STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

member · Hermes

Nursing

lsubatgirl · Gucci

hmm you have to take prereq classes in college under a degree called pre-nursing but I'm not sure if you are supposed to graduate or if you go on to nursing school and graduate from there. Its at least 4 years of schooling. There is also what is called a LPN which is less schooling but I don't know what the difference in jobs and pay are. I know not being a RN can hold you back in the long-term with promotions and pay.

Mia · Kate Spade

I think an RN is a 4 year qualification. My sister just finished her first year of nursing (she has also decided not to continue, because it isn't for her). If you do get an RN, it is super portable and a lot of places in the world are desperate for qualified nurses. If you want to travel, it's a great qualification. Hard work, though!

ILoveChoo · Hermes

its 4 years for RN and 2 years for LPN. CNA (nurse's assistant- mostly in nursing homes) is a few months (I want to say 3). I know a lot of hospitals/nursing homes will also pay for your schooling if you are working there (ex, if you are an LN they will pay for you to finish up and get your RN).

My MIL is a nurse and my Mom and FH were both CNAs for a while...feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions that they might be able to help you with. It's a really rewarding job but a TON of work and it can be very demanding both physically and emotionally. I could never do it myself but have enormous repect for those that do.

shopgirl82 · Chanel

well, as the only R.N. on here (at least i think so)....i figured i would respond.

the schooling is four years for an R.N. which is often the mimimum degree that hospitals are willing to hire (the LPN is almost lost because hospitals don't hire them as much anymore). if you want to go for an LPN it is two years, but i don't recommend it since it is harder to find a job with an LPN, you can't do as much within the hospital (can't give meds, etc..) and you get paid less. CNA is a nurse's assistant. not a very glorious job (i did it for two summers). they get paid good for a job that doesn't need a college degree($16/hr in the east coast) i would recommend it if you think you want to be a nurse. the hours are flexible if you go to school at the same time, but it will give you a good perspective of nursing.

at my school there was an express program which let college grads with an non-nursing major do an INTENSE 18 month nursing program. my school also had another less intense program for college non-nursing grads. so once you pick a school, look into the type of programs they have.

the schooling, even if you're doing it four years is tough. it's one of the accomplishments that i'm most proud of. it's physically and mentally exhausting. typically my schedule would be

m-clinicals (going to the hospital and having patients) usually get up at 5-6 am to be at the hospital by 6:45am

t-classes, three of them, 8-3pm

w-clinicals 6:45-3pm (remember you have to study after clinicals for tests, etc..)

th-classes 8-3pm

f-it was required by my school that nursing students didn't have class on friday

not the typically schedule of my college friends. i would be getting up with scrubs on while they were coming home from the bars, no joke. you don't get to make your schedule at all because the nursing classes are only offered like one/maybe two time slots.

but, after all that work, it's extremely rewarding. i got into it cuz my mom was a nurse, she worked nights so we would never have to go to daycare, so she could have a family and have a career. you feel great at the end of the day, you didn't sit behind a computer all day, your day is different everyday. you can always find a job, you can tell people what you do with pride, you feel you are truly helping people everyday, etc, etc, etc...

the pay is really good too, i thought i would add that . if you have an expensive month, you can just pick up an extra shift, usually for overtime, and take care of the extra bills. i work three 12 hour shifts a week (that's considered full time) and once in a while i will pick up extra shifts (but i do bcbg for a relaxing, fun job, not for the money, and cuz i love the girls). the only downside is that often you can't function after those 12 hour shifts, and you are required to work 2 weekends a month. so your schedule is not always the same as everyone elses. but on the perk side, i get four days off a week and can get a ton of errands done on a wednesday than a sat.

so i think that's it. sorry it was so long. i would say the best thing to do is to become a nurse's assistant and see how you like it. good luck with your decision.

member · Hermes

shopgirl82 - thanks for your post. That's very helpful, but actually a little discouraging for me Unfortunately, I will have to workl full time while going back to school. I don't have the option not to because I have to pay the bills. It seems like I wouldn't be able to if I go into Nursing? I'm sure I could make it work, it would just take me a lot longer, but I'm worried now that some of the programs don't even allow you to take night classes.

I really don't know what to do. It seems like no matter what I decide to go back to school for I'm going to struggle because I have to work full time.

blink · Coach

Okay, I am not 100% for sure on this but I seem to remember that when my mom was in nursing school, she's an RN, she was also working in the hospital as another lower type of nurse (sorry I don't know if she was a scrub tech or what), so the work was related and it didn't interfere the way that a regular job does with other schools.

member · Hermes

quote:
Originally posted by: lorelei
"Okay, I am not 100% for sure on this but I seem to remember that when my mom was in nursing school, she's an RN, she was also working in the hospital as another lower type of nurse (sorry I don't know if she was a scrub tech or what), so the work was related and it didn't interfere the way that a regular job does with other schools."

Maybe you're referring to what Shopgirl82 mentioned - you can get certified as a CNA in a few months and work as that while going to school to be an RN? Maybe I could look into doing that.

Would you mind asking your mom what she did exactly?

bliss · Dooney & Bourke

quote:
Originally posted by: shopchicago33
" Maybe you're referring to what Shopgirl82 mentioned - you can get certified as a CNA in a few months and work as that while going to school to be an RN? Maybe I could look into doing that. Would you mind asking your mom what she did exactly?"

I'm a Nursing Recruiter/Manager at a healthcare services agency and I deal with a lot of CNA's. It is definetly a decent paying job for someone who is already working, going to school and or doesn't have a degree. Just Wednesday I went with one of the CNAs on an actual homecare visit and got to see exactly what she did, though not at all glamorous it was easy work for the amount she was getting paid, amoung other things she literally went and bought the woman chicken wings for lunch :)

Look into local community colleges and nursing associations, as a matter of fact I will be at a community college next week for a recruiting event. There is a wealth of knowledge on the Internet and since I'm not a Nurse I can't get into specifics on what exactly goes on but some people get their CNA in about 6 weeks. I believe in my state they require 150 hours and a state board examination. Good luck!

shopgirl82 · Chanel

that was MY school that didn't have night classes. you could check into schools and see if they offer programs. i would set up an appointment, or call schools to find out if they have back to school programs at night, what the requirements are, etc...

also, i would set up an appointment with HR at the hospital and ask them if they work with students who are going back to school (i'm sure they do). some hospitals will even give you a job, pay for your schooling, and you could have a two year requirement to work for them after you graduate (not bad if you're strapped for cash and know that you won't be moving).

since hospitals are open 24 hours, i'm sure you could work at the hospital while going back to school, i know a ton of people who did that. the hospital is flexible with you. plus, the pay is good and if you work over 40 hours a week, you get over time (think four 12 hours shifts a week...three days off a week, and once you're at the hospital, four hours over an eight hour shift is nothing if you have an extra day off a week).

my opinion, and what a lot of girls who went back to school, was that it's worth it for job security, and a future that you can do anything with....

member · Hermes

quote:
Originally posted by: shopgirl82
" that was MY school that didn't have night classes. you could check into schools and see if they offer programs. i would set up an appointment, or call schools to find out if they have back to school programs at night, what the requirements are, etc... also, i would set up an appointment with HR at the hospital and ask them if they work with students who are going back to school (i'm sure they do). some hospitals will even give you a job, pay for your schooling, and you could have a two year requirement to work for them after you graduate (not bad if you're strapped for cash and know that you won't be moving). since hospitals are open 24 hours, i'm sure you could work at the hospital while going back to school, i know a ton of people who did that. the hospital is flexible with you. plus, the pay is good and if you work over 40 hours a week, you get over time (think four 12 hours shifts a week...three days off a week, and once you're at the hospital, four hours over an eight hour shift is nothing if you have an extra day off a week). my opinion, and what a lot of girls who went back to school, was that it's worth it for job security, and a future that you can do anything with.... "

I really appreciate all of the info. When you say I should call HR at a Hospital and find out if they give you jobs and pay for your school..does that mean I'd have to be certified as like a CNA first or something? Just wondering what type of job I could have there while going to school. That would be the most ideal thing and a lot easier than working at the bank I work at night and then going to school at night.

Thanks for your help shopgirl82.

rosie_the_riveter · Gucci

ok, so what is a LPN? My sister started out as a CNA then went to school and became a LVN (is that the same as LPN)? She just finished school for RN this week and will formally graduate on June 4 or 3 I don't know. Shopchicago33 don't get discouraged. My sister is 31, married with a 9 year old son and works as a LVN at night and went to school during the day. I know that it wore her down a lot but she is finally done and I am very proud of her. So don't let anything hold you back if that's what you really want to do.

As for what type of job you could get while going to school, you could get a little training and become a CNA like my sister did in the beginning....with that she went to work for VNA the Visiting Nurses Association. In other words she spent the night at some old man's house to make sure he was alright. Really laid back job....you could use that for homework/study time.

I'll ask her for more detail if you'd like