MickeyI

I have an ADN from Regents College, now known as Excelsior College. I had a BS in Biology already and had returned to college to pursue a nursing degree, but moved several times with my husband and had to start over and be on waiting lists to enter a new program, so I decided to go with the Regents program. After you graduate, it really doesn't matter how you got there. You take the same boards and should have the same basic knowledge pretty much. I have had no problem either in finding employment nor problems with peers. In some ways it is a little more difficult to go with the external degree because you don't have the clinical, nor actual classroom experiences and this had some effect for me and I had to try alot harder. I also had to research and find all my study aids and information- unlike traditional degrees in which most of it is presented to you. Over all it takes alot of disipline and hard work to go either way, but the same result. Good luck!

It is great that you already have some experience as a unit coordinator and cna. This really helps both to help you get to know how things are done and also so that once you are a nurse you know what is involved in other jobs on the unit. You might want to try to find a job as an ER tech. They usually love to have nursing students, you could see what it is really like to work in an ER plus gain valuable experience. Good Luck!

Unless you plan to go into a specialty like NICU or some cardiac specialty your present $68 will probably be more than adequate if you are using it without any problems so far.

I agree with the previous, it takes alot of work and courage to work Med-Surg. Dont think this is the minor leages by any stretch of the imagination!!! Just know that once you master this area, that ICU and ER will seem a whole lot easier-- just extra technical skills and a bit more in depth knowledge-- which you will be more able to concentrate on if you don't have all the other routine things to get straight too. But on the Med-Surg floor you can have a bit of extra time to think and organize things as most things are not life threatening (although there are always surprises). Good Luck!!! Nursing is harder these days, but I think it is definately worth it.

I prefer the Littmann brand also. They have many styles and price ranges, but I have found that a single diaphram is easier to use at first than a double bell. The earpieces fit almost anyone comfortably and they are light. I like the longer length, even though common thought is that you can hear more with the short ones, you also have to get alot closer to the pt-- which has it's advantages and disadvantages as you can imagine. Good luck!

I have been both in ER and ICU and have precepted several new nurses in both areas. Some did well, and some were very discouraged and wondered why they ever wanted to be a nurse. For the most part I think it better to get a little experience in a less demanding and less stressful area. Just like any new job or skill, it will take a bit to develop your routine and how to put to use the knowledge you already have to use, as well as learn new things. It's hard to go straight to a race car when you are just learning how to drive. It can be done, but is it best for you OR your patients? I know they 'told' you you would have training, a precepter etc, but I agree with the earlier post, in an emergency ( and there may be more than one pt crashing at one time, requiring the nurses to be spread out) you may be left on your own. Also, you can better believe the hospital won't back you if you inadvertently make a mistake. Look out for yourself too. Sorry if I sound cynical, but lately you have to protect yourself as well as the pt. Good Luck!! Sounds as if you are really thinking ahead trying to find out the pro's and con's. And I hope you do make it to critical care. I think it is a great area.