Nurses, Student Nurses, Pre-req takers

[mahdokht]

I know we've had threads in different places on the board. I thought it would be nice to have a lil thread of our own.

[orangebird]

I'm a nurse. An RN. I've been working in the NICU for the last 6 1/2 years and love it

[pycelan]

I am a nurse. I work week-end nights in SICU. That way I can be a stay at home mom all week. Thanks for making a thread!

[orangebird]

My usual schedule is weekend days. DH is a SAHD and with my shedule I am practically a SAHM! We spend loads of time together. Being a nurse has such benefits!

Righ now I just work 4 hour shifts, almost every day. I have a two month old so I don't want to hurt our nursing relationship. Especially since I struggle with supply after I had a breast reduction.

[mahdokht]

Cool! Any non-vaxing nurse mamas here?

I'm just taking my pre-reqs and trying to decide whether to start the ADN program in the fall of '06 when my baby will only be 7 months old (I'd take night classes) OR start the BSN program in the fall of '07 when the baby will be nearly two and can start in daycare during the day. So far it looks like the BSN has more plusses, but I'm so tempted. I dunno what to do, maybe you ladies can give me some insight into what you think would work better. Regardless, I'll still need to do the BSN program because my 'final goal' is to be an FNP.

That's the fabulous thing about nursing though, soooo many options.

[Ceinwen]

Hi!! I'm a second year BScN student and loving every minute of it (okay, maybe not the endless papers).

This is a great idea for a tribe.

[Debstmomy]

I am subbing. Not sure I belong. I was full time in pre-req, accepted to a program, got pregnant, dropped out, baby died. Now I have no idea of what to do!!!!!!!! I am back in a stupid easy peasy A class to regain priority.

[mahdokht]

Originally Posted by Debstmomy

I am subbing. Not sure I belong. I was full time in pre-req, accepted to a program, got pregnant, dropped out, baby died. Now I have no idea of what to do!!!!!!!! I am back in a stupid easy peasy A class to regain priority.

So sorry you went through that. Sure you belong here. There seem to be dramatic differences in competitiveness etc. in different parts of the US when it comes to nursing programs. It's pretty awful here in SE Texas at the BSN level and getting harder at the ADN level, but I've heard of much worse.

[The Lucky One]

Hi, I'm an RN mama, although I haven't worked since becoming a mother in 2002. As much as I love being a SAHM, I also miss my job. I wish there were two of me. Before my 'retirement' I had been working on a semi-long term care floor in a major hospital. I enjoyed it very much.

I am also a very very selective vaxing mama. Baby (16 months hasn't had any) and ds1 (3.5 yrs) has had few.

Hope I find the time to participate in this thread. I'll be on vacation from Sept 28th-Oct13th, so I'll catch up when I get back!

[fullofgrace]

I'm subbing, too.

I'm currently in a Nurse Assistant course, and then will begin my pre-reqs for a nursing degree in the Spring. I already have a BA, but I need the sciences.

I'm also struggling with deciding to go for a 2 year degree or 4 year degree. Both have their plusses and minuses, and both are sooo competetive here and require potential nursing student to take and do very well on the NLN Nursing School entrance exam. I DO know that I want to specialize in special needs pediatrics, though.

So happy to see this thread!

[moppity]

I am an RN...was registered in January and ony worked one shift due to some pg issues (DD was born in April). Am going to go back one day/week soon.

[Love my 2]

I'm an LVN, CPR instructor and a waiting on my boards results for IBCLC.
I plan on becoming an RN when there is more time, my babes are still pretty young.
My new job will be training me as a childbirth educator and a doula.
I'm hoping one day to do the Lactation consultant and doula and childbirth educator private practice or freelance.
I'm hoping that once I'm on board with this new job, I'll be able to decrease my hours a bit. It's a cool job though working with underserved moms and babies in the community.

[JulieK]

I'm an RN in NYC - specialize in oncology. I work part time - 1-2 shifts per week, which is perfect. 3-4 was too much with my 1-year-old at home. Plus, my unit is crazy, and the job is really emotionally draining, as you might imagine. So, I'm making a switch this week and starting in the outpatient chemo treatment center. I'm hoping it will be less stressful and less sad. Very cool idea for a thread! I'm always looking to get to know other nurses.

[Peony]

I'm an RN, haven't worked since Dec 2002 though. I'm very happy to be a SAHM now. I was on ortho when I quit, I only worked a few months as an RN, I found out the day I graduated from nursing school that I was pg with dd. I am very slowly working on hours to sit for the IBCLC some day.We do not vax dd, I use only homopathics or herbs, no meds at all, and we don't have or use a pedi. :LOL

[mahdokht]

If I go for the BSN program right away, which is most likely, I will have about 8 months between the time I finish my pre-reqs, file my application and GOD-WILLING, get accepted to a program. I'm thinking of taking some courses to be a breastfeeding peer counselor for WIC and that will, hopefully, be the first step toward becoming an IBCLC. I figure if I start then and do a little through school and work with nursing mamas once I graduate, I may be able to take the test and become one very soon after I graduate. Having all that experience under my belt can't hurt with my attempts to work on an L&D or postpartum unit either.

[loomweaver]

Originally Posted by pycelan

I am a nurse. I work week-end nights in SICU. That way I can be a stay at home mom all week. Thanks for making a thread!

I work the same schedule!! It really allows for me to be home with my babe. I am also non-vax, homeopathic remedies when possible. I work at an asst living for Alzheimers pts.. (Not geripsych though no aggressive behaviors)
My daughter loves them, they are her grandparents here since her gparents are 3000 miles away.

[jackson'smama]

[QUOTE=mahdokht] I'm thinking of taking some courses to be a breastfeeding peer counselor for WIC and that will, hopefully, be the first step toward becoming an IBCLC. QUOTE]

mahdokht - i worked with WIC as part of my job as a public health nurse and was a wic peer counselor in my "former" life. it did not require any prereqs in VA other than being a nursing or formerly nursing mother on or previously on WIC. maybe you qualify now? i'd check on that!

hi all! i am a RN with an MSN in public health. i worked cardiac during grad school for less than a year (yuck) and then started public health . i did PH nursing for 2 years before ds was born. then, i became a sahm.
i've thought about part-timing/prning at a nearby hospital - maybe L&D. but i'm kinda leary since my ideas about L&D don't really match up with most hospitals'/doctors' ideas about L&D. i'd likely get frustrated. but i REALLY miss working with mamas and babies (i did high risk mama/baby case management primarily thru home visits).
ironically, i was the immunization focus nurse at our county health department, but i don't vax my ds.
are any fulltime SAHM moms worried about returning to nursing - even if after only a short break? i really worry about my skills since i went to a low-clinical skills job (health dept vs. hospital). i.e. i haven't started an iv since 2002! aaaaaaaaaggggggggghhhhhhhh!!!!!!! any ideas for staying current while being a fulltime sahm?
nice to meet everyone!

[moppity]

Jacksonsmama...I am really nervous about starting work, especially as I was only registered in January!

[ruby slippers]

I am a L&D RN and I work one 8 hour shift a week. I also work as a sexual assault forensic examiner one weekend a month. I do like my jobs but won't do any more until my babe is older - she's 7 months now. I decided not to vax at 6 months and now i think of myself as delaying.

[mahdokht]

Wow Loomweaver that's cool. Jackson's mama, there are a few required courses here, but they are fascinating and I look forward to taking them. Right now I don't have time to be a WIC peer counselor. I'm barely keeping my head above water taking care of home and family and going to school. I'm keeping that on hold until I'm finished with this leg of my educational journey. Your work sounds right up my ally. Like I said, so many options in nursing.