along the lines of the what do you do topic. Who here really enjoys their job?

^^ I used to trim trees as well. Very intriguing work but kinda dangerous. I fully concur with the lack of rest time sentiment. Hard to climb at your full potential after climbing up into trees all week, trimming and pruning. Physical work, and scary at times. Cottonwoods and powerlines? No thanks.

Now I just sling drinks like a boss, make decent money and have five days off a week. Who wants a mojito?

I'm in the process of switching careers. Was a GIS guy for 10+ years and it treated me really well but decided it wasn't going to be a good choice in the long run. I am working on my pre-reqs for nursing school and just started my first real medical job in the ER and it's absolutely radical. The 12 hour shifts fly by, my co-workers rock and even if you worked in this position for 20 years, you'd still be seeing and experiencing new stuff.
I got interested in healthcare/nursing by volunteering with National Ski Patrol for six seasons. I then completed an EMT basic course last winter. If you are interested in learning a bit about healthcare but don't know what to do, do an EMT Basic course. It gives you a taste without a huge commitment. You can also volunteer or shadow at some hospitals. Healthcare isn't for everyone, but I'm digging it thus far.

The medical field rocks. I'm a PA and I've been doing contract work month to month this past year. Made off pretty well and had a ton of time off. Only things that could make it better would be if my gf climbed (some) or if I lived closer to climbing. I recently picked up a job in Asheville, NC so I'm getting there! MD, nursing, mid-level, etc all give you the freedom to move around or make your own schedule. Just can't be afraid of blood and body fluids ;)

Ems!! Best job ever. Flexible=lots of climbing paramedic student in the spare time. Ems is a great field with lots of ability to move around and a very flexible schedule. Highly recommended plus when you get pulled over it's a help ;)

Failure analysis work - a combination of technical forensics, critical thinking, and trouble-shooting. It's like 1/2 detective, 1/2 puzzle solving. Pay is good and I get to use my brain. Some international travel on short notice is required when something is going wrong at an overseas factory. That's a + and a -, depending on what I might have planned already or how much it gets in the way of personal life, but I've had the opportunity to see the world on expense. Kinda like the navy, but I don't have to shoot anybody.

Not a bad job, really. Something new frequently, and a little bit of same-old same-old.
Disadvantage? Well, when the fires burn, the firemen get called, and nobody tells them "Hey, it's been 40 hours this week, so go get some time to yourself while this burns itself out." The people who own the product want it all analyzed and fixed now. But the stuff is broke before you get it and dead men not only don't tell lies, they don't talk at all... so it isn't always clear or easy to figure out.
Oh, and it's kind of corporate.
But I guess it's what I like doing. have been doing it for 15 years now...

T.C. wrote:I'm a critical care nurse, love the job, except the amount of shit I have to deal with. Literally. When you are on a vent, propofol, pressors, and a tube feed, shit just pours out of your ass into the bed and all over the place. A rectal tube only works till you wake up and pull it out, then you have a patient making "snow angles" with shit instead of snow. This last weekend was particularly bad, possible new world record for shit on both of my patients. Other than the shit, I love it. Really challenging, lots of critical thinking, working with the cream not the chaff. TC

you must be a new nurse!
...

float pool nights here! i mean a nurse too. love it!

Where'd you go to school Ellanor, just out of curiosity?

Nick Stayner wrote:Where'd you go to school Ellanor, just out of curiosity?

Nuunya b brotha. What does it matter anyway? Its associates short and sweet popped out an RN and off to work force!

Figured as much...

Yea im not very smart the degrees are not my thing. I like cha ching I can spend on gear and free time for trips. I like old foulks too though.

Nick Stayner wrote:Where'd you go to school Ellanor, just out of curiosity?

As much as I hate to defend the troll, that's not a very good question as regards nursing. The school doesn't matter much, if at all, it's simply a matter of certification. More advanced nursing degrees are different, of course.

Are you serious? Just like any other academic program, where you go to school matters very much. The clinical experiences you receive in the University of Washington BSN program as opposed to a small-town two-year ASN program will obviously be quite different, even though both prepare you to test for the same license (RN). Perks to both routes depending on where you're trying to go in the field.

Nursing schools also vary widely in the rate at which their grads pass the NCLEX, how many of their grads find work (reflecting both on the quality of the program and the school's stake in the student), what area of nursing grads are hired into, etc...

Prospective employers look at things like where you went to school. Why would you think nursing would be any different than engineering or other academic programs?

Okay, man, I'll just ignore the world I live in. You'll run into a lot of associates degree nurses out there doing all sorts of things in the field, from management to charge, and the opportunity to earn a BSN or greater degrees in accelerated programs always exists.

Your average nurses do not sit around comparing degrees like lawyers do, man. Trust me, I have much personal experience with both. Nothing personal, but from a real world perspective the notion is a bit laughable.

I didn't knock the two year degree! Why so defensive?

Just saying that the BSN and ASN degree are not the same thing, and one is definitely more desirable than the other from an employer's perspective. This is based on talking to a number of faculty at a number of universities AND two-year programs.

Also, my point is that a student can potentially get a much more diverse experience working in a large city/university hospital than you would in a smaller setting. I made no good/bad judgements.

The other things I stated were just facts. Sorry you find facts laughable.

Nick Stayner wrote:I didn't knock the two year degree! Why so defensive? Just saying that the BSN and ASN degree are not the same thing, and one is definitely more desirable than the other from an employer's perspective. This is based on talking to a number of faculty at a number of universities AND two-year programs. Also, my point is that a student can potentially get a much more diverse experience working in a large city/university hospital than you would in a smaller setting. I made no good/bad judgements. The other things I stated were just facts. Sorry you find facts laughable.

No defensiveness on my end, mate. You said that the school you go to as a nurse matters very much. It doesn't. I did not address the topics of diverse experience, etc., which, as you say, can make a great difference. Nursing is still not like engineering, etc., at this time, although it may become more so in the future. I'm just as sorry as you're sorry (not at all, I imagine) that I find your "facts" laughable.

This isn't the pissing contest you seem think it is, I'm just telling you how it is based on my actual experience working in the field.

I absolutely love my job.
I'm a software engineer at a start-up with a heavy focus on enterprise grade mobile apps. The actual products aren't necessarily the most exciting (agency work for big companies) but it's fast paced and I love my team more than any group of people I've ever worked with. I get to decide from week to week what projects I want to work on, I have unlimited vacation, and the pay is nothing to shake your nose at.

Nick Stayner wrote:I didn't knock the two year degree! Why so defensive? Just saying that the BSN and ASN degree are not the same thing, and one is definitely more desirable than the other from an employer's perspective. This is based on talking to a number of faculty at a number of universities AND two-year programs. Also, my point is that a student can potentially get a much more diverse experience working in a large city/university hospital than you would in a smaller setting. I made no good/bad judgements. The other things I stated were just facts. Sorry you find facts laughable.

As another who works in the field of nursing you do not know what you are talking about Nick. Sorry but you are wrong :(

RockyMtnTed wrote: As another who works in the field of nursing you do not know what you are talking about Nick. Sorry but you are wrong :(

Again, talking about education here Ted, not employment. So I guess you don't know what you're talking about in regards to this post?

I've been in the process of researching programs, talking to staff/faculty, etc... for over a year now, so I think I have a pretty good handle on the education side of things...

But it's cool. When talking about nursing education I'll take the word of university/CC faculty over the opinions a couple of Mountain Project nameless faceless nobodies any day.

Maybe I'll see you out there one day.

Colonel Mustard wrote: This isn't the pissing contest you seem think it is, I'm just telling you how it is based on my actual experience working in the field.

I appreciate your advice as far as working in the field goes. And I don't think it's a pissing match. But if you're trying to tell me that a highly selective hospital (using Bozeman Deaconess as an example as I would love to work there) is more likely to hire someone with an ASN than a BSN, you are sorely mistaken. I know that from the "experience" of watching numerous friends get shut down and others get hired.

Colonel Mustard wrote: Nursing is still not like engineering, etc., at this time, although it may become more so in the future.

I think you're saying that in the future, a Bachelor's/beyond may become more desirable. Every single faculty I've spoken to in the last year and a half has affirmed this, cc or 4-year university. Which I guess is why I'm so adamant about this. I'm in the process of applying to different programs right now and am looking at this from the perspective of someone who'll be entering the field in 2-3.5 years.

Nick Stayner wrote: Again, talking about education here Ted, not employment. But it's cool. When talking about nursing education I'll take the word of university/CC faculty over the opinions a couple of Mountain Project nameless faceless nobodies any day. Maybe I'll see you out there one day. I appreciate your advice as far as working in the field goes. And I don't think it's a pissing match. But if you're trying to tell me that a highly selective hospital (using Bozeman Deaconess as an example as I would love to work there) is more likely to hire someone with an ASN than a BSN, you are sorely mistaken. I know that from the "experience" of watching numerous friends get shut down and others get hired.

I'm sorry your attempt to turn up your nose at Ellenor turned out so badly. I said nothing about selective hospitals or the myriad of occupations within the field that would require more rigorous education, etc., from my perspective you are modifying the discussion so you can pull this one out.

I guess till we meet I'll remain the online nobody you would like to group me ;). Now, don't reply with anything too crazy, those selective hospitals might do a search for your big name!

Nick Stayner wrote: I think you're saying that in the future, a Bachelor's/beyond may become more desirable. Every single faculty I've spoken to in the last year and a half has affirmed this, cc or 4-year university. Which I guess is why I'm so adamant about this. I'm in the process of applying to different programs right now and am looking at this from the perspective of someone who'll be entering the field in 2-3.5 years.

That's the rumor. My instructors (I am a second year nursing student) say that has been the rumor for 20 years though. BSN programs obviously have a vested interest in saying otherwise, and the highly impacted CC programs may have one as well.

Honestly, I wish you luck entering the field, I am sure you will make a great nurse. You are obviously passionate about the profession.