Where do I start? Need Advice!

[Butterfly23]

I am very interested in becoming a nurse. I want to get my ADN, RN at the local Community College(pre reqs and all) or go through the general hospital for my diploma (after pre reqs are done at the CC) and then be able to sit and write the N-CLEX for the RN. (I am not interested in being an LPN, CNA, or full time volunteer work)The hospital I would get my diploma from would be the same hospital I would be interested in working with after I pass the N-CLEX. The niche I'm interested in is L&D. First, I need to make the decision on which route to take as far as schooling. Which would you do and why?

But before that....I would like to job shadow, volunteer or spend sometime(does not have to be lengthy) in a hospital preferably on an L&D. How do I go about doing this? Do I ask the nursing school director about this? I guess I just want to make sure that I want to do this for my career. I have not spent hardly any time in a nurse's setting at all, nor have I had any children, or major illness. How did you know that you had to be a nurse? What were your first steps in making that decision?

Thank you so much for taking the time to read and answer this post. Any help is greatly appreciated!

[Kelly_the_Great]

Hi Butterfly23,

You will be exposed to many different settings, including L&D, during your nursing school's program. That's one of the pluses of nursing school, you get exposed to the environment w/o the commitment!

If you choose the ADN or Diploma program, you'll be in school apprx. the same amount of time - 3 years. I believe the Diploma program has fewer breaks.

All programs are individual but generally speaking, the Diploma comes out very confident in being able to function in their new role of RN after graduation. The ADN requires a little more adjustment time. However, we all pretty much end up with equal abilities once the adjustment has occured. Additionally, the ADN program might provide you with a few more basics towards a 4 year degree, I'm not sure.

Let me ask you this though, have you considered the BSN? It might provide you with more opportunities. Especially if you're considering specializing, i.e. women's nurse practioner or midwifing (sp???).

[Butterfly23]

My career goals for the future include bedside nursing in the hospital setting perhaps on different floors. I feel that this does not necessarily need the BSN and that the diploma pgm or ADN would def. suffice. My understanding is that the BSN will help in getting Nurse Administration type jobs. I am not interested in being a midwife. Thank you for your help, Kelly the Great.

[happybunny1970]

Nursing is such a wide-open field... There are so many different and interesting opportunities out there, and once you start studying you will likely find yourself pulled into more than one specialty.

I decided to become a nurse after the birth of my second child, and swore up, down, and backwards that I would work L&D until the day I died! While I was getting prereqs done and waiting to apply and be accepted at the local ADN program, I went through Doula training and became a certified Doula (unlicensed birth assistant). The timing was especially good as there was a local hospital that was just instituting a volunteer Doula program, so I was able to sign up for shifts and see the 'other side' of childbirth and attend many, many births.

When I got into A&P II, however, I simply fell in love with all things cardiac. By the time I graduated, I was in love with the OR, and had this dream of being a Registered Nurse First Assistant for a Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgeon. Then I spent some time in the main OR and went to ICU instead.

Bottom line is, your interests will change over time, and being a nurse affords you the opportunity to make these lateral moves fairly easily.

From an educational standpoint, I think it's easier in the long run to go ahead and get your advanced degree if you have any inclination at all of doing so (straight to BSN or even MSN), simply because once you get out of that mode of going to school, it's really difficult to get back into it. But as you mentioned, it is not necessary (at this point) to do so for bedside nursing. There is some push towards a BSN entry level, and this may come to pass at some time in the future.

I achieved my ADN five years ago, and have been working on additional prereqs for a combined BSN/MSN program for the last year (one-two classes at a time). It'll be a LONG time before I complete the program, and I just want the education for my own satisfaction, not because I need it to do my job. Though, eventually, when I get about 20 years older, I think I might like to teach in a nursing school. I'm one of those Professional Students, and this just happens to leave yet ANOTHER nursing possibility in my future.

You might contact a hospital or two in your area and see what volunteer opportunities are available, and if L&D is your thing, do a little reading on Doulas, and see if there's a program you can volunteer for. The national association is Doulas of North America (http://www.dona.org).

Good luck in your decision-making and your quest!

[Butterfly23]

Thank you happybunny1970, I appreciate all of your thought on this subject. I think one of the best parts about nursing is that you can make those moves form one specialty to another. Thanks for the heads up!