I am currently thinking about enrolling in a nursing program, but I am hesitant because I just don't know if I have the confidence to further my education in that realm because I am not very good at math and am so-so in science.

If any of you who have pursued this profession or know anyone who has, what kind of insight could you give me?

Thanks :0)

I think Abix is a nurse so she'd be the one to ask :)

I thought about it for awhile, but after talking to the nursing advisor at the college, I decided against it.  In my area, nurses usually start on the graveyard shift at a hospital and I just couldn't do that with kids.  :-\\

I think Abix is a nurse so she'd be the one to ask :)

I thought about it for awhile, but after talking to the nursing advisor at the college, I decided against it.  In my area, nurses usually start on the graveyard shift at a hospital and I just couldn't do that with kids.  :-\\


I hear ya on that. Fortunately, I do not have children, so I don't have to worry about that at this point. I also remember Abix mentioning being a nurse and hopefully this thread will survive long enough until she returns to see it. Thanks for your input, Mama K. A little is better than none at all  ;)

My freshman year at UIC I was a nursing major, but when we moved to Georgia, I didn't like the nursing school and switched to a business major. 

Will you be needing a pratice patient?  :)    seriously, that's great Krissy. I can tell you nothing about the profession but wish you well if you pursue this direction in your life.

My freshman year at UIC I was a nursing major, but when we moved to Georgia, I didn't like the nursing school and switched to a business major. 


What did you not like about it?

Will you be needing a pratice patient?  :)    seriously, that's great Krissy. I can tell you nothing about the profession but wish you well if you pursue this direction in your life.


Thank you, Mike. I always enjoy your responses with little innuendos  ;D

What did you not like about it?



I didn't like some of the requirements of the nursing students....not enough hands-on learning.  The UIC College of Nursing was tied directly to Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's hospital and after a certain level, you would be working in the hospital.  You didn't have that option until you were practically ready to graduate, down here.

Thank you, Mike. I always enjoy your responses with little innuendos  ;D
I'm a bad boy sometimes, even on your serious thread.  :( 

The good news for you is that if you decide to go into nursing rather than being a doctor, you won't have to take the MCAT.  I think there are several avenues you can take, depending on whether you want to be a general nurse or a specialist.  Like, if you wanted to work as an X-ray technician you have to get licensed in radiology.  If you want to work in the injection clinic or blood work, you might have to get a phlebotomy license among others.  They really make you go through a lot of hurdles, mostly because you are working with human tissues.

Another thing to consider is whether you will be able to handle seeing blood and other bodily fluids on a regular basis, and whether you actually like people enough to put up with said fluids ;)  If you are game, though, no amount of math/science is gonna stop you.

I'd check Google for the California nursing requirements and then maybe make a trip to a local hospital (John Muir or Kaiser Permanente come to mind) and ask a nurse what they did and how they liked it.  Be prepared to cough up a lot of money to get trained and licensed though.

I didn't like some of the requirements of the nursing students....not enough hands-on learning.  The UIC College of Nursing was tied directly to Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's hospital and after a certain level, you would be working in the hospital.  You didn't have that option until you were practically ready to graduate, down here.


I agree. I want something that will give me a good amount of hands on and textwork. For example, I don't know how some people can do ALL online courses and still pass and feel confident in what they're doing in the real world.

The good news for you is that if you decide to go into nursing rather than being a doctor, you won't have to take the MCAT.  I think there are several avenues you can take, depending on whether you want to be a general nurse or a specialist.  Like, if you wanted to work as an X-ray technician you have to get licensed in radiology.  If you want to work in the injection clinic or blood work, you might have to get a phlebotomy license among others.  They really make you go through a lot of hurdles, mostly because you are working with human tissues.

Another thing to consider is whether you will be able to handle seeing blood and other bodily fluids on a regular basis, and whether you actually like people enough to put up with said fluids ;)  If you are game, though, no amount of math/science is gonna stop you.

I'd check Google for the California nursing requirements and then maybe make a trip to a local hospital (John Muir or Kaiser Permanente come to mind) and ask a nurse what they did and how they liked it.  Be prepared to cough up a lot of money to get trained and licensed though.


I have pretty much set aside any fears I have of dealing with bodily fluids. I guess one of my fears is catheters and bed pans - not exactly the most exciting thing to do, but, hey - I guess I'd rather do that than paperwork all day and sitting at a desk. I wouldn't mind being a nurse in either the ER, OR or in a doctor's office. I don't think I want to be a specialist, as I am more into a variety of things. I've already considered the costs of it all, and I can probably afford it. I feel that it's worth the money if I'm going to earn quite a bit in the longterm. There's such a HUGE demand of nurses in California. I look at John Muir's website every so often to see what's available and sometimes they have up to a 100 positions available for nursing.


Thank you for the suggestions. I forgot there for a moment you were a native from the Bay Area (Danville area, right?), so that helps even more  :)

I'm a bad boy sometimes, even on your serious thread.  :( 


;D Hey, keep 'em coming. I love them, Mike (you know that)

;D Hey, keep 'em coming. I love them, Mike (you know that)
aww thanks.  you made  :( turns to  :)

I think that once you get into a nursing program, eventually you will have to do stuff hands-on (i.e. bloodwork, blood collection, IVs, that kinda thing) so I wouldn't worry too much about that.  The program usually should have a curriculum that you can readily find if you're interested and want to make sure you get into the right program for you.

Nursing isn't for everyone.. But as for me.. I love it.  I've been a nurse for 16 years now. Before that, I worked as a nursing assistant for about 5 yrs.  Math is a portion of it.. but I suck at math and I did ok. Actually school is mostly about the theory of nursing and applying the stuff you learned in school, comes after you've been on the job. I noticed that SM mentioned that she quit after her first year.. So did my niece. She dropped out after the first semester actually.
It's not for everyone. As for the hands on practice that SM mentioned.. well think about it, You wouldn't let a freshman surgeon operate on you after only 1 year would you? The clinical  comes later into the courses, for a reason. You have to be READY for it. And if they threw you out there in a busy hospital after only a month or two of classroom theory, well you would be scared into another major.. like business or something! I truly believe some people should not even consider nursing. I work with a few people , that when I see how they are with their patients, I think.." what ever made you become a nurse? "  It takes compassion, patience, an open mind and willingness to be flexible and expect little reward for your efforts. Some people's attitudes do not reflect this at all. Maybe they went into it thinking it would be a glamourous career or an easy paycheck.. it's neither of these.
Clinical rotations aside, you don't get the real experience, until you are actually working in the real world. Believe me, books and theories, and all that, looks good on paper.. but it basically takes plain common sense to get by. When you first start as a nurse,it can be scary, overwhelming, but what you need is to have someone take you aside and say, "Look, this is how it looks in a textbook and THIS is how it is in reality.. Don't sweat it.." 

I agree. I want something that will give me a good amount of hands on and textwork. For example, I don't know how some people can do ALL online courses and still pass and feel confident in what they're doing in the real world.

The online courses, those would be better for someone already working in the health field. Such as an LPN, CMA, CNA, TMA, or PCA.  And the online courses DO partner with a hospital , so that when the students are at that point, they take their clinical rotations.  They have to offer clinical experience in order to be an accredited university (even an online one).

Nursing isn't for everyone.. But as for me.. I love it.   I've been a nurse for 16 years now. Before that, I worked as a nursing assistant for about 5 yrs.  Math is a portion of it.. but I suck at math and I did ok. Actually school is mostly about the theory of nursing and applying the stuff you learned in school, comes after you've been on the job. I noticed that SM mentioned that she quit after her first year.. So did my niece. She dropped out after the first semester actually.
It's not for everyone. As for the hands on practice that SM mentioned.. well think about it, You wouldn't let a freshman surgeon operate on you after only 1 year would you? The clinical  comes later into the courses, for a reason. You have to be READY for it. And if they threw you out there in a busy hospital after only a month or two of classroom theory, well you would be scared into another major.. like business or something! I truly believe some people should not even consider nursing. I work with a few people , that when I see how they are with their patients, I think.." what ever made you become a nurse? "  It takes compassion, patience, an open mind and willingness to be flexible and expect little reward for your efforts. Some people's attitudes do not reflect this at all. Maybe they went into it thinking it would be a glamourous career or an easy paycheck.. it's neither of these.
Clinical rotations aside, you don't get the real experience, until you are actually working in the real world. Believe me, books and theories, and all that, looks good on paper.. but it basically takes plain common sense to get by. When you first start as a nurse,it can be scary, overwhelming, but what you need is to have someone take you aside and say, "Look, this is how it looks in a textbook and THIS is how it is in reality.. Don't sweat it.." 


Wow - Thank you!  I've done some related college courses dealing with the medical field - Medical Terminology, Medical office procedures/Admin Asst., Biology, Health Biology, Medical coding and billing.
I enjoy the aspects of the office stuff to an extent, but I guess because I've been somewhat burned with an office sort of job (like where I'm at now), I want something more fulfilling and where I can help and truly care for people. The job I'm at now is so shallow at times and I feel as if I'm going to earn money, I want to earn it for a somewhat decent reason. I've been somewhat exposed to the medical field as two of my Aunts are nurses (both RN's) and my mother worked in a hospital ER trauma center for 10 years, so I have gotten to hear quite a bit from them about some of this stuff. I guess another thing I want is a challenge. I want a job where I can always think and not be sedentary. I seem to find this in nursing. Now, ask me ten years ago if I'd do this and I would have given a flat out "No way," but now that I've worked in the real world for about 8 years, I'm realizing what means more to me now. Yes, the money aspect is a plus, but it's really something I feel passionate enough to learn about. The scary thing is I know what I want, but I just am not sure where to begin!

I may have to respond in more greater detail because it's almost 2am over hear and I'm beginning to feel REALLY sleepy. But, thank you very much for your input. It is greatly appreciated  :) 

So you plan on being a nurse?

So you plan on being a nurse?


No she thought about becoming a builder

No she thought about becoming a builder


Very Funny! ::)

Very Funny! ::)


It's okay, Howard  ;D

Yes, nursing is my planned area of expertise. I am just trying to tally up some pointers from those on here who work in nursing to get a more realistic view of it.

And, Howard, I do enjoy bulding things, as a matter of fact. I often help my boyfriend out with his remodeling business, so I do that as a part time thing every once in awhile  :)

Nursing is a great career when it comes to continuing education. For one thing, it's required everytime you renew your nursing license. You have to have so many credits of continuing education in order to renew your license. And I can honestly say, that even after 16 yrs of experience, I learn something new every single day. You don't have to be pigeon holed into one area of nursing either. You can learn other fields just as easily, i.e. I started out working in Long term care, then went to home care, then clinic- cardiology, and for the past 6 1/2 years I've been working in the neurology field. I also get experience with med-surgical, as we get lots of other patients on our floor as well. It is HARD work, long hours, not always the best circumstances you're working with, but it IS rewarding in itself. I wish you all the best in your choices. You have a great attitude and outlook, and I think you would make a fine nurse! :)

^ Thank you very much, Abix, for your encouragement. I am glad that just from what you have read about my views on it that you can assess that I'd make a good nurse.  :)

I have made my decision and this looks like the game plan:

I need (6) 5-point courses as pre-requisites before I can apply for the nursing program. Three I've already completed while I've been at my community college the last 5 years. The applications are accepted between August and November of next year. Seems like a lonnnnngg time from now, but as I've noticed the last few years - time goes REALLY fast lately.

Now, here's the catch - I am applying for the LVN program. I have a few reasons for this: 1) It gives me very similar opportunities that an RN would have, 2) It may be a good way to ease my way into the field and then I can even further my education if I'd like, 3) It requires less time in school so I can start looking to the future a little sooner.

So, this looks to be what I'll be doing and I am looking forward to it.

Now, I have one more question: Please explain to me what Physiology is like? I'll be taking this course this upcoming semester and I'm about to pee my pants about it because I'm a little scared of what I'm in for. I've heard some horror stories about anatomy and physiology courses from other nursing majors  ;D

I bet it won't be nearly as hard as if you were taking an MD physiology/anatomy course.  If you have a solid fundamental background in biology I think you'll be fine.  I'm curious to see what Abix had to go through for her prereq courses, but I know that my MD and MD/PhD buddies had a heck of a time memorizing all those random nerves and muscles.  I think nurses might get a bit of leeway on that front though.

Do you have a syllabus for the course you are thinking of taking?

My step-daughter just got her LPN and is now going for her RN. I really don't know too much about her course work-just that I know she works hard. And yes, Carlos and I are both very proud of her.




Cat

Do you plan on attending college for this? ???

Do you plan on attending college for this? ???



Of course she is.  You don't learn to be a nurse at the Mall.

I bet it won't be nearly as hard as if you were taking an MD physiology/anatomy course.  If you have a solid fundamental background in biology I think you'll be fine.  I'm curious to see what Abix had to go through for her prereq courses, but I know that my MD and MD/PhD buddies had a heck of a time memorizing all those random nerves and muscles.  I think nurses might get a bit of leeway on that front though.

Do you have a syllabus for the course you are thinking of taking?


I don't have a syllabus yet. They usually do that the first day of class.

Yeah, I am sure MD's and PhD's get the full onslaught of killer anatomy, right down to the nitty gritty of things. I probably just need a good taste of it so I can relate to Doctors and nurses on a similar level of understanding.

I don't have a syllabus yet. They usually do that the first day of class.

Yeah, I am sure MD's and PhD's get the full onslaught of killer anatomy, right down to the nitty gritty of things. I probably just need a good taste of it so I can relate to Doctors and nurses on a similar level of understanding.


If you know the name of your instructor, you can probably find their info in the directory and e-mail/call them to find out what the course is about so you can prepare if you wanted to.  Most teachers/professors are pretty helpful with that stuff.

If you know the name of your instructor, you can probably find their info in the directory and e-mail/call them to find out what the course is about so you can prepare if you wanted to.  Most teachers/professors are pretty helpful with that stuff.


Yeah, thanks for that suggestion. Believe it or not, the many years I've been in college, I've never e-mailed an instructor ahead of time for that stuff. I think I'll just do that!  Thanks!!  ;D

Do you plan on attending college for this? ???


Yes, I will be attending college. This is something you NEED college for.



Of course she is.  You don't learn to be a nurse at the Mall.


Yeah, and I'd be pretty leery of the nursing program offered at the Mall. But, it sure would be convenient.  ;D

My step-daughter just got her LPN and is now going for her RN. I really don't know too much about her course work-just that I know she works hard. And yes, Carlos and I are both very proud of her.




Cat


Yeah, it's going to be tough work, so if you don't see me around, that'll be why  ;D Congrats to your step-daughter for her success!  ;)

Yes, I will be attending college. This is something you NEED college for.

Yeah, and I'd be pretty leery of the nursing program offered at the Mall. But, it sure would be convenient.  ;D



You can learn to start IVs and get an Orange Julius at the same time.

You can learn to start IVs and get an Orange Julius at the same time.


Yeah, and maybe do blood transfusions while handling dirty money to the cashier.