FULL TIME.......PART TIME.......THE CHOICE IS YOURS

(8) I plan to marry before I finish my training. Will I be able to find part time work as a nurse?

No problem. With the current nurse shortage, many retired and semi-retired nurses are coming back to work; and many of them choose part-time employment.

In fact, about 20% of all RNs are working part-time.

(9) What's involved in becoming a Nurse Practitioner?

Great Question. Go for it, PLEASE! A partial answer to your question requires a page of it's own. The link is at the bottom of this page. SEE NURSE PRACTITIONER INFORMATION. For even more information you might subscribe to the free magazine devoted especially to Nurse Practitioners. CLICK HERE to take a look. Just be prepared for a long and very interesting read.

(10) I'm going to be a senior in high school this year. My parents want me to become a registered nurse. I agree but being a male nurse is not something that I'm excited about. I do want to help people but now I have second thoughts. To be honest, I'm stuck and confused. I don't even know where to start and how the whole process of becoming a registered nurse will happen. Please tell me how you as a currently working nurse feel about my situation.

My gut feeling is simple: FIND THE PASSION before you embark on any career; whether it be nursing or any other field. Your parents have your best interests at heart; but, they won't be the ones taking care of sick people at three in the morning. Why don't you plan to do some volunteer work at your local hospital? And while you're there talk to everyone who will talk to you----and by everyone, I mean everyone from housekeeping to administration. Single out a couple of male nurses and tell them what you are feeling and thinking. FIND THE PASSION. You owe it to yourself and to any patients you might someday be charged with. Otherwise you could end up an unfeeling robot, simply going through the motions.

(11) Hey Gayle. I'm an RN and I'd like to help with the recovery in Katrina's wake. Any suggestions?

Just a couple of simple ones: Keep doing what you are doing-----your facility is probably understaffed already and your absence could only make matters worse. Second: Send whatever you can.....money, clothing, foodstuff to the proper agencies---Red Cross and Salvation Army were our choices.

If on the other hand, you have some vacation time coming and are really willing to make a sacrifice, contact your local Red Cross Chapter for information. They can tell you who to contact to find out where you could be of most help. You may check our Blog at NURSE CRISIS BLOG . We'll be passing along any new suggestions as they become available.

(12) I am 53 and planning to re-enter nursing after approx. 12 years out. What can I expect as I begin looking for employment? What are some areas I might consider? Most of my previous experience was in psychiatry. I will be taking a Re-entry Nursing Update course--which is primarily a med-surg course.

Hey Beverly,

WELCOME BACK! I only wish that you were coming to work with us. Your maturity and experience are very much in demand.
I was 57 and just visiting South Carolina to witness the birth of a new grandson. I just happened to mention that I was a nurse and five minutes later was being interviewed for a job at the hospital. WE'RE STILL HERE.
I'll predict that once you have renewed your license, the problem won't be getting a job..........it will be deciding which job to accept.
Once again, welcome back. Keep me informed as to your progress. Your experience at re-entry may encourage some others to return.
All the best,
Gayle

(13) Dear Gayle,
I am 27 years old I have three children ages 8, 3, and 4 months. I have just recently finished my schooling for medical assisting when my husband recieved a new job offer now he works days and is making more money so we can afford for me to go back to school for nursing. (something I've wanted to do since was little)

I am trying to find grants and scholarships to go back to school do you know where I can look?

Also do you think I am too old to be starting school?

Hey Brandy,

If you are too old to return to school at 27, I must have been a complete dinosaur at the tender age of 29. You'll probably find that your life experience, maturity and goal orientation will be a lot of help.

Just be prepared to be called "granny" by some of your younger classmates; but don't be surprised if half of the kids end up wanting to come to your house for the study groups and brainstorming sessions that go along with your nurse's training.

The scholarships back in the 70's were few and far between; so we skimped and saved and did the best we could.

Of course, that was before anyone could have predicted the now critical world-wide shortage of nurses. A quick Google search for "Nurse Scholarships" will provide you with a little over TWO MILLION places to look for financial assistance.

I'd recommend that you start with the school that you are planning to attend. You may be pleasantly surprised there. And they may suggest that you contact some potential future employers. The "payback" requirements are usually reasonable and a great way to get started. There's no stronger incentive for study than to know that you will be instantly employable and employed.

If nursing has been a dream since childhood, you'll be able to accept the rigors of your study, not as a hardship to be endured, but rather as a dream coming true.

All the best,

Gayle

PS.... Please keep us informed of your progress. Your experience may help someone else; and isn't that really what nursing is all about?

(14)I am currently a LPN returning to school after working in the hospital for 25 years. Can you list some of the appealing things that hospitals can do to attract nurses and what saftey issues they might improve...

thank you,

fellow nurse

Hey Pam,

Great question. It'll be difficult to keep my answer short enough to fit on ONE PAGE, but I'll try. With 25 years of hospital experience, I'm sure that you already have your own suggestions, and I hope you will someday take the time to share them.

Here goes. At the top of my list right now would be DAY CARE. It's not as important to "veterans" such as you and me; but a lot of the younger nurses are unable to pursue their desire to work due to the prohibitive cost of providing proper care for their youngsters. Young nurse/mothers are now performing two of the most important jobs on the planet, and they deserve all the help they can get.

Another big help would be more flexible hours. Many times, child care assistance is available to a young nurse; but only at certain hours. The current nurse shortage makes scheduling very difficult in any facility. As a former head nurse, I can say from experience that scheduling was always a nightmare; but, by allowing MORE nurses to return to their careers earlier, I feel that we could alleviate some of the scheduling problems.

Of course, there will always be the attraction of higher pay. The current nurse shortage is forcing employers to pay a higher rate; but it shouldn't have taken this crisis to force the world to appreciate the importance of what we do. Better benefits and retirement programs will definitely make a difference.

We'd all like to see a higher nurse/patient ratio. It goes without saying that the more time we can devote to each patient, the better and more effective the care will be.

With your experience, you already know of the increased paperwork that is involved. Most facilities are now switching to computers to handle the increase. It's a great concept in theory---but unless and until we receive the proper training in the use of those "electonic marvels", they will continue to slow us down and add to the stress. USER FRIENDLY NURSING SOFTWARE should be provided-----not some bean counter's idea of how we can be most effective.

........And the list goes on. I'd love to hear additional suggestions from any of you who are reading this page.

My safety suggestions are pretty basic: I think that additional, ongoing training should be provided for the handling of some of the hazardous materials that have become part of our job.

I am 5'4" and pretty feisty. Some of my patients, however, weigh three times what I do. When it's time to move some of these people, I could use additional muscle. For the patient's sake and for my aching back.

This list too could go on and on; but, I'd like to hear some suggestions from the rest of you.

Sorry, Pam. I didn't mean to write a book; but I felt that your question couldn't be answered with a simple line or two.

Best of luck with your additional schooling.
Gayle

(15) Gayle,
I have a girlfriend who is 44 years old and she wanted to know if it is too late to start school for Nursing as a new career. She feels she is too old but her passion is to become a Nurse anyway. Give me your thoughts about this situation. Thanks a lot.

I get this question often and my answer is ALWAYS the same.

Go For It!!!!

If the passion is there, all the other issues will simply become minor details to be dealt with one at a time.

Nursing has always been personally rewarding; and with the ongoing shortage of nurses, it is now also becoming financially exciting as well.

Patients always seem to respond better to nurses who seem to be "more experienced"; and I'll admit, in my hiring over the years, I did tend to respond favorably to "experience"-----and that could be "life experience" as well as formal nursing experience.

I was nearly 30 when I completed my RN training and I was considered something of an antique by the younger nurses; but I have no doubt looking back that my age actually worked in my favor. That, plus the fact that I was a hell of a good nurse !

Please offer your friend all the encouragement you can. I certainly do.

Gayle

Be sure to check back soon as this will be an ever-expanding list.