been a member (national, state & local) for a looooong time & encourage others to do so as well. I'm not a qualified healthcare economist, but it seems obvious to me... eliminating the individual mandate will only shift the burden to those who can least afford it. And it doesn't make sense to tell people that eliminating the mandate is going to save them money - while at the same time allowing (encouraging) insurance companies to sock them with a 30% penalty in premium costs when they finally decide to buy insurance coverage. This only enriches insurance companies. I think they are rich enough.

What type of discharge did you receive. That information will be requested on applications (job & school) in the future. You may need to explain the circumstances. Just based on my state's disciplinary guidelines, (your mileage may vary)..... offenses (not felonies) that occur prior to age 22 & without adult supervision are looked at in a different light than those that occur when you are older, particularly if the individual can provide evidence that s/he has learned from the experience and made positive changes. Some states (like mine) actually require background checks in order to be accepted to nursing school or beginning clinical courses. It may seem harsh, but it does prevent students from investing a lot in their education only to be declared ineligible for licensure afterward. Wishing you all the best.

So sorry this happened to you. Transitioning from student to clinical practice is hard enough without this type of situation. Poor & incompetent management strikes again. First things first. Find out your termination status. If you are listed as "not eligible for rehire", it is a significant red flag for any prospective employer. If you're eligible for rehire, it's pretty much a non-issue. So you really need to know this information. Even though it's tempting, don't omit this job from your resume or applications. When anyone runs a background check (as mandated by Federal law for nursing positions), it will turn up. If you leave it off, you'll have some 'splaining to do and it may look as though you were trying to hide something. If you're asked about it, you can truthfully reply that "it wasn't a good fit for me". This is not uncommon for new grads who are trying to find their place in the work world. Be prepared to discuss what you learned from the experience and how you will apply that knowledge to any future jobs. You may not believe it right now, but in a couple of years this will not be such a big thing for you. Everything's going to work out OK. Don't give up - success is always just around the corner.