EdBSN09

Update: I was able to find out some more information myself. The bill is now called HB2548, and was again referred to the "rules committee" back in March of 2006. A full and complete text version is available here: Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB2548 You can check its status here: Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for HB2544 I agree with the OP: write your congressmen and congresswomen. Let's get this done! -Ed

Does anybody know the current status of this? As of 3/10/2005, the bill was "re-referred to the rules committee." (See Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for HB2544 ) What does this mean? Has the bill been dropped? Or is it just tied up in the hopelessly endless political process? I think legislation like this is desperately needed. Hospitals claim it won't bring one additional nurse to the bedside. I doubt that's true. But I'd sure like to see hospitals try to meet these ratios. And I know they won't do it unless they're forced to. -Ed

21 y/o nursing student here. Was going to be a radiology tech straight out of high school, but decided that I wanted to be more involved in the whole process. I also started working at a level 1 trauma center as a registrar, and found the nurses' roles there much more interesting. ER is what really interests me, and is what I will be doing after I graduate. OR and cath lab are also very interesting to me. My long-term goal is to become a nurse practitioner and return home to a rural area. I'd like to work in rural hospital ERs in this capacity.

To begin, let me say that what got me interested in nursing in the first place was ER nursing. I worked at a small, rural hospital for a couple of years doing ER registration on the weekends, and then at a large, urban medical center doing the same thing. Now I'm working at a smaller "community" hospital in the same city as the medical center as a unit secretary. I'll train in the student nurse role in a couple of weeks. That said, I'm now in my second semester clinical rotation of nursing school, and I have to say that I'm really not enjoying it. I feel like I'm not learning much and not doing much. This is my Adult Health I class, and pretty much all I do is bathe my patient, do vitals, accuchecks, and pass some meds (only with my instructor right there, and it's not often that I get to do this). Also, so many of the other students' (all girls) patients seem to respond much differently to them than to me. Stuff like "I should give you a tip" or "you're so nice." My patients seem to like me just fine--always "thanks so much for your help" and that kind of stuff. And the girls always talk about how cute such and such a patient is, or how they just love so and so's patient. I find myself not having any of those kinds of responses. I enjoy helping people, but I don't find that I have much of an "emotional" connection with my patients. Is this just the difference between males and females and the way we operate? I'm thinking it is, but I just need some input/reassurance here. I guess most of it is that I'm just used to the fast pace of the ER. I'm more concerned with what's going on healthwise, how to fix it, and getting the job done than I am with having a strong emotional bond with my patients. I find that areas like ER, OR, cardiac cath lab, endoscopy, special procedures, and management are what catch my interest. Those areas tend to be much more focused on specific, acute situations and procedures rather than longer-term interactions with the same patients. I know it sounds silly to ask, but does this make me a bad candidate for being a nurse? Am I in the wrong profession? I work full-time and go to school full-time, and I guess everything is just starting to get to me. I am planning to cut back at work, but I just find myself discouraged with school sometimes. I have mentioned my interest in the above areas to some of my fellow students, and it's like they think I won't make a good nurse or something. And I'm starting to wonder myself. I enjoy helping people, but my interests just don't seem to lie with floor nursing. Sorry that this message is so disorganized--I'm exhausted and just needing some encouragement. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. -Ed

While I am not African American, I am a male in the nursing world. It seems as if male nursing professionals are becoming more accepted, but there still aren't many of us. I'm one of three male students in my class of 70. I welcome the diversification of the nursing profession in all directions. I think all of us has something unique to bring to the table.

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I thought about it, as well. I chose nursing because of the pay, job outlook, and flexibility. Nursing is a totally unique profession. Radiology technicians also enjoy a lot of great career options, but I decided that nursing was the better fit for me in the end.

I think nursing in general is a profession that you must have your heart in to succeed. By the same token, I don't think anyone should starve to death because they're doing something "because of his/her heart." -Ed

Hello, everyone, I'm a student currently pursuing my BSN, and I will graduate in 2008 (despite my name :-)). I'm interested in the informatics field, but even more interested in management. I do have a couple of questions, however. First off, after I graduate with my BSN, I am wanting to pursue a master's degree. I'm giving a lot of thought to the University of Phoenix's online MSN/MBA program. It sounds like what I'm looking for, and the price seems to be right. My main question is this: will this degree give me a significant edge in the management arena? And if so, does anyone know how U of P is viewed by hospitals, or even online programs in general? I know U of P says that the vast majority of their students are happy with the education they received and how it helped their careers, but I'm curious to hear from people who are in the field. Some more info on me: I've worked in hospitals since I was 16, and have served as a registrar, unit secretary, and tech. I like the RN's role, but I think I could probably make more difference in management. I've also had a lot of people tell me I would make an excellent manager. I'm just curious as to what I can do now to prepare myself for a management role. I have a job lined up at my current hospital for when I graduate, and I'd like to move up here. But what can I do to make my resume look good to another hospital should I decide to take my first management steps elsewhere? I'm curious to hear from both new and veteran managers. Thanks in advance! -Ed

Very interesting thread. I'm interested in pursuing infomatics as my specialty, as well. After I graduate nursing school, I'm going to go to the local public university and go for a computer science degree. My hospital is getting ready to implement computerized charting, though, so maybe I can get a foot into the door of the I.S. department now. Can't hurt to ask!

EDIT I'm interested to continue this conversation with you, but perhaps it's not the best idea for me as an employee to post operating information about the hospital on a public forum. I sent my reply to you via PM. -Ed

Try St. Luke's Hospital in Chesterfield. Several people I know from school have gotten jobs there as PCTs. You needn't have any clinical experience--they'll train you. I think they've still got a few positions open, as well. http://www.stlukes-stl.com Good luck! -Ed

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I posted a similar thread a few weeks ago, but I would like more generalized information about the job market for nurse practitioners. Ideally, I'd like to work solo or with a group of other nurse practitioners in a rural area. I'd also like to take call in a small hospital ER, also preferably in a rural location. Do any of you know what the job market is like for this type of thing? Specifically in Illinois (southern). I have less than two years left in my BSN program, and I'm planning on waiting a year or two to save some money, then going directly into a MSN program. But before I commit my time and resources to that, I just want to make sure that I'll have a good chance of getting a job afterwords. Any ideas about the market? Or who I might be able to talk to to find out? Thanks in advance! -Ed

I've wondered the same thing. I'm currently enrolled in a BSN program, working 40+ hours per week and taking 17 credit hours. So far, I have found it challenging, but not impossible. But, I am also single, live in the dorms, walk to work and class at my hospital-based nursing school. I'm wanting to become a nurse practitioner, but I owe my hospital four years of full-time employment as an RN to repay them for helping me with tuition now. I'm wanting to get started right away in an NP program, but I'm trying to decide whether I am better off waiting until my contract is up or working my way through it. Any additional thoughts would be most appreciated!

Thanks for the info. Do you see the job market for NPs in general as being good? I don't have any particular rural area in mind, but I worked in a small, rural hospital before I came to the city. I liked the rural setting much better. Do you think there's truth in what I've read that NPs and PAs will see many more opportunities in the future? I guess what I'm asking about is the overall job market. I don't want to go for my Master's to end up having trouble finding a job. For instance, I already have a job secured as an RN at my hospital after I graduate (I have two years to go, despite the '09' in my screen name :-)). Do most NP grads have similar luck with securing a job offer? Any other advice or thoughts you have on the matter would be most appreciated. Thanks again!

Hello everyone, I'm currently enrolled in a BSN program and will graduate in 2008. My plan then is to move back home for awhile to save up some money, then go to grad school. I'd really like to end up working ER at a rural hospital, so I've thought about becoming a PA. But I really like the more holistic approach of the nursing care model as compared to the medical model, which I understand is more of what PAs use. There are several excellent schools in my area, and I'm wanting to go to Barnes-Jewish Hospital's college to obtain my advanced practice degree. My main question is this: is there going to be significant demand, both in the short- and long-term, for nurse practitioners? I've read several articles that suggest PAs and NPs will both be in demand as the emphasis on cost containment in healthcare increases. But I wanted to see what the job market looks like from your point of view, as practicing NPs. I like the extra autonomy the job seems to provide, but I do prefer the nursing approach. It seems like there's just something extra. And I'll also admit that I don't want to go to medical school. I think something like this would be a good fit for me, but I do want to make sure there's going to be plenty of jobs before I start making longer-term plans about my career. Thanks in advance to anyone who can help! -Ed

T&BB=Tylenol & a bye-bye Code S in room ________=Code Stupid/less than pleasant patient Sorry if these were repeats---I didn't read the entire thread.

This attitude is unfortunately present at a lot of places. I work in registration, and where I used to work (a large, inner-city academic trauma center), most of the RNs treated everyone (including each other) like substandard individuals. I got a different job at a smaller, for-profit hospital just down the road before I started nursing school in August. It's totally different. Here, it's as if I'm part of the team. They make sure we get what we need, and they all talk to us as if we're on the same level. They also always ask if we'd like anything when they order out! It's the little stuff like that which makes me feel like part of the team. Thank God my nursing school is at this hospital, and most of our clinicals are done there.

SmilingBluEyes: Thank you, Deb (if I may call you by your first name). I appreciate your interest. I will definitely still be around here in five years. I hope to have positive things to report about my progress in the healthcare field. :-) I've also thought about the possibility of hospitals increasing the use of unlicensed personnel. But with the increasing frequency of lawsuits, I'm not sure that the hospitals want to open themselves up to the liability of having even more unlicensed professionals around. I just don't see that happening. Granted, I'm young and inexperienced, but from the reading I've done and the people I've talked to, this seems like one of the less likely options for health facilities. Procedures can only become more complex, as well, and I would think that it would require more skilled, licensed professionals rather than less. I hope I'm right, at least. And as far as immigrant workers--I don't think that's as big of a threat as it's made out to be. The information technology industry has seen a similar trend. There was, and is, a shortage of highly-skilled IT workers in this country, and there are a huge number of people from other countries working in the U.S. under H1-B visas to help fill the gap. And IT jobs are often some of the best-paying jobs out there, with above-average wages, benefits, and relatively good employment prospects. Many people said that the immigrant workers would drag down the profession as a whole, but it hasn't happened, and the trends aren't pointing that way, either. The situation for nursing will likely be similar. My hospital employs a decent number of immigrant workers, and they're paid the same salary as the other RNs. My hospital has also bumped up the pay ranges for the third time this year (from $16.55 to $17.20 base for GNs, who move to the Tier II pay range after a year, which is $20.85/hr). I'm just not sure where I want to take my career after staff nursing, though. I really enjoy information technology, so I've thought about pursuing a degree in computer science or management info systems and helping hospitals utilize their technology more effectively (to make it easier on the staff and on management). This is one place where I personally see a lot of room for improvement in our profession. I just want to make a difference--whether it's one life at a time or for entire hospital systems, I haven't yet decided. :-) It will certainly be interesting to see where we are in 10 years, though. The healthcare landscape will most certainly be different than it is now. I hope for the better.

Perhaps I should clarify further. I'm not sure who this particular comment was directed at, but I'll assume it was me. I'm not saying that complaints about compensation are baseless. But I am saying that nurses can enjoy good pay, benefits, and job security in a variety of areas. One usually never gets rich working for other people. Certainly I wouldn't argue with a pay increase, and when/if a union comes knocking on the door of my hospital, I'll be one of the first to sign up. But I don't think the nursing profession is in quite as bad of shape as some make it out to be. I've worked in hospitals since I was 16. Almost exclusively emergency rooms (one of which was a level one trauma center). I've served registrar, unit secretary, and NA roles. Granted, I never experienced the stresses that the nurses felt. But I have a pretty good understanding of the role of the nurse and what's expected of them. I also think that, judging by what I've seen, I will enjoy the work (not necessarily the workload) for the most part. A big problem I notice, however, is that most of the people I go to school with (a college that only offers nursing) do not work in hospitals, and have never worked in hospitals. I think far too many people go into the field expecting to get rich, which is unrealistic, and they don't know what they're getting into. I think this contributes to the burnout of the rest of the people who genuinely love their jobs. Again, just trying to clarify my position. These are just a few observations I've made over the last (almost) five years. As the shortage gets worse, though, certainly pay and benefits will go up.

I've been wondering this same thing. A $35,000-$40,000 starting salary in this area is definitely in line with many other occupations, and out ahead of a good number of them. According to Salary.com, the average RN in St. Louis makes, excluding overtime, $55,000/year. At my hospital, the staff RNs top out in the mid twenties per hour, and float nurses top out in the mid thirties. More opportunities await in management or advanced practice. Of course it's hard work. That's an accepted fact. But construction jobs are also very hard work. Miners, mechanics, and people in manufacturing also have very hard jobs. Many of these people start out making less money than we do, and make comparable wages once they gain experience. Most of them also deal with demanding, backbreaking work. Most of the time, they're also out in the elements. These types of people also do not enjoy tremendous job security. Many of us, however, will enjoy the climate-controlled comfort of a healthcare facility, unparalleled job security, and good opportunities for advancement. Yes, nursing is a hard job. But every field carries its own problems and difficulties. They're not unique to nursing, and they don't warrant starting at $35/hour fresh out of school. Some facilities have poor working conditions. When conditions are poor, it's time to move on. Again, this isn't unique to nursing. Don't get me wrong, I know there are plenty of ways conditions and compensation could be improved for our field. But I also think we need to count the (many) blessings we do have.

I've also noticed this. I work as a Registrar in an inner-city hospital ER. Triage sees the patients first, then we call to our offices to interview them, or interview them at the bedside. Almost all of the nurses enjoy what they do. As for the rest that wouldn't say they "enjoy it," they are neutral. There are only a couple I can think of whom hate it, but they seem to be the type of people that would hate most anything they could be doing. Everybody has really good days, everybody has bad days. Mistakes are made, administration wants to cut staffing or other resources, patients are a bear, etc. I think it's important for us all to keep in mind that this board is a place that we can all come to to vent. There is a lot of negativity to be found, but that's mostly people venting, I think. The majority of nurses I talk to, their good days by far outweigh their bad, and many are also quite happy with their salaries and benefits packages.

I would also note that, at least at my hospital, there is an abundance of available overtime. So if money ever does get really tight for me (when I decide to purchase my first home, for instance), I can always pick up a shift or two a pay period to get some extra cash. The hospitals in this area generally provide good benefits, as well. I'll owe this one four years of my time when I'm through school because they're helping me with tuition. After I put my time in here, I plan on moving to St. John's Mercy Medical Center here in St. Louis because it's unionized.