ChristineG

Ok, good this makes me feel better! I wasn't sure if the ER nurses and docs looked at volunteers as if they were just in the way. If I do get into nursing school, I doubt I would want to be in the ER....but I think this will be a great experience for me to see a variety of illnesses! Thanks for the replies!!

Hi all, As I'm awaiting my acceptance letter from the nursing program I applied for, and in the meantime I am going to volunteer at a larger hospital. They have decided to put me in the ER, as the hospital feels I can get the greatest exposure to what nursing is all about (if I get accepted to nursing school it will be a HUGE career change for me). I'm going to be going for training next week. Question: Do you have volunteers in your ERs? If so, what do they do? I DEFINITELY don't want to be in the way...any advice? Thanks! Christine

Well I'm still waiting for my acceptance letter. The application/admission deadline was just on 2/2. I won't know for the next 6-8 weeks whether I've been accepted or not! Yikes! There were 1,000 applicants for 120 seats! Can you believe it?! My extrance exam scores were good and I have a B.A. and and MBA all with very good GPA's....so I'm hoping I'm one of the lucky 120!!!! If I DO get in, I will definitely tell my classmates about this site. I have learned so much!! I just love it!

I'd like to know as well! I do know you should be aware of their typical nurse to patient ratios (the lower the better). Probably starting pay? How long is the orientation once you've graduated and been placed on a unit. While I'm in school, I'm planning to work at the hospital as a CNA or Patient Care Tech. Ask their requirements...some want one round of clinicals done before you can do that, some want the actual CNA certificate, etc. Can't wait to see what else we should be looking for...I'm curious!

duh - you are on that topic. Sorry! Search through the threads...

search the boards and you'll find a TON of good and bad things about being a nurse. You may want to go on the "Would you recommend nursing as a career" topic.

Not CLC, but Harper...nearby! Actually, though, I'm still waiting on my acceptance letter! I won't know for another 1-2 months! The wait is killing me! ~Christine

Curious...just how much overtime do you all work? I'm not talking about what you ask for it, but when THEY ask you for it?

Ok, that makes me feel a bit better. A little about my sort of strange situation....I have a B.A. and recently received my M.B.A. and have a nice big office and work with great people doing HR. I make ok money now and probably could be making good money if I stuck it out here. However....I have this renlentless desire to go into nursing - wish I would have figured that out prior to going 27K into debt with the MBA loans!!! Anyhow, I have applied, taken the entrace exam and scored a 90% so we'll see. 1,000 applicants with only 120 seats! Am I crazy to quit, have my husband and I play poor-house for a year or two to try nursing? I have called to ask about job shadowing and volunteer opportunities at area hospitals but no one calls me back

I keep reading how nurses get paid so little, but from my understanding the pay is about 40,000 + when you first graduate. How much do you make, if you don't mind me asking? I've applied to nursing school and am curious if I have been misled? I live in the Chicagoland area if that helps any... Thanks!