Ann Said:

Can i have a registered nurse answer these questions?

We Answered:

You're posting it under the wrong category if you're waiting on a REAL nurse to answer this.

Violet Said:

medical assisting vs registered nurse? please help!?

We Answered:

Amanda,

I'm not sure where you got the information that getting a degree as an RN only takes 8 more months than being a medical assistant. Even if you were in an Associate Degree medical assisting program, it differs quite a lot from the ASN program. Associate Degree nursing programs actually take about 2 1/2 - 3 years to complete going full time and for the past 5 years, all the Associate Degree nursing programs in the US have at least a one year waiting period.

Perhaps you are looking at a "for profit" vocational school.....the ones that advertise "Be an RN in 18 months" or "Earn your nursing degree online"? Those schools are not accredited by the NLN and therefore, you would be hard-pressed to get a nursing license or a job in a reputable facility if you earned a "degree" there. If you are really interested in being an RN, you need to attend an NLN-accredited college:

http://www.nlnac.org/Forms/directory_sea…

If your goal is to work in an OB office as an RN, you need at least a year or two of Labor and Delivery experience.

Also, something to keep in mind....these days, physician's offices are staffed by practice management companies (so the doc can concentrate on being a doctor) and the office manager is usually someone with a business degree...not a nursing degree. I work PRN for an OB practice and all I do is phone triage and sometimes routine OB checks on low-risk patients. The practice manager has a B.A. in finance.

Another option for you would be to consider getting a degree in business, especially if management in an office setting is your goal.

Best wishes in your career aspirations and decisions!

Tara Said:

What is the Difference between an aa as a Registered Nurse or a BA as a registered nurse?

We Answered:

The difference in pay between the two is not very much if you're comparing them in a regular staff nursing position. My hospital pays $1 more per hour for the BA/BS RNs. Yes, you can work in L&D with only an Associate's in Nursing. But hospitals might say they "prefer" RNs with the higher degree.

Differences in pay between ADN and BSN / BAN grads really only comes into play based on the kinds of jobs that holding the BSN might open to you, such as supervisory, leadership, management, administrative positions that are up the heirarchy from regular staff nurses that provide direct patient care.

Sherri Said:

Nurse Anesthetist job descriptions?

We Answered:

You have to go to RN school before CRNA school. That being said it can be a rewarding career and is nearly bad economy proof.

I graduated from RN school almost 13 yrs ago and at the time, it was about $35,000 for tuition, books, and dorm fees etc. I went to a top notch school at a major teaching hospital, however was transferred to a state university when the hospital decided they did not want a nursing school anymore due to the expense. Needless to say I was not happy but was over 2 yrs into a 4 year program. I love being a nurse and helping people. I never really considered being an anesthetist because I dont want that much responsibility on my shoulders.

You can go into a 4 year program if you can afford it without going to the community college for pre reqs and general ed classes. Some community colleges are actually good programs and produce good nurses. When looking for an RN school I would ask about pass/fail rates on NCLEX (boards). I would also find out about prerequisite classes they require such as chemistry, anatomy and physiology, psychology and microbiology. In a 4 year program these may be included where as in a 2 or 3 yr Associates program they may not. Talk to your school counselor and check the phone book for schools in your area, chances are they have sent a student to each one of them and gotten feedback.

As for my hours I work 3 12 hr shifts a week. I currently work in a Long term acute care facility with vent patients and huge wounds. I have worked home care for 5 years, taught for a semester, and worked in the hospital in stepdown ICU and high risk telemetry for about 7 years. I love being a nurse and helping people. I currently make a little over $30/hr, but I have been a nurse for 12 years. I started out at $12.34/hr in 1997 and have always made more at a new job than I did the last. Money is not everything and cant buy happiness. Make sure you really want to be a nurse and help people, not just make a big fat salary.

Ken Said:

Please read this job description?

We Answered:

probably not much, maybe $10 an hour at the most. you are lifting people into bathtubs and stuff. probably pushing wheelchairs, changing diapers, stopping people from hurting themselves or each other, etc. Probably daily care for mentally or physically disabled people or elderly people, i would guess.

Wallace Said:

what is it like to be a nurse?

We Answered:

It is one of the top jobs for the future... there is a growing shortage of RNs. You can pretty much go about anywhere and find a job. Do a literature search "RN Magazine" puts out a yearly survey and will give you current salaries across the USA for various positions. The pay range is broad... from about 40K to 150+K depending on the position and if you have an advanced degree. Advanced Degree nurses are putting people to sleep with anesthesia... delivering babies, running large nursing services of hospitals etc.. I don't care what your interests are... there is something for everyone.

For example: Psychiatric Nursing, School Health Nurse, Research, Pediatric, Obstetric Nursing, Surgical Nursing, Onocological Nursing, Home Health Nursing, Nursing Education, Rehab Nursing, Orthopedic Nursing, Sports Nursing, Hospice/Palliative Care Nursing, Family Nursing, Reproductive Nursing, Men's Health Nursing, Outpatient Nursing, Wellness or Wholistic Health Nursing, Bariatric Nursing, Cardiac Nursing, ICU or CCU, Flight Nurses, Neonatal Intensive Care, OR Nursing, Cardiac Cath Lab, Radiologic Nursing, Emergency Room, Travel Nursing, Military Nursing Careers, Legal and Risk Management Nursing, Nursing Informatics, Administrative Nursing, ...the list is endless... it is what came to mind. You can get a 2 year Associate Degree in some states...others require a 4 year BSN degree as entry level. You can get a Phd. or Doctorate in Nursing.