Marian Said:

Nursing as a career?

We Answered:

Hi.. I am a nurse (LPN, working on my RN).. And am a male.

First, let me say nursing is a very exciting career choice that is difficult but rewarding, and something that should not be chosen simply because it pays more than other jobs. It pays more because it is harder, and you have a lot more responsibility than other professions. What you do, right or wrong, can affect someone's life.

So, what do I think you should do? Three things:

1) Contact your local hospital where you live, and make an appointment to talk with the Director of Nursing. He or She can give you a tour of the hospital, explain what a nurse does, and answer any questions you have about training.

2) Stop by the volunteer office, and sign up. You will gain an enormous amount of experience by observing nurses as they work. Also, there are a number of other good paying jobs in the hospital that you may not have considered, such as Radiology Technician, that may interest you. A couple days a week after school and over the summer will give you a better understanding of what all different types of jobs the medical field has to offer.

3) Don't do anything based on how much money one can make. Follow your heart, and your dreams - its better to be poor and happy than well off and miserable at a job. Remember, if you work full time its 8 or 12 hours a day, 5 days a week - and a lot of nurses have 2 or 3 jobs, and most of us work every other weekend. Its a serious commitment to become a nurse.

As an LPN, I report to an RN. But, I am responsible for 60 patients on my floor. As I work 11pm to 7am, there are no doctors or others to make decisions if something goes wrong with a patient.

If you want to talk to other nurses online, I suggest you go to allnurses.com. Its a site that breaks down the types of nursing, what we do, why we do it, and even has some salary info ...

I wish you the best of luck.. you have a bright future ahead of you if you remember ---- do what makes you happy. The best job in the world is just a job if filled by the wrong person for the wrong reason. :)

Tommy Said:

teacher vs. nurse: pros and cons for each?

We Answered:

nurses make more money :)
teachers get the summer off paid :)

Both professions you'll have to deal with sick kids/patients :(

Nurses deal with hectic days at hospitals :(

Shelly Said:

How is Nursing as a career? Should I take the leap?

We Answered:

A BSN in nursing is 4 years of university in Canada after you have completed your prerequisites. You do work in clinical placements in school to get hands on experience. You get as much out of clinicals as you put into them.
Nursing can be very rewarding. Helping people feel better and being there for them at a difficult time can make you feel like you have made a difference in someone's life. Even being there at the end of a life can be a special expereince.

Marcia Said:

Teaching or Nursing as a Career?

We Answered:

I am a teacher. It is incredibly stressful and frustrating. The pay is decent, but not for the amount of work you put in.

My sister is a nurse. She is also very stressed out and has long hours. However, her pay is better -- like, almost twice my salary -- and she has more days off because when she works she works a 12 hour shift so she only works 3 days a week.

Teachers have the more stressful job because you have too many people to please: the kids (who are incredibly fickle), the parents, the administration, the volunteers (if you have any), etc. And everyone holds you responsible for EVERYTHING else. The parents hold you responsible for the behavior of every kid in the class and blame you if anything goes wrong. The administration holds you responsible for maintaining good relationships with parents -- even the ones who don't respond to your phone calls and only come to school to yell at you. The kids hold you responsible for keeping them entertained -- and heaven help you if you don't entertain them enough because they will go crazy and behave badly. The other teachers also hold you responsible for making the kids behave, but also not being too strict because if you're too strict then the kids will act up with other teachers and if you're too lenient then they'll act up with you.

Teaching and nursing are two of the most stressful jobs out there. Teachers and nurses have the highest rates of depression. Frankly, I wouldn't really advocate for either, but if you are dead-set on choosing one of these high-stress jobs, then I would go with nursing.

PS -- I am a middle school teacher. High school teaching might be a little better.

Jessie Said:

How is nursing as a career? Should I take the leap?

We Answered:

I think that if you are going to spend half your waking hours doing a job that it should be something that you enjoy doing if at all possible. Most people do not have the luxury of an option to chose. You should go for it or you may have regrets later when you are an old fat cat.