i want to become a nurse any nurses out there?

Question

I only want answers from hospital nurses, please.
Okay, so i'm still in middle school, but i'm sure i want to become a nurse or something along those lines. Can a nurse please walk me through a typical day at work? Like, what exactly do you do all day long? How much do you get paid? How long will I have to go to college?

Please help, nurses...

Answer 1

I'm not a nurse but my sister is. In her own words, here is what she has to say:

I've been a nurse for 9 years. I worked 6 of those years in a cardiac telemetry floor, 2 years in a Cardiovascular Intensive Care which includes patients who had open heart surgery and other heart procedures. I've also taken care of patients who have come in with complaints of chest pain, or difficulty breathing. Currently, I am working at the medical center in Houston at a Heart and Lung transplant Intensive care unit. We take care of patients who have received a new heart or a new lung. I really cannot think of a typical day at work. It's hard to predict what you'll see when you step into the doors of your unit. An example of this is yesterday we had a patient who was dying and the doctor cracked open the chest at the bedside for him to save the patient's life. Everyday brings new challenges and rewards. Of course, we don't always have "adrenaline rush" days. We have days that we consider "slow", but that helps us "recharge" for the next time. I would say the most rewarding thing for me is seeing the patients get better, going home, and getting back with their life.
I have a Bachelor's degree in Nursing, that takes 4 years to finish, but you can have a Associates degree which takes 2 years and if you want to get your Bachelor's degree you can do that while working as a nurse already.
The average pay for an experienced nurse in Houston is around $31.00 per hour. The pay, of course, depends on how much experience you have.

I hope what my sister had to say will help you. Good luck.