Is anyone here a RN?

[yorkiegirl83]

I'm just looking for some info on what you love the most about your job and what you dislike the most

I am thinking about going to a local community college to take their nursing course.

Now I have to say I do have a phobia of dr's offices and all things medical, but saying that I do think that with the proper training and from learning more about medical things I would be able to handle it.

I more worry about going to the dr's when something is wrong w/me as opposed to others being at the dr if that makes sense .

I'm really looking for a career with many opportunities and that is a job that is in demand. I've previously gone to school for fashion merchandising and marketing for a year but quickly realized fashion is more about connections than actual schooling so I headed out to make those connections instead .

I want to make sure whatever I choose to go for, that there is a job waiting for me at the other end as so many of my friends with degrees simply can't get a job and I don't have the money to spend on college w/o knowing that it will pay off with a position.

Anyhow I am just looking for some insight into this field since I actually don't know any nurses .

I'd appreciate any advice!

[marcerella02]

FL Tink is one She's great!

[Tcarnagie]

I am currently going to Nursing school and for me it was the love of helping others that attracted me to it. I have no problem with blood or anything else as long as it is not from my kids, my dogs, or myself. My husband had to have 3 surgeries to have his appendix taken out and they left him open to heal from the inside out, I thought that was "neat" looking, but if I would have been one of my kids, I would have probably freaked out.

[Gracie2006]

I have been an RN for over 25 years now. There are lots of opportunities. There is a terrible shortage of nurses in hospitals right now. The better jobs, work hours and less stress, are outside the hospital, but a new grad has to pay their dues. I left hospital nursing years ago, and have had my own nurse consulting business for about 12 years now. I have also worked for an insurance company managing medical malpractice claims. There are lots of opportunities. Here is a link to another thread you might find interesting. http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/off...-question.html

[RowdysMom]

I've been an RN for 34 years and I've loved every minute of it! I always wanted to be a nurse, even as a little girl. I'm not sure why - I read all the Cherry Ames books (you probably don't know know about them), maybe that influenced me.

The thing I love most about nursing is the diversity. You can work with babies, kids, teenagers, women, adults, older people - any group that interests you. You can work in an office, in the hospital, in a public school, in a school of nursing, in a research lab, in businesses. The diversity of nursing is just so broad.

Nursing is much more than a job though. Once you become a nurse, you are always 'on duty'. That means family, friends, and sometime strangers call on you for help and advice. Sometimes I think there is a tattoo on my forehead that says, "I'm a nurse, you can tell me anything" BECAUSE PEOPLE DO TELL YOU THINGS, EVEN THINGS YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW!

Anyway, can you tell that I love nursing??? Yes, I really do. I must tell you though that working in a hospital is very hard demanding work. You have to face the reality that should you make just one mistake, it could cost someone their life. As a nurse, you have to check and double check everything you do and your head must be "into it" at all times. It is so easy to make mistakes. What I disliked most about nursing was having to work weekends and some holidays. I don't have to do that any longer because I do not work in a hospital any more.

That said, I cannot think of another career that I would have enjoyed more. I would advise you to get your baccalaureate degree. Even if you go to the community college to get your RN, you should plan to go on to get your BSN degree. If you stay in nursing, you will want it. So, if you can, just get your BSN from the git go!

Good luck!

[yorkiegirl83]

Thank you guys for the advice! I'm not sure how I would do in a hospital situation, but I guess maybe it would be ok once I have the confidence at what I'm doing.

I think an ideal job for me would be in a regular dr office to start.

I would love to get my BSN but the only school w/in 45 minutes of me is the community college so I would likely start with that, then go back once I'm working so that I could fund the more expensive college with the farther driving distance.

I do love to help people and I'm a very compassionate person so I know that I would be very kind. I also really can't stand nurses w/o a nice demeanor that rush through their jobs (it's just a pet peeve of mine) so I know that I would be very thorough and really do my job.

For example, I had to get an upper endoscopy done at the ER this past Thursday and I was so terrified my blood pressure was through the roof and the nurse was like oh that's not good, i mean really! I am already scared enough without that! Then I handed her my list of medications - 3 for allergies and asthma and 1 for something else and she went oh my that's a lot of meds", then proceeded to put my iv in wrong and it flooded out under my skin. It was awful . I just know I would try my best and never say anything to scare an already scared patient.

[mizzwanned]

My mom is an RN and gosh..she loves it! She tried to convince me over and over to be one and i would always say no and finally i decided why not..so i am going to be applying to nursing school and just wait to see what happens, but i cant say it's my 'passion' but i really dont know what else i want to do so w.e. But yea she loves it, and she works so hard! She works in a hospital in emergency and she'll work like 3X a week overnight and then have the rest of the week off.

[4doggiemama]

Pharmacists are in very high demand. Wal-Mart is offering starting pay of $90,000. My daughter is in pharmacy school right now. Good luck in whatever you choice may be. Joanne

[Gracie2006]

I would not get your heart set on a doctor's office job. Most employ medical technicians or LPNs. RN jobs in a doctor's office are hard to come by. You will need to work at least a year in a hospital to get enough experience for hire outside of the hospital setting. I agree with another poster that your goal should be the BSN. You will have many more career opportunities with it.

[yorkiegirl83]

Originally Posted by Gracie2006

I would not get your heart set on a doctor's office job. Most employ medical technicians or LPNs. RN jobs in a doctor's office are hard to come by. You will need to work at least a year in a hospital to get enough experience for hire outside of the hospital setting. I agree with another poster that your goal should be the BSN. You will have many more career opportunities with it.

I wonder if I should go for LPN then since that is where more of my interest lies, definitely something to think about!

[Gracie2006]

Originally Posted by yorkiegirl83

I wonder if I should go for LPN then since that is where more of my interest lies, definitely something to think about!

Look through the job postings in your local newspaper and online, and find out which providers are hiring what credentials. In other words, find out if physician clinics are hiring more LPNs or RNs, or med techs. I can tell you that if you eventually want to work for an insurance company or with on-the-job injury patients, you will need your RN.

[Wylie's Mom]

I have my BSN - and if you go into nursing, the best advice I could give you is to get your BSN right off the bat. Also, since you're not quite sure what you're getting into - I think it would really be important that you "shadow" someone first - both in an office setting and in a hospital. Because you mention you have a bit of the "willies" () - I think you better see firsthand what you're getting into, because you have NO idea . There is almost nothing on the planet that can gross me out anymore, after nursing school.

There are a lot of opportunities in the field - but they really have to fit the person.

[yorkiegirl83]

Originally Posted by Gracie2006

Look through the job postings in your local newspaper and online, and find out which providers are hiring what credentials. In other words, find out if physician clinics are hiring more LPNs or RNs, or med techs. I can tell you that if you eventually want to work for an insurance company or with on-the-job injury patients, you will need your RN.

That is a really good idea, thank you!

Working in a hospital maybe I have the wrong idea, but I just don't see myself ever being totally ok with dealing with people that are really really sick or dying, or anything to do with the ER.

Maybe there would be other areas I could handle working in, in that setting.

[yorkiegirl83]

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

I have my BSN - and if you go into nursing, the best advice I could give you is to get your BSN right off the bat. Also, since you're not quite sure what you're getting into - I think it would really be important that you "shadow" someone first - both in an office setting and in a hospital. Because you mention you have a bit of the "willies" () - I think you better see firsthand what you're getting into, because you have NO idea . There is almost nothing on the planet that can gross me out anymore, after nursing school.

There are a lot of opportunities in the field - but they really have to fit the person.

See I think that is what scares me -- that I would see "everything".

I think I'm more interested in working for a dr's office where from what I've seen as a patient, they take blood pressure, pulse, weight, write down what's wrong w/the patient, ect.

That is more my speed I think.

[Wylie's Mom]

Originally Posted by yorkiegirl83

See I think that is what scares me -- that I would see "everything".

I think I'm more interested in working for a dr's office where from what I've seen as a patient, they take blood pressure, pulse, weight, write down what's wrong w/the patient, ect.

That is more my speed I think.

Nurses don't really do that anymore (or, as much) in doctor's offices - that's now done usually by a medical ass't or a CA/LPN, but usually a MA. A nurse's skills would be used for a comprehensive history or something - but again, they probably wouldn't hire you in an office unless you FIRST had experience in a hospital because you need proper skills to be able to assess/manage and make decisions....

Maybe being a MA is more up your alley? Does that interest you?