Jorge Said:

Am I suitable for a nursing career?

We Answered:

Those aren't really good reasons. How do you help people? Have you ever washed a 70 year old man after he had a bad case of diarrhea because his aide is down the hall trying to wash up 3 other people? Have you ever held someone’s hand after an amputation while they screamed at you that you were rough and horrible? "Helping people" is a generic answer for nursing, and you need to see exactly how you want to help people. It isn't quite as simple as just doing something else if you don't like it, it is demanding and draining. You need to put so much effort into it I can't imagine how you can just walk away saying that it was just a life experience.

Take a CNA course to see how you can handle patient care and the nasty side of nursing. Many nursing courses require it anyways, so it will help you. Nursing involves a lot more than this, but being a nurse’s aide lets you see how much you can tolerate the gross work and you can get past some modesty issues or a fear of sick people. This is much easier to walk away from. No one here can tell you if you would be good at anything, so just get out there and get some experience.

Rhonda Said:

Which is a better career choice in terms of pay and benefits, Nurse or Teacher?

We Answered:

Teaching at least has more stable hours where as nursing you have shift work. Teachers in Canada make a good living pretty comparable to nurses and have pretty good job security. However, to be a teacher depends on where you want to move to in Canada (don't know anything about the U.S. and don't care). in Toronto there is a surplus of teachers so you would have a hard time getting full time employment. You may need to do some research as to where in Canada there are needs for teachers. With nurses, I be live there is always a demand but you may want to verify that as well.

Thelma Said:

Need help for a title page for research paper! I have a thesis which is as follows:?

We Answered:

"Nursing Young Males: Strategies for Increasing Male Enrollment in Nursing Programs"

<the first part's a bit tongue in cheek, but I think the second part has legs... LOL... I gotta stop, I'm killing me with my jokes... >

You've got a great research topic! Sounds really timely and valuable!! You ought to get it published. Really.

Adam Said:

is nursing really a good career choice..?

We Answered:

Hi Libralov,
I am a RN and have been for 17 years. For what it is worth, here is my opinion. If nursing is something you feel passionate about then it is probably a good choice. It is true that in most areas of the country there is a nursing shortage, so there can be security in knowing you are in high demand and that there are wide variety of places that nurses can work.
On the other hand, if a person just goes into nursing because of the money, they probably won't be successful. Nursing can be a high stress environment and it is not unusual for nurses to "burn out."
As to the "levels of nursing" there are certified nursing assistants or CNA's. A good CNA is a valuable member of a nursing team. This is a physically demanding position and they work hard, but they are usually the lowest paid individuals. Training for this type of position is minimal and a CNA is limited in the type of functions they can perform.
The next level is a licensed practical nurse (LPN) or in some states they are called licensed vocational nurse or LVN. These nurses usually complete a one year program and have to pass a nursing board exam to be licensed. Their scope of practice is outlined by state regulations and can vary from state-to-state. These nurses do get paid more than CNAs and they can work in a variety of settings, hospitals, home health agencies, clinics, etc.
RN's are the next group and schooling can vary. In most states, in order to be eligible to take the exam to be licensed, students have to attend an accredited school. There are nursing programs that can be completed at a community college level and the graduates usually receive an Associate Degree in Nursing. A student can also receive a Bachelor's degree in nursing from a 4-year college or university. Some nurses that have this degree will designate this in their signature, such as, Jane Doe, RN, BSN. Whether a student graduates from a ADN or BSN program, they both sit for the same state exam and both have the title of RN when they pass their boards.
I have seen some institutions that are encouraging RN's that did not graduate as an BSN to go back to school. Occasionally you will see criteria for a job that states "BSN Required" but there are still alot of good RNs that are ADNs and do not have any difficulties finding their "dream job."
Beyond obtaining a BSN and becoming a RN, nurses can continue on in school and obtain a master's degree, and specialize as a nurse practitioner, a midwife, or a nurse anesthetist or even a college instructor. There are so many different options, I can't list them all.
Last, but not least, there are nurses that have obtained a PhD. These nurses can be involved in research or be in administration, or professors in a nursing program.
A good place to start would be to go online and find out what nursing school programs are available in the area that you live. Check out the admission criteria, length of program, cost of tuition. There are some programs or scholarships that I have seen where a student's tuition will be paid for if the student agrees to work a designated length of time in an certain area or hospital. Also, an excellent website to visit is www.discovernursing.com. The site has great information for someone who is considering nursing as a career choice.
I wish you luck!