First of all, let me apologize for the font of this message...I have meds in my
eyes and they are kind of blurry.

Let me comment on a few things:
CNA's.....

CNA's don't get the accolades they deserve. They do a lot of good work and work
very hard to help their patients. We have two CNA's that don't know it yet, but
we have set a fund that we put money in every paycheck. Come spring, they are
going to be surprised when we hand each one half their tuition for nursing
school. If you can afford to work at a CNA's salary and support yourself and
your family, it may be in your best interest to do so. This experience will give
you a chance to be in the hospital setting and observe what nurses and docs do.
Sometimes just being in the hospital/nursing home setting can make the decision
as to whether you want to be in this field. If you cant afford to be an CNA and
want to pursue ur license, thats ok too cause the first two to three weeks of
clinical you are doing CNA work anyway and if you are in a program like I was
in, everyday of clinical will be CNA and nursing combined.

Programs...

There are different avenues you can choose for your training. You can take the
college route with the end result being a BS in Nursing. You can choose the
junior college route with the end result being an LVN or RN license depending on
whether the college offers and RN transition. You could also look into the
technical schools. The problem you will run into with technical schools is that
there arent that many that offer an RN transition program. The good thing is
that These schools are sometimes in good with the colleges and have a good
relationship for their students to pursue the RN education at the school. Also,
with the technical schools, you dont have the prerequisites that the junior
colleges have BUT (there is always a but) if u seek to join their program, they
may make u acquire those prereq's. The best way to choose a program, is too talk
to nurses. If they work at a hospital, they more than likely have entertained
the nursing students from a few programs during clinicals
and preceptorship. They can tell you which program seemed more with it compared
to others. Also...if u know anyone that was in the hospital ask them about their
nursing experience and if they know the name of their nurse. Go to that nurse
and ask what program they graduated from. Most programs have a wall of honor at
their school, visit it and see if they graduate big classes or abnormally small
ones. Some where between 19 and 40 graduating students is average. You can also
call the school and ask how many students graduated or passed their NCLEX most
department heads will be more than happy to brag. You can also go the state
board of nursing and ask questions

The Big Decision.....
I think one of the things ppl whom are considering nursing school should do is
sit down and be completely honest with themselves as to why they want to pursue
nursing as a career. If your true reason for getting into the career is money
then I will tell you without hesitation that you need to look elsewhere. With
time, you will tire of the field and the money wont seem worth the requirements
of the job. Like a poster stated earlier...if u have a caring attitude and
truly love medicine and want to help ppl then give it shot. That's the whole
advantage to being a CNA. There are CNA programs wherein you are done in 4-6
months. Most programs have an interview process with there programs and there
are two questions that they will ask you. I havent heard of a program with an
interview process that havent asked them. Ppl that are in it for the money will
give a particular answer and usually dont get in.

I do agree with the poster about changing the path of ones future. If you have
to work at the local burger joint while you go to school that is fine. Just take
a look at your life and ask yourself is you want to be in your current situation
five years from now.

Look forward to comments...

MM



raine16101@... wrote:
So work at McDonalds while you go to school to become a nurse...if that's
what it takes. The bottom line is to do SOMETHING to change the course of the
future or you will be destined to McDonalds for life! It's really up to you.


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