Published Jan 12
Ts2906
7 Posts
I am a former nursing assistant who use to work at a level one trauma center. I was going to a local community college to take my pre-requisites for the respiratory therapy program at that college. However, I am thinking about going into nursing again. Since, I have moved back to the area where I lived before moving to the city where the level one trauma center was located and the community college, I am thinking about going to does not have a respiratory therapy program.
I have experience working in several different areas of the hospital as a nursing assistant. Including several intensive care units, emergency department, psychiatry, and various medical-surgical units during my almost three years at that hospital. I recently just got a new job at an intermediate care facility as a resident aide. We have nurses who work at our facility. They're either LPNs or RNs. So far, I like working at the ICF as opposed to the level one trauma center for several reasons:
1. Not as much death. (I primarily worked in the medical intensive care unit and saw patients die every week).
2. I get to work second shift and not third shift. I was working third shift at the level one trauma center.
3. I don't have to float anywhere in a large 800+ bed hospital that would require a ton of walking and taking several elevators, just to get to the unit you need to work on. Which you could only end up working on for not even your entire shift, just to get floated somewhere else.
My local community college has an LPN program that awards a diploma in practical nursing. This is a different community college as opposed to the community college I was going to for respiratory therapy. They also have an ADN program that awards an associate's degree in nursing. The intermediate care facility that I work at is currently hiring for both positions in nursing. I do not have an official CNA certification. When I was hired at the level one trauma center, I went through a two-week course and was awarded an HSP certification which stands for health support professional.
For the level one trauma center that I worked at during that time. A nursing assistant could either go through that two-week course and earn their HSP certification or already have a CNA certification and only have to complete the orientation part of the course. I am mentioning this since I know that many LPN, ADN, and some BSN programs require potential students to have a CNA certification to be admitted to their program.
So, I have been thinking about going down some specific routes, such as:
1. Working as a resident aide at the ICF while completing the CNA course, then either finishing the few pre-requisite courses that I would need to complete for the LPN program and applying to the LPN program or just completing a few more pre-requisite classes to apply to the ADN program. Then transferring to a local private four-year university to complete an online RN to BSN program. Then a few years later before turning 40 years old, completing an online MSN-FNP program that requires in person clinicals.
2. Working as a resident aide at the ICF, completing the CNA course while working, completing the needed pre-requisite courses needed for the LPN program, working as an LPN at the ICF while enrolled in an online LPN to BSN program that a local private four-year university offers in my area. After earning my LPN diploma at the community college. After a few years before turning 40 years old, enrolling in an online MSN-FNP program that requires in person clinicals.
3. Working as a resident aide at the ICF, completing the CNA course while working at the ICF, then complete a CMA or certified medication aide course through my local community college. Work as a certified medication aide while finishing pre-requisite courses through my local community college to apply to the ADN program. Then transfer to the local private four-year university I was talking about to complete the RN to BSN online program. Finally, a few years later before turning 40 years old, enrolling in an online MSN-FNP program that requires in person clinicals.
I am currently 27 years old and will be 28 years old, later this year. I am also a man. I know about 87% of this field is female dominated. If I become an LPN, I would like to have that done before I turn 30 and my ADN done before 32. Also at least have my BSN done before 35 and then have an MSN-FNP before 40. Due to my age, I think about just going straight for the ADN and skipping the LPN entirely. I have also thought about other careers outside of healthcare entirely which is teaching high school and becoming a lawyer.
However, becoming a lawyer would lead to the most student debt overall and becoming a high school teacher would probably require me to move. Since, I would only be able to teach high school history. It isn't like elementary education where you can just earn that degree and teach any subject with the right endorsements at any elementary grade level. High school teachers usually stick to one subject area with the right endorsements. Also, more nursing jobs are available as opposed to education. In my area, our local hospitals are hiring nurses, nursing homes are hiring, ICFs are hiring, the offices within the health systems are hiring.
Also finding a job as a lawyer can be challenging and they work crazy hours. I personally know a lawyer. Unless you work for a big law firm in a major city. You have tons of debt and start out making between 50k and 70k as a new lawyer and it takes years to make six figures. Big law firms pay brand new lawyers six figure salaries. You have to graduate at the top 10% of your law school class at a tier 2 school or graduate in the top half of your class at a T14 law school for a job in big law.
Elitism is a big thing in that field. And once you get to higher levels, such as the U.S. attorney's office or the federal bench. It is very political, and you have to be on good terms with the right members of congress and the president. Otherwise, when the next administration comes in, someone is going to replace you. U.S. attorneys and federal judges are nominated by the president and confirmed by the senate. The president is going to want attorneys and judges who are a part of the same political party as them.
While working as a nursing assistant at the level one trauma center that I worked at. I learned that not all of the nursing staff held other degrees and were in other careers previously. One I got to know well was in business and went back for nursing. I also learned people will come from families that have multiple healthcare workers. I don't have any in my family. Just a cousin who is a therapist, multiple small business owners, an aunt who works in wealth management, and my dad and stepdad both worked in sales. And then the lawyer whom I know personally that went to high school with my dad. Has been a lawyer for 30+ years now. My dad is almost 60.
Any advice is appreciated from any level of nursing. I apologize that this is so long. However, this is all I have been thinking about, and I am only getting older and watching all of my friends, former classmates, and even family become many different things. Meanwhile, I still have no degree. However, while at the community college I went to in the past, I did earn 15 college credits that I can apply towards whatever degree I choose to pursue.
I have also thought about becoming a police officer. Since, I am pretty fit, can run, and investigatory stuff is interesting to me. However, I don't like the dangerous aspects of being one and know a few in my local community. You have to be on patrol for a certain amount of time before becoming a detective. I am also not very physical at all. Where I live, they get into a lot of vehicle and foot chases, and people can be physical towards them. Also, the possibility of having to use a firearm on someone because they're using a firearm towards you is not for me.
I would rather be undercover and not a patrol officer. However, you can't skip that at the local level. Unless you join the FBI. I have looked into that as well. However, I would have to move to Virginia for their academy and they want people with certain degrees like IT, finance, computer science, cybersecurity to become special agents. I have tried to keep an open mind and do as much research as I can to keep my options open over time.
FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN
2,293 Posts
If you choose nursing I recommend that you go straight for the RN and skip the LPN. I have a lot of respect for LPNs, but there are very few bridge programs into RN, and for this reason, I think it's better to go straight for RN if you know you want to be there eventually. LPNs who want to become RNs often have to start all over, or close to it.
Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate it. I know I am leaning towards nursing a lot heavier than any other career. However, I am not sure what area of nursing that I would like to go in. As I said in my post, I work in an ICF or intermediate care facility as of right now. I work with those who are intellectually and or physically disabled. I am not sure what area of nursing I would want to specialize in.
I know you can specialize in nursing like in medicine. I know nurses will specialize in areas like psychiatry, cardiology, critical care, labor and delivery, etc... Do you figure that out once you're going through nursing school. I am interested in working in a family medicine clinic or some other type of clinic. Like in an orthopedic clinic. I'd prefer an environment like a clinic or smaller facility as opposed to the hospital.
The nurses whom I worked with in the medical ICU were working on obtaining their CCRN certification or already had that particular certification. I just think if I have the overall goal of becoming an FNP. Then working in a clinic after graduating from nursing school or working in a clinic after working in an ICF. Would make more sense.
FullGlass, BSN, MSN, NP
2 Articles; 1,884 Posts
While you are in nursing school, you will have different clinical rotations in areas such as med/surg, psych, L&D, community/public health, pediatrics, etc. That will provide you with the opportunity to discover what areas you are most interested in. Many RNs recommend starting in Med/Surg right out of nursing school and specialzing after that, if desired. (You don't have to start in Med/Surg, but it is common. I had peers that started off in the OR and loved it, as our teaching hospital was heavily recruiting OR RNs and were happy to train new grads). At any rate, don't worry so much about the right specialty now. Just decide if you want to be an RN, go to nursing school, and then you will discover your intersts. Good luck.