If you’re a long time reader you might remember that a year ago at this time she was struggling trying to decide if she wanted to go for nursing or if she wanted to be a paramedic….
Well…even though she is nursing school, the decision is still not solid. Â Part of the difficulties…a steady boy has entered into the picture and nursing school hasn’t been very challenging for her. Â
She’s been a CNA for two years. Â After working for only a couple weeks there, a patient coded and she performed CPR. Â She loved the action. Â That got her wanting to be a EMT so she took EMT classes and volunteers doing that. Â Right now with nursing classes, they are taking vitals, learning to talk with patients and that type of thing…things she has already done. Â All of this leaves her, honestly, a little bored.
Being bored plus a boyfriend that won’t be area next year has her mind wondering…and that wondering mind has lead her to checking out different options…an RN…a BSN or maybe still a paramedic. Â Each day I see her it changes. Â For awhile as mom, this worried me. Â Will she finish school?? Â What do I do to encourage her to stick it out?
She knows she’ll stick it out and get her LPN where she is, but next fall, all bets are off. Â
I was concerned about it and a little frustrated until I took time and listened to the whole dilemma once again. Â She loves her boyfriend. Â They’ve been dating four months now and to be honest, we love him too. Â I know I hated going to college and being away from my boyfriend (now husband). Â I can understand that. Â I can also understand that I set an example to my kids. Â I put my husband’s job first and I followed where he went…she thinks she wants to do the same. Â Part of me balked at that and then part of me loved that. Â That’s tradition family and to be honest, I like traditional family. Â What I didn’t like is that I thought that meant her settling on a career that wasn’t her potential.
Then she sat me down and showed me all the options there are for nursing programs now days…who knew?!?!? Â There are online programs, hybrid programs, on site programs…programs through hospitals-programs through colleges. Â I was still skeptical thinking ya..that’s only in the city. Â Nope. Â Those on line programs seem to work with rural areas too. Â This made me breath a little sigh of relief. Â
She might go for nursing…she might be a paramedic. Â She might get an RN…possibly a BSN. Â Whatever she decides there are options…and there are options to advance in the future. Â Besides…I am 47 and I don’t even know what I’m doing for sure. Â How is she to know at 18. Â I am just thankful that there are many more options for her than there ever were for me.
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Absolutely, Jo! How in the world can an 18 year old know what she wants to do in life? My sister is a nurse (has been for 40+ years). She still loves it. About 20 years ago, she got a special certification in trauma nursing and loves working in the ER. It might be an option for Kalissa if she loves more action.
My son is 40 and he is going back to school to be an x-ray technician. He has also mentioned nursing as a possibility. Sometimes it takes a while to figure life out.
She might look into becoming a “emergency room nurse practitioner”. She is headed in the right direction.
Please be careful about schools/colleges such as Kaplan. It is a “for profit” college, and most times their credits do NOT transfer anywhere else. So if you get a degree from there, and then decide to go on to more schooling for an advanced degree–most state and private colleges and universities will not accept any of those credits.
Many people do not realize this!
So many options in the health field–she will find her right fit!
I am a retired nurse and cannot even think of ever doing anything else. Your daughter is correct there are so many more options for schools for nursing and even so very many options of where to work afterwards. I found Pediatrics very rewarding. Pedi Intensive Care is extremely challenging and rewarding. I hope your daughter continues and becomes an RN. Believe me she will have many more options than if she stays a CNA or a LVN or Paramedic. Not to mention the better pay.
Tell her to look into being a Physician Assistant. I’m a Medical Technologist but if PA school was available like it is now, I would have gone that route!
Please, please tell her to hang in there. There are so many options now. My dd was a vet tech. Got married. Then went back to get her nursing, decided to stay in school to get her RN. She went back and got her bachelors. Loved working in ICU & was charge nurse for weekend shifts at our local hospital. Now working on her masters-to be nurse anesthetist.
Having Been an LPN for many yrs, and finally 1 husband and 3 kids later I finnally finished my RN I would tell any young woman or man to get the RN. Actually many hospitals are pushing for BSN nurses in all floors. I think she would do great as an ER/OR/ ICU area. Or even into PEds in those areas. They are all high adrenaline action places. If I was counsleing her, I would tell her to go for the BSN and YES the first yr can be boring. But as an LPN, mostly you can just pass meds and do some Tx in Nursing homes.
AS for School options, make sure that it is a STATE accredited school. The LPN school I had attended was not college credited, so I had to take all those classes over to get college credit.
I don’t know about your state, but in Wa, it is much more desirable to have a BSN-lots more options for employment. If she wants to work in a hospital, she needs a BSN.
My daughter had classes at Kaplan and now has three (three!) student loans. I am NOT impressed. Debbie in WV
If she’s going the RN route, she should definitely consider getting her BSN. Many of the better paying and/or challenging positions go to those with a BSN, rather than an RN. Many hospitals won’t even look at entry level nurses without a BSN. My daughter is finishing her BSN and her roommate was a paramedic. She left the field after 3 years as it can be very demanding and hard on one physically and emotionally. It’s rewarding, but at the same time can be draining. Long term it might not be a great option.
Jo, i am an ER nurse and many of my co-workers are paramedics and even firemen. Definately she should keep going for her BSN as that is the trend now and very soon it will be required for entry into any nursing positions. Many hospitals will help with tuition also if she would go on to get her BSN.
The most importat fact in all her choices is that the school/college/university be ACCREDITED with what ever profession she seeks be it nursing, paramedic or whatever. An institution can say they are accredited, but check with the profession. Otherwise the ‘degree’ is not worth the paper is it printed on. (I’m a Ph.D. by the way)
Yep, what every body else said. She should get her BSN. It will be so worth it in the future.
My brother-in-law started out as a CNA and from there found a job in the ER of a hospital, took online classes to complete his nursing degree and has been there for several years. He likes the action there, and it supports his family well. Sounds like your daughter might like the excitement of that kind of nursing. Best wishes to her whatever she decides.
I am afraid that if her nursing school is boring and all they are learning is taking vitals and talking to patients, that she is going to one of those career colleges? Nursing school is normally very demanding in the pre-med classes and many students drop out since they are so difficult. In CA EMT training is by far easier class work. Even a two year state run college the nursing classes are very difficult. Did she get straight “A’s” in microbiology, pre-med anatomy, physiology.? We’re those easy classes for her? Then maybe she is bored and should shoot for med school, becoming a nurse practitioner or medical doctor. (?)
I’m sure she’ll do well in whatever she chooses.
This post started out genuine, but ended as an advertisement for Kaplan College.
My son-in-law (23) has been a paramedic and is soon to be going to nursing school…I know the world seems so much more overwhelming to our young adult children than when we were their age. I’ve learning to sit down and listen too. They really are pretty smart cookies…we just need us to help them process all the options. :)