What nursing career would suit my mother?

Nurses General Nursing

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I don't know where this fits so feel free to move it.

My mother works for the State of Texas. They just implemented a hiring freeze & want to consolidate all nonessential jobs. Her job falls under the nonessential category.

So I was wondering what would be good for her as another job. She wants to become a med aide but according to Texas law she has to work as a CNA for 90 days. I'm not trying to find a way around that but maybe there is something else she can do.

She has a bachelor's degree so I know she could do an ABSN program but what else is out there for her?

Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

I will be 68yr...in March....physician office hours work for me

best wishes for your mom

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
How about physician office

Thank you.

The doctor's offices in my town only hire MAs. She couldn't provide for herself with an MA salary.

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She just doesn't care. I know some people see nursing as a calling but she just wants a stable job. She didn't take this job with the state because she loved the idea, she took it because she was offered it & it paid.

She mentioned becoming a med aide but the requirements state she needs to be a CNA for 90 days before applying to the program. I don't think at her age she should become a CNA. Not saying becoming a nurse won't be hard work but not as back breaking as a CNA. Also she couldn't support herself by being a med aide alone.

Plus we live in a rural area with a limited job market. Since the state mandated a hiring freeze she can't apply for a different job or work at the prison. Pretty much the only option she has is to become an RN.

I do understand your Mom's plight but if she doesn't care what she does for a job, if she doesn't enjoy people and serving them, Nursing might not be quite the career for her.

And the job stability isn't nearly as good as you think. Nurses get fired every day - for some ridiculous reasons. Not to mention it can be hard for new nurses to find work in the first place.

I wish her well.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
I do understand your Mom's plight but if she doesn't care what she does for a job, if she doesn't enjoy people and serving them, Nursing might not be quite the career for her.

And the job stability isn't nearly as good as you think. Nurses get fired every day - for some ridiculous reasons. Not to mention it can be hard for new nurses to find work in the first place.

I wish her well.

She does enjoy helping people, she's done it for years with her current job. She just doesn't have a draw to nursing.

It just seems like nursing is her only option in this area. If she was willing to relocate it would be a different story but the real option she has since she's staying in this town is nursing. There are no other jobs that would pay her bills.

I could see her being a nurse. There are lots of people who turn to nursing for the money & never had the calling. It doesn't make them any less of a nurse.

I just don't know what else to suggest for her as the majority of the jobs in our town are filled by the state. The only real jobs left that would support her are nursing positions.

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Specializes in Urgent Care, Oncology.

Very sorry about your mother. I'm actually going through something very similar right now in my position with the state. My program has a running budget until July but after that there's nothing. Even if there is something, I'm not career service yet so it will go to my colleagues. Unfortunately, my position is funded by the state and the federal government, so when the budget for program 317 took a hit, so did my position's budget. Gotta love this political climate currently.

In regards to your mom, I will tell you that my mom is already a RN but hasn't worked as a RN in almost 40 years so she's taking a two semester refreshed course. She isn't in the best of shape at 69 but she's definitely keeping up. So, it is definitely doable. You know your area better than we do (obviously) so if you think that's what your mom should do tell her to go for it.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
Very sorry about your mother. I'm actually going through something very similar right now in my position with the state. My program has a running budget until July but after that there's nothing. Even if there is something, I'm not career service yet so it will go to my colleagues. Unfortunately, my position is funded by the state and the federal government, so when the budget for program 317 took a hit, so did my position's budget. Gotta love this political climate currently.

In regards to your mom, I will tell you that my mom is already a RN but hasn't worked as a RN in almost 40 years so she's taking a two semester refreshed course. She isn't in the best of shape at 69 but she's definitely keeping up. So, it is definitely doable. You know your area better than we do (obviously) so if you think that's what your mom should do tell her to go for it.

I'm so sorry for what you are going through. I don't think anyone should ever have to worry if they will have a job to go to the next day. I hoped Trump wouldn't win & when he did I knew the next 4 years would be long & stressful.

Wow. I hope I'm like your mother at 69. My husband's mother is still working in her 70s as a school teacher. I don't know how she does it because she will get home so late, do her work & wake up so early to start it all over again. Women like that are who I look up to.

I have suggested nursing & gave her options so now it's in her hands. If she really wants a change of career or is in need of a job I'm sure she will take my advice.

Thank you!

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OP, when you said that your mother has to work as a CNA for 90 days before becoming a med aide, does the law actually says that she has to work 90 separate days, or just be a CNA for 90 days and work a certain number of shifts?

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I'm certainly not one of the "calling" people, but I would argue that nursing does require a certain, minimal level of interest and engagemet in order to survive in the field. This is a job in which it would be v. difficult (not to mention soul-crushing) to have to "fake it" all day every day at work. In my experience, people either have what it takes for nursing (psychologically/emotionally) or they don't, and most people are able to figure that out pretty quickly.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

I don't know if this is an option for your Mom but is the State offering any kind of severance package or better yet tuition assistance to help retrain for a different career? I ask because a local small LTC closed a few years back and as part of the severance package all staff were offered tuition assistance for retraining. A few of their former CNA's are now RN's because it was totally paid for with the severance package.

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I would never recommend nursing to anyone, especially my mother.

How about medical billing/coding?

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In my experience, people either have what it takes for nursing (psychologically/emotionally) or they don't, and most people are able to figure that out pretty quickly.

That is absolutely true. I thrived in nursing school, but I honestly do not have what it takes to be a nurse. And I was a CNA for years before becoming a nurse. After being a nurse for 3 months, I knew it was not for me. I had the time management, the critical thinking, and the communicating with physicians part down, but I felt like my soul was being crushed every shift. Life is too short to do something you hate, in my opinion. I'm going to resign later this month, after 9 months of torture. I used to think anyone who did well in nursing school would do great as a nurse, but unfortunately I learned the hard way.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
OP, when you said that your mother has to work as a CNA for 90 days before becoming a med aide, does the law actually says that she has to work 90 separate days, or just be a CNA for 90 days and work a certain number of shifts?

I believe it was 90 days or a certain amount of hours.

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