[w00dy]

Sorry for the misleading title. Picture added to appease those who are here just for the punch and pie.

My real question is: Are there any nurses in the room?
I was telling a mutual friend (and nursing student) that I'd given myself stitches and drained my own knee. She was loaded and not much good for advice, but very insistent on me looking into nursing as a career. Apparently it's good money, health insurance is top notch, and with the aging population there's hell of job security. The only downside she was able to give me is that you work crappy hours.

Someone give it to me straight. What's involved? Should I become a murse?

 

[zahgurim]

You could find a hotty doctor, marry her, and be set for life.

Be a stay at home dad, and ride your bike all day.

 

[johnbryanpeters]

The only question I would have is why, if you're interested, you would become a nurse rather than a physician.

 

[binary visions]

I don't think everyone is cut out - or even qualified - for 8-10 years of applications, med school, residency... It's also appallingly expensive.

 

[I Are Baboon]

Nurses at our hospitals are paid very well. Some of the them who are in leadership roles are making over six figures.

 

[Westy]

One good thing about nursing I would guess is that you could pretty much live wherever you wanted.

 

[ire]

Most of my wife's family are nurses......good pay, but sh!tty hours and it seems like a lot of that good pay comes from overtime. You also put up with a lot of sh!t from doctors. Again, this is what I've been told, I'm in IT. Another area to consider would be radiology.....my friends wife is the manager of that unit at our hospital and she said they start people at $26 an hour out of school and they gradually move to $40 over six years (not bad at all). Seems like more of a 9-5 job

 

[I Are Baboon]

One good thing about nursing I would guess is that you could pretty much live wherever you wanted.

True. Our company job listings are mostly for nursing positions. Zero job insecurity in that profession.

 

[BurlyShirley]

My wife is a physical therapist. She often complains that she should've just become a Physical Therapy Assistant because, with just a 2-year degree, you start out at around $32,000.
That's 5 less years of school than being a PT, and 2 years less than being a nurse. No death or feces to deal with either.

 

[narlus]

I don't think everyone is cut out - or even qualified - for 8-10 years of applications, med school, residency... It's also appallingly expensive.

another option

 

[Westy]

True. Our company job listings are mostly for nursing positions. Zero job insecurity in that profession.

Pretty much a fast track career for foreigners to move to the US. There are special programs for qualified nurses to move to the US without having to suffer some of the hassles normal immergrants would.

 

[ire]

Pretty much a fast track career for foreigners to move to the US. There are special programs for qualified nurses to move to the US without having to suffer some of the hassles normal immergrants would.

Really? My friends wife is Canadian and registered nurse in the U.S. and she had a hell of a time getting her citizenship (and no, shes not a felon )

 

[loco-gringo]

<snip>Another area to consider would be radiology.....my friends wife is the manager of that unit at our hospital and she said they start people at $26 an hour out of school and they gradually move to $40 over six years (not bad at all). Seems like more of a 9-5 job

The pay for radiology techs here is not nearly as good, but it is good hours.

 

[proglife]

One good thing about nursing I would guess is that you could pretty much live wherever you wanted.

a definite plus. also, job security for the rest of your life.

my girlfriend is a nurse, works 3 or 4 12 hour days and makes more than I do. when I have kids, I will encourage them to follow in mommies' footsteps.

 

[loco-gringo]

btw - thanks for posting a hot chick in your thread.

 

[proglife]

my girlfriend's biggest complaint: working in the ER, you start becoming very un-empathetic because people abuse the system. You can have an old woman in severe pain in line behind some prissy rich house mom who bumped her head on the kitchen cabinet.

 

[narlus]

my girlfriend's biggest complaint: working in the ER, you start becoming very un-empathetic because people abuse the system. You can have an old woman in severe pain in line behind some prissy rich house mom who bumped her head on the kitchen cabinet.

african ironwood is *very* hard wood.

 

[BurlyShirley]

african ironwood is *very* hard wood.

So are ivory knobs.

 

[MMcG]

woody - send a PM to scrublover and he'll give ya the scoop or at least should be helpful.

Best,

Mark

 

[w00dy]

Thanks for all the secondhand opinions and hearsay, everyone.

I could never make any life changing decisions without RM.

 

[geargrrl]

I have a lot of nurses that are personal friends. Entry level can have crappy hours ( graveyard etc), or if you live in a community like ours where there are too many nurses due to a nursing school here. However, if you live in an area where there is a shortage, you can pretty much pick and choose, plus the signing bonuses can be huge ( like 10K)
The nursing population is getting close to retirement, so shortages are expected.

It is a stressful field. I think satisfaction depends on where you work, who you work with and how well you can manage your personal stress when things are crappy. Theres's good to great OT pay, rotating schedules, and for many nurses at hospitals, it's one field where you still get really good health benefits.

Some of my nurse friends are making upwards of 60K+ a year. I know an ER nurse, a NICU nurse ( my best friend) someone working in outpatient surgery, an ICU nurse and a cardiac floor nurse - and that's just counting off the top of my head.

gg

 

[Da Peach]

My GF is a pediatric nurse. She loves it. The money is largely dependent on where you work in the country (in Canada). She's making about 30% more than she did in Quebec, but it costs a lot more to live in Vancouver...

It weird, they get to self schedule. You have to work a minimum number of nights in a 3 week cycle (4 shifts I think). All shifts are 12 hours.

She gets a call almost every single day to work overtime. You could make a fortune, but also burn out.

She's got friends who took off to the States and are making around $80,000. But they work a lot of hours.

And as Burly mentioned, poop and death are something you've got to be able to deal with.

I couldn't ever do it, but it's a very noble profession.

 

[brungeman]

That is exactly what I have in mind every time I say "I need to be in bed with a nurse"... consequently this pic is exactly what Bek has in mind as well, and most likely the reason I am equated to a live hunk of bacon!


wOOdy, Have you looked into Nurse Practitioner? I believe that it is less time schooling than a doc. but more money than a regular nurse. I also know that with your hands on problem solving background, that you would excel at this end of things. Every nurse in the ER said that the NP that sewed up my hand was far better at stitching than ANY of the doc's and even went as far as saying he was better at diagnostics than most of the Docs in the er.

just some other options. Sorry if I contributed to the nonsensical RM posts.

 

[Sandwich]

nursing is a pretty decent living. sara's sister does it, so you should be able to as well.

what about EMTing? there's a little more action involved with that....plus you get to drive a car with air horns. you may even become qualified to work at a mountain. could be a neat gig.

 

[skunkty14]

what about EMTing? there's a little more action involved with that....plus you get to drive a car with air horns. you may even become qualified to work at a mountain. could be a neat gig.

Great idea except the part were you make about as much money as working fast food. Seriously. I had got my EMT license one summer in hopes of using it to leverage a job in NOLS or something equivalent, but that didn't pan out. Looked into working on a bus (ambulance) instead and discovered I'd make more money with less stress working at home(less) depot.

Not to down talk EMTs or any EMS professionals, severely underpaid IMO. Props to anyone who works in EMS.

 

[w00dy]

Thanks for all the input everyone. I was expecting a lot more sarcasm, especially out of you, Andy. I wasn't really serious when I posted this, but it's starting to sound like a decent option.

 

[scrublover]

I've been doing it for ten+ years now. Most of that time in medical/surgical/cardiothoracic ICU settings. Working in a critical care area (icu/er/or) or other technical nursing areas is worlds different than on a regular nursing floor, and light years beyond an office nurse, school nurse, etc. Generally better money, and using more of those critical thinking and technical skills you went to nursing school to develop. Don't pay attention to t.v. shows for this stuff. the nursing bits on them is pretty much all not right, as the shows are buitl around "the docs" that would be incapable of doing their jobs without us. Particularly in the crit care areas.

Upside: job security is pretty good. You're job will not go overseas.
Pay is pretty good, depending on where you are/what area you work in. I'll never be rich, but will always have a job. Between wifey (serials librarian at a state college) and myself, we do alright.
Basic benefits are good. Hours/schedule can be great.
It's challenging, if you're good at what you do. Look at the data (pt. history + pt. current status + labs, etc.) and use your head to think about what's going on.
If you like to use your head and problem solve, and have some form of basic empathy and sympathy, it can be good. If you like to see some direct result of what you are doing, it can be very good, and a very mentally rewarding work.

Negs: Yeah, the grody bits. No getting around that. You will wipe butts and deal with bloody, nasty stuff. If you can't do that, stop, do not pass go. Forget it.
The schedule can suck as well as be good. Coverage doesn't stop for holidays. I work three twelve hour nights a week. (7p-7a) then have the rest off. Sometimes they are all in a row, sometimes not. Right now, I'm on day five of six off.

It's stressful, sometimes physically demanding, tiresome work. It's also very rewarding, technical oriented, critical thinking skill using work. It can also get very depressing at times. Bonus: I wear pajamas to work.

Apologies on the quick ramble - off for a ride! If you have other Q's, just ask.

 

[scrublover]

Mas:

IMO, get your ADN first. Pass boards, start working somewhere. Very likely unless you live in BFE you'll be able to find a hospital to partially foot the school bill in exchange for working there a bit after you're licensed. Doing the whole schtick to get the BSN is sorta' useless unless you know for sure you want to eventually get into some form of management. Many BSN programs actually have less clinical time than ADN programs, due to there emphasis on more research/management. ADN vs. BSN just working generally nets you no higher pay. Either way, you pass the same board to get the same license.

After school clinical time and a year or so of basic experience, you'll have a better idea of if you want to go into a specialty area, and will have a good base to start doing so.
Pursue other certifications applicable to your particular area of work/expertise. Pads the resume, and some places give extra bonuses for this. Plus, it just makes you a more knowledgeable, better nurse.
Want to pursue that BSN? No problem, and this way you are working as an RN while doing so, which will give you far more and better actual experience to back up that degree down the road should you decide to pursue research, higher degrees, management, etc.

 

[TN]

She is totally not hot & most nurses aren't.

Does giving enemas sound fun?

 

[Squeak]

Thank you Scrub! I am on the waitlist to get into a ADN school as we speak and was going to go on after for a BSN. Good to hear from someone in the field about working and letting the hospital pay for the BSN.

Mas:

IMO, get your ADN first. Pass boards, start working somewhere. Very likely unless you live in BFE you'll be able to find a hospital to partially foot the school bill in exchange for working there a bit after you're licensed. Doing the whole schtick to get the BSN is sorta' useless unless you know for sure you want to eventually get into some form of management. Many BSN programs actually have less clinical time than ADN programs, due to there emphasis on more research/management. ADN vs. BSN just working generally nets you no higher pay. Either way, you pass the same board to get the same license.

After school clinical time and a year or so of basic experience, you'll have a better idea of if you want to go into a specialty area, and will have a good base to start doing so.
Pursue other certifications applicable to your particular area of work/expertise. Pads the resume, and some places give extra bonuses for this. Plus, it just makes you a more knowledgeable, better nurse.
Want to pursue that BSN? No problem, and this way you are working as an RN while doing so, which will give you far more and better actual experience to back up that degree down the road should you decide to pursue research, higher degrees, management, etc.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

So are ebony knobs.

Fixededed.

 

[wannabeabonedoc]

Have you considered Physician's Assistant school? The PA in the office I'm working in now doing internal medicine carries his own patient load and his own FDA number so he can prescribe... It's just another option to look into... Now that I've been in a clinical setting and see how much work actually gets done on patients admitted to the hospital, I finally realize that 99% of it is done by the nurses/techs on the floor. It's weird for me to go in to a patients room and have them ask for something and hear my preceptor say, "I'll get the nurse to come in and take care of that."
So yeah, Scrublover is right. RN's/LPN's/CNA's do most (if not all) the work.

 

[Cable43]

You could find a hotty doctor, marry her, and be set for life.

Be a stay at home dad, and ride your bike all day.

that's what i'm working on (she's a professor though)