Vet tech thinking about changing to nursing

[dangermouth]

I am a 31 year old vet tech (on the job trained, not certified) with a BA in Biology (1999). My job is wearing on me mostly because the pay is ridiculously low and we are expected to push products on patients/clients. My boss and I have very different ideas about what is ethical in a medical setting.

So, I am considering nursing. Where I really want to end up is as a nurse practitioner, but that seems so far away. I like the idea of more autonomy as a NP and more opportunities outside of hospitals. Working in hospice would probably be one of my top career choices, even though I'm not sure how much they need NPs. I just feel very strongly about people having care, support and dignity as they die.

I graduated college with about a 2.8 GPA, so that might be a problem going into a nursing program. Does it make sense to get a CNA first? That would let me work as a patient care tech in one of the area hospitals that offers tuition reimbursement or nursing classes...but I'm not sure that wiping butts for 8 hours a night is something I can tolerate, to be blunt. I also can't do any schooling if I'm not working, and it seems I'm going to have to work nights as no schools seem to offer night/weekend courses for nursing (I am in the Dallas, TX area).

I am planning on meeting with some advisors to figure out what my options are as far as school, but I thought I could ask here to see what the best course of action is, and if people think I'm a total jerk for being a little disinterested in patient care tech work and shouldn't be a nurse at all. If anyone has advice, suggestions, opinions or interpretations, it is welcome.

I feel like I'm forgetting to mention things, but I'll try to fill in the blanks later.

[Mijourney]

Hi danger. I think that becoming a patient care tech is a great idea. You want to learn about the nuiances of patient care that help you become a great nurse especially if you're talking about becoming a nurse practitioner. I don't think it's impossible with a 2.8 GPA to become a nurse. Most schools, if they require a 3.0 GPA to enter a program, will allow you to take courses under a trial basis. If you pass the courses that are recommended, you could bring up your GPA. When you meet with your advisors, ask them if there are additional undergraduate courses you need to take so you can bring up your GPA. As far as the poop is concerned, I know you don't want to be exposed to it for hours, day in and day out, but it can become second nature to you just like it did to most of us nurses who stayed at the bedside for a while.

[hospitaljunki]

"Mijourney" took the words right out of me. it becomes second nature. i hated the cna course at first up to when i got my first job as a cna. i thought i was'nt going to make it throught the first three days of orientation. i seriously wanted to quit and look for a different career. i hung in there. and grew a passion for this job. now im an LVN going into the RN program. i can't imagine being in a different field. till this day as an LVN i still clean up patients. "it becomes second nature" take care of the client in a holistic manner.