Becoming an RN

[tinkersmama]

Ok, I'm thinking about going back to school to become an RN. Is there anyone here who is an RN? Would you recommend it? Tell me everything that I should know about it, good and bad. Thanks!

 

[precious pixie]

I just started going back to school to become an RN about a month ago! I am so glad that I did it. I go to Keiser College and couldnt be happier. The best advice I can give you is to do your homework when it comes to schools. I met with alot of people and looked into a lot of schools and everyone has something different to offer. I chose Keiser bc I am still able to take alot of night classes, they have a really small classroom size, the professors are all very educated come from all over, and they are accredited by the NLN in addition to reg accredidation.

I am looking forward to learning all that I can learn and working in the field. I think it will be very rewarding helping people and the fact that there is always something new to learn is just the kind of thing I like.

 

[clarabelle]

I haven't been a nurse in 10 years so take this with a grain of salt.
You might see things or do things that are hard, dirty and well gross. I am glad I did it -but it was almost traumatizing at times. I still think about some of the scarier or sad moments now.

On the plus side -jobs are usually plentiful. And that is something that cannot be outscorced. You can travel, or work in a doctors office, hospital, school - lots and lots of options.

 

[tinkerrn]

I agree with the previous poster, that jobs are plentifull and the pay isn't bad. Thats about it.

I am a nurse, have been one since 1999. It is hard work. I am thinking of going back to school for teaching. Not sure if I'd recommend anyone going into this profession.
I'll be honest, I went into nursing because I needed a job; not because I wanted to be a nurse. Make sure it's in your heart, there will be good and bad times.

 

[kangaroodle]

Hi!

I've been a Neonatal Intensive care Nurse for almost 20 years...(still can't believe that...I'm not that old!!) The job can be rewarding and frustrating. I love working with the babies but yes, some of them do not make it. You can be such an influence in someone's life just by doing your job. The down side is that you have to work some weekends and holidays. Sometimes you have to miss things because of your job. On the other hand, I have 2 children (ages 10 and 7). I work evenings 3X/week. I can get them off to school, I can help out at their school parties, I can shop during the daytime and there aren't alot of people out! Nursing schedules are very flexible. That is a big perk. The demand is up right now. There is a severe nursing shortage that will peak around 2010. You can get a job on any unit you want in a hospital. Hospitals usually pay the most but the hours might be different than what you're used to.

I went all through Nursing school and then thought....now what? I HATE working with adults! Big "messes" if you know what I mean! That's why I got into the NICU....love the little premies! There's something for everyone.

Also, you and your friends can go to dinner, talk about things that would nmake other people throw up, and just laugh over it!

Send me a PM if you have any questions. I think Nursing is a great career move right now and hopefully our salaries will just continue to go up with the demand!

 

[grlpwrd]

I know some people in my classes who are going back for their nursing degree. Many of them talk about www.allnurses.com which has a forum.

GL to you!

Oops, forgot to add that I have a male friend (married with kids) who was in the service and is recareering into nursing. He is enrolled in an intense nursing certification program thru one of our local hospitals. Something like this may be available in your area, too.

 

[minkydog]

Things to ask yourself: do you like being around sick people? do you like being with people who may be snappish or rude? People who are hurting or sick can be difficult, so if you are sensitive to that beware. Are you a germaphobe? As another poster noted, there will be things you will see and do that are not for polite conversation Are you willing to work odd shifts, holidays, weekends? BEcause as a new grad you'll be doing all three.

I love being a nurse. I've done it for 29yrs. But I know people who went all the way through their BS and somehow didn't realize what nursing would be like and gave it up There are so many avenues to explore. If you like working with adults, then you can do that in many settings. If you only like working with children or women, you can do that too. If you thrive on the adrenalin rush of working with emergencies, ED or ICU might be your ticket.

Nursing school is very hard, a huge commitment for anyone with a family. But the rewards are great if you entered it realistically.

 

[frndofpooh]

The good - I don't think you'll find a career as flexible as nursing. You have so many options! Hospital floor nursing, ICU, ER, peds/adults, clinics, MD offices, community health, school health. You can work just about any time of the day, full or part time. Your heart will be warmed when you see how much you have helped someone recover or improve their lives. The pay scale is increasing and demand is as well.

The bad - it is HARD work. Hard on you physically, mentally and emotionally at times. Lots of nurses get repetitive stress injuries to their backs, knees and feet from standing and lifting all day. Let's face it - people are heavier these days and that won't make your job any easier. You often see the worst in people (patients and families alike) and that can be difficult to get used to. It is a tremendous responsibility to care for the ill and if you let it, it can really get to you. It's a hard job (for many) to "leave at the office" so you must be able to steel yourself and separate when needed.

As a previous poster has said, just make sure it is really what you want to do and that your heart is filled with the spirit to do it well. When it comes time to choose your career path, try to get experiences in many areas (perhaps by shadowing a nurse for a day or two) so that you can make the best choice. Good luck!

 

[rumblytumbly]

I have been an RN for 22 years and I have a love/hate relationship with my profession. The things I love are the flexibility of working full or part time and working the hours that I like or need. It is nice to know I will always be able to find work. I really like that when I am just tired of a particular job I can go and find a completely different type of work. I have done hospital orthopedics, quality assurance and retirement community work.

It is hard work physically and emotionally. It is draining. I did not like taking care of machines so I left hospital nursing to do nursing home and administrative work. I am very proud of my profession and the work I have done and I believe I would do it again. Good luck to you in whatever you decide.

 

[Cool-Beans]

There are lots of different jobs in nursing. Some nurses don't even go near sick people. That's a good point. If you get sick of a job, you can brush up on different skills and completely change jobs.

The stuff I remember clearly from nursing school is the, "Nobody said it would be like THIS!" stuff. Nurising is stinky. The stenches are something nobody can prepare you for. The bad news is sometimes (a lot, for me) you have to take a shower when you get home or you end up smelling like a variety of very gross stuff. The good news is you get used to it for the most part (and there is always Vicks. )

I also quickly came to the realization that it isn't a Pollyanna kind of job. The rewards very often don't come from the patients. The ones you can do the most for are too sick to thank you for it - sometimes they don't even know what you've done. And they often don't live to thank you for it. You have to actually derive satisfation from having done it. The good news is that the rewards are great.

Sometimes it is very hard when people die. Especially if you've been with them for an extended period of time. If you happen to really like that patient, of course it is difficult. But I've had patients that I wasn't all that attached to die and end up in tears when they go. After a while, you get used to all the dying, and the death process, but there are always occasions when it hits you hard. They tell you in school not to cry - it is unprofessional. WhatEVER. If you feel like crying, cry. If you don't feel upset, you don't. Don't be ashamed of crying and don't feel guilt if you don't. There is no right or wrong way to react.

The #1 thing I would wish that every nurse had was sympathy for the patients. Always try to treat your patients like you'd want your mom or dad or child treated if they were in that position. Too many nurses just don't care about the person. If you don't truly feel badly for these folks and want, in you heart of hearts, to make their ordeal a little less painful...not only will you not be good at your job, you won't be happy.

Finally, you can't be sensitive. Patients make comments about your personal appearance - if they think you are pretty, ugly, fat, skinny, large (or small) breasted, etc...you are going to hear about it. If the old guys find you attractive and think they'd like to have sex with you, you're going to hear about it. They call you, other nurses, the doctors, the support people - names. No matter what race you are, some patient isn't going to like you based on your skin color, and they'll tell you so. A lot of the times, they just aren't thinking clearly, but sometimes they are.

It isn't like customer service, where you can sit around saying, "I will not put up with this!" If you can't deal with it, you're going to have to find another job...human nature isn't going to change for you. And these people who make mean comments still need your help. You have to rise above it, and take the high road. When you have, you can pat yourself on the back. When you cave in to your baser instincts, find another job.

There is also, like has been mentioned, the fact that people are sick and dying all the time. Morning, noon, and night, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. They don't stop for Christmas and neither do we. If you aren't working PRN, you'll be working holidays.

So, ther are a lot of down sides. I can't speak for everyone about why it is such a great job. But I can speak for myself.

I know that I have done good, helpful, and nice things for my patients. I know that many people's lives and deaths were made a little less difficult by my actions and works. I wholely (that a word?) believe that I have done the work God sent me here to do. I put my heart and soul - literally my blood, sweat, and tears into something I believe to be the most worthwhile work around. Somebody has to do it, and I'm privleged enough to be the one.

I get a lot of compliments - from patients, families, doctors, etc. But the best part is how I feel about myself. My work has purpose and I do it well and with kindness. I can be proud of myself when I lay my tired head down at the end of the day. There is no better feeling.

 

[tinkersmama]

Thank you to everyone who responded. I have really been thinking about it hard and I have set an appointment to talk to a career advisor at my local college. I really do think that going into nursing is something that I will be very pleased with. I enjoy helping people and making a difference in their lives. If I want to do something as rewarding as nursing, then I know there are going to be hard days that go with it. I will keep everyone posted on how I do. I am talking to the advisor tomorrow. THANKS!!!

 

[tammyandtommy]

I just recieved my LPN certificate on Sept 7th! The RN programs here have a 2 yr wait so while I was on the list for RN I recieved my LPN. What I can say is you need to talk to your family and make a support system> I couldnt have done it without friends and family to pick up the slack that I couldnt keep up with. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions! I plan on going for three more classes until I can get into the Rn program I start in January! Congrats on what ever you choose to do!

 

[sugarpie]

Have you thought about getting a job as a nursing assistant? I worked as a nursing assistant while I was in school & it was great experience. It's not the same thing as being an RN, but it might give you an idea of what it's like to care for people. It's hard. And very rewarding at times. I'm definitely glad I chose nursing.

 

[Denine]

I have been an RN for 15 years, I have my BSN. Some days you love it, some days you hate it. I really like the job I have now. I work with people with Alzheimer's Disease. It is kind of like psych nursing, but I couldn't do actual psych nursing.

I would recommend getting a job in some type of care giving now so you can see what it is like. A number of the caregivers at my facility are going to nursing school. I worked in a hospital for 2 years while going to nursing school.

You can't beat the flexibility. The pay is decent. You can do any kind of nursing you want. There are so many opportunities to fit you personality.

Good luck!

 

[sugarpie]

I forgot to mention that, at least in my area, a lot of hospitals will pay for your schooling if you're a current employee. You just need to agree to work there when you finish.