Stanley Said:

emergency animal medical technicians?

We Answered:

You would get a degree as a vet tech, like me, which is a 2-4 year program, depending on what school you go to (most vet tech schools are 18 months of intense training, followed by a state certification test). The tuition for most vet tech schools is $11,000 a year.

The salary for a vet tech is around $30,000 a year.

In high school, you should take zoology, biology, chemistry, trig, algebra, geometry, etc (lots of math and science). If some of these classes aren't offered at your high school, don't worry, though.

Vet tech schools in and around Wisconsin:
http://www.technical-schools-guide.com/w…

I hope this helps from one future vet tech to another :)

Wade Said:

I want to become an RN...what type?

We Answered:

It is a Registered Nurse that works in a PICU or any type of ICU setting. Many hospitals do not use LPNs anymore so it is only RNs.

It does not take any special degree or extra training to work at a Childrens Hospital, nor does it take any special training to work in any of the specific units that you mentioned.

In nursing school, you are trained to work in a variety of settings, including pediatrics. Once you are licensed, you are qualified to work in any position that lists RN in the title. Job-specific training comes from your employer during a rather lengthy orientation process where you work one on one with a preceptor who is greatly experienced on that unit, and they also have you sit in on many classes which teach you about things you need to know, for example, if you were working in a PICU, you might have a class dedicated solely to the equipment used in the unit, like vents, IV pumps, central line monitoring, etc..

During nursing school, many hospitals offer summer internships for student nurses, to be done between the first and second year of your Associates Degree program or between Junior and Senior year if a Bachelor's Degree program. This would be an extra benefit to get your foot in the door in the Children's Hospital, as many of these facilities offer their interns guaranteed jobs after graduation - although it might not be guaranteed in the exact unit you want to work in.

It's hard as a new graduate to get into any kind of critical care environment like PICU. No matter what specialty you want to work in, you'd greatly benefit from working in a regular medical / surgical unit for about 6 months to a year, where you will have the most variety of experiences in common health problems, medications, treatments, etc. This will form a solid foundation in your nursing practice, and transitioning to other areas like PICU would be much easier on you.

In a regular staff nurse position at a hospital, the difference in pay between a BSN nurse and an ADN nurse is hardly anything - my hospital pays about $1 more to the BSNs. So there is no real practical need to get the BSN first - many people get their ADN, then find an employer who offers tuition assistance to pay for them to complete their BSN. And in the long run, you are better off earning the BSN because it will increase your knowledge of the profession itself, increase your leadership and management skills, and therefore you will be a better candidate for promotions beyond bedside nursing.

Be aware that getting into any nursing school is a competative process, and you might not get in the first year you apply. Work hard at keeping your grades up in your pre-requisite courses and other general education courses which you will earn for your degree. Apply to multiple schools to increase your chances at getting admitted.

I did not agree with the other answer when they said the doctors treat nurses poorly. It can happen, but that's not the norm. The nursing profession has changed from years ago, and we get far more respect in the workplace as professionals than we did years ago. These kinds of ignorant, abusive behaviors are not tolerated and there is a process to report physicians or other medical staff that "don't play well with others".

Jessie Said:

is diagnostic medical sonography a good choice for someone with nothing but high school education?

We Answered:

No, it is not easy and no, not everyone can do it. You have to learn how to interpret ultrasound images, how to manipulate the machine (which requires learning a lot of physics), as well as the physical part of learning the techniques of scanning. But just because you stopped after high school doesn't mean you can't succeed in a Sonography program. It can definitely be done, but it does require more than just har work - the material itself is difficult. You learn about every part of the body and the pathology involved.

If you are interested in it, I think you should give it a shot, you never know :)

Accredited Sono programs: http://caahep.org/Find-An-Accredited-Pro…
By the way, I would steer clear of schools like Sanford Brown. They are super expensive and usually do not have good reputations in the ultrasound community.

Steven Said:

Medical school school questions...?

We Answered:

Hello,
If you're really interested in it, I urge you to look around the net. You'll find some good resources. However, I'll say a few things that might help. High school? Doesn't matter. Just do well in college (does college choice matter? Not so much, just do well wherever you go)-stay above a 3.5GPA if you can. Another thing, I always sorta laugh when people in high school tell me what kind of doctors they want to be. My brother is IN medical school (I'm still in college), and he changes his mind practically every week. You'll change yours as well. As far as years? Be ready for the long haul:
4 years of college
4 years of medical school
4 (approx) years of residency. If you go for cardiac surgeon....try about 8-10 total of residency. It's really not worth it if you're going after it for the money.

College: Take Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, etc.

How good of a med school you get into depends on how good of a GPA you have and your MCAT scores. There really is no such thing as a "bad" medical school; it's all the same degree. Just be happy to get in! Like I said, you REALLY need to research it...and try spending time around doctors to see if you even LIKE what they do. It's not always as glamorous as it sounds! Good luck...work hard in college and maybe it wil pay off~!

Marian Said:

Is this guy crazy: Wisconsin dad drives all the way to Kansas each week to hang on to a job in tough times?

We Answered:

my son works 800 miles round trip away from his family right now - you do what you have to do......