Penni60

I teach nursing students and often use the select all that apply questions. I tell my students to cover up the other choices and focus on the topic of the question and then read the one choice and ask is this a true or false statement about the question. If it is true then it applies to the question and is a correct answer. You can use the same approach with "all of the following, EXCEPT" questions too. Same analogy applies but in this case you are looking for the WRONG answer.

Online courses from LPN to RN are out there. I will caution you before picking a program that it is accepted at your Board of Nursing for you to sit for NCLEX. Here in California the program you graduate from MUST be an approved school that the program is accredited from the Board of Nursing. The Board has a list of those schools that you can chose from. Online bridges are sometimes more difficult in the practicum (clinical) requirements. Just do some really thorough investigation and ask alot of questions.

Mclennan: I find it sad that you don't recommend Nursing anymore. When you become a faculty member how can you continue to feel this same way. Won't that seem a little hypocritical. You will teach nursing but you don't recommend it as a profession? As I have said here previously, I LOVE BEING A NURSE. I love my profession and embrace all it has to offer. I see problems with the profession sure. That is with any profession though. I am a nursing faculty member myself and if you don't have the passion to be a nurse then the students will pick up on that and wonder about the career path they have chosen. I counsel students all the time about this career choice. I make sure they are willing to put forth the work to be a great nurse. I show them how satisfying it can be to take care of the patients that can't take care of themselves. I advocate for my students like I advocate for my patients. I have stood up to many a surgeon, general practioner, Nurse practioner, attending md, and etc to make sure my patients get the care they need. And yes I fight the good fight to the administration as well. I am not a complainer without having a solution already in the works. Be a positive force for the profession not a negative one. OK off my soapbox now.

I am extremely sorry for your experience with nursing. I have been in nursing for over 20 years. I begin my career as a Bone Marrow Transplant Nurse. Grueling both mentally and physically. Was I working long hours? YES! Did I feel like I was a servant to the patients and family members? NEVER!! Did I feel like I was not appreciated? NEVER!! Was I supported by my employer if I had an issue? 100%!! I have to agree with a previous comment that referred to not working in a good hospital. I have worked in both a Union and NON-Union hospital. Both have good and bad about them. I would suggest that if you are not happy with working conditions then be a change agent. That is the only way to make your working conditions improve. I can't imagine doing any other career with all the given problems and concerns Nursing can have I LOVE MY JOB!! I now teach nursing to students. I pass on that passion for this profession with the same eagerness I had as a New grad. I foster the relationships with new grads and support them when they are out there working. Nursing is one of the those professions that you either have the "caring" gene or you don't. If you recognize you don't then save your money on the degree and do something else. You have to sacrifice your feelings when working with patients because the job is not about you and your feelings at that time. IT IS ALL ABOUT THE PATIENTS!!! PS: I was in bedside nursing for 90% of my career. I LOVED IT!! If I could physically go back to bedside nursing I would in a heartbeat. I am doing pseudo-bedside nursing with my students in the clinical setting. I STILL LOVE IT!!

"Yo, guy in blue shirt? I suggest you remember I choose the catheter sizes based on how much I like you."