OT - Nurses, need advice

[Robbi]

My niece had great grades and still would have had to wait 2 yars to get into anursing program. Instead she got her LPN and then appled to an online nursing school. She was able to do her clinicals at the local hospital. During school she had to fly twice to Dallas for her exams. Then she took her state boards. Both the LPN and online RN took about 2.5 years which was not bad at all. She was working as an RN while her friends were just finishing their 1st semesters of nursing school. Kathy is an average student so I'm sure the OP with both her bachelors and masters degrees woud be fine. She did LPN work and worked on her online classes during her off hours.

[sarah4770]

I was a nurse for 23 years. I cannot do it now because my back is just done for. Now I work for half the pay............ but, I never had a problem finding a job. All I had to do was show up for the interview.... seriously, you will never lack work. I was unprepared for my back injury. I was a trach/vent pediatric nurse, I am now back in college, looking to a new field. Just have a back up plan. If you get hurt, or have any licensing issues ( and they do come up, don't say it can never happen to you), you really don't have any transferable skills. so get the degree, enjoy your career, but be prepared in case you cannot practice any more. Always have an interest in something else. It will save you financially and emotionally.

And furb........ I don't know where you get your information from?????????

[FlyingDumbo]

My local hospital is currently hiring just a few new grads, IF they did an externship there, at a rate of $5 an hour LESS than new grad nurses made 5 years ago.They are getting half of the amount of training and it is almost always cut shorter due to "staffing needs" and the nurses are left to sink or swim. So salary is going down and jobs are harder to get. In my area, nursing is not a good field to go into. Higher patient/nurse ratios and very high burnout rate. New nurses have less than a 50% retention rate at this particular place of employment, but it is the only place that will take new grads. Most quit when the stress gets to be too much. Be sure to do your research. A lot of it. And a lot of people who have been nurses forever are completely oblivious to the decreasing starting wage and "wage freeze" meaning no raises that newbies are getting. They are not making good money and are getting worked near to death.

[sarah4770]

Originally Posted by furb & dez

True, but many hospitals are experimenting with importing nurses from other countries, particularly nurses from the Phillipines. They'll work cheaper than Americans...

I worked in fl hospital, orlando on Rollins st.. There were Philippine nurses that made more than me and got room and board to boot.

[sarah4770]

Originally Posted by FlyingDumbo

My local hospital is currently hiring just a few new grads, IF they did an externship there, at a rate of $5 an hour LESS than new grad nurses made 5 years ago.They are getting half of the amount of training and it is almost always cut shorter due to "staffing needs" and the nurses are left to sink or swim. So salary is going down and jobs are harder to get. In my area, nursing is not a good field to go into. Higher patient/nurse ratios and very high burnout rate. New nurses have less than a 50% retention rate at this particular place of employment, but it is the only place that will take new grads. Most quit when the stress gets to be too much. Be sure to do your research. A lot of it. And a lot of people who have been nurses forever are completely oblivious to the decreasing starting wage and "wage freeze" meaning no raises that newbies are getting. They are not making good money and are getting worked near to death.

I got a job in healthcare at a rate half my previous pay, I was/am shocked. So yes, I would agree with your statement.

[jackie101]

Originally Posted by furb & dez

True, but many hospitals are experimenting with importing nurses from other countries, particularly nurses from the Phillipines. They'll work cheaper than Americans...

Really? I have not seen or heard anything about this

[Andrea464]

Originally Posted by dakcp2001

Hello, sorry to hear about your job loss! What field were you in? What draws you to nursing? What type of nursing would you like to do?

My best advice is this:

1. Do some research now IN YOUR AREA to see how the job market is for new grad nurses. It is really bad in some areas, and I would hate for you to spend the time getting a degree that will not lead to a position. Don't listen to that nursing shortage garbage, it is not true everywhere. There is a shortage of experienced nurses willing to work for less money, there is NO shortage of new grads trying to land jobs.

2. Get a job as a Tech, NA, or CNA during nursing school. This experience will help you tremendously as a nurse, and help you get a foot in the door and make some connections for when you graduate. Try to get a job as a tech in the specialty you want to work in.

3. Bedside nursing is tough, mentally and physically. Your first year or two you may need to do night shift. You will need to be able to work nights, weekends, holidays, whatever it takes to get that foot in the door. There are a lot of places to go in nursing, and a lot of jobs with better hours, but you are not going to get any of them unless you have some experience.

4. Are you physically able to lift, bend, push, pull? Be on your feet for 12 hours? It gets easier with practice, but it can be hard at times. Can you handle body fluids? Blood, guts, vomit, poop, urine?

5. Choose a school that offers a preceptorship at the end, this can help you land a job in a tough market. Also, be nice and make friends at clinical. Make the staff on that floor want to work with you or hire you.

Nursing can be a great rewarding career, as long as you go in with eyes wide open. The first year is tough. Nursing school is also no picnic. But if you can get through nursing school and your first year as a nurse, you can do anything! There is a forum called allnurses dot com, you should give it a look.

THIS.

I've been a nurse for seven and a half years. I've worked ER, OR, public health and am now in a cardiac cath lab. I love my job now because I make a difference. It's great because I get instant gratification- someone comes in having the worst chest pain of their life having a heart attack, and I help them live. It's awesome- gives me goosebumps!
The school I went to was point based. More points went towards the difficult classes like anatomy and physiology. How well you did there was a pretty good indicator of how you'd do in nursing school.
I don't buy into the whole "no nursing shortage" bit. There are jobs available, but it might not be in the position or time slot people want. It depends on location too. When I lived in a smaller town we had a small hospital. It was incredibly hard to get a job there. But I'm now at a large trauma center that is associated with a university and school of medicine- there are always jobs available!!!

What I love about nursing- you're not limited to one area. You don't like peds? Don't have to do it. There are so many areas where you can find your groove!

[ABtwinmommy]

Originally Posted by furb & dez

True, but many hospitals are experimenting with importing nurses from other countries, particularly nurses from the Phillipines. They'll work cheaper than Americans...

That is not accurate. Certain areas of extreme nursing shortage started bringing in nurses from the Phillipines several years ago. For same or better pay. Plus the cost of recuiting and getting them here. Not to pay less money, but to fill needs.

OP, as others have said, nursing school is challenging. Teachers were strict, tests were hard. Perform well or you are out. As difficult as it was, nursing school did not at all prepare me for what it is actually like to be a nurse. Bedside nursing is very difficult physically, mentally, emotionally. The pressure can be extreme. You have people's lives in your hands. And the working conditions are not always great. Frankly, they can be downright inhumane. 12+ hour shifts with no break to eat/drink/pee sometimes. Hours are long, weekends, holidays required. May need to work off-shifts or rotate. RNs are not always paid as well as (IMO) they should be.

All that said, I am glad that I went into nursing. You get to do work that you can be proud of (at least sometimes!) I like that there are so many options - like all the different areas/specialties and different shifts/#hrs etc.

As far as what to expect as a bedside nurse... Nursing is unique in that you work with strangers (the patients) on a very intimate level. You see them at their most vulnerable and private states. It is eye opening, to say the least. It is not always easy to deal with people that are sick, scared, and/or confused. It is not always easy to deal with their families either. But it can be very rewarding.

Despite all the challenges of the profession, I call it a great profession. But it is certainly not for everyone. If you believe it is for you, go for it! And welcome to nursing!

[luvthemouse71]

Originally Posted by jackie101

Really? I have not seen or heard anything about this

Oh, yeah. It happens. A lot. Management loves them because most of them are more deferential and grateful to be working. So, they tend not to call administration on their crap.

Any traveling nurse is going to make more money than staff. This goes for the ones in the US too.

[akcire]

My daughters preschool has a new grad with a BSN working as a preschool teacher for $10 an hour. She can't find a job. She did very well in school, and has sent out hundreds of resumes. Also many of the "preschool parents" have tried to help her find work. She has been told that no one is hiring new grads.

[Ennazus8810]

Just like anything else the job market depends on where you live. My sister is in nursing school, a non traditional student. 35 years old with 4 kids. She graduates in May. She has already been offered a job. There is a huge shortage here, even with 3 RN programs in a 30 mile radius.

[buckirj1]

I researched returning to school for an RN degree, and decided against it. It's very difficult to find a full-time nursing job (even with late shift hours) with full benefits in my area. There are lots of part-time and prn positions, but I would need full employment and benefits. LPN jobs abound, but that's relatively low-paying.

[mrudman]

It really does depend on the area you live. We have plenty of positions always opening up around here.. but of course, we also have tons of hospitals just within a 45 minute drive from here.

Most of the hospitals have gotten rid of the LPN position here, so RN's work mainly in the hospitals where LPN's get the nursing home/doctor's office positions.

[dakcp2001]

Originally Posted by buckirj1

I researched returning to school for an RN degree, and decided against it. It's very difficult to find a full-time nursing job (even with late shift hours) with full benefits in my area. There are lots of part-time and prn positions, but I would need full employment and benefits. LPN jobs abound, but that's relatively low-paying.

You also cannot be hired for a prn position until you have a year or two of solid bedside experience.

[bittybabygrower]

Originally Posted by dakcp2001

You also cannot be hired for a prn position until you have a year or two of solid bedside experience.

You can be hired as PRN as a new grad at some places, but I would NOT recommend it. You will not get a full orientation and may be required to float to other units. Not safe!