dewberrysquish

Hello I'm in school now and will be receiving my certificate next Spring but I have no experience in medical/health field. I see experience is as important as education so I would like to know how is it volunteering. I'm a little nervous about it, I don't know why. I'm 25 and I was thinking maybe the usual volunteers were older than I, like retirees. I have read that volunteers were treated like dirt, disrespected, and the work the paid workers don't want to do, the volunteers are forced to do. I want to volunteer to learn how the hospital is and if its really for me but I hope I won't be looked as beneath anyone. Are volunteers asked to do things that usually only an experienced person would do? I live in Flint, I have Hurley and McLaren to chose from to volunteer. I don't know if I will volunteer at both or chose one. Which hospital would be better to volunteer? I also like to ask has there been cases that volunteers have been hired? I know every volunteer can't be hired but has there been instances of volunteers who were hired. Thanks

If any of you took the Human Anatomy and Physiology class, what is that like? Do you really have to dissect body parts of animals?

Hello I'm starting Baker in Flint this coming Friday. I'm a little anxious. I know I have a long road ahead but its rewarding at the end, I hope. I'm 25 and I just feel like I'm too old to start college, most of the people I went to school with went to college right after high school and now are done, I feel way behind but I know anyone can start college at any age. I'm just wondering could any of you tell me what I can expect? I'm just hoping college isn't anything like high school, I didn't fare well in school. Here are some of the questions I had. Is the work doable or harder then usual? I didn't do so well in high school so I hope I can get along in college. How many are in a class? How is work done or should I say is it about taking notes and using that as a way to do the work? I know I will have to take oral communications, I'm not very good at giving speeches and getting in front of people talking so I wonder what is this class like? Thanks to all who reply.

I know in this thankless world, I won't always get appreciated but I really do want to help people. I've been told one should do a job because they love it, not because of the pay but in this day and age, money is number one on everyone's list so people are going to want the jobs where the money is whether they really like the job are not so many are looking to nursing. I see a lot of unhappy, cruel people with high paying jobs, their not loving their job, just there for the money. I've met nurses, social workers, psychiatrists, therapists, doctors, who get paid well, but they lack that bleeding heart that one needs in that field because people look to them for empathy and healing. I feel the ones in it for the money should move over and let people who really want to be nurses get a chance because the bad nurses ruin it for the good ones. A personality test should be given if one wants to be a nurse to see if one has the personality for nursing or just in it for the money. Anyone can make good grades but do you got in within. I have a friend studying nursing, she's struggling, she's bad at test taking but she gets what she's learning but its just hard for her but she has the qualifications within and out for nursing more then the rest in her class.

I never been good with tests and studying but I've been told I'm such a kind, caring, compassionate, empathetic person that I should be a nurse, I know there's more to nursing then having a good personality, I just don't know, I fear failure I guess. Anything I put my mind to I can do but even if I give my best, what if, I don't succeed? I've heard in my area women who made great grades who still didn't get into nursing, that's what discourages me.

Practical nurses, patient care aides, and medical assistants, I feel sorry for because from what I hear a lot of them have to do the so-called dirty work or slave work that the nurses don't want to do, whatever the nurses don't want to do they make the LPN's, PCA's, and MA's do. The LPN's, PCA's, MA's work hard and get paid less, no "competition" to get into these programs, you can easily become a lpn, pca, or ma and you're still dealing with patients and having a lot of responsibilities so I think its unfair they get paid less. Why don't they need a degree? If nursing requires a degree then the job titles dealing with patients and having a lot of responsibilities should require a degree as well, not a certificate. Competition shouldn't be the word used to get into a nursing program. I feel if you work hard and give your all you will succeed, it has nothing to do with others. Its up to you and how much your willing to give.

Of course nurses have a lot of responsibility but having a degree doesn't make one responsible as I said the greatest nurses in history never had a degree (do that make them incompetent as a nurse, some had schools named after them and their in the history books, I don't know any famous nurses around today) but were the best so a degree doesn't determine you're going to be a great, responsible nurse because I've ran into some mean, irresponsisble nurses, they knew their job, but that's it, they were just doing their job, I think as a nurse you have to have that added humility, compassion, and empathy, which college can't teach you. From someone I know who is a nurse, she told me that its not about competition in the nursing programs, its about there's so many who want to get into nursing and not enough people to teach nursing so of course enrollment will be limited, so there's going to be competition but not competitive for the right reason. I know some who get into nursing for the money and because nursing is where the jobs are at, especially in Flint, I think nursing is the highest paying job in my area, those women who get into nursing for the money are the ones who usually don't have a heart, not compassionate, quick to see you and get you out, they made great grades in school but to me failed in the matter of the heart and how to treat people. Thanks gemberly, I know I'm so undecided, but I'm thinking and looking at the pros and cons of everything. I've talked with some nurses and they say their overworked, its like they do the doctor's work, the doctors just come in for a minute to give his quick opinion but the nurses do all the work and some are underappreciated. One friend of my mother is a nurse and she said she wished she hadn't went into nursing.

Of course nurses have a lot of responsibility but having a degree doesn't make one responsible as I said the greatest nurses in history never had a degree but were the best so a degree doesn't determine you're going to be a great, responsible nurse because I've ran into some mean, irresponsisble nurses. From someone I know who is a nurse, she told me that its not about competition in the nursing programs, its about there's so many who want to get into nursing and not enough people to teach nursing so of course enrollment will be limited, so there's going to be competition but not competitive for the right reason. I know some who get into nursing for the money and because there are where more of the jobs are at especially in Flint, I think nursing is the highest paying job in my area, those women who get into nursing for the money are the ones who usually don't have a heart, not compassionate, quick to see you and get you out. Thanks gemberly, I know I'm so undecided, but I'm thinking and looking at the pros and con of everything.

Who came up with the idea that nursing should be apart of college and one must have a degree? I feel if one wants to be a nurse, nursing should be the main thing taught in a nursing school or hospital. In WWII, many women who volunteered their time were trained on the job on how to nurse wounds and care for wounded soldiers. They volunteered their time and was willing to be fast learners, some made nursing their career afterwards but they learned "on the job' starting off and never had a degree and was better nurses then any generation afterwards cause their training actually was hands on from the start, from another nurse they would learn how to really care for hurt people, to me that's the best way to see if one can hack it as a nurse but that's old school stuff I guess.

Never said anything about having easier training. I was saying there should be various options for a woman to become a nurse besides college. I think I would learn more in a hospital on how to be a nurse then anywhere else. Hospitals use to have schools but some unknown reason cease with it. People just don't want to give that extra time to help and train and pass their expertise on to another. Some of history's best nurses (Florence Nightingale) never went to college to learn how to be a nurse, they learned on the job in a way, from another nurse or doctor, some went to nursing schools. There are nursing schools in this country but again not in Michigan, I don't think, I know not in Flint, this city is always lacking. Hurley Hospital had a nursing school but closed it years ago. I've been to the hospitals where nurses weren't very nice or helpful, there was a woman my mother knew who gave patients the wrong medicine a couple of times, so I guess they "faked" their way through school or whatever school or training they got they got "easy" training, but some of these women were older then me (late 30's, 40's) so I'm sure they didn't go to college to be nurses, they learned elsewhere but I see in a way now its manadatory to have a degree in nursing. Most nurses I've seen in hospitals are older mean women who want to get you in and out. College can't teach you to be a compassionate and empathetic nurse, no one can train you to have those characteristics those are qualities one has to be born with.

Me and my mom have been going back and forth trying to figure out should I go into nursing. She and I feel it might be too hard for me and that no matter how hard I try I might not cut it. Will some nurses please tell me what nursing involves? what kind of character one is to have to be a nurse? How hard is it studying to be a nurse? What are the grades at such places like Baker that one has to have to get into the nursing program. I feel if there is such a nursing shortage then people shouldn't make it so hard for people to become nurses. Nursing schools should be opened up again. Hospitals should train on the job again. Sometimes human beings create their own dillemias.

I had my orientation at Baker in Flint on Wednesday. It was really nice. The people was so wonderful and helpful. The health science people seem to be really interested in you and making sure you get it and making sure your comfortable and have all the knowledge about your field. I know its their job to be friendly but some really seem genuinely kind. Anyone who has been to orientation, do any of you know who are some of the people who be in the hall directing you, answering your questions? There was one young lady who was real nice, I was undecided whether to go to Health Science or Human Service room and she talk to me about different careers and salaries in each, maybe she was a career counselor or something. I didn't get her name and I wish I had because I would like to talk with her more. So far Baker seems like a good start.

Thanks for the info everyone. I really do want to work in an hospital setting. I haven't put nursing off my list completely but looking at other things. What are some jobs in the hospital that doesn't deal with patients as much? I know of Health Information Technology, Medical Administrative Assistant, and Medical Insurance Specialist, I thought Medical Insurance would be boring though. I wouldn't mind dealinig with patients but not in caring for them hands on hands, you know what I mean? I was looking at one of the hospitals in my area and there was a job position for Unit Clerk (Utilizing advanced customer service skills, acts as part of the team of caregivers by functioning as the initial point of contact for patients. Greets patients and their families in a friendly manner and creates a positive first impression. Performs clerical and receptionist duties to support the unit. Provides patient registration duties. Provides limited, simple nursing care to patients under specified conditions.) Patient Services Representative (Primary responsibilities are office management; receptionist duties; initial intake of referrals; obtaining insurance authorization; scheduling of client services; typing and processing of related information for client services, accreditation readiness activities and quality assurance initiatives) and these jobs really only require like a training with computer or training in office support or Medical Receptionist. I was thinking about maybe applying for these positions to get my foot in the door and just check it out, maybe there's room for an advancement. I was thinking about just getting a certificate in Office Support or Medical Receptionist first. What do you thnk the salary range will be for these jobs? I was thinking about being a Nursing Assistant at a hospital, nursing assistant is easy to get into but I hear Nurse Assistants get the slave work type of jobs that the nurses don't want to do and the pay isn't that great. If I got a Human Service degree, I could work in an hospital and be an Psychiatric Technician. I was also looking at Surgical Tech, I wonder if I could hack being in a room where a doctor is performing surgery on someone. So many options. I know I will have to talk to a counselor at Baker but I respect all y'all feedback since some of you are in the field and know people. Thanks again

I would love to be a nurse but I feel I couldn't cut it. I hear hard it is even for people with the best grades. I've never been the smartest so I probably would never get into nursing. What is another high paying job? I was checking out Diagnostic Medical Technology but its not offered in Flint, most of the real good tech jobs aren't. Physcal Therapist Assistant looks like it pay well but look hard to get into as well.

Oh I forgot to ask what does a patient care aide/nursing assistant do and what is their pay?