[lisap]

Hello everyone. I have been lurking here for a few days reading. My boys are almost grown, and we are looking at a being able to be pretty much debt-free soon as well. With that positive outlook, my husband wanted me to look for a career that I would enjoy and one that I could move anywhere to and be able to find work.

Right now I am a school bus driver, and that would seem, on-the-surface to be a perfect job for me; especially seeing as how I love to drive. However, if we move to Tennessee as we are thinking, I really wouldn't want to drive in snow. I have lived in the south for 22+years now. I am not anxious to drive in snow and ice anymore.

Many people have told me I would make a good nurse. I have compassion for people, I have good people skills and can handle difficult ones better than most. I could go on and on, but ya'll know what attributes good nurses have.

My husband is encouraging me to take up nursing as a career. While I resisted for many reasons, I have given it a lot of thought. I didn't think I would be a good bus driver, or that I would like it. My husband encouraged me to try it, and I do like it and I am good at it; so, since he is suggesting nursing, and I feel it is something I could do, I am seriously considering it.

There are pros and cons to every career. I will be 40 on Friday. I am older, but that just means I am more steady and solid. This is not something I am considering lightly. There are many different types of nursing. I think I would like to work towards becoming an ER nurse.

I have been in a few emergency situations, and I believe I even saved someone's life once. It is exciting to be able to help someone with just the basic first aid skills. I am thinking how much more wonderful it would be to save someone with professional skills!

Being my age, I am not naive. I do know that not everyone can be saved. That the ER probably sees the largest amount of deaths in a hospital. That was one of the reasons I didn't want to get into nursing; however, I believe that because I would be in the ER, I wouldn't be so apt to become involved with the patients as I would if I was in a ward.

From what I have read, I would have to work towards becoming an ER nurse. I am unclear as to whether I could start out as an ER nurse, but I am prepared to work for a few years to achieve my goal.

[MICU-RN]

Welcome!
You are young. Don't let being 40 stop you from doing whatever your endeavors are. Depending where you are, you can certainly start in the ER as a new grad. No, everone can and will not be save. The assurance comes when you have been the best advocate for your patients and have done all that is within your scope of practice there is to do, you have done much.

I work ER and we see some death, of course, however, it all depends on what one calls a lot, determines the number that actually dies in the ER. Death comes no matter if it directly affects you or indirectly. It either hit home hard or not so hard. Death gets a little easier to tolerate but it never goes away totally, for me. I do beleive death toward others relates to how and what death means to you.

With your attitude and determination, you will go far no matter the career path you take.

Much success.

[cougarnurse]

Welcome to the site, lisa! Glad you joined up. I say 'go for it'; and if you ever DO get tired of ER nursing, you have many other options to fall back on.

Please drop by often; we'll support ya through and through.

'Cat'

[lisap]

Thanks all. I will be here a lot for moral support!