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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 387
 
| If anyone is a paramedic or a nurse on here, please tell me all the information you can!
How does this career affect you and barrel racing/horses?
day to day duties
do you find it fulfilling helping others or sometimes get tired of it?
overwhelming and too stressful that you bring it home with you?
anymore info you could send along would be great! | |
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 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
 
Location: Arkansas | Bump | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 656
| I have been a nurse for 20 years. I like my job. The thing with nursing is that there are so many different career paths. At first your schedule will probably include at least every other weekend, which makes it hard on barrel racing. The plus side is u can always find a job and the pay is good. Working in a hospital is not the only thing u can do. Keep doing your research | |
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Regular
Posts: 73
| I’m a nurse. I love it. It facilitates me horse habit/hobby. I want something I work a day of overtime and I buy it. There are so many avenues to the career it’s amazing. | |
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boon
Posts: 1
| I've been an RN for a year now at a large hospital and I love it so far! There are SO many different paths you can take as a nurse, you don't have to just work at a hospital! Working in a hospital however its very likely you'll work some weekends. It can vary greatly, but it is common to work every other weekend, or as I have recently transitioned to, every 3rd weekend - this helps with getting out to see my horse. I also have a rotating scheduling (day/nights) so that is something to get used to. There are a wide variety of positions however.
The pay is great though, and I have enough time off to keep up my horse habit lol.
Nursing can get stressful, and as a newbie I struggle with sometimes taking my work home with me. However as a whole I find I'm able to leave work at work. Nursing is great overall, it seems like I'm learning something new everyday.
Best of luck whatever you decide!
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Regular
Posts: 63
Location: B-F-E | I've been a nurse for 11 yrs and have worked on a cardiac stepdown unit in the hospital for all of it. I've been a staff nurse working 36 hrs/ week including every other weekend and every other holiday, a resource nurse working for a lot more money and less commitment schedule-wise, to working PRN now which has been amazing so far. I only work three 8 hr shifts per 6 week schedule and only one has to be a weekend shift. Every shift I pick up above my 3 shifts is for time and half$$$ So now I have even more time to spend camping/barrel racing and more money to do it with. While I love cardiac nursing, there is a whole lot of flexibility with in the field so if you get bored or burnt out, you can switch it up pretty easily. And, as others have said, you'll always have a job where ever you go. Sure it's stressful at times but totally worth it, and it's only 3 days a week if that. I'm the kind of person that can leave everything that happens at work AT work. And if not, that's what alcohol is for :) | |
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  Extreme Veteran
Posts: 403
Location: Armuchee, GA, NW section of Ga | Old nurse here. But in response, a nursing degree will allow you to do just about anything you wish. You could really work the hours you want, work just about anywhere too. That nursing license will really open up doors for you like no other. This field is rapidly becoming THE ONE to be in right now. So many nurses are retiring and no younger generation is ready to step up an replace them. Hospitals, long term care, physicians, military, traveling, or private sector all have open positions and are willing to work with you on hours. You can almost name your salary too. The nursing programs only have a limited amount of slots each term. Not all who start actually graduate or pass the boards. But you gotta try. It would also help if you specilize in a field too. There is alot of different areas for you to choose from. You can actually become a LPN first, then bridge over to a RN. Associates degree in two years, or a Bachelor degree in 4 years. You can work as a LPN while you continue your education for RN. So the short answer is YES, go into nursing, it is rewarding, it pays well, and you can have a life in barrels too. BTW, you will never be able to get unemployment, there are jobs everywhere. | |
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 BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25351
Location: Bastrop, Texas | I’m not a nurse or a paramedic, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
Here’s my two cents worth. Your first priority in making a career choice should be an honest decision regarding whether or not you genuinely have a passion for a career choice. I’m talking a real passion, not just a whim, or a decision based on how much you can earn and how little you have to sacrifice, in terms of time. You need some honest introspection. If you choose a career that you honestly feel you love, then the rest comes easy. As a nurse or paramedic, you have a ton of options and you can make your career work.
The most important thing you need to consider is whether or not you really have a passion for your chosen career. Right now, I am working with several ER docs and nurse practitioners in a fairly busy ER in ND. Nurse practitioners who do ER work easily make over $100/hour. Some only work 30-40 hours a week. One guy I work with is a relatively young NP. He earns $110/hour and works 3 twelve hour shifts a week. It can be stressful and very rewarding at the same time. Unless you really love your work, you probably won’t survive very long. It helps to be influenced and inspired by people who have a passion for the work, because they open your eyes and their attitude becomes contagious. I’m pretty sure if you worked with me that would be the case, to be honest.
So, forget about the family time and the pay, for the time being.
Do some soul searching. | |
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 Thick and Wavy
Posts: 6102
Location: Nebraska | I've been a nurse for almost 4 years on a stepdown unit. It is stressful. Nursing school was one of the hardest things I've ever done and I didn't have much horse time then. Now, I work 3 nights a week and every 3rd weekend. In the winter I pick up a weekend contract for 3 months where I work every weekend and whatever holiday falls on the weekend. It's good money and I use that extra as my horse play money for the year. I recently graduated with my masters in nursing informatics but I'm not sure I'm ready for a 9-5 job yet! Bear is right, you need to have a passion for what you do. Our unit has a very high turnover because it is so stressful. You will see things you never wish you would have seen. | |
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| I have heard really good things about being a RN to support the horse habit. I start nursing school in Jan 2019. | |
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Expert
Posts: 1432
| My sister is a nurse and loves it.. If I didn't faint at the sight of blood that would've been my career choice also. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 617
| How does this career affect you and barrel racing/horses? Nurses make a good wage which is helpful since horses cost a lot, however many nurses have to work some weekends which can make getting to barrel races difficult. I work 3 12 hours shifts. In theory it sounds great, but I don't have time to ride the days I work then. My commute is 45 minutes each way and I never usually get out on time. Between 12 hours shifts I sleep, cook, shower...that's it. Riding 4 days is plenty for me, however if your someone that rides 6 days a week, it can be done, it would just be tight trying to fit it in.
Do you find it fulfilling helping others or sometimes get tired of it? Is it always wonderful helping others, I do love it. However never under estimate how rude some patients and patients family can be. Although its not often, people can be awful to nurses/health care staff. Being in the hospital is extremely stressful for patients and their family. It can bring out the worst in people.
Overwhelming and too stressful that you bring it home with you? Healthcare is very physically and mentally demanding. You must have thick skin and be prepared to work hard, especially if you do inpatient.
If you do go into health care, it IS rewarding and does pay well, but it is not all sunshine and roses. It's not to discourage you or anyone, but sometimes these things need to be known prior to someone committing the time toward this career. I advise working as CNA first and seeing what nurses do. I work also advise not becoming a paramedic. If you like emergency medicine become an emergency department RN. Paramedics here (WI) get paid 1/2 of what nurses do! They do a ton and are very underpaid and under appreciated.
Edited by cn1705 2018-09-03 11:24 PM
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Anyone a Paramedic/nurse on here?