QT3.14RNinCA

A Masters degree is a higher degree than any Bachelor's degree. That being said, there are differences in the program of study between a BA/BS degree. Both are equal in terms of having a degree and the types of jobs you can obtain from them. The difference is the content/detail. A BS in biology emphasizes more science content and is designed for those who want to continue to advanced degrees (Masters, PhD, etc) while a BA in biology does not go into the same detail. Most who want to teach (high school) in the subject usually opt for a BA. This was how it was explained to me by a counselor while I was an undergraduate. The bottom line: how detailed do you want to know DNA replication, Kreb's cycle, etc. Both can still apply for graduate schools. So really the debate is only in academia. I never understood the BS being a higher degree than a BSN. It's just what the nursing students that come through our unit are told. To the OP: You don't need a Bachelor's degree to work in the nursing field (although it's beneficial to have) in CA. I work with several wonderful nurses who have an ADN. The Bachelor's degree is "preferred" and needed if you want to climb the clinical ladder or go into management.

Hi LDRNMommy, I am also interested in working as a Civilian RN in the military. Any tips on resume writing would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Kesr....How did you get into Clinical Research? What background are they looking for to enter that field after floor nursing?

You can work as an RN if you pass the NCLEX-RN. If this is a second career type program, then you have at least a Bachelor's degree in a different field. Many hospitals accept the BA/BS if it's in a related field, but some won't. I work in a University hospital with a Nursing school and they offer a BS, not a BSN because a BS is a higher degree than a BSN. At least finish the part of your program that makes you eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN. Once you get a license in one state, you can always apply for a license in another state (just check the states' requirement). Good luck to you.

Moments like that make all the bad ones disappear! (Still crying) :)

It's always been true, will continue to be true (unfortunately) and getting worse by the day due to budget. In my unit, we downsize based on number of patients. While we take account the acuity, we don't take into account the less acute "busy" patients, bedside procedures and needy families. The nurses shoulder the increased demands and hope/pray we don't make a mistake we'll be written up & fired over. It's a strain on patient care and a danger to our license & career.

My unit has had several nurses quit because we have a manager that's not supportive AND hospital big wigs that's hypocritical and all about the bottom line (even though this puts patients at risk). It doesn't really matter which words you use, just as long as it's professional. I know it's hard feeling unvalued and all those hours of "going above and beyond" go unnoticed but WE know and our patients know how good a job we do to care for them. Best of luck to you.

Generic questions don't bother me. It's the specific personal questions that I think are an invasion of my privacy. It's also not OK when co-workers ask or answer personal questions about me to patients/families or even other co-workers. It should be my choice what I want to reveal or not. The one thing that did bother me quite a bit was when another nurse (who doesn't work at my unit but was there to do dialysis) bombarded me non-stop with personal questions during a 4-hour dialysis. She thought it was OK since "we have so much in common". I guess this was her way of making small talk. It was very unnerving.

If you know you absolutely want to become an RN then you should consider transfering to a school that offers a BSN. A Biology degree does not equal an RN. You will still have to complete pre-requisites prior to being accepted into an RN program (whether that's a 2-year or BSN program). You can see if the classes you've taken will transfer. Usually if you're in your Freshman year, you're doing a lot of general requirement classes to satisfy graduation requirements. Good luck.

All my life I also wanted to become a Physician. I was driven, adventurous, graduated at the top of my class and had a solid research background under my belt before I entered college. I did well in college, joined the military as a Reservist, applied to, and got accepted to 3 of the better known Medical Schools. During my applications process to Med School I was asked "Why do you want to be a Doctor?" I didn't really have a good answer because there was nothing else I wanted to be. I began to do a lot of soul searching. This landed me in the world of nursing. I've not regretted that decision once. I live a great life as an RN where I work 3 days a week, get paid well and have time to have a life. My path as an RN is flexible...I can change specialties easily. The career I have as an RN is my design. I disagree with you that being a flight nurse (or any other type of nurse) carries less prestige than being a Doctor. Sure, you get to be called Doctor and have all the responsibilities along with the pay scale. But stop and think about the process of Med School. It will take several years before you become an attending in your chosen specialty. Once you've chosen that specialty, you will need to build a practice ... it will take years before you reap your rewards. You will be in debt (unless you're financially able to support yourself withouth loans), your malpractice insurance is more and you will have all the responsibilities (this is both good and bad). Prestige is subjective. Being an RN is different that being an MD. Nurses get to really know their patients in a way MDs don't. Being an MD is simply different, not better and not worse. There's prestige in both. You need to do a lot of self examination and get some experience before you decide if Medicine, Nursing or something else is right for you. Your Undergrad years will change you...enjoy the experience. Your "Pre-Med" major gives you a good foundation in the sciences but you need that "something extra" to be competitive in Med School. In the year I applied, I knew many people with solid GPAs who didn't get accepted. In the end, I hope you choose a profession because it's what you love doing. There's nothing like waking up in the morning and loving what you do because that's where the prestige truly lies. Good luck to you.

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with a couple of the earlier posts. 1) Nursing does not necessarily have to be a profession where we're taught to be submissive. Sure we have to carry out physician orders, but in the nursing jobs I've worked the nurses are valued and our opinions are respected. We were taught the use our critical thinking skills to collaborate with physicians to treat our patients. In fact, in my first nursing job (in a large, university teaching, Magnet hospital) we were taught to be patient advocates. This meant that we were a member of the team with valuable input. We were taught to think critically and ask about orders we didn't agree with. Sometimes we're wrong but other times we're right -- it was all about learning and doing what's best for the patients. In my current job, our medical director openly tells the interns/residents that the bedside nurses are a valuable member of the team with a lot to contribute. They are taught not to ignore our questions/suggestions because we've been doing this longer than they have. Some of these are first year interns/residents while some of the RNs have been there for years. We are the ones who are bedside monitoring the patients for 12 hours a day. We get to know the patients in a way they don't see. This is a profession and we should be treated like professionals. 2) There's an age old debate that new grads should begin in a Med-Surg floor to gain organizational skills... But there have also been many successful nurses who have never worked in Med-Surg (myself included). I did a 3-month externship before graduation and I knew I wanted to do a specialty unit right after graduation. The key is to know yourself, your limits and find a good, supportive hospital that welcomes and nurtures new grads in a specialty program. Of course working in Med-Surg will help with organization, assessment but a specialty unit will also help with the same. There's nothing like finding a niche in nursing and feeling/knowing that you're "home". Nursing is a very demanding and difficult profession with a ton of stress. We do get the bulk of what goes wrong, but we also get to hear/see and be there for our patients in a way that no other profession can. We are the ones who will hold their hands if they're scared. We can advocate for patients who can't speak for themselves.

I've always loved Critical Care Nursing - even when I was a student nurse. I now work in a very busy ICU and I love every minute of it. I also love floating/scheduling shifts in the ER. There's something about the pace & the acuity of the patients that I really love. It's a great feeling when you can intervene before a patient codes. I couldn't see myself working anywhere else.

Hi Summersent, You're the only person that can make the decision to quit now or pursue becoming an RN. Yes, there are days (sometimes weeks) when you feel under-appreciated, over worked with no one around you for help. Keep in mind that this happens in any profession. Nursing is a tough profession but its rewards are well worth all the drama if you keep things in perspective. I've found that most of the families I deal with are "rude" because they're stressed out and often afraid. They see their loved ones on ventilators with tubes coming out of every orifice and it's scary. Sometimes this fear translates into "rudeness" (then again maybe they truly are just jerks...). I never take it personally. Instead, try to see their point of view. Talk to the families/patients and answer their questions honestly. Truly try to give them a sense that they're partners in the treatment of their loved ones. Of course there are always going to be difficult patients/families but there are also those who will partner with you and remind you why you chose to become a nurse to begin with. The days when a family member gives me a hug and thanks me for the compassion I've show their loved one are memorable days. These are the days when my empty tank gets filled. It makes up for all the days when all I want to do is quit. Good luck in your decision. Remember that no one/nothing can truly change you unless you participate in that change.

Congratulations on graduating and working in the ICU. I hope you love it as much as I do! As far as the Conference goes, I agree with the prior post. Education is never a waste of time, but you may not be able to apply the all the information to clinical practice. (Of course, just knowing is an awesome thing!) I'm guessing you'll be going through a New Grad program with formal classes that will help you with the basics. Focus on that. Plan on going next year when the information may be more meaningful to you. FYI: There is a minimum clinical hour required in order to sit for the CCRN. If you have those hours by next year then I suggest also attending the pre-Conference where they have the CCRN review class. I hope you never loose sight of the optimism & motivation you feel as you begin your new career!

Hi Royal Nurse, You can register 3 ways: 1) for the Pre-Conference (the weekend before the conference -- Sat & Sun only); 2) for the whole Conference itself (Mon-Thurs); or 3) you can register daily which means you can attend the conference that day only. If you want to attend the Pre-Conference and Conference you have to pay 2 separate fees. 1 Sunrise session (ticketed but free) is included with the Conference registration (Mon-Thurs). You can attend any of the classes for the day(s) you are registered to attend. If you have problems/questions call AACN...they were very helpful to me when I had questions. Hope that helps