83studentnurse

Yes, I have heard nothing but good things about the area! Low 20s is not what I was hoping for in salary, unfortunately, but I would have to do the math on cost of living vs salary to see how it really compares to here.

For what it's worth, I also have non clinical experience (more in the case management and sales arena); I might be looking for a job that utilizes those skills rather than a floor nursing position, but I could do either.

Thank you! Any rough estimates of salaries for nurses wih a few years' experience?

We are considering a move to either Raleigh-Durham or Charlotte. I'm curious what the job market is like in these areas. I have some hands on and also some sales/case management skills. I am enrolled in a bsn/msn program, but don't hold either yet. hank so much in advance!

Thank you so much for the lovely note! Very encouraging! I have a job here that I love, but I may want to branch out when we move, especially since my options here have been limited from some specialities due to experience requirements. I am really hoping that my husband can find a job in richmond!

Thank you, Kelly! I don't have experience in case management, but in a related role (screening patients for rehab placement), so case management would be a pretty natural transition. I do have experience in other areas, but I am also interested in perhaps getting into other specialty areas, like surgery, where I have little experience. Is this possible? Where I am now you can't get a job in an area in which you don't have 2 years of experience!

Hello: my family is considering relocating to richmond. What is the job market like there? I would be looking for a job in case management or similar, preferably part time. I realize that part time may not be possible to start. Any insights are appreciated! Thanks!

I don't know about the GPA -- go on the website, I think it has all the info about requirements. There's no waiting list; they either accept you or they don't. Also, you can call the school -- they're very good about answering any questions you have!

One more comment from a fellow career-changer (left a management position in PR for nursing). It's scary. You will have bad days and second guess your decision. I go home many days and don't feel rewarded, like I did something meaningful for patients that day. However, when I think back on it, I am certain that I did. Not everyone articulates their appreciation, but when you stop to think about what you did for someone today ... you took a few minutes to speak to a patient and let him know someone is interested in him, you let a patient tell you a little bit about their children or when they were young, or you helped a family through a terrifying complicated delivery that produced a perfect little baby, you can be proud of what you did. This week a patients mom hugged me when my shift was over and said, "You're in the right profession." She didn't know that I'm still a student and that I sometimes wonder if I should've stayed in my comfortable job where I could wear cute clothes and didn't go home with sore feet. As soon as I heard that though, I knew more certainly than I've ever known, that this is my calling. So every day won't be as rewarding as you hope it will and you will have to deal with difficult doctors and difficult patients and difficult managers (true in just about every profession, although in nursing we have to answer to all of these people). But I do now actually have the sense that my job matters. Even on the hard days, my job is meaningful, which I think is a big part of what you're looking for.

I admit I haven't read all of the responses, but I wanted to definitely encourage you to go into nursing -- I'm sure you'll be great at it! I agree that male nurses are often have an advantage over females ... you bring attributes that only 7% of the workforce have! Some patients are more comfortable with male nurses too, so they're very useful on floors. Every new nurse has to overcome the hurdle of being "new" when searching for that first job. However, older career changers have an advantage ... a lot of experience. A lot of people say that whether you have an ASN, BSN or MSN, a new grad is a new grad (not entirely true, I think, but close. We have varying degrees of inexperience). You, however, will have years of work experience, experience working with and relating to others, great communication skills, etc. while all set you apart from the other new grads. I had a BA when I changed careers and decided to get a diploma (hospital-based ASN-level program) rather than an accelerated BSN. A lot of people thought it was crazy not to go to for the more prestigious degree, but I have to say, it was clearly the right choice for me based on my life situation. You can always work on your BSN or MSN online or part-time later (with a BS/BA and an RN, you can usually take a couple of "bridge" courses and go straight into an MSN program). All the managers I've spoken with have been totally supportive of this decision and didn't seem to care if I had a diploma (ASN-level) with a BA as opposed to a BSN. I'm not saying this is everyone's experience everywhere, but those with other careers and other skills have a lot more than just their degree to sell themselves for a nursing job. Do what's best for you and your family! My one caveat is that nursing is a physically demanding career. 12-13 hour shifts, mostly on your feet takes some adjusting and physical strength. You sound like you're in great shape and will do just fine (I know several nurses in their 60s who are OK with the days), but it's something to think about. Good luck to you!

I am surprised to hear this story ... I can't imagine him not being able to get a single day off for the birth of his child! You have to weigh two things ... his presence at the birth of his child and his ability to keep his job (and the necessity of that job). Normally, I'd say absolutely he should tell his employer he simply cannot come to work because he cannot miss this once-in-a-lifetime event. If that means he'll be suspended, so be it. Fired? So be it. If, however, you think there's a real possibility of losing his job and not being able to find another given the state of the economy, you need to think long and hard about it. Losing a job these days can have serious consequences. You don't say when he works, but if there's no better solution, do you think you could be induced Friday? If you're induced at noon and he works until 3 he could definitely be there ... or induced in the afternoon and he works until 7. First time moms are usually in labor for 10+ hours (often more for induction -- also, if they're using Cervadil, it induction in a multi-day process). If he needs that job, see if there's a compromise short of risking his job. Secondly, I wholeheartedly agree that you don't need to wait until you can afford a big wedding. Work on the MARRIAGE -- the wedding is just a chance for the people you love to celebrate your commitment and share in your joy (my parents have been married for nearly 30 years and have the best marriage I know -- their reception was punch and cookies in the basement of the church where they were married. Not fancy, but they were married at the end of the day, so the wedding WORKED!). I'd recommend doing premarital counseling through your church and then gather the few people you love most and go to city hall. If you want, you can always have a party afterward to celebrate with friends (and then it can just be a party instead of being a WEDDING RECEPTION -- which for some reason has to cost 20x more than any other party you'll ever throw). Or have a simple ceremony with a few close friends and relatives and serve punch and dessert around 4 p.m. At the end of the day, you will be married, which is all that matters. Then you can focus on creating a wonderful, warm and Godly home for that baby!

I think male nurses are great! Male doctors and techs don't get harassed at all, so I wonder why male nurses (who generally operate somewhere between these two roles) should be any different. About 10% of my nursing class is male (it has been higher in the last several years -- closer to 20-25%, I believe). As far as employment goes, I think you may find men sometimes actually have an advantage. I think hospitals sometimes like them because they often find it easier to move patients and may be requested by male patients who are more comfortable being cared for by people of their own gender. You may find it nearly impossible to get a job in, say, labor & delivery, but in almost any other area I think you'd do just fine. As far as finances go, you don't go into nursing to get rich, but it doesn't sound like that's your goal anyway. Most nurses I know do fine paying their mortgages, car payments, children's expenses, etc., which is more than a lot of people can say these days. Nursing pays respectably and can afford many nurses a comfortable, if not lavish, lifestyle. So I say, if nursing is what you want to do, go for it! Plenty of men are entering the profession, you shouldn't have an especially hard time getting hired (I say ESPECIALLY hard time because nearly everyone is finding nursing jobs few and far between these days, but I'm sure this will pass in time). Good luck!

As a student, I am required by my school to purchase $1M per claim $6M aggregate insurance from NSO (I am a renter, by the way). I think it only cost me about $29 a year! Although I'm not a nurse and am covered to an extent by hospital and school insurance, I do think it's extremely important to have my own coverage. I've heard too many stories about nurses "taking the fall" when there's a bad outcome, even if they weren't really responsible.

All schools are definitely not the same! However, that doesn't mean that the local private BSN program is always better than the local ADN program. In some places, the local ADN or diploma schools always have higher NCLEX pass rates and produce nurses who are hired first. In other places, it's just the reverse. For some people, cheap tuition is the most important thing, for others, the school's name is important, and for others, the type of degree conferred is. All of these things are potentially important depending on your circumstances and goals. Just because the quality of my local schools along with my goals and values lead me down one path doesn't mean that my path is the "best" path or that it's right for others.

Thanks, hiddencat. I actually started taking courses at a private college when I was about 15 (long story, but I was taking them while in high school), but I didn't find her comment offensive. It seems to me that that prof is kind of like a nurse who says "I worked in oncology for a while but eventually I just couldn't take all the sadness and death (or insert a generalization about cancer patients' attitudes). I really found my niche in the OR." Certainly, it's not that the oncology patients don't deserve care, just that this particular nurse prefers the OR (insert any specialties you choose). Professors, just like students, are allowed to favor certain types of learning institutions and environments. She liked teaching students who reminded her of herself when she was growing up -- I get that. I've spent many years in private schools and I like that environment, but I definitely see a benefit to public universities and CCs too. I feel like my little brother, who often says, "Can't we all just get along?" I just wish we could all try to see others' perspectives and allow other people to have different options or experiences without judging them or resorting to sarcasm. Private BSN programs, public BSN programs and ADN programs all have pros and cons, and there's so much variety within those categories I don't think you can ever say that one type is definitely better than another. It all depends on the particular schools in your area, your personality and your life circumstances.