anthony02

Apparently (and I say apparently because this is second hand information) but a few hospitals in the area are replacing RNs with paramedics because the medics are paid roughly half of what the nurses make.

Well, these are all good points to consider. The plan as it is right now is to take the pre-req courses that are required for all of the programs that I'm considering - A&P, micro, nutrition, etc... These will take about 2 semesters, so I'm going to apply to all the programs I'm interested in, an basically make my decision then. HA! Maybe I should just work for the fire department and be done with it!

Does anyone know anything more about the tuition reimbursement programs?

This is really great advice and I appreciate it all. I had no idea about tuition reimbursement from hospitals. Lilla, do you have any more info about that, or do you know where I can find some? Charmander, I work with a few guys who are ALS providers, but they are RN's with a pre-hospital certification and not paramedics. They work in the hospital primarily, but also serve as ALS field providers. I'm hoping to do this also if I do become an RN.

To be honest, if tuition money and time were not an issue, I would go for one of the many accelerated BSN programs in my area (accellerated/second degree programs). The cost of the BSN programs are significantly more than the ADN programs, and I don't want to take on the additional debt to enter one of the programs. Also, I will be able to work while attending all of the ADN programs I am interested in, because the credits from my earlier degree will pass me out of the general education requirements (english, psych, math, etc...) lessening my course load each semester. So is the consensus is that availability of clinical jobs is equal between a BSN and an ADN?

Thanks for all of the responses. Beachbumnrs, do you think that having an ADN will put me at a disadvantage when trying to get a job in an emergency department?

Hi everyone, I've been looking around this website for a few weeks now, and I thought it was time to ask a question. I'm considering a change from my current career to nursing. I'm not going to post the details, but its enough to say that my career doesn't do it for me (and it never has). I'm a part time EMT in a busy 911 system, and have been for 2+ years now. I enjoy the work. I went into EMS to get a basic feel for the healthcare system - to see if it might be something I want to do, and if I could handle the environment. Aside from EMS, I'm enrolled in an A&P course for the fall semester. Just one class, and I haven't applied for any nursing programs yet, because I want to take things slowly to make sure that I don't fall into the same trap that I did with my current job. On to the questions. I'm planning on applying for an associate degree program, because of cost and flexibility (so I can work while in school). I think I want to go into pediatrics, and I enjoy the trauma/emergency med side of things. Does an associates degree sound like a good fit, or would I need a BSN for that career path - does peds require more from a candidate? On a more specific note, I live in a major metro area and plan to stay. I'm hoping to make minimum $25/hr. Is this a reasonable expectation? Also, I understand that nursing is usually flexible in its scheduling. Is this true, and is it in terms of vacation/sick days or shift times? My goal is to get an understanding of the job, something I didn't do the first time around. Thanks for taking the time to read and respond.