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Message
Calling All Nurses
Posted on 4/9/15 at 12:57 pm
Posted on 4/9/15 at 12:57 pm
My wife will soon be going to school to be a nurse. She says it will take 2yrs and she can get an ADN. She's been in college before and has taken basic courses but i don't think those count. Been doing research but would like to here from actual nurses.
My questions are
What's the best specific field and what's in demand?
What's the base salary?
What's the best route going through a hospital or through a college? And what's the best options with affordable tuition?
Thanks!
My questions are
What's the best specific field and what's in demand?
What's the base salary?
What's the best route going through a hospital or through a college? And what's the best options with affordable tuition?
Thanks!
This post was edited on 4/9/15 at 1:00 pm
23
Posted on 4/9/15 at 12:58 pm to GalvestonTiger12
Difficult to know an answer without pics
Posted on 4/9/15 at 12:58 pm to GalvestonTiger12
quote:
Calling LSU Nurse
Make your topic something about marriage or jeeps and she'll respond.
Posted on 4/9/15 at 12:59 pm to GalvestonTiger12
lsunurse isn't a real nurse, bro... she just changes baby diapers and shite like that.
Posted on 4/9/15 at 1:00 pm to GalvestonTiger12
i can shite myself if your wife wants to come wipe me.
Posted on 4/9/15 at 1:02 pm to GalvestonTiger12
quote:
She says it will take 2yrs and she can get an ADN.
Honestly...she is wasting her time going this route. Many hospitals nationwide are only hiring new grads with their BSNs and/or they are making their current nurses with only an ADN or Diploma go back to school and get their BSN or they lose their job. She will seriously limit herself to the nursing jobs she can find if she goes the ADN route now. 10 years ago I would have said differently. But the current trend is BSN or go home.
Posted on 4/9/15 at 1:02 pm to GalvestonTiger12
I'm not a nurse and have no idea what some of the other fields pay, but the nurses I work with in the ER make very good money. Schedule can be rough sometimes, but there are always shifts that need filling and the overtime pays well. Again, no expert in the matter, but might be a field worth looking into
Posted on 4/9/15 at 1:03 pm to GalvestonTiger12
I just asked my wife for you (she's an RN) Her answer is to make sure she gets her BSN.
Posted on 4/9/15 at 1:05 pm to GalvestonTiger12
quote:
What's the best specific field and what's in demand?
That's really gonna depend on what her interests are. You can't really "fake it" as a nurse. She may not be the type to thrive on intensity and adrenaline so the ER or an ICU may not be a great fit for her.
quote:
What's the base salary?
Really depends on what state you are in. The South and Midwest usually pay the worst fwiw.
Posted on 4/9/15 at 1:18 pm to GalvestonTiger12
quote:
She's been in college before and has taken basic courses but i don't think those count.
Depends on the courses. ADN and Diploma nursing programs still require you to have certain prereq classes before you can be in their programs. Your basic math and english classes. Plus nutrition, psych, biology, sociology, anatomy and physiology, chemistry and I forget what else. I think statistics as well for ADN(I didn't need that for diploma program...but will need for BSN).
Posted on 4/9/15 at 1:35 pm to GalvestonTiger12
Posted on 4/9/15 at 1:52 pm to GalvestonTiger12
quote:
What's the base salary?
Salary is shite. The real money comes from dipping in the hospital pharmacy. Let me know where she lands a gig, maybe we can set something up.
Posted on 4/9/15 at 2:01 pm to GalvestonTiger12
(no message)
This post was edited on 4/14/15 at 1:41 am
Posted on 4/9/15 at 3:21 pm to GalvestonTiger12
RN/BSN. May '14 graduate here.
As far as my experience goes.. I started on an ortho/neuro/med surg overflow unit. I completed roughly 5 months on that particular unit, working days and nights to "get my feet wet".
Around 4 months ago I applied for a surgery position (OR, not clinic), and I actually got the job (skeptical b/c I had little exp). In the OR, my title is a circulator, a position which requires a BSN degree. Surgery is an entirely different environment in almost every way. My schedule is 6:30a-3p on weekdays, weekends off unless you're on call, with around 12-15 call days a month (I'm CVOR, we take more call days). If surgery becomes a possibility, I would recommend it highly.
In regards to salary, I would guesstimate 50-70k (surgical) depending upon amount of call days and actual instances where you're called in.
Definitely go for BSN, there are more opportunities available. I can't comment regarding going through the hospital, as I went strictly through the university. I did, however, work in ICU as a tech throughout nursing school, and it helped a lot when interviews came around.
As far as my experience goes.. I started on an ortho/neuro/med surg overflow unit. I completed roughly 5 months on that particular unit, working days and nights to "get my feet wet".
Around 4 months ago I applied for a surgery position (OR, not clinic), and I actually got the job (skeptical b/c I had little exp). In the OR, my title is a circulator, a position which requires a BSN degree. Surgery is an entirely different environment in almost every way. My schedule is 6:30a-3p on weekdays, weekends off unless you're on call, with around 12-15 call days a month (I'm CVOR, we take more call days). If surgery becomes a possibility, I would recommend it highly.
In regards to salary, I would guesstimate 50-70k (surgical) depending upon amount of call days and actual instances where you're called in.
Definitely go for BSN, there are more opportunities available. I can't comment regarding going through the hospital, as I went strictly through the university. I did, however, work in ICU as a tech throughout nursing school, and it helped a lot when interviews came around.
Posted on 4/9/15 at 5:26 pm to GalvestonTiger12
I would disagree about the BSN. ADN is still the fiscally responsible way to go and follow through with an I expensive online paid for degree. I have heard a lot of threats of BSN only but not one state has successfully followed through. Couple that with the baby boomers becoming our sickest demographic and I seriously doubt we see implementation. I am ADN and have only worked critical care/ED/Cath lab. I have never applied for a job I didn't get and have never been asked for a BSN. I am licensed in 5 states. Hope that info helps.
Posted on 4/9/15 at 5:45 pm to GalvestonTiger12
"best" field is very subjective- I know nurses that work in PEDS that love it. . . I don't think I could deal with it; PEDs clinicals were enough!
If you talk with experienced nurses, alot of them will recommend spending at least one year cutting your teeth on a Med/Surg floor in order to learn time management and get to see a variety of issues.
Base pay here in LA is right around $22/hr. for new nurses.
Some hospitals still have a diploma school (BRG Midcity here in town) that I believe is a 3 year program.
Locally, BRCC has a 2 year ASN program. Your other options are the BSN programs at OLOL College, Southeastern and Southern.
The BSN programs have more prereq's and are obviously longer than the ASN program, but are the more expensive option.
Hospitals will say they prefer BSNs over ASNs, but as an ASN you can get out in the field sooner and then earn your BSN online while working full time. A BSN also gives you more room to advance into management or continue pursuing an advanced nursing degree.
I chose the ASN route and will be graduating soon. I plan on enrolling in the online RN to BSN program at ULL after the ASN. I've been paying for school out of pocket, so this was the more affordable solution for me, and since the RN to BSN program can be completed within one year, you still come out ahead moneywise and timewise over the BSN. (Unless you spent a year just doing the prereqs, in which case it's a wash timewise)
If you talk with experienced nurses, alot of them will recommend spending at least one year cutting your teeth on a Med/Surg floor in order to learn time management and get to see a variety of issues.
Base pay here in LA is right around $22/hr. for new nurses.
Some hospitals still have a diploma school (BRG Midcity here in town) that I believe is a 3 year program.
Locally, BRCC has a 2 year ASN program. Your other options are the BSN programs at OLOL College, Southeastern and Southern.
The BSN programs have more prereq's and are obviously longer than the ASN program, but are the more expensive option.
Hospitals will say they prefer BSNs over ASNs, but as an ASN you can get out in the field sooner and then earn your BSN online while working full time. A BSN also gives you more room to advance into management or continue pursuing an advanced nursing degree.
I chose the ASN route and will be graduating soon. I plan on enrolling in the online RN to BSN program at ULL after the ASN. I've been paying for school out of pocket, so this was the more affordable solution for me, and since the RN to BSN program can be completed within one year, you still come out ahead moneywise and timewise over the BSN. (Unless you spent a year just doing the prereqs, in which case it's a wash timewise)
Posted on 4/9/15 at 6:15 pm to GalvestonTiger12
BSN route is the ticket. Most nursing specialties require a BSN these days. Since medicine is in the corporate world now, many hospitals and home health companies look for the BSN along with the RN.
Posted on 4/9/15 at 7:59 pm to GalvestonTiger12
quote:
What's the best specific field and what's in demand? Most nursing fields are in demand. More popular ones are ICU, ER, and home health for those that like independence.
What's the base salary? Starting out you are looking at $23 an hour, but make more if work nights and weekends. Looking at around $5 extra an hour working weekends
What's the best route going through a hospital or through a college? And what's the best options with affordable tuition? Best bet is a BSN and taking out loans. You can go the associates route, but will probably have to go back for BSN within 10 years depending on if she works in a hospital
Posted on 4/9/15 at 9:05 pm to GalvestonTiger12
As others have said, she needs to pursue a BSN. Many specialties won't even let you into their programs without it. There are many different areas in which to work, and that is a wonderful advantage to the profession. I have specialized and no longer work in the hospital setting, but would highly recommend that she start there to get the varied experience that she will need. She can then build on that experience and will know which direction she wants to go. I left the ER after several years to have a better schedule for my kids' extracurricular activities. I went to home care from there, thinking that it would be low tech and boring. I loved it and can tell you that it requires more critical thinking and assessment skills than most practice areas, because of the autonomy and high acquity of the patients who are sent home. i've been working throughout the southeast for the past several years and can tell you that RN salaries in BR are not nearly as good as even the surrounding towns in LA. Good luck to both of you.
Posted on 4/9/15 at 9:16 pm to GalvestonTiger12
I got my B.S. in Kinesiology at LSU, worked 4 years at Pennington Biomedical in research, then went through Our Lady of the Lake's Accelerated ASN program in New Orleans. 10 months and I got an ASN. Took the NCLEX and 2 months later was working in the ED at Ochsner Main Campus. Tuition for that program was roughly $20,000 including fees and textbooks.
As far as base salary, I think I started out at $22.50/hr with $3/hr evening differential and $5/hr weekend differential. Worked 11a-11p shift for a few months then eventually 7a-7p with about 8-16 hrs overtime/week. Took home around $75,000 before taxes that year. Work in the ICU at Ochsner now and make $29/hr plus differentials, and now I'm working some night shifts which is an extra $5/hr. LSUHSC in New Orleans offers a program to get a BSN in as little as 18 months (or at least this was the case 4 years ago) for those who already have a bachelor's degree. Not sure if Our Lady of the Lake still offers their accelerated program.
How old is your wife? Does she want to further her career in the future. It's OK money for a part time gig, but we as RNs definitely do not get compensated fairly for the work we do (or at least ED and ICU RNs). There's a lot of bullshite you have to put up with, mostly from patients and families. Really never had any problems with the physicians and residents I work with...actually enjoy working with them. I'm currently paying an extra $8K to get my BSN online so I can apply to CRNA school...wish I would've just done the LSU 18 month BSN program and got it over with.
As far as base salary, I think I started out at $22.50/hr with $3/hr evening differential and $5/hr weekend differential. Worked 11a-11p shift for a few months then eventually 7a-7p with about 8-16 hrs overtime/week. Took home around $75,000 before taxes that year. Work in the ICU at Ochsner now and make $29/hr plus differentials, and now I'm working some night shifts which is an extra $5/hr. LSUHSC in New Orleans offers a program to get a BSN in as little as 18 months (or at least this was the case 4 years ago) for those who already have a bachelor's degree. Not sure if Our Lady of the Lake still offers their accelerated program.
How old is your wife? Does she want to further her career in the future. It's OK money for a part time gig, but we as RNs definitely do not get compensated fairly for the work we do (or at least ED and ICU RNs). There's a lot of bullshite you have to put up with, mostly from patients and families. Really never had any problems with the physicians and residents I work with...actually enjoy working with them. I'm currently paying an extra $8K to get my BSN online so I can apply to CRNA school...wish I would've just done the LSU 18 month BSN program and got it over with.
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