VolunteerCPR

Congrats on the baby :) We are actually TTC and I'm planning to take a semester off if it happens. In my opinion, school and a job will always be there. (Heck, maybe even more jobs the more you wait if the economy continues to improve.) Your fertility and your baby's first couple of months will not. It's not a rush to the finish line, take a little time to smell the flowers. You can still finish school and have your baby, too :)

You just had a bad night, everyone makes mistakes. You will land an RN job, and the economy is not likely to stay crappy forever. There have been ups and downs in the economy for decades, and nursing has always rebounded. You're also almost done (assuming you're in a 4 semester program), so just stick with it. Also, many women have cried at work, and we all get through it.

I would say no, CNAs really don't make that much, at least in my area. Most CNAs I know live with parents, husband or someone else sharing the bills.

I won my uniform vest and patches for free at mine :)

It shouldn't, if you go to another school they will give you transfer credit, but they won't figure the prior school's grades into their GPA calculation for your performance at their school.

Yes, with four days off I've done lots of celebrating with family and have time to work on a paper and study today.

No, I wouldn't want to hear about it from a coworker. I would want to hear it from my boss. He'll likely be hurt that other people knew before he did if you tell him.

I was unsure about nursing and took a 2 year break from school. I went back to my previous job outside of nursing. The idea of nursing always sort of nagged at me and I found myself missing it, and wishing I had finished, and now I am back in school. I am still taking my time and putting my family first, but I'm working my way through, and really glad I am. Sometimes you just need to step back and take a break to figure out what you really want. The other careers you mentioned are great, too.

Nursing school will ALWAYS be there. You can be 30, 40, 50, 60 and go to nursing school. Taking a semester off is not the end of the world. On the other hand, you cannot have a baby at 40 without worrying about the 1:2 chance of Down's, or at 50, or at 60... There's a difference in advice that should be given if a person is 21 in school wanting a baby, or 35+ wanting a baby in school.

Congrats :) :) We are TTC now and I'll take my 3rd semester off if I end up being due in Aug. I think nursing school would be an easier time than 12 hour shifts, on the feet all day on a new job. Jobs will always be there, I'm not in such a rush to the finish. Keep me updated, maybe we will both be due in Aug :)

You can take a semester off if you want, that's what I'm planning to do. (3rd semester). If you tried & conceived right away you'd be due in late Aug/early Sept. Your job will be there your entire life, your fertility won't. This is my 3rd, so I know what to expect. I agree with the above post that the first few months you are REALLY TIRED, but you'll have motivation to keep going.

A patient has the right to refuse any care they want, and they should still never be talked about in the hallway outside their room with a statement like "The medical professionals always know the right things to say to get them." when the pt is in extreme pain. I'd write a letter, too. Whether or not anyone is happy with whatever you did or didn't take or tests you did or didn't want, medical staff cannot stand in the hallway (within earshot!) and chat about how they think you're a drug seeker.

There is a lot of misinformation in this thread. I am a Red Cross CPR instructor. The Red Cross offers CPR for Healthcare Providers, and for the lay person, just as the Heart Association does. The Red Cross also requires competency demonstration and a written exam. Not only that, the Red Cross is more thorough in many areas. I am certified from the Red Cross and the Heart Association, and the Red Cross classes are typically twice as long - many are 6 hours where the Heart Association is one or two, not that longer = better. Some real differences are things like AHA teaches abdominal thrusts only for choking victims, and the Red Cross teaches 5 back blows and then 5 abdominal thrusts. There are small differences like that in the two programs. I have done a lot of research on this issue and there must be some kind of lobbying from the AHA or something like that for them to have such a market hold on CPR certs, b/c there is nothing that makes their class above the Red Cross's.

What prevents someone from just saying No, they've never been treated for a mental disorder? Health records are not public information. It's not like a criminal record that would show up on a background check. I don't understand the whole 'the information would be attached to the license' concept, because unless someone disclosed it on the application, I don't see how they could ever find out. Am I wrong?

OP, do you have any updates? I've read this whole post and I hope you finally got your baby and a job you love :) :heartbeat I agree, having a baby while looking for a job or the first year of working isn't the greatest either, so for some, nursing school makes more sense. You're also not on your feet as much in school, which makes that aspect easier.