thinking about moving into this area--? for you

[MollyJ]

Hi,

I am a nurse with 22 years of experience in a wide variety of places--from hospital to community health. I am currently doing drug prevention in a school setting. I have a MSN in community health. However, I miss the essence of nursing, the hands on activity of caring for people that need a nurse AND I miss being around and mentoring young nurses.

I am toying with applying for a teaching position at a local private university in my community. I admit I am old and "cranky" so jobs have to meet some of my criteria. I have a 9 year old child, so I look for family friendly hours. I have the luxury of not having to make loads of money because my husband is a primary wage earner and my income supplements. But with my son on the threshhold of pre-adolescence being home with him and being able to help him do his thing are very important to me. Now, I am also old enough to know that no job is perfect and that sometimes your job day spills over into your regular life, but I need to hear from nurse educators on how their job works with family life.

I also feel that nursing schools should be a "knot hole" that not all students make it though. That does not mean I intend to come into a school with a vendetta to flunk out lots of students, but I am frankly wanting to know if you all experience pressure to pass people you'd rather not pass.

I have steered clear of nursing education because (as a diploma to BSN to MSN) I felt that the BSN should be the level of entry to avoid people experiencing second hand citizenship and because the BSN gives you better mobility over time, when you get tired of that steady diet of bedside care. The college that I would apply to calls itself university but stresses its ADN program, promoting it's BSN as something you do "later". Conceptually this has been repugnant to me, but reading these bulletin boards, I have come to appreciate that nursing schools (especially in rural states like ours) have to deal with realities such as the need to generate a significant number of grads and not all of them have high aspirations. They don't want to spend lots of years getting educated and they are not interested in a maybe future where they want to do something else. By and far what the BSN promotes, students and the public don't always value. And good bedside care can be given by people educated in that ADN context without the layered on expense and supportive (but obviously not ? core) knowledge that the BSN gives. I guess I am saying that what I see has softened how I view ADN based education. Can ADN instructors tell me how they resolve the ethics of ADN education with their own journey toward higher education?

A final question is will I be pressured to consider a Phd? Personally, I wouldn't rule it out, but not while my son is so young.

I know some of my questions are a little impertinent, but I'm wanting to hear from the horses' mouth.

Thanks for your time.

[maikranz]

Originally posted by MollyJ:

Hi,

I am a nurse with 22 years of experience in a wide variety of places--from hospital to community health. I am currently doing drug prevention in a school setting. I have a MSN in community health. However, I miss the essence of nursing, the hands on activity of caring for people that need a nurse AND I miss being around and mentoring young nurses.

I am toying with applying for a teaching position at a local private university in my community. I admit I am old and "cranky" so jobs have to meet some of my criteria. I have a 9 year old child, so I look for family friendly hours. I have the luxury of not having to make loads of money because my husband is a primary wage earner and my income supplements. But with my son on the threshhold of pre-adolescence being home with him and being able to help him do his thing are very important to me. Now, I am also old enough to know that no job is perfect and that sometimes your job day spills over into your regular life, but I need to hear from nurse educators on how their job works with family life.

I also feel that nursing schools should be a "knot hole" that not all students make it though. That does not mean I intend to come into a school with a vendetta to flunk out lots of students, but I am frankly wanting to know if you all experience pressure to pass people you'd rather not pass.

I have steered clear of nursing education because (as a diploma to BSN to MSN) I felt that the BSN should be the level of entry to avoid people experiencing second hand citizenship and because the BSN gives you better mobility over time, when you get tired of that steady diet of bedside care. The college that I would apply to calls itself university but stresses its ADN program, promoting it's BSN as something you do "later". Conceptually this has been repugnant to me, but reading these bulletin boards, I have come to appreciate that nursing schools (especially in rural states like ours) have to deal with realities such as the need to generate a significant number of grads and not all of them have high aspirations. They don't want to spend lots of years getting educated and they are not interested in a maybe future where they want to do something else. By and far what the BSN promotes, students and the public don't always value. And good bedside care can be given by people educated in that ADN context without the layered on expense and supportive (but obviously not ? core) knowledge that the BSN gives. I guess I am saying that what I see has softened how I view ADN based education. Can ADN instructors tell me how they resolve the ethics of ADN education with their own journey toward higher education?

A final question is will I be pressured to consider a Phd? Personally, I wouldn't rule it out, but not while my son is so young.

I know some of my questions are a little impertinent, but I'm wanting to hear from the horses' mouth.

Thanks for your time.

Hello, MollyJ!

Hasn't it been a while?

You ask a lot of interesting questions that show much thought. If you are considering a position at the university, GO FOR IT! I will tell you, it isn't a 9-5 position, what with paperwork, preparations for class and clinical. It will definitely get you back to the "essence" of the profession. Some students are unable to go for or don't want a baccalaureate degree, for whatever reason. Many go back later. Others graduate with

an associate'sa degree, pass boards (hopefully), work some, and go back via outreach programs or reimbursement.

I too believe that the BSN ought to be the entry level for nurses, but I am also a realist. At this point, I am more concerned about the quality and caliber of student than the degree they eventually graduate with.

You probably won't be required to get your PhD or DNSc right off, unless you are going for tenure and a professorship.

Much luck and I hope you decide to "jump in" -- you would be such an asset!!