Questionnaire

how long have you been a nurse?

5 years

from which kind of educational program did you graduate? lpn, adn, diploma, or bsn how long ago did you graduate?

bsn in 2004

have you returned to school for an advanced degree?

currently working on msn in cns

what do you remember most about your nursing program?

i had some really great professors that went above and beyond to make everything into a learning experience

what was the best part of nursing school?

i really enjoyed going to clinical. i also made some great friends.

what was the hardest part of nursing education?

i really stressed myself over things that did not warrant it. i also had to try to juggle working and school

did you have children to care for while you were in nursing school? were you married?

no and no

have you ever left nursing to do something else?

i have tought about it, but never actually did it

what do you remember about your "state board exams" or n-clex?

i took 75 questions and had alot about oncology, which i know very little about. i was done with the test in less than an hour, and i actually passed!

what nursing jobs have you had since you have left school?

physician's office and icu

in what specialty or nursing area do you work? or did you work last (if no longer in nursing)?

currently work in a ctvsicu

approximately what is the salary for most nurses in your specialty area?

in my area it is around $19.50/hr. i currently make $23/hr plus differentials for ccrn, cmc, charge nurse, eet, code team, weekends, and evenings (after 3pm).

what are the most satisfying things about your job?

i love being able to help someone when they need it the most and then see them walk out of the hospital a "new" person with a heart that works properly again.

what shift have you worked the most? what are the advantaged and disadvantages for you in each shift?

i have mostly worked 7am-7pm. i like day shift because i like a fast paced environment and the support of the physicians(the surgeons and pulmonologists are almost always hanging around). night shift pays a little better, is a little more laid back, and you have more autonomy.

what are the things that make your job most difficult?

staffing and having to search for supplies, also patient familes can make situations a little more difficult

do most people in your workplace like their jobs/managers/peers? why?

we absolutely love our managers. there is very little turnover in my unit. we are like a big family. we have our arguments (like brothers and sisters) and it is over before you know it. my managers are all very supportive and understanding. they want to see us succeed.

if you could do it over, would you go into nursing again?

absolutely! it is a difficult career, but so worth it.

would you encourage your son/daughter to go into nursing?

sure, it that is what they truely want. it is not a career to go into for money or a good schedule.

would you have done anything differently in your education or nursing job choices?

i would have took a job on my current unit right out if school. i also would not have went to work at the clinic, i felt like a secretary there and rarely did any real nursing.

in a perfect world, what would you change about the profession of nursing?

i would educate the public about what nurses really do on a daily basis. so many people have the perception that nursing is like it is on er, or whatever medical show you watch. sometimes it is a little like that, but there is so much more!

i hope this helps you!

It does! Thank you so much! :)

Graduated in 1978 from Texas Woman's University with BS in nursing, minor in biology

Nurse for 31 years

Have several hours toward my MBA

I liked my nursing program. The instructors were great for the most part and clinical was fun.

But we had to wear these pepto bismol pink uniforms. We stuck out like a sore thumb.

Nursing school was not too hard for me. I did not read any required reading. I went to class and took good notes, never missed clinical, kept a B or C average. Nurses were needed so bad then, no one cared about your GPA. Made A's in all my clinical rotations.

No kids, no husband, lots of boyfriends however and part time jobs.

After my first year of school I went to work at a hospital (I trained at the hospitals in the world famous Texas Medical Center) and worked as a CNA. I learned more there than in nursing school.

State boards were two days divided into 4 parts: med-surg, psych, pediatrics, OB. Each section as I recall was 200-250 questions, pencil and paper test, all day for two days. You did not get results for about 6-8 weeks. We did not have computers back then. You had to go to Austin Texas back then to take your test. I wrecked my car on the way up to take boards. Following my friend in her mothers car on a wet street, she stopped, I could not stop, ran into her and pushed her car into a police car. Got a ticket, car would not run, raining everywhere, cops everywhere like we had committed a felony.

I have done some med surg and psych but most of my experience is emergency and management at the director level. My current salary as a charge nurse on a med surg floor is $52.00 per hour in a small community hospital just outside Seattle. I work 3-11 because I simply cannot get up early. I like most of the people I work with and we all seem to get along for the most part. I like my manager, but having been a manager too I know how to hold her feet to the fire to get what I want. If I had it to do over, I would still do nursing probably. It is hard to say. More opportunities for women now than when I was in college. I would like to see more nursing instructors who get paid more so that we could get some nurses out of school. We are all going to retire and I want to have someone around to take care of me. We need computerized charting everywhere. I also would like to see everyone with an implanted chip with their medical records and medication information on their chip.