IHeartPhysiology

You may need to research whether a part-time program is even available. Area ASN and BSN programs are full-time only. Or, were you referring to doing pre-req's part-time? Good luck with whatever you decide!

I didn't see your update. Congratulations!!

At my local hospital they only hire CNA II's (Acute Care Certified). All nurse assistants must have certification and nursing students do not get preferential treatment. Keep trying! Most jobs are filled before there is a job listing. Take a resume and cover letter personally to HR and be persistent. Good Luck!

It depends on whether your school is on quarters or semesters. My school uses quarters, hence: AP I, AP II, AP III. Schools using semesters have AP I, AP II. 2 semesters = 3 quarters.

Agree with the above; it really depends on the school and how competitive enrollment to the program is. Get an honest opinion from an advisor or program coordinator. There is NO WAY C's would fly at my school. There are straight A students who don't get accepted!

From what started as a very long list, I only have two pre-requisites left to complete next term: A & P III ANTH 103 ( Cultural Anthropology) I'm applying in the Spring for next Fall.

RT stands for respiratory therapist. It's still a challenging program, but I feel that, for me, it will be less stressfull (than nursing) all around. And, I'm really fascinated by the respiratory system! When I fist wanted to be a nurse, I wanted to work in a clinic. Well, after some research, and many pre-req's down the road, I learned that in order to be an RN in a clinic you have to have many years of experience and, apparently, a letter of recommendation from Jesus himself. (:chuckle) Most nurses in my area work rotating hospital shifts, as this is how our local hospital staffs nurses, especially new ones. And, I will admit, I was naive about how incredibly all-consuming nursing school would be. Not to mention the first year or so as a new nurse. Now that I know a little better I'm starting to wonder if this is the right for my family. I would go for the gusto, no holds barred, if I were childless, but my kiddo's well-being comes first. I will take up a less-lucrative career if it means being there for her in the way that she needs. What can I say? She's a mamas-girl! Just remember, every family is different. Some kids really just roll with whatever comes their way. Parents who undertake a high-stress educational path/career like nursing will undoubtedly find family life challenging, at least through school and the first few years on the job. If the rewards to you are worth it, and you feel your kids will do well (you'll NEED a great and reliable support system; spouse, SO, family, and all the friends you can get!), you'll do GREAT!

I feel it's pretty tough; it takes a lot of time management. I'm just finishing my prereq's (only 2 classes left!), and now I'n seriously reconsidering nursing as a viable career when I'm the primary parent to a four year old. I really don't get to spend the amount of time with her that I need to be in order to be a good parent. She's in pre-school all day, and I am constantly studying. She is a bright and friendly child, but since I have been in school full-time (a little over a year), I have noticed a decline in her behavior (clingy, sad, whiny, etc....). And I MISS her!! I'm applying to my community colleges ASN nursing program next month (that is set to start Fall 09). I am also applying to the RT program. BUT.....I am in the process of getting my CNA certification so I can at least start working at SOMETHING. I am also applying to my colleges Medical Assistant program (1-year certificate and it's only $700) as a "back-up" in case I don't get into nursing or RT. To be honest though, I'm thinking it would be kind of nice to be a medical assistant. Way less stress and responsibility, and family-friendly hours. We'll see..... If your heart is really in nursing, you will find a way to be a nurse. It's just more challenging with kids, especially young ones.

Wow; the CNA course is only 2 weeks?? The CNA course at my college is 3 months (one term). I'm taking it in the spring because my pre-req's will be done. I'll just be waiting to see if i was admitted into the program. Do you have a lot of pre-req's left to complete? Maybe there's a weekend/ evening certification course you could take. These are sometimes also offered through LTCs and the Red Cross.

Thank you for your encouraging replies; I really am excited to start working as a CNA. I like the sense that what I am doing really matters and it appreciated by the patients/residents I work with. Does anyone have any suggestions for reading material (besides the standard textbooks) or web resources for CNAs? :typing

LOL! No curving at my school. That would sure be nice, though.

Personally, I thinks those are two pretty hefty classes to take at once. At my school, though, you cant take chemistry with micro because chem is a prerequisite for both the A/P sequence and microbiology. So for me, it was a non-issue. Good luck.

I am not starting my CNA class until late winter, but the course I am taking is 12 weeks long and requires: Textbook at least 2 sets of scrubs WHITE shoes a stethoscope a watch w/ a second hand I think you have gotten GREAT advice from others. Just be mindful of the specific requirements of the class before you go out and but anything. The CNA course I am taking has a mandatory orientation wherin they tell you exactly what you need before classes begin. And, yes, there is a HUGE difference in stethoscope quality, but some simple internet research and/or asking other health professionals can point you in the right direction. Good Luck!

Hello All, I will be taking a 12 week CNA course through my local community college soon and would like some encouragement from other CNAs. What are your favorite parts of the job? What are your LEAST favorite parts? Where do you work? ALF, LTC, SNF, hospital, home care, clinic...... I'm a little nervous about whether I am cut out for it! Thanks!

Okay, I know this is an old post, but.......... :chuckle:chuckle:chuckle

Hmmmm.....well, I'm a Human Physiology major and am either going to pursue an Associates Degree as a Physical Therapist's Assistant or (ASN) Nursing at the same time. My goal is to eventually get my Masters in Physiology and possibly earn a Doctoral in Physical Therapy. But that's waaaaaaaayyy down the line. Most individuals who are aspiring to Medical School obtain a Bachelors in Pre-Med, Biology, or Physiology......and unfortunately NONE of those degrees give you a "guaranteed" job after graduation. I will say, though, that most people who earn a Bachelors in Human Physiology are also certified through ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine), so there is a possibility of employment in the sports medicine field, although not in any major diagnostic way. Good Luck!

But what about non-nursing healthcare professionals who perform direct patient care (RT, PT, OT, PTA, COTA, etc.)? Is it inappropriate for them to wear scrubs? Particularly white ones?

One more question: do you feel it is inappropriate for non-nurses to wear white scrubs or any other "whites"? Thanks!

This is a tangent, but I had an experience relating to this just last week. My 3 1/2 year old has been on a delayed/partial vaccine schedule since birth. Before entering preschool this year, I called her pediatricians office to make an appointment to discuss various vaccines (their necessity, saftey, side effects, etc.) and possibly receiving one or more said vaccines. The Peds office has several MDs, a PNP, 1 RN, and several (Certified)MAs. Now, I LOVE my daughter's pediatrician and her and I see eye to eye on the vaccination issue, but I really wanted a nurse's perspective AND I wanted the nurse to give the injections. When I made the appointment I asked to see the PNP and when asked what the appointment was for I was told that she generally didn't take "Nurse-Only" immunization appointments. So, I told the receptionist that I needed to have a discussion about vaccines public health and that I needed to speak with an RN. So, I was told that I would be given an appointment with the RN. Great. So I show up the next day to my "Nurse-Only" appointment only to be greeted by a medical assistant, who kept on letting me refer to her, to my daughter, as the "Nurse." I suspected she wasn't a nurse soon enough, and told her flat out that I was told I would be seeing an RN and that I needed to have a discussion about vaccines; a service she was not qualified to provide. Long story short(er), I left and made an appointment with the PNP anyway, who, by the way, was happy to discuss vaccines and administer the shots. I guess my point is that I was surprised that I had referred to her as a nurse several times and she didn't even bother to correct me! Had I not known enough about the health care system to know the difference who knows how long she would have gone on........at least knew when to say ,"I'm not qualified to give you that information."

Thank you for you insights. I had the impression that the white coat was often seen as a right of passage, so to speak, for physicians. Although, NPs and Surgeons wear them too. Short coats are for Interns, PT, OT, RT, etc. But, as I am learning, a lot would have to do with a particular facility and their dress code. I can get very confusing to the general public, especially when employees obscure their ID badges or, worse yet, the facility administration does away professional titles and replaces them with generic ones to hide the fact that they hire more unlicensed personnel in lieu of a licensed staff.

That's funny; Pampers gave my daughter the WORST rash/irritation! We eventually went to cloth diapers anyway, though! :)

There is an zinc oxide ointment called Triple Paste that I LOVED:redbeathe when my daughter was an infamt. Other thaen that, just keep the area cleansed with a gentle cleanser and DRY. Avoid the used of any scented/lotioned wipes. I would stay AWAY from cornstarch; it facilitates yeast growth and can cause a yeast rash/infection.

I have seen many threads regarding nursing uniforms and also many comments about how when everyone wears scrubs it can be difficult to know who is who. Once I saw a comment or two, within these discussions on uniforms and such, about not dressing in a way that is not representative of ones title. So, what is considered traditional or appropriate dress for nurses, doctors, PT, OT, RT, etc. ? I know that traditionally, nurses wore white and that now most nurses working in bedside care wear scrubs. But what would constitute misrepresentation? For example, I an a unit volunteer at our hospital and we have to wear a polo shirt with the hospital logo, khaki pants/slacks, and our name badge (sometimes people/patients think I'm in administration or something and ask questions that are impossible for me to answer! ) Anyway, one day on a shift I met a nurse who was from another floor. She was wearing "tailored" scrubs (in that they really didn't look like scrubs at all, but I have no other way of describing her outfit) and a long white lab coat. I may be wrong, but I though only MDs (DOs), could wear a long coat? In fact, I thought she was a physician, or NP, or some other APRN, but when I saw her name badge it just said RN (as did the lab coat!) On the other hand, once as I was passing a meal tray to a patient (who was post-op), she asked me when she could get another dose of her pain meds. I told her that I would find ner nurse for her and relay the message. I was new to the floor and say a woman outside her room charting on the computer. She was wearing regular scrubs (not OR scrubs), so I assumed she was a nurse (name badge was turned over/obscured). Turns out she was the patient's PCP. :imbar I thought it was very interesting and wondered if anyone had any comments. What do YOU consider appropriate?

I guess I'm the only one who thinks it's kinda sad......

This sounds wonderful and it's such a shame that more hospitals don't do this!! Neither of my local hospitals do this, nor do they offer "weekend plans." You work variable hours, any day of the week. Period. Most shifts are 8 hours, but a few units (CVOR, ICU, etc) are 12's. I am not a nurse, but I am a health science major in college and a unit floor volunteer at one hospital. I am also the primary caregiver (a.k.a. "Mommy") to a young child. Unfortunately, the realities of a nurses schedule has made me decide NOT to pursue nursing as a career; I'm going into an area of healthcare that's a bit more family friendly. If nursing is something you are really serious about, be aware that it may be hard balancing a nursing career with an active family life (this is what other nurses have told me). You will need strong support from spouse, family, and friends. JMHO, but I think it would be REALLY hard with two children that are so young. Good Luck!