JC3374

That is probably the most wise advice I've ever heard. Thanks for sharing.

Medical/surgical or pharma sales

I feel disappointed only as a student when I hear other students that hate bedside nursing. I get it--it's hard. I understand the concept of developing your career eventually to move away from bedside to another scope of practice or management. But I do not understand someone pursuing nursing that abhors the bedside skills that ARE nursing. Am I confused? And as I said, this is a very common consensus amongst my peers. Nurses fresh out of BSN programs already determined to become nurse anesthetists and NPs. Why and how is this allowed without a few years of bedside nursing under your belt? Is this even safe? I don't begrudge anyone--there's room for all different types of folks in nursing. We are all valuable. I'd like to practice home healthcare but it's impossible without a few years of good experience. Yet a nurse with no clinical experience can get a Master's? Help me understand this?

This is a trend. 90% of the students in my program claim that they NEVER want to work bedside...period. Furthermore, a few are going right into MSN programs with NO CLINICAL experience. To top it off, the few that are moving to med-surg jobs after graduating were placed by nurse recruiters at very well known hospitals, that themselves did not have clinical experience and after getting BSNs, went straight to recruiting! Does this make any sense?

Don't be discouraged! It makes me sad that so many nurses dread the bedside but it is an unfortunate consequence of the crazy hospital work place that we now have. The pt to nurse ratios are crazy for RNs and CNAs--the patients suffer. I hope all nurses will unionize and end this unsafe practice. It is also contributing to high attrition rates of new nurses, nursing burn out of seasoned nurses and thus the perceived "shortage"--though we are now graduating more nurses than ever.

They are on probation due to low NCLEX pass rates...may lose accreditation...not good...avoid this school! Even says so on website! Be warned!!!

DO NOT ATTEND THE DCCC NURSING PROGRAM!!! First off, they are on PROBATION by accrediting agencies because of their low NCLEX rates and may lose accreditation (NOT GOOD). Second, the program is poor. The sim labs are old and outdated, the equipment doesn't work and there are never enough supplies. Third, constant turn over in instructors, Dean, etc. Also, NO LOCAL HOSPITALS ARE NOW HIRING ADN GRADS FROM DCCC. You heard me right! You may do your clinicals and be a star at Main Line Health...but they WILL NOT HIRE YOU!!! Save your time and money and go to West Chester or another state school straight for the BSN...and a better program.

I couldn't have said it better!

Hi, Older student nurse here with 10 years plus experience working as a CNA and HHA...My personal belief is that ALL perspective nursing students should have to have a CNA license or HHA title with minimum 6 months experience prior to or as a condition of entering a nursing program. This is because there are so many students that have no concept of the realities of nursing, especially nursing care and dealing with patients and families on a psychological level. This alone would weed out 20% of applicants before they drop nursing programs after they see what reality is like. Just my $.02 cents. As far as working as a companion, HHA or CNA: know the difference in terms of expectations, requirements and levels of care you can legally deliver. It's quite different and I've even worked for agencies that confuse the two. With a CNA you are operating under a nurse's license legally. In home care I've been sent to cases that required wound care with no staff RN on board so I refused those cases due to liability issues. I agree that working as a CNA can be low-pay, back breaking work. It really does open your eyes in many ways not just to how screwy our medical system is but how difficult it can be not just working with the sick but also difficult coworkers and families, etc. Also, you have to remember exactly why YOU are there to begin with: the patients are incapable of caring for themselves for physical and psychological reasons (often both) and the families either cannot do so or do not want to do so. It can be very sad. I also think nursing students should be trained on Alzheimer's dementia care, because you will be seeing tons of that. Bed sores and elder abuse can be issues, too. I used to think that I could save the world but the reality now is to follow my care plans to a T, safely and hopefully provide some comfort and happiness along the way. Private duty is sometimes better pay with less stress, agencies charge clients $23-30/hr. but pay CNAs $10-12 where I live. Now I work private duty cases and will now work for less than $15/hr, PERIOD. I did find an agency I worked for that paid $12/hr around the clock for live-ins and time and a half for over time so if I worked 3-24s I'd usually make $700 clear, but those are cases where you are up all night and running all day. Still, it was better than agencies paying a flat rate of $110/day...which is RIDICULOUS. I also screen cases to make sure it's something I can legally handle. Families will often minimalize the care needed, i.e, Grandma sometimes has "accidents" and is "forgetful" when in reality she is late stage 6 Alzheimer's and completely bed-bound. I also will not tolerate abuse form families and clients--especially physical. I once had a demented client try to punch me in the face and then I finished my shift and resigned. Unfortunately a lot of seniors I've encountered have underlying psych issues besides forms of dementia that were never addressed and escalate as they age. I love helping people but I'm not losing an eye or limb to do it. I also fully establish care plans and responsibilities before I start because I cannot tell you how many families think that in addition to Grandmas 24-hr care I am also the family personal babysitter, shopper, chef and laundry worker. Good luck, you will lean a lot!