blueblaze

Maxs, You sound very empathtic and quite observant. Both are needed in nursing. As far as my son's student loans go. He lied to his mother and me. He borrowed over $100,000. I only found this out recently. I thought I co-signed a student loan for 2500-3,000. Sally Mae is frequently calling to make the payment on a $7,000 loan I had co-signed for. If it had not been my son, oh well!. I will most likely be responsible and have to pay for the $7,000 Sallie May Student loan. He trys to keep up the payments. It's difficult on what he makes. He's not happy nor am I(about this). Oh Well! My wife, the NP, got fired 3 weeks ago(they let 8 NPs go). Her employer called her 3 days later and ask her to come back. Today, she got word that the Bank has forclosed on the company and now she has worked 3 weeks without a paycheck and will be filing for unemployement. Before this employer and now, she will be working for a PRN agency as an RN. $40/hr is good money for the few shifts she works. It will help. No, it's not what she wants, but! My education. I wanted to go to college(nursing). My dad thought college was foolish. All of his friends sons were in Viet Nam and his son was a nursing major. Not a manly thing to do. I paid for most of my college and got my BSN. In most cases, in you really want to be a nurse, get your BSN. You will never regret it. With a BS degree, they're many more options for employment. You are correct, money isn't everything(unless you owe someone else). You make your own happiness. You've got a great attitude and I wish you well. Blueblaze

It's my understanding you cannot get a MSN without getting a BSN and you must be an RN for either. What do you want to do in life. How old are you. What are your family and financial responsibilities? DON't borrow any money. MY oldest has over $100,000 in student loans(& like a fool, I co-g=signed for one) The answering maching has messages on it now for his lack of payment. He finally got a job in L.A. making about $15/hr. I would have to consider the MBA. With the MBA, you could use your nursing experience. You would open your fields of employment. A BSN is probably more costly and as far as most hospitals/nursing homes go, a nurse is a nurse, is a nurse, is a nurse. Good luck in your decision. Blueblaze

The group who eliminated her position called her today and ask her to come in for an interview in another area. They have 5 NP positions. Go Figure! And employers can't understand why there is little loyalty left among it's employees. A few more days and she'd be invested in their retirement system. Blueblaze

As long as Public Health wasn't notified, you're OK. You will probably have to take the CNA class all over again. There is a State of ILLinois Webb page with the Ill.Dept.Public Health page. Go there and ask your question. That's your best bet. Good luck. Pekin/Peoria is a good place to live/work. Blueblaze

Who knows what to do. Last week after almost one year of a "wonderful" relationship with her physicians and patients, my wife was approached by the "university's" administration and told her NP position was eliminated. They were replacing her with a physician. So much for a $40,000 plus education. She should have been a plumber. OH Well! Blueblaze

dear friend, i'm writing a note to let you know about president bush's attack on overtime pay rules and protections. a lot of people will lose overtime pay when this goes through in the next couple of months. we need to join together and speak out in order to stop this. you can send a fax asking president bush to withdraw his overtime pay take-away by clicking on the link below. http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/stopbush4otpay/ thanks

Illinois IS a work at will STATE. Your employer can do whatever(unless you have a contract-ie:union). If Bush's labor law passes(which our Governor recently vetoed the Senate version), your employer will not be required to pay you overtime. This is to help stimulate the economy. The hospitals are supporting the bill. Suprise! Blueblaze

No one got blacked balled(please read again). The pre-med student just couldn't find a medical school who would accept his admission. Just because you take and pass pre-med classes doesn't always get you into a medical school. The point was this guy really wanted to be a "doctor". He really wanted to take care of sick people. And after 4 yrs. of college, he had now real job and was very disapointed. I have wondered where he is today and if he perservered and got into a med. school somewhere. Back then, some students I beleive ended up in the Bahama's or Jamacia's med. schools. Blueblaze

I believe the docs want a young person whom they can and will control. "Do as I say, whether it is right or wrong or your not only out of a job but also a career." The physicians at one time had the strongest union in America (the AMA based out of Chicago) Many of the new Docs don't belong. That's probably good for NP. However an AMA doc could blackball you from the profession and you couldn't even practice as an EMT, ParaMedic, or even a CNA. I once went to school with a guy who studies pre-med. Got all the classes, grades and student loans. After 4 yrs. of pre med he had never once been in contact with a real patient in a hospital. He never found a school who would admit him and after four years, he wasn't even qualified to be a CNA. Just be careful in life's decisions. BlueBlaze

Sorry to get you so hot. I'm a very independent person(as are most nurses). As far as the Nursing Model versus the Medical Model, most people don't know the difference. They're both good and not so good NP and PA out there. I remember in a required family planning clinical in the early 70's, every women who I was introduced to as a nurse(male), they refused to allow me my clinical experience. The OB doc got mad and introduced me as his assistant. For the rest of the time, NO PROBLEM. The PA requirements I quoted came from a brochure my physician's office gave me. Doctors have complete control of their PA(who are probably mostly male). If he dies or is ticked off, you lose your job(right?). As far as NP, if you lose you job with the doctor, you can be a Real Nurse(RN). You can be a hospital, nursing home, OR, ER, OB, School nurse, etc, etc,. You at least have a job. Your not tied to a specific doctor. My NP wife just got papers from BlueCross BlueShield to sign in order to get reimbursement. The law has been passed(in Illinois). It must be approved by the Ill. Dept. of Insurance. In this economy, I would never recommend anyone to get an education unless the jobs were there. My son has a degree from Ill. Institute of Art and a student loan (over 70,000). He got the degree in what he always wanted. People told him to be cautious. He moved to Calif. 2-3 yrs ago thinking there would be more job opportunities there. He may get his first "break" with Spike TV in a few months. in the mean time, he has spent 5+ yrs as a carpenter(non union, no benifits) he lives with 6 other guys and works 12 hr days. He's 30yrs old. I wish him well and hope he gets his break. But as my father said "don't quit your day job". NP, PA, just make sure the jobs are in the area you want to live. Blueblaze

My physician's group has about 12 clinic. To my knowledge(and per Med.Dir.) there are no NP. and recently the PA's hours were cut due to buget cuts. If your willing to move out of state, there are states that appreciate NP much more than Illinois Blueblaze

In Illinois, most schools(Not the State, for there are NO regulations because you are under the liscense of the doc), you must have a BS or BA in anything(my PA once was a hospital administrator looking for a job) and 18 months of on the job training. YET, many DOC perfer PAs. OH Well!! Blueblaze

RAD is an "attachment disorder" It's listed as an official mental health disorder (DSM III) for about 10 yrs. Most psy. people never heard of it. I believe you'll see a lot more as many children are being adopted from all over the world. Many of these kids have had trauma like we've never see. RAD sometime shows up (esp. on boy during puberty) Girls somehow seem to "overcome" RAD. Jeffrey Daumer was an extreme case of RAD. On my way to take youngest to boarding school tomorrow(500 miles) 8 more weeks of school. One week home and he is off to U.S.Marine @ Paris Island in another week. Blueblaze

You "passed" the calling. Nursing is really 1001 different jobs. I've had several NON nursing business people tell me if given the opportunity, they'd hire a nurse.\ over a non nurse. My children are adopted. The boys (28 and 19) probably have RAD. We've dealt with it. My daughter (25) is mild D/D. I've advocated for the special needs child for several years(another story). The boys would never consider nursing. They puck at the site of blood. The girl is set up as a dog groomer and will probably always live at home. While mom got her NP, I became Mr. MOM. Some of the teacher thought I was a single Dad. No problem. I understand. I volunteer for organ retrieval and my daughter has "help" me on several occasions. I've taught her sterile techniques, etc. She worked for a Veternary clinic as a "cage" cleaner(as part of her school credit) One day they were short of help and need someone in surgery...She told them she could help. They let her in and it blew them away. Before becoming a groomer, she was their most senior employee. Mom was much older than you when she went on to become an NP. It has taken a toll not only on the family but on her. She loves her job and I love her and want what's best for her. However, as I get older, I realize that life is too short and you must make the best of it. I just read about the MSN degree you are referring to(2 yrs, great). If given the opportunity, go for it. Don't wait, if you can't get in, get that R.N. Blueblaze