ThatBigGuy

ThatBigGuy

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All Content by ThatBigGuy

  1. Advice on a good Stethoscope brand?

    ThatBigGuy replied to 0.5GPA's topic in Scrubs, Uniforms, Gear

    The Classic III is a solid choice. It's perfectly good for most applications. However, the Littmann Cardiology III is pretty much the acknowledged standard, especially if you are looking at critical...

  2. Fit bit

    ThatBigGuy replied to Cob94's topic in General Nursing

    Fit Bits use an accelerometer to measure those steps. This accelerometer uses the changes in your arm swing to determine your "steps". The count you have at the end of the day is literally how many...

  3. Nursing School questions..

    ThatBigGuy replied to carmelruth's topic in General Students

    Apply for every scholarship under the sun, both nursing based and GPA based. Go ask the finaid department if they have anything they can offer. My school had a small scholarship for anyone who had the...

  4. Rn-msn/dnp with other bs degree

    ThatBigGuy replied to 44rn44's topic in Post Graduate Students

    Google "RN to MSN programs" and you'll find many programs that may fit your situation. Click here for a site that lists some of these type of programs. Many programs require a couple years of RN...

  5. Financing Nursing School - Not Sure What To Do

    ThatBigGuy replied to rock hopper's topic in Pre-Nursing Students

    $125,000 is a lot of debt to risk on one program 3 years from now. You limit yourself to one track: graduate and work for the Nurse Corps. You have no other options. What if you only make it part way...

  6. The ICU and Fatigue

    ThatBigGuy replied to CardiacDork's topic in General Nursing

    I've been ICU for several years. The first 6-8 months were tough, and my stress resulted in some serious heartburn. I have since grown accustomed to it. You develop trust in your skills, your...

  7. Nursing school is hurting my marriage

    ThatBigGuy replied to lana1234's topic in General Students

    You've sacrificed time with your husband for school, and it's affecting your marriage. You're only 6 weeks in to a 104 week program. You should sit down with your husband and have a conversation...

  8. Haven't graduated yet, being asked to stay after I do. Need some advice

    ThatBigGuy replied to FLnurseprospect's topic in General Nursing

    A bird in the hand... I would want to have three questions answered soon: 1. How long is the contract? 2. Can we negotiate the hours closer to 40, or add incentives for OT? 3. When do you want this...

  9. Do you still have energy to cook after a 12 hour shift?

    ThatBigGuy replied to chunkalunk's topic in General Nursing

    I cook something in a skillet about 75% of the time. Breakfast for dinner is one of my favorites, but I also enjoy hot sandwiches. Hamburger helper and frozen chinese skillet dinners are pretty easy...

  10. Advice on education options?

    ThatBigGuy replied to Mariekb's topic in Pre-Nursing Students

    Finish out your phlebotomy certification because that's an incredibly useful skill to have in the acute care setting as an RN. If you have the time and inclination, getting your EMT would be helpful...

  11. San Antonio

    ThatBigGuy replied to ERNURSE47's topic in Texas Nursing

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics states there are 153,000 jobs in health and education in SA (they do not differentiate between the two). Houston does have more of these type jobs (320,000). In direct...

  12. Getting mortgage as contigent staff?

    ThatBigGuy replied to trickstick's topic in General Nursing

    You have a unique way of earning income and lenders dislike uniqueness, because it tends to increase risk. You have a few options here, none of which will be easy. 1: Get a full time job for a bit,...

  13. Deciding which program is best

    ThatBigGuy replied to FutureNurseBri's topic in Pre-Nursing Students

    I would not finish your Psych BS, especially if you've already taken all of your pre-reqs for nursing. I would just apply for nursing school and get after it. In the meantime, work as much as you can...

  14. I know it's horrible to live off loans but...

    ThatBigGuy replied to Cats&Tea&Climbing's topic in General Nursing

    Do you want some acute pain now or a chronic headache later? The pain now option is to take out the least amount of loans possible. Doing this means you will have no social life, because every waking...

  15. Nurses with Contracts

    ThatBigGuy replied to JMR83's topic in General Nursing

    You signed a contract knowing you would have to pay it back if you left early. The only recourse you have is to go have a frank conversation with your manager and see if something can be worked out...

  16. MSN, $60-$75K, worth it?

    ThatBigGuy replied to peanutfish's topic in Post Graduate Students

    The general rule of thumb is to not take out more student loans than you can reasonably expect to earn in your first year of work. I would be fine with a $75k bill for an MSN-CNL for someone younger....

  17. A.A to A.S.N to B.S.N.? or A.A. to B.S.N.?

    ThatBigGuy replied to starlight95's topic in Pre-Nursing Students

    Finish your AA and then apply to both the ASN and the BSN programs. Both programs are affordable and have similar NCLEX pass rates. Go with whichever program accepts you

  18. Is an accelerated BSN worth $87K?

    ThatBigGuy replied to KJet5's topic in General Students

    Math: The average student loan takes twenty years to pay off and carries a 6% interest rate. At your current age and anticipated graduation date, you'll be 50 years old when you finish paying off...

  19. Is 90k in loans worth my BSN?

    ThatBigGuy replied to raeelynn's topic in General Students

    Math: The average student loan takes twenty years to pay off at a 6% interest rate. Your BSN will be paid off in the year 2040. With interest, you will have paid $160,000. Do NOT pay $90,000 for a...

  20. Although Women Dominate the Nursing Profession, Do Men Make More Money?

    ThatBigGuy replied to allnurses's topic in General Nursing

    I did a quick survey of my coworkers, on a specialty unit in the South. We consist of 30% men, 70% women. Our unit pays based by years of experience, on a pay scale. However, if you work on your...

  21. Look for a College for my Daughter

    ThatBigGuy replied to ConcernMama's topic in Pre-Nursing Students

    Your daughter needs to do this. You may help, but nursing school requires an incredible amount of self reliance and self motivation, and your daughter needs to start figuring that out now. The first...

  22. Finish AA before nursing?!

    ThatBigGuy replied to JNV9211's topic in Pre-Nursing Students

    Your AA can't hurt in the long run. It could actually help in the short term, when you apply to nursing school, because it shows you have the ability to start and finish an educational program....

  23. Nursing school help

    ThatBigGuy replied to Kaut9200's topic in Pre-Nursing Students

    Mathematically, "working hard" for the two years after your first bad year should have resulted in a higher GPA than a 2.49. Regardless of how hard you worked, your hard work does not appear to have...

  24. Tuition, how much is too much

    ThatBigGuy replied to hopefulkim99's topic in Post Graduate Students

    The average student loan payment takes 21 years, with an average interest rate of 6%, according to the internet. You'll be 52 years old when you're done paying. You'll also have paid $70,000 in...

  25. Planning to move to Austin Tx

    ThatBigGuy replied to Sesa0323's topic in General Nursing

    First, comparing California to Texas (and Austin specifically) is not an even comparison when looking only at hourly rates. You will earn less in Austin, but your dollar will go further. A few things...