I'm a career changer and was wondering if this was true - can RN's work 3-4 days/wk and make a good salary? All I need is about 50K and I'm golden! I have a degree in Biology and I'm considering, like a lot of people, RN/NP (Yes, I know there's a difference) vs PA vs MD. If I become a nurse, I'll do a direct entry, masters program and maybe make my way to being a NP. Eh...not sure.
So, basically, are these works hours reasonable? I'm all about having a flexible job that'll allow me to partake in my lovely hobbies. I'm hoping you guys can help me with this...
Also, how hard would it be for a new grad to get a job at a children's hospital? I've have helathcare experience and I know, for sure, that I ONLY want pediatric patients. Working in an adult hospital isn't an option.
In your area chances are more than good you will be able to make more than 50k a year. I make about 75k and I'm right outside NYC. As long as your facility offers 3 12s that will be doable. I don't think you'll have any prob in these 2 areas.
I think you are limiting yourself too much as far as specialty goes. You might have to be flexible as Cali is a tight market for new grads. Be open to working where you can get a spot when you graduate. That's a better plan.
You are narrowing your odds by limiting yourself to days and specialty and location. We don't have a crystal ball, so we can't say what will happen. However, in this economy, I hear your stipulations, and I think it may not look good for you. But who knows? Maybe the economy could improve by the time you graduate? Or maybe not so much?
I worked nights as a new grad and although I was offered a day shift position about halfway through my orientation I declined it because I didn't want to take a pay cut and I enjoyed the pace. Most of the time days was much busier than nights.
I went into nursing school initially thinking I wanted to become a certified nurse midwife. It took one day in L&D for me to discover that was not for me. As a matter of fact, I was in my second to last semester of nursing school before I found a couple of areas I didn't HATE. I liked ICU and OR and I ended up working ICU as a new grad. I got into nutrition support about 4 years ago and it was a specialty I didn't even know existed in nursing before I started working at my current hospital. Some days I wish I'd paid more attention in my nursing school nutrition course! I never would have guessed 13 years ago when I began my path to becoming a nurse that I would do what I do now.
I work 4-10s, every 6th weekend and I make almost $50K without overtime. I agree with others who've said RNs are underpaid for the amount of knowledge and responsibility they have.
I am a new graduate looking for a job. I admit i have no experience, but i need to start somewhere to gain the experience right. Help!!!! Any Chicago Nurse that could help me. My loans are due in a couple of months.......... God, i'm so frustrated.
Sorry for diverting the thread. Just needed to let that out of my chest
12 hour shifts are long, but you get four days off. your on your feet a lot of the time. It can be very stressful. I love being a nurse. I work with babies sometimes its happy and sometimes its very sad. The good time help you make it though the bad times. I think the hard part depends who you work with, if everyone gets along its great. If you like to stay busy and do 15 thing at once then you will be great.
This is an interesting point you bring up. Before I began my pre-nursing studies, I was unsure about which area I wanted to work in, but I had a strong interest in psych. Then, when I actually went through clinicals, I learned that I despise psych. nursing. I learned I had an interest in the academic field of psychology, but an aversion to psychiatric nursing. I couldn't get out of the psych hospital fast enough at the end of each psych clinical. I wanted to take a shower in my brain. Students often change what they think they want to do in clinicals. It's good to be open. I found my NICU clinical rotation to be fascinating/exciting, and I never anticipated that.
Yep. I wanted to be a cardiacRN. hehe. Did the CVICU clinicals and despised cardiac! DESPISED. Blah. And I was not new to the field..I had worked for years as a tech in a CVICU. I hated what the actual work of the RN was. Bleah.
So, OP, wait until your are in school, and mostly done until you limit your speciality.
I remember lots of students wanting to work peds in my NS. So many of them changed their minds after that clinical. People forget that these kids are sick and dying...and it's a heavy toll to work there. I certainly couldn't stand it..
I remember lots of students wanting to work peds in my NS. So many of them changed their minds after that clinical. People forget that these kids are sick and dying...and it's a heavy toll to work there. I certainly couldn't stand it..
Seeing the abuse cases in peds is horrific. I honestly don't know how peds nurses bear it.
I will be a wet blanket and say that I think you ARE putting too many stipulations on what you want. I would like to know why "adult nursing isn't an option." If you haven't done it, how do you know that? You'll have to do adult nursing in clinicals, can you stand to do even that?
RN's can work 3 days a week, 12 hour shifts, sure. I know for me, it doesn't FEEL like 3 days a week.
I know in my area, there aren't jobs ANYWHERE, and new grads are really struggling and having to accept jobs they wouldn't have wanted to, otherwise.
I will be a wet blanket and say that I think you ARE putting too many stipulations on what you want. I would like to know why "adult nursing isn't an option." If you haven't done it, how do you know that? You'll have to do adult nursing in clinicals, can you stand to do even that?
RN's can work 3 days a week, 12 hour shifts, sure. I know for me, it doesn't FEEL like 3 days a week.
I know in my area, there aren't jobs ANYWHERE, and new grads are really struggling and having to accept jobs they wouldn't have wanted to, otherwise.
I've worked in healthcare before (not nursing) and I just prefer pediatric patients. Adult patients seem to whine and complain while kids, they may whine and complain but it's acceptable, in my eyes, because they are children. Adults who aren't compliant and whine, complain, etc. are hard for me to deal with. I just don't understand it. So, therefore, I prefer to work with kids. I just have a natural connection with kids; always have.
About doing adult nursing in clinicals, yeah, I thought about that. I guess I'm still deciding. If nursing ends up something I REALLY want to do then yes, I will put up with it and keep my eye on the prize. As of now, I"m still deciding so who knows.
Hmm, let's see. Since you are interested in money, let's look at some figures:
NP: $$$ for student loans; licensed RN; independent practitioner.
PA: $$ for student loans; no RN required; practicing under MD's license.
MD: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ for student loans; 10 yr average for medical school and residency program. There are other financing options, i.e. military training or public health training, but they require at least 8 yrs of dedicated service after training.
Since you already have a BS degree, I would recommend you get a graduate degree and teach. You could be a part-time EMT/paramedic with even less training time/money as an outlet for your interest in health care.
If your answer has to do with always being busy/overworked, that's a good thing for me b/c I'm easily bored...always! So, having to do 5million things at once is a good thing for me...
Here's the thing. It's not really about you when you are that busy. Being that busy is unsafe, and not about you 'not being bored'.
Having '5 million things to do at once' isnt' fun. And among those '5million things' are decisions that you make that can kill patients. Being too busy to protect your pt, or prevent harm, to busy to give your meds on time because you've spent 20 mins on the phone w/pharm trying to locate the meds, following up with labs, chasing down drs, all while your pt needs something,, but you're too busy to notice.
Now, imagine being so busy that your pt-a child- dies. And you couldn't prevent it, or even notice it until it's too late.
Look, nursing is too complex for us to even be able to describe why it's so hard.
And, quite honestly, I've found the opposite with adults vs children. I'v found that children often cried when I or others went into their room. They knew we were going to hurt them. We caused them fear. They often times had cancer, or some kind of lethal illness, or like multi said, were abused. They aren't playing out in the playground.
As far as calling adults 'whiney', well, I have to admit it makes me question your ability to be an appropriate healthcare provider. Usually it takes a while to get that jaded.
And 95% of your clinicals will be with adults. You only get a small period of time with children.
I think you have some serious soul searching to do...
...And, quite honestly, I've found that children often cried when I went into the room. They knew we were going to hurt them. We caused them fear. They often times had cancer, or some kind of lethal illness, or like multi said, were abused. They aren't playing out in the playground.
As far as calling adults 'whiney', well, I have to admit it makes me question your ability to be an appropriate healthcare provider. Usually it takes a while to get that jaded.....
So, it's abnormal for that to be annoying ("whining adults patients") in my eyes? Most people don't care about that? If so, I guess you're right...I have some soul searching to do.
I have a degree in Biology and I'm considering, like a lot of people, RN/NP (Yes, I know there's a difference) vs PA vs MD. If I become a nurse, I'll do a direct entry, masters program and maybe make my way to being a NP. Eh...not sure. 
I am a new graduate looking for a job. I admit i have no experience, but i need to start somewhere to gain the experience right. Help!!!! Any Chicago Nurse that could help me. My loans are due in a couple of months.......... God, i'm so frustrated.
Batman24
1,975 Posts
In your area chances are more than good you will be able to make more than 50k a year. I make about 75k and I'm right outside NYC. As long as your facility offers 3 12s that will be doable. I don't think you'll have any prob in these 2 areas.
I think you are limiting yourself too much as far as specialty goes. You might have to be flexible as Cali is a tight market for new grads. Be open to working where you can get a spot when you graduate. That's a better plan.