Any ATOT Nurses?

[DuallyX]

I'm considering going back to school to get my bachelors in nursing. Firstly, because it is something I'm interested in and feel would be a fulfilling job. Secondly because there is PLENTY of job openings with great pay for RN's.

I'd like to hear your experiences, recommendations, or any insight you can give me as to what I can expect both in the education and profession of nursing.

 

[vi edit]

I'm not in nursing, but I have several aunts who are, a few very good friends who are, and my wife works directly with nurses at a hospital.

Have you had any nursing exposure before?

 

[fs5]

hellllllllllllllllllloooooooooooooooooooo nurse!

 

[pyonir]

My sister is an RN and she works for one of those "traveling nursing" companies. She makes a LOT of money doing it and gets to move where ever she wants. She was in Phx for six months, went back to minnesota for four and is now in Denver. You get a furnished apartment and all you have to pay is cable/phone.

 

[LordJezo]

MsSkoorb is, isn't she?

 

[DuallyX]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
I'm not in nursing, but I have several aunts who are, a few very good friends who are, and my wife works directly with nurses at a hospital.

Have you had any nursing exposure before?

Well, my aunt and grandmother were both nurses, and my dad worked in the hospital during high school and college. From what I've gathered, it's a ton of hard work, but those that I've talked to feel that it is very rewarding.

 

[DuallyX]

Originally posted by: pyonir
My sister is an RN and she works for one of those "traveling nursing" companies. She makes a LOT of money doing it and gets to move where ever she wants. She was in Phx for six months, went back to minnesota for four and is now in Denver. You get a furnished apartment and all you have to pay is cable/phone.

I actually have an older friend that is a "traveling nurse". Once the kids were gone and off to college, she headed off to NJ for 6 months, then is going down to AZ for 6 more...

That's not something I'd really like to do, at least at this point in my life.

 

[NogginBoink]

I think MrsPliableMoose is.

And PliableMoose's Cute Redhead Friend That He Convinced To Join ATOT is.

 

[911paramedic]

It is a good line of work to get into, and the pay is great. I would recommend that if you don't like doing the dirty work (bedpans, cleaning patients, etc) you get into the ER end of it. During my rotations way back when, I got to see what they do in all the different departments and most of it really sucks, lol.

I am a paramedic obviously, but deal with hospitals and staff in most depts still.

 

[DuallyX]

Yeah...I'm thinking I'd be one male in an ocean of female nurses....which doesn't do much for me since I'm a happily married man.

 

[vi edit]

One suggestion that I may make, is to check into a CNA (Certified Nursing Aid) program at a local community college. You can do the program for $100-$200 and it will provide you with introductory Nursing skills and patient exposure. The program requires actually volunteering and working in a nursing environment. It will also allow you to meet and network with others in the nursing profession. The course could be done over a couple months time (maybe even less) and will provide you a good hands on exposure to the nursing profession.

You don't invest a lot of time, nor do you invest a lot of money into this program. But it may be what you need to decide if nursing is what you want to do.

Granted, the CNA positions you'll volunteer at are a bit different than a nursing position at a SICU at a big hospital, but it's better than going into it blind.

 

[pyonir]

Originally posted by: Dual700s
Yeah...I'm thinking I'd be one male in an ocean of female nurses....which doesn't do much for me since I'm a happily married man.

Well if you get tired of women (read: your wife), there are plenty of gay nurses. (my sis worked with about 10 at the last hospital she was at).

 

[DuallyX]

Originally posted by: 911paramedic
It is a good line of work to get into, and the pay is great. I would recommend that if you don't like doing the dirty work (bedpans, cleaning patients, etc) you get into the ER end of it. During my rotations way back when, I got to see what they do in all the different departments and most of it really sucks, lol.

I am a paramedic obviously, but deal with hospitals and staff in most depts still.

Neo-natal care is definately something I'd be interested in....as well as pediatric and even geriatric. Any insight on those?

 

[sash1]

My mother is a nurse...

~Aunix

 

[DuallyX]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
One suggestion that I may make, is to check into a CNA (Certified Nursing Aid) program at a local community college. You can do the program for $100-$200 and it will provide you with introductory Nursing skills and patient exposure. The program requires actually volunteering and working in a nursing environment. It will also allow you to meet and network with others in the nursing profession. The course could be done over a couple months time (maybe even less) and will provide you a good hands on exposure to the nursing profession.

You don't invest a lot of time, nor do you invest a lot of money into this program. But it may be what you need to decide if nursing is what you want to do.

Granted, the CNA positions you'll volunteer at are a bit different than a nursing position at a SICU at a big hospital, but it's better than going into it blind.

Great advice! I'll definately look into that. Could also save me a good deal of money if I decide it is not for me. I'm looking at taking the Major classes at Newman University (Wichita, KS) @ $440/credit hour- so $100-200 bucks sounds like a great investment.

 

[Double Trouble]

My wife is an RN. It's definitely a field where you'll aways be able to get a job. The downside is that in todays economic environment, hospitals and offices are getting squeezed bigtime, so your job will be extremely stressful, and you'll likely get to spend way less time with each patient then you'd want to. It can certainly be rewarding, but most RN's and nurses tend to get burned out rather quickly and leave for another field (which is why there's always jobs open for nurses).

I can get you more info about the job/field/tips etc from the wife if you wish......

 

[DuallyX]

Originally posted by: tagej


I can get you more info about the job/field/tips etc from the wife if you wish......

That's be awesome, if you don't mind. I'd just like to know all I can before diving in to it.

 

[MustangSVT]

Originally posted by: fivespeed5
hellllllllllllllllllloooooooooooooooooooo nurse!

yum yum!

 

[amcdonald]

Greg's a male nurse.

 

[AccruedExpenditure]

I work at the corporate headquarters of a major hospital system on the west coast.

Become a nurse. There is an huge scarcity of them, so much so that many hospital networks have began to import them from other countries.

Rewarding Job, Good Compensation, and if you work for Kaiser you START off as an RN making 40 dollars an hour.

If you wish you can become a Regsitry nurse (a temp nurse, these individuals are ALWAYS in demand) and choose where you want to work, what hours you want to work and get paid 35-60 dollars an hour.

Or you can become a traveller (a nurse who travels to different regions (they get to pick)) and essentially do the same thing.

 

[StageLeft]

You can PM mrsskoorb if you have any questions and tell her I said so!

The work has always been (as far as I know) available. Also since many/most hospitals use LPNs they're more likely to clean crap and give a patient a bath than a nurse is. You don't even need a bachelor's degree and do an associate's degree in two years. Your education will not be as good and you won't be as good a nurse but you'll still get the same pay and the same jobs so if you don't care your employer probably won't either!

Rewarding Job, Good Compensation, and if you work for Kaiser you START off as an RN making 40 dollars an hour.

If you wish you can become a Regsitry nurse (a temp nurse, these individuals are ALWAYS in demand) and choose where you want to work, what hours you want to work and get paid 35-60 dollars an hour.

Wow that's good pay but in Birmingham registered nurses start anywhere from about $16-21 hour depending on hospital and if you choose to have benefits (like health coverage).

I'd consider being a nurse except it's not the most manly job in the world (at least in Canada although lots of guys are nurses in the US), and more importantly I don't like playing with old women's smelly frontals.

 

[huey1124]

is your name Gaylord Focker?

 

[DurocShark]

Pics?

J/K

Lots of work, long hours, decent pay...

 

[DuallyX]

From what I've seen, starting RN is between $25-$35/hr around here.

 

[HamSupLo]

focker!