AustinTJC

Thanks for the helpful replies! I appreciate them. I would most likely first aim for Houston or DFW to work, but if they are oversaturated, I would be willing to relocate (Just hoping that the city wouldn't be too small). To go back to an earlier post, someone mentioned being able to work a lot of OT as a nurse; Does that happen when you are an hourly employee, or mostly if you're salaried? I understand that if you're salaried you won't get paid OT, but if you're paid hourly, you can get time and a half after 40 hours in a week. Thanks!

Thanks for the additional replies! :)

Thanks! :-) The wife and I plan on moving to DFW or Houston this January, for better job prospects. That is definitely true about Austin, the city is really growing a lot now.

I think that would be a great route to go! At first I was nervous that I'd have to start from scratch and go through the whole undergrad degree experience again; I will most likely do as you suggested. I think that undergrad credits would be less expensive than Masters credit hours. I will look for accelerated BSN programs in Texas; Did you do the online version or the university setting? Many people have said you will need to go to a brick-and-mortar university/college to do the clinicals and coursework, which is okay with me. I also assume that the 18 month program won't be as expensive as getting a four year Bachelors, since a lot of prior coursework is transferred in. Also, when I am in school should I expect to work at max part-time? I understand my schedule will be busy with school, so the FT work and school may be too much. Not to be a downer, but various folks on the internet are saying that despite what people think, nursing jobs are getting harder to come by; Is that all paranoia, or is there some truth to it? Should I also consider being a PT? I understand that it's different than a RN, but I want to get into a field where I know there'll be job opportunities. Thanks! :-)

I think I'd go the same route as you of waiting for the BSN and getting the degree that got me to work the fastest. My wife and I plan on moving out of Austin to either Houston or DFW, although we are willing to relocate after school (I qualify for in-state tuition in TX, so aiming for somewhere in Texas for school. I will need to take loans out for my school and want to start a new career as soon as I can. I really dislike the corporate office world and think I can put my people skills to work (I am classified as an ESFP, as per the Myers-Brigg test). I realize much of health care is run by suits up top and is corporate, but I'd like the human side of it, so maybe I would be happiest on the floor or working in a doctor's office.

Also, if I eschewed the LVN route and went to a RN as suggested, would an Associate degree be ok to start with, then finish the BSN later? Or is a BSN the best way to go? Thx for the help! :-)

Thanks for the additional replies, they are helpful :-)

Thanks for the replies :-). Ok then, I prefer learning in a traditional setting and not online, so that's fine with me. I know that community colleges offer LVN programs; Is it more important to go to a traditional school? Or is a community college okay? I know in the business world a lot of it is where you went to school, but unsure if in the nursing field it's more about if you can pass the NCLEX and not as much as the school you attended. I also know that nurses are usually busy and on-the-go, so it won't be like what you see on TV, where the patient and nurse are having a dramatic conversation with music in the background lol. :-) Lastly, is the most likely path for a LVN to become a RN? Or could I realistically branch out from there to other areas? Thanks again :-)!

Hi, i joined this site since it seems like it has a lot of helpful advice for the nursing field. So, about me, I got my BA in Economics and since then have worked in real estate billing and education (yeeehaw!). However, I'm ready for a change since I really dislike monotonous desk jobs and had enough of teaching. I am now looking into starting out by getting my LVN degree (I live in Texas) and changing careers into health care. I understand that nursing isn't an easy job, but I like helping people (preferably in a collegial atmosphere). I want to go into a job with security and satisfaction. Is getting my LVN degree and later working towards becoming a RN a good move? I'm 31, which isn't too old, but I'm not 22 either. Any other advice? I admit I'm a newbie and any help on getting into nursing would be helpful. Are there any reputable online degree programs? Or is a brick and mortar degree program best? Thanks! :-)