nursenice1

I am a graduate of a Diploma Program from 45 years ago. We started working on the floor the second week of school and had a preceptor who was with us all the time. Out of 101 students who started 71 graduated. Most are no longer nurses in a hospital because of age or have moved on to other careers. We expect nurses to be the all encompassing person on the floor who does everything for everyone. I had psychology classes from the first semester to learn to work with and for people. You can't write in a book the feeling you have the first time you walk into a room and announce that you are the nurse. Too many people do not see nursing as a career but a stepping stone to something else. In Michigan we have what is called a CD2 program meaning if you have a degree in something else besides nursing, you can attend school for one year and be able to sit for your boards. I was a nurse for 5 years when I applied to an RN to BSN program and was told it would take at least three years to complete. I work with two CD2 nurses now, who have a BSN who's degree was in Art History! I'm sure that prepared them very well. when I found out that I could spend 3 years and get a M.Ed in health education, work a Monday to Friday job,increase my pay to start by 50% and had no weekends or holidays, I jumped At the chance. Do I miss floor nursing? NO because the floor nursing that I enjoyed doing did not center on paperwork and 12 hour shifts, dealing with bureaucracy more than patients. I would recommend anyone who enters nursing school (1) work in a real hospital don't just watch a program on TV about hospitals, (2) look at other options for your skills especially if your good in science and math and (3) talk to a real nurse about their job. Too many schools just want your money, give you great book learning but no people skills.

If you trust the monitor, I hope a lead never falls off. If you get a flat line and the patient is talking to you, are you going to call a code? I hope no. You may think is an exaggeration but that's when it is said look at the patient. Also unless you have a 12 lead on at all times, how do you know that one or two leads you are monitoring are picking up the right part of the heart? Most patients know themselves better than we ever will. Listen to them then look at the monitor.

I have been a nurse for 42 years and have many types of nursing, including long term care, doctors offices, ICU/CCU, vocational rehab and teaching nurse aides and LPN's. every job has had its advantages and disadvantages, but I have loved every one. I am 62 and certainly not interested in returning to school. The job I have now is in Cardiac Rehab and I took this as an week fill in for maternity leave and have stayed. Have you thought of an assisted living facility? There are more and more people going to these centers who have minamal medial problems. Also look into Schools, especially ones that are run by organizations ( we call them charter schools) and see if they are in need of a nurse or someone to teach health classes. Why not design your own job? Promote yourself as a health educator who is willing to do talks for organizations or small businesses. What about Health Promotion? We have groups that go out and do flu shots in the fall and other medical services throughout the year.

I was a charge nurse for many years for scheuduling all three shifts. After Labor day, we would do the schedule for the next three holidays ( thanksgiving, christmas and New Years ( or eve) and after that we would schedule the 3 hoilidays for the summer ( memorial day, 4th of July and Labor day). Everyone signed up for two of the three in each with a first and second preference. Every one received there first preference for one holiday and second choice for the second. If I did not have enough people to sign up, I assigned them then. I knew that if they did not like there schedule choice, they could switch,, but they were responsible. Sometimes staff would ask to work a holiday that I did not sign them up for and I let them change with someone who was scheduled, but they needed to let me know at least 1 month ahead.

I have volunteered at local homeless shelters in the winter, I do not know if you have those in Arizona, but there are always low income sites that need help or head start programs that need assistence. Also you could volunteer at a local school ( elementary through high school) helping out with their students. Most would enjoy someone to come in and help. Also how about local churches? Many of them have a parish nursing group that takes blood pressures at services or does a health fair. You may even have some opportunities to meet health care workers who could steer you to a job.

Pretty sad commentary when someone who is an RN must go to school for 3 years to complete the BSN when someone who has another degree and has completed the prerequisites can sit for boards in one year. I work with one of those nurses and I can say her skills are worth about what she PAID for the degree. She can never read in a book the feeling you have the first time you introduce yourself as someone's nurse, All the schooling in the world cannot teach you that. You receive that from day to day working with patients, not reading the Proper procedure in a book. The reason we need these nurses with bachelors inother fields is because the people of today that would have the desire to become a nurse go into more lucrative fields. WOmen are no longer limited to teaching and nursing for their career choices. When I spoke earlier about a PAID for degree, I was speaking of teh nurse that does all of the classes on line, takes less time but pays the different in monies. Either you pay with your time or your monies. I guess you need to decide which is worth more to you.

I will speak from 2 perspectives. One as a recuiter, I do not look on "FAST" degrees as the same as I do from a university. The Regis grad bought there degree, they did not earn it. If I have a choice between two nurse, one from a FAST degree program and one from a university, I will choose the university. Saying that, I will tell you that I got my BS degree from a FAST university program, not in nursing, because I knew I wanted to go on for a Masters. You must look at your future plans, not just now. This leads to my second point. What do you want to do with the BSN that you cannot do now? Are you geting it just to add more letters? Will an employer pay you to return to school? It appears from your concerns about employment that you do not have a job now. Get involved in the field before you look to advanced degrees. I have been a nurse for 38 years and have never been out of a job unless I wanted to be. I live in an area that has a high umemployment rate, yet I have never been without work. That goes back to my days as a diploma nurse, to today with a Masters Degree.

Just remember: The closer to the patient that you are and the more time you spend with them, the less money you make. We do not value the work that the cna does. Think about the doctor who comes in for 2 minutes and the amount of monies he charges and the aide that is there for 8 hours.