natasharostova

Hi everyone, Does anyone know what it's like to work as a CNA in NYC? For example, what is the average salary? Is it very difficult to find a job? Is it even possible to survive on the salary for a year in such an expensive city--and if so, is the lifestyle terrible? Any advice? Thanks! -NR

Anoetos, Lol to the first comment. And agreed on "War and Peace". It's my favorite novel :) Love, NR

jguy, thank you so much for all the advice! As I don't plan on working as a CNA, I think I will definitely choose the study abroad option instead. I really appreciate your taking the time to answer my post! Love, -NR

Thanks so much! It's really encouraging to know that there's no in-depth psychological background check etc. Love, NR

Thanks everyone for the awesome replies! I feel much more encouraged now :) Yes, my family is full of engineers, doctors, lawyers, and professors. I've been told that the "least" I could do is become a prof. And yes, they'd be willing to pay for (most) of med school. But that doesn't change the fact that I really want to be a nurse and deal directly with people. The people, not the puzzle. :) I feel like I'll be much more prepared the next time someone asks me why I didn't go to med school. Thanks all for your help! Love, -NR

Why don't you get CNA certified first and see how you handle that kind of job? It will give you insight into how you feel about a profession in healthcare. It would also be pretty easy to work as a CNA while in ADN/BSN school. Speaking of which, if you already know that you want to get your BSN, then why not go for it now? You're right about there being many other opportunities in nursing other than bedside care. There are literally hundreds. Most/all of those require at least a BSN, though, and generally an MSN. If you are set on starting out with an ADN, one thing to consider in the future is an RN-to-MSN program (which allows you to skip the BSN). Having an MSN would open up the fields of management, training, and specializing. As far as whether or not it will be catty...to some extent it probably will. But isn't everything like that? I know that there is just as much gossip etc. among teachers as there is among nurses--there might even be more. Just something to consider. Good luck on making your decision! -NR

Hello All, Does anyone else feel like there is a stigma that comes along with nursing? Like, do you ever feel like people are judging you based on your career choice? Do you feel like nursing isn't as well respected in society as it should be? My parents and a lot of my friends are being pretty critical of my decision to become a nurse. I can't even count the number of time I've been asked, "But wouldn't you rather be a doctor? Why not try for med school instead?" Just wondering if anyone else has experience with this sort of thing. How do you handle it? Love, -NR :heartbeat

Next spring I will be applying to the Nursing Schools at UNC and UNC Charlotte. I will have some extra time this summer, and I want to either take a class to become a CNA or go abroad for 4-6 weeks. If I went abroad, I would go on a volunteer medical trip where I could actually be assisting nurses in Asia or Africa. My question is, which would look better on my Nursing School application? Having a CNA 1, or having spent 6 weeks giving medical aid in a developing country? Btw, having a CNA is not required for either of the programs that I'm applying to. Thanks!!! -NR :heartbeat

One more thing to consider...there are some schools that offer RN-to-MSN programs. You could always get an ADN and then do one of those. It combines some of the classes for a BSN and an MSN so that you don't have to take something twice. However, I agree with kenpochic...if you already know that you want to do an MSN in the future, then why not go for the BSN now? It'll save you time later.

Hello All, I plan to apply to the nursing school at my university next year. A little under a year ago, I tried to kill myself. Will having this on my health records affect my ability to be accepted into a nursing program/become a licensed nurse? How extensive is the psychological testing/background check that they do before you can get accepted into a school? Will the information that I tried to commit suicide even be available to the school/future employers? Any info would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, NR