Why continue schooling?

I am still in college but I wanted to share an experience I had that really made a difference in my choice to continue schooling.

At our school we do one day community experiences in a variety of settings- docs offices (OB, peds, Dialysis, etc) and I also did one day at an office of Nurse Practictioners, who also were midwifes and family practioners.

The day at the OB's office was by far the worst day I have ever had in any setting. The doc was abrubt, had no time for a student to shadow and made it known that they hated students. The patients were corralled all day long in various rooms and most were lucky if he spent 5 minutes with them. It was a quick fundal measure, look at the chart and you are on your way. The office staff ran around like chickens and I felt like I was walkng on eggshells.

THEN I spent the day at the NPs office. Although there was plenty of time to schedule or overschedule patients, more than enough time was allotted to do a full assessment and visit with the patients. Appts would run over sometimes. They were actually seeing several generations of patients as well as doing OB care. A woman came in with her baby who was recently delivered by the NP, for a well child checkup. Their older child was also seen (and del'd by NP). The kids received each a book which is customary for each visit for a child. Not only was the mom in this appt, but the grandpa was also present and valued - and he is also seen there!

The NP took time to help a family who lost their home to fire find resources and furniture, etc. She took time to talk to the OB pts whose hubbys were overseas in the war. She took time to allow a three year old little girl doppler her baby sibs heartbeat and really get involved in the visit. She took the proper time to educate patients about new medicines and really took an interest in their lives and wellbeing.

Patients were stopping in to say hello and share recipes and did not have an appt!

There were a dozen more examples on this one day that really made me realize that this was the kind of care I wanted to give and be involved in. I may only be getting my ADN now but I will find a way to continue. even if it is part time to get my advanced degree.

It all depends on what you want to do with your nursing career. If you think you will stay at the bedside, then no need for bsn. Also there is no need to do any of it right away. I didn't go back for my bsn for 13 years after my bsn (when I was about 40). I know plenty of nurses that went for thier msn in thier 50s and 60's.

An MSN, for nurse practitioners, education of new nursing students( pay is not good), research etc. BSN case mangement, nurse manager, some informatics want it, school nurse and I can't think of anything else at the moment. So take your time, enjoy nursing for awhile and then go back if you so desire. Good Luck

How old are you and how many years do you have left to work. If you're young, your ideas about bedisde nursing could change in 20 or 30 years. :)

I love the bedside but I have to work 20 more years and will have put in 40 years in nursing, and I can't seem myself at the bedside that long. I got my BSN so I will have options as I age and my body and lifestyle changes.

No need to rush, but no need to dismiss the benefits a BSN might offer you many years from now, so best to get it out of the way as soon as you can.

An MSN isn't needed unless you want to teach, research, or be top administration/director level, etc.

Good luck to you. Maybe you should just work the bedside a year and decide what's true for you and what isn't.

Good luck!

I'm moving this to the ADN/BSN forum where we discuss such things.

Well, aside from job opportunities, I know so little and am interested in so much that I don't know if I'll ever stop going to school. It might not be for degrees, but why stop learning? I might just be reading nursing and medical journals, but I can't imagine that I'll ever stop.

Well, aside from job opportunities, I know so little and am interested in so much that I don't know if I'll ever stop going to school. It might not be for degrees, but why stop learning? I might just be reading nursing and medical journals, but I can't imagine that I'll ever stop.

Yeah! Life would be pretty boring without that incoming stream of whatever it is....

Diahni

Your post is definitely a sign of the times. My reason for going back to school (I was an ADN RN and before that an LPN):

I'm not getting any younger - lol and I gotta work until I drop so I had to get more education to give me more options. I too love bedside care (ER) but couldn't imagine doing it at the age of 70 years!

plus learning new things is the best Rx for Alzheimer's - I plan on being the perpetual student for life. Modern life pretty much requires constant learning from all of us, anyway.

Diahni