RN or Database Management

Well all my papers have been turned in and I go to orientation next week. I just hope I will do good!

 

You have to be an RN before becoming a CRNA. CRNA requires a Master's level of education.

 

RN, BSN, then if you are still young enough and have a sense of service I suggest the Air National Guard for your state. You will never regret it.

 

Pt., not PT.























OP: RN will proved greater job security and career flexibility, at least as long as the US maintains its super-unhealthy culture. There are some good advancement tracks from there as well (NP, for example).

Health care is usually a good bet as it's one of the "favored" (read: too big to fail) industries here in the US.

 

Yeah they do. The work they do may not be pleasant, but it's not highly skilled. Don't get me wrong: CNAs deserve fair pay for what they do. But in my opinion, they get it.

 

Sounds to me like an understaffed, underequipped facility. I assume employee turnover was high?

Yes, if you as an employer offer bad conditions, you'll either have high payroll costs or high turnover. What I'm saying is market rate for CNAs is, I think, fair compared to the level of skill required to do the work that falls under their scope. Other medical professionals typically make more because they have broader education, more specific skills sets, and not everyone can do what they do. CNA work, frankly, doesn't require much training.

 

DBA all the way IMO. Technology isn't going away...you can also dabble in software development. Heck... get into database management and do it in the healthcare industry if you like both.

 

I've worked as a firefighter/paramedic for the last 22 years. I went to Nursing school (RN) about 4 years ago. I work part time in critical care, pediatric ICU.

I worked my fire gig while going to school. Luckily in my job I had time to study and plenty of time off. I've got a guy starting medical school in January as well.

I did my pre reqs first prior to applying to nursing school.

If you have data management experience, informatics is a good field with a nursing degree.

 

I agree. I'm a RT (Radiologic Technologist) and the tech assistants who work with me (read large facility) make upwards of 18/hr and our transport staff earn around 15.

Hell I made 11/hr working in a grocery store bakery while I was in school. That is shit money and not enough to wipe shit!

My gf is in nursing school and my mother was a nurse her whole life. Needless to say I have known many many nurses prior to getting into the healthcare field. It is a great career and the younger you are the more of the world is at your fingertips. It definitely isn't for everyone.

 

I've been to orientation and registered for classes and they start next month.

Here is another question...
The college that I will be attending has WiFi through the whole campus so we can take laptops or tablets to class for notes or whatever.

Did you guys feel that taking the prerequisites for nursing and nursing classes to be easier/the same taking notes on a laptop or tablet, actually taking handwritten notes or both?

The instructors do not care, they said all the recommend was back up work on a Flash Drive in case something happened later.

I wanted to get an idea from everyone that has done this which way seemed to be better so I'm prepared!

 

RN and then become a flight nurse. bad ass job and $41+/- per hour to start, at least around here...

 

That's a personal opinion. When I was in undergrad I did it both ways. I liked hand written in the end. Since I would surf the net more then type

 

I went to school a long time ago-BS 2003. We didn't have anything put paper hand written notes and I still prefer it that way. For me there is something more tactile like taking notes which help learning. I did try to take some online classes after that but I like having the interaction with classmates and instructor/professor in a classroom as opposed to online.

Here in socal most nurses are making around 41/hr without a flight nurse status. That being said most civilian flight nurses I have worked with don't really think that much of it. Now military flight nurses, Air Force (active/reserves) and Air Guard love it. Especially reserves and air guard. Get your BSN and consider the air guard. It is truly the best kept secret in the military. Heck you could enlist, get a medical slot(non-nursing since you aren't a BSN) then when you get that bsn they will essentially create a billet for you if they like you. They do something similar with pilots. Look into it.

 

im talking about flight nurse as in DHART, MEDEVAC, helicopter search/rescues, that would be awesome. its prob cool to be a flight nurse in the military too, but not if you have or ever want a family.

 

I know what you are talking about and I know several nurses in those fields. They don't really talk like it is the end all be all. There is a high casualty/fatality rate with medevac crews compared to other aviation job fields. There are more highly sought out job fields in nursing. That is what is so good about it.

As far as having a family in the military plenty of people do it. Is it tough? It can be. My father was a pilot and my mother was a flight nurse. Both career military. Now her flight status was rescinded when I was born but she remained as a clinical nurse for the remainder of her 20 years of service with the Cal Air Guard.

If I had my BSN and was younger I would jump on being a flight nurse with the air force reserve or air guard in a heartbeat. Do your one weekend a month, couple weeks during the summer, and work a regular nursing job in the meantime. Could you be deployed? Hell yes. Will you serve on or near the front? Most likely not and will be comparably safer as a non-combat MOS.

 

oh yea i believe you, and not trying to argue or anything. but for me, if was to become a medic or RN (both have the same scope of practice when flight status, at least at DHART), I would do it for an EMS helicopter. i know DHART hasnt had an accident in 13 years, and that accident 13 years ago was not life threatening. i just think it is a bad ass thing, as they can do things by statue that other medics and nurses cannot, i.e. paralyze patients temporarily, (forgot what its called), when they are involved in accidents and their jaws cramp closed, or patients who are fighting with EMS crews due to trauma injuries. The military flight nurse does not interest me because there are far better things to do in the military, IMO, let me reiterate, IMO. plus, i dont want to have a family and get deployed from them for years at a time, i am already in a field when people wonder if they will make it home or not day to day let alone months at a time. i have all the respect in the world for our troops.

 

I wrote all my notes the old fashioned way.

Pen and Paper.

Tried my laptop, just didn't work for me. Plus I found myself on the 'net anyway!

 

Bite my ass 6 ways from Sunday.





(I might be a little soggy from last night.)

While I agree with you, I just want to say that out of all jobs, healthcare isn't going away by far.

I'd go hand written. Staring at a screen all hours of the day plus going tickety tac will drive you nuts. And you're more likely to get carpel tunnel typing it up.

 

Hey thanks. One more question. Is it best to go with 3 ring binders or just spiral notebooks? I just want some good advice from everyone that has taken these classes and know what's best so im not going crazy a few weeks into it changing or whatever. In school they told you what you HAD to use so im adjusting to whatever you want. I want to be setup good

 

Thanks. I know I will need my laptop too for different things, but I was unsure as far as the note taking is concerned what generally worked best.