NYC nurses --Help! (Ira: appointed, credit, home) - New York City - New York - City-Data Forum

NYLATINQT · 09-10-2007, 10:24 AM

I'm thinking about going into nursing. I live in GA right now but I would like to go back to NY to go to nursing school there (if i do choose to go thru with it). Does it matter if I get an AAS or a BSN? I am thinking about the Pace Univ program. How does it rank or do schools really matter? More importantly, what is the work environment working as a hospital nurse? I hear so many scary stories about how nurses are disrespected, overworked, etc... I don't know what to believe or what to expect. And what is the expected starting salary fresh out of school? I am in my 30s, this is a career change. I already have a B.A.
p.s. If any nurses have traveled, is there a difference between working in NYC vs other states?

straightshooter · 09-10-2007, 11:18 AM

i'm sure u.s. news/world report ranks nursuing programs. my friend went to nyu for her nursing degree, which is ranked #1. however, she was very disappointed. in her view, it was a very lowest common denominator education. she graduated last year and enjoys the work. but, remember...the stereotypes do come from somewhere. she is overworked and doesn't like her boss one bit.

oh, having a ba does not matter. you must complete a battery of pre-medical courses prior to applying to nursing school. don't quote me on it, but i believe you will need 2 semesters of general chemistry (with labs), 1 semester of organic chemistry (with lab), 2 semesters of biology (with labs), and 1 semester of calculus-based physics (w/lab).

NYLATINQT · 09-10-2007, 11:23 AM

Thanks Straightshooter, I am currently working on the science pre-reqs so i'll have those completed before I go back to NY. I would like a realistic picture of what nurses do and what it's like. Hospitals don't allow you to shadow nurses. I'm thinking maybe i could volunteer in a hospital but even then they'd keep me away from the floor to see what's really going on.

wanderlost · 09-10-2007, 11:31 AM

I'm an RN currently living in Virginia but have worked in NY State extensively. I attended a nursing job fair last month in NYC....every employer booth I stopped by asked about my degree...they all want BSN degrees, especially at some of the bigger hospitals in the city. I also heard a couple years ago that NY State was going to start requiring all nurses to have a BSN down the road. So, if you're going to go to school, just get the BSN. Since you already have a B.A. it shouldn't take you as long.

donjuan · 09-11-2007, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYLATINQT

I'm thinking about going into nursing. I live in GA right now but I would like to go back to NY to go to nursing school there (if i do choose to go thru with it). Does it matter if I get an AAS or a BSN? I am thinking about the Pace Univ program. How does it rank or do schools really matter? More importantly, what is the work environment working as a hospital nurse? I hear so many scary stories about how nurses are disrespected, overworked, etc... I don't know what to believe or what to expect. And what is the expected starting salary fresh out of school? I am in my 30s, this is a career change. I already have a B.A.
p.s. If any nurses have traveled, is there a difference between working in NYC vs other states?

WELL I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AREA. NURSING OUT HERE AND IM PRETTY SURE EVERYWHERE ELSE IS REALLY IN DEMAND. WELL OUT HERE IT IS AND IM ALSO GOING INTO NURSING. I KNOW AT KAISER FONTANA A NURSE WITH JUST AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE CAN MAKE AROUND $46-$59 A HOUR WHICH IS REALLY GOOD. BUT OUT HERE LA JUST PAYS MORE. PUT IT THIS WAY AT KIASER IN FONTANA CA, A RESPIRATORY THERAPIST STARTS AT $30 A HOUR BUT IN LA A RESPIRATORY THERAPIST STARTS AT $46 A HOUR AND THATS LOWER THAN A NURSE. KIASER PAYS FOR YOUR VACATIONS AND ON THE HOLIDAYS YOU MAKE DOUBLE PAY WITH EVEN TIME AND A HALF. NURSES OUT HERE ARE LIVING THE GOOD LIFE. THATS WHY IM GOING TO APPLY FOR THE NURSING WAITING LIST. IM SURE U HEARD ABOUT THE WAITING LIST RIGHT?

NYLATINQT · 09-11-2007, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wanderlost

I'm an RN currently living in Virginia but have worked in NY State extensively. I attended a nursing job fair last month in NYC....every employer booth I stopped by asked about my degree...they all want BSN degrees, especially at some of the bigger hospitals in the city. I also heard a couple years ago that NY State was going to start requiring all nurses to have a BSN down the road. So, if you're going to go to school, just get the BSN. Since you already have a B.A. it shouldn't take you as long.

thanks for that information. I am leaning towards the BSN for the simple fact that it takes just as long to do the AAS as the BSN. They say it's a 2 yr degree but it really is alot longer. I don't get the logic at all. The nursing part is 2 yrs either way. That does not include any of the pre-reqs. And if you don't already have a degree, a 2 yr school still requires several liberal arts courses. So unfortunately, i think people that get their AAS degree are not getting the credit that they deserve.
Another question, do you think that the demand is still there in NY as it has been in the past few years? I read in another post that in North Jersey, for example, the jobs are not as plentiful as they once were.

donjuan · 09-11-2007, 05:23 PM

yeah my aunt is a nurse so she tells me alot. last year she made way over $100,000+. alot of nurses do bcuz they like doing overtime work. i think the most she said she made in 2 weeks was $6749 and the most she made in a month was $12,000+. it was crazy bcuz she would keep brining home $5000 checks every other week. then there is the register work that pays you the same day and i think for 12 hours her friend made $574 in a day and got paid that same day and thats not even in LA. remember LA pays more period, im not sure about places out of cali.alot of hospitals are in great demand in southern cali and some give you around $15,000 sign on bonuses. even in vegas they giving $15,000 sign on bonues bcuz they need nurses. cali has alot of hospitals. hey i even heard that physiology is even harder than the nursing program

wanderlost · 09-12-2007, 05:49 AM

As far as demand for nurses in NYC...there is a demand for nurses everywhere in this country. What you have to remember about NYC is that the larger, more well-known hospitals attract nurses from all over the world. The competition to get hired at some of the bigger hospitals can be pretty tough. They're looking for nurses with BSN's as well as experience in specialized areas..i.e....critical care, neonatal, etc. Also, there are a lot of nurses coming here from other countries on work visas to places like NYC and northern NJ. I worked at a hospital in NJ where I was the only non-foreign nurse on my unit.

Another thing to consider, especially if you have children, is that finding a full-time day position can be very difficult in any city. One hospital told me that they never hire from the outside to fill day positions. So you might have to be prepared to work evenings, nights or rotating shifts, depending on where you want to work.

You're right about the Associate's degree taking just as long, so your best bet is to go for the BSN, you'll be doing yourself a favor. Nursing is a great profession in that you'll never be without a job and you can make decent money...but the work conditions can be incredibly stressful.

Sorry if this post sounds all negative...just came off a 12 hour night shift that was pretty crazy.

carleen · 09-25-2007, 11:58 PM

I am an RN living in brooklyn. I have not worked in a hospital as of yet. I went straight to a nursing home and I am presently doing school nursing. I am not able to work full time and school nursing pays pretty well, about $40 dollars an hour and not very stressful at all. I have my AAS and it has never been an issue when applying for a job. I was actually offered a supervisor positon with less than one year of experience. My advice is to get your nursing degree. Nursing is a great profession, but don't just do it for the money, you won't last. You must like taking care of people, sick people. I am looking into getting my BSN online. Most community colleges have 2 year nursing programs that are very inexpensive, but they are harder to get into. Good luck, nursing school is hard but you can do it. PS I know alot of nurse that graduated from my program with an AAS and they were all hired at top hospitals in NYC, with a starting salary of about 70,000.