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 M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
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.

She does have interest. She originally wanted to be a doctor when she went off to college but didn't want to be in school that long.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
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.

I completely agree with you. My ex-best friend did amazing in school but when it came time to actually work she hated it. She also didn't have the personality for it either.

But my mom is completely different than my ex-best friend. I know she would do well. Life is too short to do something you hate but for my mom she will take that horrible job to pay the bills & has for as long as she's worked for the state.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
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.

No, they aren't unfortunately. She could've gotten tuition assistance but it would've had to have been schooling related to her job.

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Looking at some med aide programs in Texas, it seems that your mother just needs to be employed as a CNA for 90 days, or at least be employed as a CNA by the first day of class - not necessarily work 90 days (like how a person says he/she has one year of experience when he/she actually did ~75 days over the course of a year)

Maybe your mother could find PRN employment as a CNA at the least back-breaking workplace possible while she attends a med aide program?

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Specializes in LTC, Rehab.

Somewhat off-topic, but I'm seeing multiple mentions of age discrimination in this thread. It makes me angry ... and not just because yes, it happened to me, but I've always been against it, even when I first heard of it and I was 20-something at the time. I'm not going to say anything negative about young people, because there are good/bad/smart/not-so-smart/quick-to-learn/not-quick-to-learn types of every age, but I'll just say there are some pluses with us older folk, at least sometimes.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Thank you for you reply & I'm sorry I left so much information out.

Physically she can handle it. She moves heavy feed bags (she has farm animals) & animals in her spare time. Mentally I know she can as well. She has handled much worse in her current job than anything she would go through in nursing school. Financially, I believe she can as well. She has lots of savings built up.

I am suggesting BSN or ABSN programs because should she lose her job that would be much more stable & be able to support her whereas working as a tech won't. She is divorced & never remarried so she is footing the bill for everything.

I think she could secure a job as an RN in any environment & wouldn't have to worry about losing her job. We live in a rural area & the demand for nurses (well RNs) is high. I know she would face age discrimination, unfortunately. When we first moved here & she was younger she dealt with it when trying to apply for lab positions with her current degree.

I just want to offer her some suggestions on a career path she could take that would be able to support her. It's not that she lives like a millionaire but I know it isn't cheap caring for all of those farm animals.

She mentioned becoming a med aide so I just figured I'd continue along that path. But she brought up being a med aide as a second job because she knows being a med aide without a second job isn't enough to pay her bills.

Why not direct your mother to AN and let her browse through the threads. (Don't tell her your user name!) When the child wanted to become a nurse, I directed her toward AN, and it helped her to clarify her thinking. I didn't tell her my user name, although I suspect she's figured it out.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
Why not direct your mother to AN and let her browse through the threads. (Don't tell her your user name!) When the child wanted to become a nurse, I directed her toward AN, and it helped her to clarify her thinking. I didn't tell her my user name, although I suspect she's figured it out.
I'I pretty sure my mom would figure out my user name. Especially after I made this thread.
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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
Looking at some med aide programs in Texas, it seems that your mother just needs to be employed as a CNA for 90 days, or at least be employed as a CNA by the first day of class - not necessarily work 90 days (like how a person says he/she has one year of experience when he/she actually did ~75 days over the course of a year)

Maybe your mother could find PRN employment as a CNA at the least back-breaking workplace possible while she attends a med aide program?

I think she still plans on going to the local community college to inquire more. I just figured she could skip that part & become a nurse since she couldn't survive on a med aide salary should she lose her job. She only mentioned being a med aide as a second job.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
I completely agree with you. My ex-best friend did amazing in school but when it came time to actually work she hated it. She also didn't have the personality for it either.

But my mom is completely different than my ex-best friend. I know she would do well. Life is too short to do something you hate but for my mom she will take that horrible job to pay the bills & has for as long as she's worked for the state.

If you're sure your mother would do well in nursing, perhaps LTC? I've never worked LTC, but friends who do love it. They say the pace is slower than in the hospital -- not sure I believe that, but OK -- and they appreciate having the same patients every day and getting to know them, their families and their stories.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
I'I pretty sure my mom would figure out my user name. Especially after I made this thread.

That might not be all bad . . . or is it?

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
That might not be all bad . . . or is it?

Lol. My mom is unpredictable so even though I don't post anything *I* think is bad, she may feel differently.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
If you're sure your mother would do well in nursing, perhaps LTC? I've never worked LTC, but friends who do love it. They say the pace is slower than in the hospital -- not sure I believe that, but OK -- and they appreciate having the same patients every day and getting to know them, their families and their stories.

I've worked LTC & even though I've never worked in a hospital the pace is *not* slow. But I didn't even think of that. Due to her job she spent so much time in NH & I think it might be a good fit for her!

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