Questions and feelings on nursing

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  1. What hours do you work?

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Hello, I am currently a student at the University of Rhode Island. I will be graduating in May with a biology degree. I want to then take an accelerated BSN to become a nurse. I just have a couple of questions about it all. I am also a licensed EMT right now that volunteers when I can.

1. Has anyone taken the accelerated program and how is it compared to other ways on becoming a nurse?

2. Is it possible to get a nursing job that is 8 hours a day?

3. Do all nurses need to work holidays and weekends?

4. What specialty or floor do people like the best?

5. Does anyone work in Connecticut, if so, how is your experience with nursing. And in general for anyone, how do you like nursing? Was it a good decision?

I wanted to go to PA school but I am still not sure exactly what I want to do, I don't want to go to school for a long time. I want to be able to have a family, and be able to balance out my work and life.

Please help me out and let me know your feelings on nursing and the pros and cons to it!

Thank you!

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Specializes in ICU.

You will earn far more, have more autonomy, more respect and an overall better quality of life as a physician assistant.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

The type of job you seem to want (8 hours, no holidays, weekends, etc.) do exist in nursing. However, there is a lot of competition for those jobs and it is rare that a new graduate gets such a job. I have such a job -- but then, I also have 38 years of RN experience and a PhD in nursing.

Too many people enter the nursing with unrealistic job expectations. They look at the best jobs within nursing and assume that they will get a job like that right off the bat. A few new grads get lucky ... but for the majority, the reality is that most new grads start out at the bottom end of the career ladder and have to work their way to positions of higher pay, better hours, more authority, etc. You work your way up the ladder by getting experience in the field and advancing your education.

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I am okay with working my way up the ladder and earning those hours. I just wanted to know that they exist and I am willing to work for it. Also, how do people go about specialties? And when entering into the nursing field, are the hours 12 hr shifts? 10 hour shifts? and manly weekends and on call as well? just trying to get some background so I can be prepared. Thank you !

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Specializes in ED, School Nurse.

Most hospital jobs I have worked I worked every other weekend. Weekends are typically considered Saturday and Sunday. Holidays were on a rotating schedule. For example, one year you work Christmas, the next year you work Christmas Eve. The exact division of holidays is facility dependent. Most hospitals in my area use three 12 hour shifts per week for inpatient floors. As far as specialties go, I can speak for my own experience. I worked on a med-surg floor for 18 months as a new grad. During that time, I cross-trained some shifts in the ER when I expressed interest in that department. An ER shift opened up, and I interviewed and got it. I am now a school nurse after working in the ER for 5 years.

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Specializes in Critical care.
Has anyone taken the accelerated program and how is it compared to other ways on becoming a nurse?

It really truly varies. I'm a 2nd degree nurse. I finished an accelerated BSN program earlier this year. I also took a pay-cut from my first career (which I stayed in for a couple of years before deciding I wasn't cut out for desk job, especially one with practically no interaction with others). I just want to make sure others understand that the salaries most people hear about with nursing take time to work up to (which I was totally fine with). It's also important to note that 2nd degree nursing students get almost no financial aide- you may be able to get some federal loans if you haven't maxed out yet on the limit, but the majority of funding is from private loans.

I don't know how the accelerated BSN programs compare to others. I absolutely have no regrets and had no issues with my program. There will be complaints about every single type of program, so sometimes listening to complaints isn't the best method of evaluating a program. As far as I know my classmates didn't have any trouble with the NCLEX. One month after finishing my program I think about 90% of people had already passed the NCLEX (I don't remember the numbers, but it was a very high number and I think most of the 10% who hadn't passed had not attempted to take it at that point). I took and passed the NCLEX with 75 questions in 1 hour less than 2 weeks after finishing my program. I had several interviews in the weeks after and I started my job 2 months after finishing school.

Do all nurses need to work holidays and weekends?

My unit currently has combinations of 8 and 12 hour days. We work every 3rd weekend, but most units in my facility require staffers to work every-other-weekend. We also rotate the holidays and everyone has to take their turns working them.

What specialty or floor do people like the best?

The specialities typically take time to get into. Some new grads do luck out and get into them right away, but most take a job to get their initial experience before being accepted into a specialty.

A lot of people want to get into peds or labor and delivery. While I love kids and babies those areas of nursing hold no interest to me right now. I think one of the most important factors is the atmosphere and culture of the unit. I think it's better to be on a med-surg unit (that may not be the top choice) if the other workers are supportive of each other and work as a team, rather than be on a dream unit (ICU, L&D, whatever it may be) if that particular unit has a toxic atmosphere. This is something that is different everywhere, so I don't think there's really a cut and dry answer.

And in general for anyone, how do you like nursing? Was it a good decision?

As I already stated, I'm a new nurse. So far I am super happy with my decision and I love nursing. I'm on a tele unit, which I thought was a great place to start. My unit is awesome and so far I have no complaints about my employer (other employees who have worked elsewhere have commented on how great our employer is compared to others). My family and friends honestly weren't surprised when I decided to become a nurse. I love all the opportunities nursing affords and I look forward to getting at least a few years of experience and then deciding what I want to get my masters in.

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What are some typical weekly schedules for people?

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Specializes in Emergency.
What are some typical weekly schedules for people?

12 hour shifts. Work 2 off 2 work 2 off 3. On every other weekend, holidays alternate annually. Easy to trade to get 4 days off in a row.

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There are a limited number of positions with long lines for M-F days with no holidays.

I would go for PT, best pay for schedule and job satisfaction in my experience of working closely with them.

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I would go for PT, best pay for schedule and job satisfaction in my experience of working closely with them.

OTs also seem to have a pretty good setup and job satisfaction, from what I've seen over the years.

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Specializes in Pharmaceutical Research, Operating Room.

1. Has anyone taken the accelerated program and how is it compared to other ways on becoming a nurse?

2. Is it possible to get a nursing job that is 8 hours a day?

3. Do all nurses need to work holidays and weekends?

4. What specialty or floor do people like the best?

5. Does anyone work in Connecticut, if so, how is your experience with nursing. And in general for anyone, how do you like nursing? Was it a good decision?

1. I took an accelerated second degree program at 29 years old. It was full time for 2 years, including summers, and it was the hardest thing I have EVER done in my life. It was certainly doable, but cramming in the workload of a BSN into 2 semesters instead of 4 like a traditional bachelor's degree was absolutely insane. You will have absolutely no life while in school, and you will probably be exhausted constantly. I was. But! I also interviewed for and accepted my first nursing job 3 months before I even graduated from nursing school. It was in the specialty that I wanted, the OR. I took and passed the NCLEX the first time around in 75 questions, as did all my other ABSN classmates (well, the passed first time thing, I don't know if everybody did it in 75 ;) )

2. Absolutely. I left the OR after a year and three months - I realized two months into that job that I'd found myself in the special 10th circle of Hell, and that's why the place was such a revolving door. Got out when a much, much better opportunity presented itself. Now I work 8 hour days, 10 minutes away from my house.

3. I work 3 holidays a year for double pay, and they are signed up for on a first come, first served basis. However, that is going to change later on this year and then I will not be working any holidays. I don't work weekends or nights.

4. I wanted to go straight to the OR after graduation and did so. I LOVE surgery, but the toxic environment of the hospital and my OR specifically was not something I was willing to subject myself to long term. I am very, very happy where I am now however! :D

5. Not in Connecticut, sorry!

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