I was just curious to know how many of us are nurses. Right now I am an LPN and I am starting back to college at the end of the month to get my RN. Anybody got any advice?? LOL!!
It would be cool to hear about what you guys do!!
I work in a nursing home right now but that's not where I want to be. It's just that around here an LPN in the hospital is kinda hard to find. I am in a two year program for my RN. I want to definitely go to a hospital once I graduate. I want to do psych nursing or oncology. I also have an interest in neonatal.
I am going to be moving to southern California once I graduate and was just wondering if anybody knows anything about the hospitals and pay wages and stuff like that!!
I'm a nursing student. I will graduate in May with a BSN.
I currently work as a CNA in our tiny nursing home...it pains me because my co-workers (the other aides, especially) know I will be "above" them before too long. I have already been told that after I graduate (and we have graduate nurses here, you know who haven't taken NCLEX yet), they'll give me a position as a nurse. Thats fine and all, but I'm not sticking around that long. I hope to move down to the Ozarks a year from now.
I don't know what I want to do as a nurse, but having a Bachelor's degree gives many more opportunities, so we'll see. I desperately want to AVOID Med-Surg like the plague. I hate it, but it is probably a necessary evil. I really like Community health and public health. I wouldn't mind being a nurse in a nursing home, and maybe eventually a DON in a nursing home (just not here, I don't want to live here).
This fall we are doing our Peds/OB rotation... not especially looking forward to it, I really don't like working with mostly kids (I don't care either way about OB).
For right now I am going to get my associates and then later on I am going to go back and get my BSN. I am one of those people where I am probably always going to be in school cause I enjoy learning and bettering myself! I am looking forward to getting back to school.
I have my BSN. I have worked 20 yrs. as an RN, but am currently not working due to health problems. I worked 3 yrs. med-surg, 7 years Post Anesthesia Recovery Room, 2 years ER, 6 yrs. Obstetrical nursing, 2 years in ICU. I tried Home Health for 6 months but didn't care for it, I like faster paced areas. Good luck to you and your nursing education. The world needs a lot of good nurses and thanks for choosing the profession.
I have my ADN and have worked in a nursing home the last 7 years, and at the same time home health care last 2 years also. The section i work in the nursing home is medicare rehab so it is kind of like med/surg. though we have patients for 2 weeks to 6 months on average and I get to see many go home
Good luck in school
Anna
I'm an RN... I do intensive care, and right now work as a traveling ICU nurse - so i've got dirt on pay rates etc... for all over the place because i job shop every 3 months all over the country. some states have caps on how much they will pay nurses. right now, california pays really well and you can make anywhere from 28/hr to 59/hr....
if you have any questions or anything - feel free to drop me a PM!
Caps on how much they will pay nurses? I would be interested to know which states those are so that I can think mean and evil thoughts about them. Is there any other medical profession that a state would regulate to such a point that they cap what an open market would pay? Would they get away with that for docs? PTs? Pharmacists?
I have a BSN and a MS with a certification in midwifery. I sigh and pull my hair in frustration that the largest (and should be the most powerful) group in healthcare consistently gets jacked around.
Buckettgirl, I managed to avoid spending any time working as an RN on med/surg. I do not believe that it is necessary, especially since your interests lie elsewhere.
I'm an lpn and worked forever doing 12 hour night shifts. For the last year I'm working in a large fast paced very busy pediatric clinic. We do everything from immunizations to spinal taps. I like it but the pay isn't as great as the nursing home and there is no mandation. I love helping people and love my patients, but I don't like the disrespect I get from doctors and some parents. Nurses are the eyes and ears for doctors and I have saved many a doctor from giving wrong med's to medications people are allergic to. We also need some good nurses, I see many that aren't cut out for the job and have no compassion
I am in Canada so I can't answer any questions about wages or working conditions in the states.
I have been a nurse for 20 years. I am currently running a geriatric assessment clinic 2 days a week and work in the ER a couple times a week.
I have done Medicine, Surg, Peds, Medical dayward, IV therapy,LTC, Psychiatry and Geriatric rehab. I have learned alot in all areas, from my patients and my co-workers.
I think nusing is very specialized now. It makes sense to figure out what area interests you and specialize in it.
That being said show respect for all areas of nursing. It rubs me the wrong way when people act as though certain areas of nursing are beneath them.....and it happens all the time...new grads come out and want to walk right into the Mon-Fri management positons with little to no life or nursing experience.
Once while I was working a casual shift in the ER and also worked part time on a medical unit a student nurse said to me "why do you work medicine you are such a good nurse"
I won't go into alot of detail about how I responded to her but that mentality really bothers me....
Nursing is more than a career to me....it is a part of who I am, I can't imagine ever giving it up entirely. I love going to work. I feel blessed to have found something so perfect. I learn something each and everytime I go to work......and when I am feeling down and out a few moments at work really puts things in perspective....I have so much to be thankful for. So many are suffering so much.
I read that you are interested in Psychiatry nursing. I am a physician in So cal and will shortly join psych residency. So cal is great for any healthcare career! Infact UCLA nursing group was just awarded "best nursing" nationwide in 2005-2006.
I think our nurses are just great and We couldnt do a thing without them. I like it when they are friendly and jovial, which keep all patients and docs happy as well!
Current Unit Secretary/Ward Clerk here, but am going to nursing school as well. I work for Women's & Children's Services (Peds, Mother/Baby, Labor & Delivery, Nursery, & NICU). I want to be either a level III NICU nurse or a PICU nurse.
I have always been interested in nursing. Being an LPN I have encountered alot of disrespectful people. When people ask me what I do for a living, I tell them that I am an LPN. Then they usually ask me if I am going to go back to school and become a REAL nurse. LOL I love being a nurse and I want to be able to go into a specialty. That's why I want to go back and get my RN. Hospital life is what I want. I think that there are more options out there for an RN than an LPN. Plus I love learning and I love bettering myself. Call me a nerd but I love school...LOL!!
I used to do 12 hour night shifts. I did them for years. I really loved them cause I had 4 days off a week. However now I really like working eights!
I will graduate this May with my BSN...5 years of college and I'm finally there!
I don't know what area I want to go into...school has just been overwhelming that all I can concentrate on is graduation. Then the NCLEX. When I get that behind me I'll figure out what to go for then.
There are so many options out there!
I think one of the greatest things about nursing is all the different opportunities it provides. We can each find which area suits us best. Now that I am staying at home, I am considering taking classes to become a certified legal nurse consultant .From what I have learned, a lot of my work could be done at home. It was imperative for me to get my health and my weight under control. I miss nursing at this time.
I desperately want to AVOID Med-Surg like the plague. This fall we are doing our Peds/OB rotation... not especially looking forward to it, I really don't like working with mostly kids (I don't care either way about OB).
You sound just like me... Med-Surg is the devil in disguise. I think alot of us feel that way because the clinical rotations in med-surg seem to go on and on and on and on...
We're also getting ready to do the same rotation as you are in the fall. I'm starting out with Maternal Health and ending with Peds. The kids part is really going to be not fun...
Attention Nurses!!!!!! Lol!!
devil
