plsunnybee

Dear friend, I can relate to your question very well; for as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to be a nurse AND to teach! It took a while, as my self confidence was greatly lacking; I was 27 and the mother of a 3 year old before I had the courage to pursue my first dream, but graduated from nursing school at age 30. I found that my strengths all lie in psych/mental health nursing, and have spent most of my 22-year nursing career in that specialty, but still did not feel I had much to offer students until a few years ago. I finally completed my MSN last year, at age 51, and am now submitting my Curriculum Vitae to different nursing schools, hoping that my experience-not my age-will be the focus of attention. I truly hope that you will consider teaching nursing, as there are many potential nursing students unable to enter programs, due to the nursing faculty shortage-at least according to the stats I have seen. I also hope that it will not take you as long as it did me, to gain the self-confidence to teach. Whatever you decide, dear friend, I wish the best for you in your future! Peg

Thank you, to everyone who replied to my post; I enjoyed reading your postings and agree that neither I nor anyone should generalize about any nursing program! I apologize if I offended any reader here, and certainly remember how distasteful it was to hear that "BSN nurses are less clinically capable", as a new grad. I have also known many nurses from excellent programs, and would be honored to be their patient! This reminds me how sad it is that nurses from different programs can sometimes be so critical of those from other programs, rather than bonding as fellow nurses. We can get so much more accomplished as a profession, if we can stop focusing on HOW we became RNs. Thanks, again, for taking the time to comment, Peg

Dear NurseFirst, Please allow me first to congratulate you on your desire for more knowledge and understanding; I would not hesitate to be your patient, in the future! Re: your question: having just graduated from an MSN program, with the desire to teach nursing students, I can tell you that the general perspective is that ADN programs are more technically and skills-oriented, whereas BSN programs are oriented more toward planning and management of nursing care, which gets more into the "whys" of nursing action. I personally disagree with this approach; as you do, I believe that all nurses need to understand the physiologic bases and pathologies that direct the need for specific nursing responses-the more we understand, the better nurses we all will be! As a nursing instructor, I plan to give my students these tools of knowledge, and I encourage you, as a student, to continue to seek answers on your own, if your instructors cannot or will not provide them. As a new grad, I deliberately sought out experienced nurses as mentors, and pumped them for all the information I could get, and I never stop learning. Read, and ask questions, dear student; you are on the right path, and I wish you the best in your nursing career! Peg

Heck NO! From my point of view, at 52, you're still practically a baby, and I just completed my masters in Nursing last October. I say, GO FOR IT, and best of luck to you! Peg

Dear Larry, I like what you are saying here, especially about nurses assisting clients in their spiritual needs-whatever the client's religious beliefs. I have a friend who works with Native Americans, who shared that she helps coordinate, and is blessed, by the observance of tribal customs at the death of a member, although she herself is a strong Christian. It is all about the client's and his/her family's needs at that time! P.S. We share the same, favorite Bible verse! Peg

Dear veteranRN, Well said! I would also either pray silently, or ask permission, before praying aloud. I believe strongly in intercessory prayer, and many have prayed for me, when I had no knowledge, yet felt the healing effects! However, I would not impose my beliefs on a client or his/her family, as this could be stressful to nonbelievers. Thanks for sharing your views, Peg