The Calling: What Made Me Pursue a Nursing Career

"Become a nurse just for the money? How can you possibly be a good nurse if you're doing it just for the money?"

The implication seems to be that in order to be a good nurse, one has to have a "calling". This is the idea put forth mostly be brand new nurses, student nurses, students in pre-nursing and "wannabe" nurses. In some cases, they really seem to believe that they have a calling -- they're called to "help people" or to "make a difference". In other cases, they seem to be grasping for reasons why they should get into nursing school when positions are limited and their grades aren't all that stellar. "It doesn't matter that I got a "C" in Microbiology," one girl wailed. "I'd be a much better nurse than TIFFANI, and SHE got in. It's just because of her grades! I have FAR more compassion that HER." Read More...

What you wish you knew before starting nursing school

I have been looking at threads in the career section of allnurses and I noticed a disturbing trend. Namely, that there is a big disconnect to what the internet says about job projection (ahem, Yahoo! News) and the real world of nursing grad jobs. I have been talking to some of my coworkers who have recently graduated from NS and have already passed their NCLEX and were also lucky enough to secure a nursing job right away. I then talked to them and asked them what they wish they knew/had done before and while in nursing school... Read More...

I am officially on vacation...

The life of a nursing student can be stressful. Take the time to regain your balance by reassessing your priorities and making time for yourself.

Take a vacation...

How do you regain your balance? Read More...

Notecards: What to put on them?

I'm currently on summer vacation from Nursing School going into 3rd semester. I really want to be successful this coming up semester and try a different method of studying b/c obviously what I've been doing...is not sticking in long term memory. I want to do notecards but I seem to put too much or too little on my notecards. Can anyone tell me the VITAL INFO to put on notecards without having to flood your notecards? Read More...

My Personal Experiences Prior To Attending The LVN Program

I will provide a little background information to enable readers to paint a mental picture. I had been accepted to three regional state universities during my senior year of high school, but was unable to attend due to a lack of finances combined with my parents' refusal to cosign for any student loans. Therefore, I basically worked a string of dead-end jobs during the five years that elapsed after my high school graduation. My resume included workplaces places such as McDonald's, the 99 Cent Store, Target, two grocery stores, and a group home that housed six developmentally disabled adults. Read More...

Great Gift for Nursing Student (2nd career)?

Hello all! Thanks first of all for your hard work. My wife, after a decade as a biologist / lab monkey, is currently back in school to become a nurse. Never seen her so passionate about something and she's doing great in classes and clinicals, so I'd say the move was the right one for her.

I'm looking to get a list of small gifts I could get her as she goes along that would leave a nurse / nursing student saying "AWESOME" I got her a few "bigger" items already based on other feedback (Danskos shoes, lapel nurses' watch, etc.), but is there any other secret little things that might be good for occasions? Pedicures (given the time on the feet), etc? Read More...

Thanks to allnurses.com I passed!

I had been reading this forum, since I scheduled my nclex LPN boards. And, I'd like to say Thank You to all the nurses who have given their experience, feedback, advice, and pointers.

I believe it made my testing experience a good one. I found out today after getting my quick results that I passed! Thank God! I'm so glad it's over and am soo ready to find a job! Thanks again allnurses.com. Read More...

Be Careful When Posting

This message is a lighthearted reminder to exercise the utmost caution when posting personal information, since allnurses.com is the largest online community of nurses and nursing students in existence... Read More...

To all the students about to start nursing school...

I just finished my last day of nursing school. Turned in my last assignment at exactly noon. It still hasn't sunk in yet. For the last 4 hours I have sat on my couch not really knowing what to do with myself. I then decided to reach out to all the students who may be starting a program this fall. I remember being in those shoes, and all the questions I had. All the fear. All the excitement. So basically, I'll sum up my nursing school experience as best as I can. Read More...

The fear just hit me - help

I will begin my nursing school odyssey in two weeks time... and at first, the general "oh my god are you SURE can you REALLY do it" fear hit me, after the initial joy at acceptance. I was able to tell that little voice in my head to get lost - I am very sure and I can certainly do it. And then I realized something... Read More...

CDC Issues Revised Guidelines for Gonorrhea Treatment

Oral cefixime should no longer be considered the treatment of choice for gonorrhea; instead, patients should be treated with injectable ceftriaxone in combination with an oral antibiotic, azithromycin or doxycycline, according to revised guidelines published in the Aug. 10 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report. Read More...

Am I making the right decision? Please help!

I was going to this school where I am basically guaranteed a spot in the nursing program. Problem is this is a private, very expensive school that is 30-45 minutes away. Luckily, I have $20,200 in scholarship money at that school. However, I would still need to take out $10,000 a year in loans to cover child care and commuting expense. Another good note, this is a BSN program from a really nursing program. Also, I am an army wife. My husband is choosing to try out for special forces and, basically, continue to try out until he is selected. This means the rest of us are just waiting in the unknown because, if selected, we will move probably within 6 months of him being selected... lovely right? Read More...

Is Doing NCLEX Questions Enough?

My NCLEX date is fast approaching, and I have done a respectable number of questions over the last couple of months (I was keeping track but I just stopped out of sheer laziness) -- I would estimate I have done at least 2,500 and I am bound to do another 1,000 at least before it is all said and done. However, I am feeling like doing questions is not enough. I am reading the rationales for all the questions I get wrong, so I am learning that way. But on some level I feel tempted to read outlines, then figure that there is no guarantee that what I specifically study will be tested on my NCLEX. Not sure if what I am doing is enough. Read More...