vortex72

Thanks for the info. I'm planning on becoming an FNP. I've been an RN for almost 10 years and I'm starting next week to finish my BSN so I can go to an FNP program. Around here, NP jobs had been pretty poor. I personally know many NP's that were still working as RN's because they couldnt find a job and when they did find one they pay was less than they could make as an RN working just a little overtime. I have been in acute dialysis the last few years and since I work for a private for profit company, I made much better $ than the average RN so it seemed pointless to get my NP. However, nowadays I know I'm not going to be personally satisfied with what I'm doing and I need to expand my abilities and opportunities to better serve God and others. Its good to know if I land in the right place I can still make some decent money

I sent you a PM if you would like some suggestions/information

You asked for input. Why do people start a thread wanting feedback and then disagree with anyone who doesnt want to automatically agree with the choice they've already decided to make? I've had several friends to become CRNA's so I know how it works with loan payback etc. I'm just saying in general its not a good idea to go that far into debt. If you're willing to take the risk and feel its the best choice for you then go for it. Good luck and study hard!:balloons:

I suggest you become a flight nurse when you graduate RN school. You'll basically be doing the same job you are now. Why become an RN anyway? You seem to be so impressed with your current job where you get to do so many exciting and impressive things. Oh wait, you probably need to actually get paid decent $$, which paramedics dont unfortunately. The worst RN job in my city pays twice what the average paramedic makes. I make 100k/year doing acute dialysis.. go figure And if you think I'm being nasty, just recall your "foley catheter" comment. You obviously have no respect for nurses, so again, why bother to become one? oh yeah money. we dont need people like you in nursing. Hopefully for you your instructors wont pick up on this and fail you out. They dont need a good reason. Dont assume all I do is put in foley catheters, I used to work at a level 1 trauma center and I've taken shock traumas and done arterial punctures etc.. bye now

I have great respect for paramedics. However, just because you've had quite a bit of field experience and have done intubations and maybe the occasional needle decompression doesnt make you qualified to be an RN. Sure, RN's in the acute setting do many things you might be comfortable with. However, you havent had the extensive RN rotations in all the specialties such as OB, Peds, ICU, Psychiatric etc. I DO beleive that paramedics as well as LPNs with work experience should be able to perform some sort of "fast track" to become an RN but the suggestion that you dont need additional education to perform RN duties is just ludicrous. RN's are patient advocates as well as dopamine titraters. They are psychosocial interpreters as well as art line monitors.

I think it would be unwise to go that far into debt. CRNA's do make good money, but I think you are grossly overestimating how much you can make and pay back. Lets say you go 150k into debt, average crna salary is 150k year. Guess how much you'll be taking home AFTER getting taxed to high heaven and paying malpractice etc.. About 100k. Then factor in interest, living expenses etc, you'll be paying on that 150k for many, many years. I'm not a crna but I made 115k last year in acute dialysis as an RN and I can tell you that 100k+ a year isnt nearly as much as you think it is. Btw, my expenses are about half of yours. :monkeydance:

I'm male and I HATE the term "male nurse" Regardless of what anyone says, that description carries the connotation that being a nurse and being male is a gender anomaly and needs a special description. I have no problem being a male RN, but my problem is the way some people respond to it. Most girls I've dated find it pretty cool since many women have at one time wanted to be a nurse (like boys wanting to be doctors and firefighters) However, older people tend to have a preconceived notion about being a "male nurse" In a social setting if someone asks me what I do I say "I'm an RN and I do acute dialysis" If they dont dont what RN means then I explain it. I NEVER use the term NURSE because unfortunately to society at large the term NURSE means anybody that cleans up poop and gives bedbaths. I've even met family members of patients who've told me they were a "nurse" and later I find out they are an assistant in a nursing home I prefer the professional designation.

Males are accepted fine and age is not an issue. In fact, most places I've worked love having male nurses since we tend to bring balance to a predominantly female area (testosterone diluting the estrogen). Ironically, in some of the areas that males gravitate to like ICU and ER you might find yourself working some shifts with all male nurses! If your ultimate goal is to provide care as a midlevel provider(ACNP or PA) then you might still consider PA school since you could possibly go straight into a PA program after getting a few prerequisites(considering you already have a degree in something else) PA's and NP's are basically interchangeable jobs in the medical community. The advantage to nursing is you can always get your RN and try out a variety of medical settings, then you'll be more attuned to what speciality you'd like to pursue as a practitioner. There is family nurse practitioner, pediatric, psychiatric, acute, etc. Also, in many states NP's have more autonomy than PA's(some states you can open your OWN practice and practice independently provided you stay in your realm of practice according to that state's nurse practice act) Anyway, there are many things to consider. Hope my info helped some.

If your concern is mainly income, then dont be concerned. You can make great money as an RN, and even better money as an ACNP if you are good at what you do, pick the right specialty, shift and place of work. I know an ACNP that rounds for a Cardiologist. He makes 220k/year! He is the exception to the rule but here in TN you can make 60-80k entry level as an ACNP and thats days only with no overtime. I will make 100k this year as a regular RN doing acute dialysis. However, I work a lot of overtime and take call. RN's that work odd shift like weekenders that do overtime during the week can easily make 100k. I know many that actually have taken a pay cut to go back for their nurse practioner since a green practioner usually only gets around 60k. However, once you've been in a practice awhile and earn your stripes, the pay can go up dramatically like the one working with the cardiologist. Hope this info helps, good luck! PS: I'm a guy and just to let you know nursing has a lot of shortfalls just like any other career. The grass may look greener on the other side but thats just cuz there is bullshit being used as fertilizer! What I'm trying to say is think hard before you change because everything has its ups and downs. Ironically, I know a lawyer who works as an RN but its because he never could make that much as a lawyer and working as an RN was a guranteed income for his family.

Acute dialysis is hemodialysis for hospital patients. Some may be very sick and unstable in the ICU or some may simply be ESRD patients who came in the hospital for something routine and need hemo while they're in. Typically, LPN's are not utilized in bedside acute dialysis (i.e. in the ICU). Most companies only hire RN's with acute dialysis experience. LPN's are used mainly in chronic dialysis but we have an acute clinic where LPN's are used in the clinic environment. They arent paid as much as we are but from what I've been told their LPN pay is much higher than available elsewhere.

Heh, I feel ya man. I graduated back in 97 and I HATED wearing that ice cream outfit. Now I wear surgical scrubs to work and have a sweet job in acute dialysis making 80-100k/year. Stick it out, its worth it :chuckle

I'm on call for acute dialysis. Our call pay is $2/hour. This doesnt sound like much but you get paid that every hour of every day you are on call. If you are on call 1 week a month, thats an extra $336 for the week you took call not counting whatever you got paid for working. I take continuous call for a hospital that doesnt have many unexpected emergencies. I rarely get called in unexpectedly but I have worked 7 days a week when its busy. I will make 16,000 this year just from my call pay for that job. My gross should approach 100k

Please dont have the assumption that $36,000 is decent money. This type of attitude is what keeps nurses' pay low. I wont take ANY job that pays less than 60k/year and that is in a relatively low cost area (TN). If you live in a relatively cheap area, I'd say maybe 45k is decent for your first year but thats minimum! IF you want to work I realize that coming from school and being totally broke that any money seems like a lot. However, dont be fooled. You will be a medical professional. You should demand good money for your services. 36k/year is less than most garbage men or delivery drivers make! edit. if you are referring to a job as an LPN then i guess that figure is ok!

I'm a recovering RN. Just recently completed my 3 year contract in proffessional assistance. There are many addicts or potential addicts in the medical field. Basically, all you can do is gather information and report the information to your superiors. I can almost 100% guarantee that confronting the person will get you nowhere, especially if they are using because the denial and self preservation are acute. I diverted for around 4months and was never confronted or actually "caught red handed" This rarely happens unless someone OD's in the bathroom which is a tragedy but it does happen more than you would think. I got caught by the pharmacy records when they did a quarterly review and found I withdrew more narcs than anesthesia one night! I cooperated with the inquiry and went into the impaired nurses program. I've been clean around 4-5 years to this day. An addict wont stop until they are ready. The only time I would recommend forcefully confronting the person is if they are obviously impaired and you fear for their patient's safety.

sounds like you spend too much time with the books and not enough time taking care of patients. like you, i can spew lots of textbook information if i desire(i'm a ccrn by the way) but the fact remains that it will be rare if ever that you see any type of transfusion reaction. the subtle reactions you are referring to are just that, subtle. you will undoubtedly not notice such a minor reaction while monitoring the patient. even if the patient did have a minor reaction, the md would likely order you to continue the transfusion since the benefit of the blood outweighs a minor reaction such as a slight temperature increase or other histamine related symptoms. if you see a sudden onset of anaphylactic symptoms, then by all means stop the transfusion!