I honestly believe that most people don't know what their getting themselves into when they try to pursue a career in nursing. Like seriously!
Today, I asked my closest friend why she wants to be a nurse (she's pre-nursing with me) and she said, "Because of the money, the hot male nurses, and because I like babies".
Lol, she also wants to get her CNA license next spring because she witnessed the birth of her neice and an actual CNA woman who helped "deliver the baby" told her she could be that in just 3 to 5 weeks. I really just wished that woman would've told her that she'll first probably end up working in a nursing home until then some. So now my friend is saving up to become one.
I'm not going to tell her the truth about nursing though, only because she's a grown woman and is capable of making her own decisions and learning about nursing on her own like I had to.
Although, I am secretly steering her to get her ADN first before she goes in debt trying to get her BSN, blindly.
In my region, the job market is competitive & only wants BSN nurses. So for some, it is worth it to go into some "debt" just so they can actually earn a pay check when they graduate.
Lol, I know a CNA can assist in a birth. And I'm not trying to sabotage my friend, I'm actually helping her by not allowing her to take out a high amount of private loans. She doesn't qualify for finacial aid because her mother doesn't have a SSN, and she just decided she wanted to be a nurse two days after her niece's birth when she was looking into becoming a CNA. She didn't even look into what nursing was or what nurses do.
And yeah I do know about nursing, and just because I'm a pre-nursing student doesn't me I'm uneducated about the field I want be in for the better part of my life.
Plus, the money is not worth it in her home state where new grads are started off at $18 an hour. Here in Chicago, most are started of at $27+ an hour.
Let me blunt here.
You've started a thread proclaiming the truth about nursing. You know what you've read. How do you know that's the truth until you've experienced it? You OP states that she's most likely to start as a CNA in LTC. That right there indicates a lack of knowledge. Many (most?) CNAs start off in hospitals. Maybe not in LD, but it does sound like the hospital near her employs CNAs in LD, so who are you to judge?
Determining whether money is "worth it" is such a personal question. The only person who can decide that is her. And I really don't know what "by not allowing her to take out a high amount of private loans" means, but I do think your follow up comment saying you never said you weren't letting her take out loans is contradictory.
If you want her to gain an understanding of what nursing is, fine. You know, not actually understanding that is a major failing of the nursing education. Not even those who research it until the cows come home truly get it. TRUST ME ON THAT - man I thought I knew it all and it destroyed me those first months to see how different it was from my expectations. So I appreciate that concern, but let's be fair here. You could help her with this, but instead you're judging it. You're swaying her away from BSN because you think she's being frivolous.
A lot of fantastic nurses get inspired to become nurses because they have this beautiful moment where someone in the profession touches them deeply. For her, it was a birth. That's actually something that does it for a lot of nurses. Stop judging her.
In my region, the job market is competitive & only wants BSN nurses.
Lol, the hospital that I currently volunteer at hires ADN nurses, plus there's are all sorts of community hospitals in the Chicago suburbs that still hire ADNs (I looked into it before I suggested it to my friend). But I do know what you're getting at. However, she already took out a pretty big private loan to pay off the university we are currently attending. She even joked about being over a 80k by the time she graduates. I don't see how it's funny though.
Everyone flocks downtown for the "BSN preferred" so now the community hospitals has no choice to still hire the ADNs.
If I offended someone with my earlier or original post that was not my intentions. My main point was that she said her comment as if she was doing it only for the money, and I honestly don't think the pay is worth it for someone who Is only doing it for the money. That's what I meant, and she has a strange phobia of feet, so I don't know how it'll work out for her seeing feet a lot. She's my roommate so I should know.
And that's why "money" is in bold print. Because I do agree the pay is good money if you love what you do.
Who cares?! Seriously! A lot of great nurses just went into it for money! Look - you need to understand something: the reasons a person goes into a profession are none of your business, not up for judgment, and never wrong (unless it's to harm people).
........feet....... lol seriously, feet? I'm TERRIFIED of identical twins and dwarves. Like, I don't intentionally dislike them. I just literally feel my chest get tight, my heart accelerate and I get a panic response for no damn reason. You know what else? Misophonia. Look that sucker up. I want to punch people when I can hear them chew. My patients love me, and I just got a perfect yearly review. Every one of us has a weird fear, gross out thing, or compulsion. Part of me thinks having idiosyncrasies like this can actually make us better nurses through compassion and empathy for others experiencing something similar.
Determining whether money is "worth it" is such a personal question. The only person who can decide that is her. And I really don't know what "by not allowing her to take out a high amount of private loans" means, but I do think your follow up comment saying you never said you weren't letting her take out loans is contradictory.
If you want her to gain an understanding of what nursing is, fine. You know, not actually understanding that is a major failing of the nursing education. Not even those who research it until the cows come home truly get it. TRUST ME ON THAT - man I thought I knew it all and it destroyed me those first months to see how different it was from my expectations. So I appreciate that concern, but let's be fair here. You could help her with this, but instead you're judging it. You're swaying her away from BSN because you think she's being frivolous.*
A lot of fantastic nurses get inspired to become nurses because they have this beautiful moment where someone in the profession touches them deeply. For her, it was a birth. That's actually something that does it for a lot of nurses. Stop judging her.
Wow lol, I didn't think my post would offend so many people (like jeez). In my earlier post I didn't mean to make it sound like I was controlling her and her future, she can be a nurse if she wants to. Yeah, I did make her aware of the financial obligation, but I cannot in any way stop a grown woman from doing what she wants to do. Just because I suggested something else doesn't mean she's going to do it. I told her the ADN would be the cheaper route for her and she could get into the profession much sooner, because she originally thought the only way to become a RN was to get your BSN. So I don't see how I'm wrong for that, but sorry if I came off too judgmental. I agree with you.
I'm not a nurse, but I'm around nurses daily so I get to witness a lot to comment on it and give pointers to my friend. Just saying.
Both my grandmas were nurses. One of those grandmas raised me from 2-8, then 15-19. She's a huge part of my life. I didn't know jack about nursing until I was a nurse.
The money is still well worth it. For a two year degree, you have the ability to earn a ridiculous amount of money and even if you don't get what you want right away, you have a versatile degree due to the many opportunities out there.
I've seen a lot of posters on here claiming that the money is not worth it. Well, it is. They just don't want us money hungry people in this profession.
My idea of a "ridiculous amount of money" doesn't in any way include a nursing salary.
I'm not a nurse, but I'm around nurses daily so I get to witness a lot to comment on it and give pointers to my friend. Just saying.
I was the second oldest of 6 kids and had to do a LOT of child care because my Mom had babies after I was old enough to help. I changed diapers, fed the babies, took care of them while Mom went to school, etc. With all my vast experience with babies/toddlers/young children, I knew I'd been well prepared to be a mother.
Then I had a baby and realized that until you have walked in those shoes, you just don't know what you DON'T know.
Look - here's the reason why I say that. You may see what they do. You may hear what they say. But until the education is in your brain, until the responsibility of that med you're giving is yours, until it is YOU juggling multiple patients, knowing your responsibilities are more than you might be able to accomplish (but still have to), and you have to be alert enough to recognize that subtle decline that signals an impending code, YOU DON'T KNOW. In theory, you know. You have an idea of it, and are hopefully bracing for the struggles of the first year. Read through the first year forum and see all of us who have posted there saying, "I thought I knew, but I didn't know".
You get what you've seen, you get what you've read, but you don't know the reality yet. That's not your fault, and no one blames you for it. Just realize that when you post "the truth of nursing", proclaiming you know it, it's going to catch some heat. All in good time, nurseling. Go talk to your friend. Ask her what SHE wants. The very best advice you can give her right now is to ask her if ADN or BSN will get her hired where she wants to be. That is the very, very first step.
Then I had a baby and realized that until you have walked in those shoes, you just don't know what you DON'T know.
I agree because I originally wanted to be a veterinarian because I loved animals and at one point I had 5 dogs. But after spending a day in a vet hospital I was not at all swayed to get into that profession. I mean one dog even tried to attack me when I went to pet it.
NurseIndependa
113 Posts
In my region, the job market is competitive & only wants BSN nurses. So for some, it is worth it to go into some "debt" just so they can actually earn a pay check when they graduate.