Leslie Said:

what are some good questions that we could ask a RN nurse about her career?

We Answered:

What floor does she work on?
What's her specialty?
How long has she been doing that particular specialty/floor?
What made her choose that floor?
Did she always want to be a nurse or something else first?
What's the best part of her job?
What's the worst part of her job?
Why did she choose nursing?

Tamara Said:

Nursing Career: RN to MS?

We Answered:

Well, since you sound sort of undecided on where you want to end up in the long run, I wouldn't go into a MS program until you've worked as an RN for awhile and see where you really prefer.

A master's in nursing leadership is not total BS - you would be specially groomed for management and leadership positions that sit near the top of the nursing food chain in many facilities. It may or may not be what you're looking for. If you're wanting to focus in women's health, it may help you as far as securing a management position later in a birth center or fertility clinic or something similar. But if you really want to focus in women's health, NP, CNM, or CNS is the way to go.

Personally, if I were you, I'd try to find a program that is an "accelerated BSN" program, which is designed for people like you who hold a bachelor's degree in another field. It would take you about 2-3 years depending on how many pre-reqs you need before you can start the nursing core - which is the same amount of time an associates degree would take you, so why not go for the higher degree?

Then, work for a year or two and see what you like doing. You shouldn't have trouble finding an employer that pays tuition assistance. Also, many master's degree programs require you have at least a year of work experience as an RN under your belt (especially NP programs). It would be a big mistake to rush into a master's program as a new RN and find the track you chose is not what you thought it would be and you end up wasting time and money.
Good luck whatever route you choose.

Steven Said:

Will a Rn nurse be a good career choice?

We Answered:

RN's are paid more than an LPN. And a RN with a specialty will be paid even more.

Theresa Said:

What career choices/paths are available for a nurse/RN ?

We Answered:

If you enjoy health and nutrition but don't want to do patient care, then maybe instead of being an RN you should be a dietician or nutritionist.

Gabriel Said:

How do you get into the RN Career ?

We Answered:

if you have a desire to go on to an advanced nursing profession such as practitioner, anesthetist, mid-wife or critical care you need to get your BSN, RN as the BSN is required for most graduate programs.

if you just want to get into nursing you can get your RN through an associate program in two years. or you can become an LPN in 12-18 months. there are numerous bridge programs to go from LPN to a RN or ADN,RN to a BSN,RN if that is the route you decide to take.



For information on a career as a registered nurse and nursing education, contact:

National League for Nursing, 61 Broadway, New York, NY 10006. Internet: http://www.nln.org

For information on baccalaureate and graduate nursing education, nursing career options, and financial aid, contact:

American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 1 Dupont Circle NW., Suite 530, Washington, DC 20036. Internet: http://www.aacn.nche.edu


For information on the NCLEX-RN exam and a list of individual State boards of nursing, contact:

National Council of State Boards of Nursing, 111 E. Wacker Dr., Suite 2900, Chicago, IL 60611. Internet: http://www.ncsbn.org


For a list of accredited clinical nurse specialist programs, contact:

National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists, 2090 Linglestown Rd., Suite 107, Harrisburg, PA 17110. Internet: http://www.nacns.org

For information on nurse anesthetists, including a list of accredited programs, contact:

American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, 222 Prospect Ave., Park Ridge, IL 60068.

For information on nurse-midwives, including a list of accredited programs, contact:

American College of Nurse-Midwives, 8403 Colesville Rd., Suite 1550, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Internet: http://www.midwife.org

For information on nurse practitioners, including a list of accredited programs, contact:

American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, P.O. Box 12846, Austin, TX 78711. Internet: http://www.aanp.org