I want to go back to school...and be a nurse

[Annig83]

Hi all.  Are there any nurses out there on D, or post-transplant who still work as a nurse?  I want to get my Bachelor's in Nursing and work in psychiatric.  Any thoughts?  I already have a Bachelor's degree in English Education.  Should I go straight for my masters?  What did you do?  What worked best?  I haven't received a transplant yet, and won't for quite a while.  If I do the bachelor's degree it will be a 3 year program, but if I go for the Masters, they have an accelrated program for those that have a Bachelor's in another field.... I am going in to talk to someone, but I was just curious if there is anyone out there with a similar experience?   

[AnnieB]

Hi Annie, I'm still pre-D so I wouldn't be able to give you info about combining dialysis with nursing school....but I can tell you about nursing school. The accelerated nursing programs I have heard about for folks with other degrees are for a BSN (Though I guess you may have a different situation if yours is offering a Masters). Accelerated programs can be pretty intense. If you get into a nursing program, you can expect to have a lot of homework, reading assignments, tests, projects, etc. Plus you have to do clinicals, meaning that for each class like medical-surgical, mother-child, and so on, you will have to go to the hospital or clinical site one day a week to work with actual patients (not including prep time the night before). Attendance in nursing school is also critical, since you can fail a clinical if you miss 2 times. Grades are important; you have to pass your classes with at least a C grade. And at the end of it all, you will need to pass your boards before you get your license. I have heard - and I believe it - that the nursing degree is the hardest degree to get. If you are interested in psychiatric nursing, you might see if you can do your "Capstone" in a psych unit. That would possibly give you an edge when looking for work. It wouldn't hurt either to see if you could work as a psych technician while in school (like part-time), for the same reason. Despite the talk about the so-called nursing shortage, new grads often these days have been having trouble finding that first job opportunity. So try to get your foot in the door someplace.
Now, as to doing this while doing dialysis, the more power to you. I would talk to the people at the college where you are thinking of going to school and seeing what sort of accommodations they could provide for you. I would be real clear with them about any needs you have, for example, in schedule flexibility and so on. I think you would get a lot of support from them to help you realize your dream. What are your realistic abilities and limitations, and how can that translate into a career in psychiatric nursing? I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to accomplish your goal. 

Good luck!

Anne 

[fearless]

I think if you're feeling good and are pretty routine on doing your pd each night this might be the best time for you to try to do it.  As Annie said, it's incredibly difficult - but if you do get to be an RN, there are so many work options in that field now: part-time for instance.  Or, with the knowledge you'll gain and the credentials, you might be a writer or patient educator.  Or, if psychiatric, a counselor on your own schedule.

I had thought about trying to do something like that because when I was young I took the "battery" of exams the did in NY state for admissions to the nursing schools.  I did really well.  But now, I feel like crap most of the time (9 yrs on D) and can't imagine how I could fit anything like that into almost daily hemo.  ugh.  so my advice is take Annie's info seriously and maybe even find out exactly what the physical requirements would be (including daily time requirements)  But that said, with kidney disease you gotta know: no time like the present!  best of luck to you.   

[Annig83]

Thank you for your responses.  I know the accelerated program will be tough... I do my PD at night when sleeping (8 1/2 hours) so the actual dialysis part of it won't be an issue... feeling under the weather (so to speak) has been happening less often and I only need to see my doctor once a month thus far.  I'm extremely stable THANK GOODNESS!    I have some general education to take first since I have a Bachelor's in English, so I know I'll have Anatomy, and a few other gen. ed. classes to get out of the way before the accelerated program... maybe that will test on how well I'll do before "overdoing it"? 
I plan on going to the University of Indianapolis this Thursday after seeing my Neph.  Maybe both my Neph. and the school will have some ideas?  Thanks again AnnieB and Fearless

[Chris]

The only advice I can think of is to ask a transplant center. I have heard of nurses with kidney transplants from other nurses I deal with locally and at my physician offices associated with my transplant hospital

[Lillupie]

Good Idea. Go for it. Actually I stated PD Oct 2007. Sometime early 2008 a girl named Kim started. I think she was like 22. In less then 6 months (after a lot of complications) she got her kidney and is now a PD nurse at my center, where she did PD!
 I struggled more then anyone else because I think it should also be me with a transplant and working full time. Like seeing her as a success was in my face, when I was stuck on a machine.

Anyways, it would be cool to be a nurse and to know you have gone through things medically yourself.

Lisa

[Whamo]

My wife is a nurse.  I've seen the books she had to read for her courses.  It's not Romantic Poetry!  It's tough material to learn, but you can do it.

[gothiclovemonkey]

  Sounds like a good idea!
And, when you get done, you can tell me how crazy I am

[Annig83]

Whamo- I have 2 years under my belt in nursing.  I started but didn't lilke the program I was in at ISU (Indiana).  I ain't scared
GLM- I'll diagnose us both and we can have therapy sessions together

[Chris]

 
"Surely you can't be serious?"
"Yes I am serious and don't call me Shirley!"
 
Just seemed to fit at this point

[plugger]

Annig83,

Your thread caught my eye and activated some dormant memory cells.  Back in the day there was another doctor/patient (before HemoDoc) who inspired a lot of us, a Dr. Peter Lundin.  I thought I would mention him, might give you some inspiration on those late nights before a big test: http://www.nephron.org/nephsites/lundin/lundin_toc

[Annig83]

Chris- LOL
Plugger- Thanks! I'll look into it.

I talked to an advisor today, and she mentioned that even though the Advanced Program has a lot of clinicals, (4 days a week, 8 hours a day), the actual pre-requisties are part-time. (6 credit hours) that I need.  Watch out... here comes Organic Chemistry.... SIGH.  Anything biology I'm a whiz at... chemistry just makes my brain hurt!     I haven't fully decided on what I want to do.  I'm looking into financial aid, and plan on asking my doctor what he thinks about it.  College is 6 miles from my house.  I did get labs today from dialysis and my kidney function has improved!!  I went from 8.2 creatnine to 5.8, and my levels are all stable (minus the sodium bicarb. It's always been really low).  I feel good, and I think I can do this.  It's what I really want...why shouldn't I be happy?  At least I'll be able to say that I accomplished a goal in my life... and help others!

[fearless]

I'm proud of you.

[BobN]

Annie, your perseverance is an inspiration.  Please keep us advised of your progress.

Triple back-flip kudos.  (Sorry.  I still have the olympic gymnastics on my mind.)

[bleija]

i was in college when i found out about my kidney failure and ultimately started dialysis, after 4 years i finished my AA degree, i had to take one semester offf and my last semester was only one class. but still, when i got it in the mail, my hubby brought it to me at work so i could see it, and i was so proud of myself. Now that i have my transplant i want to go to scholl for nursing and be a home dialysis nurse. and the funny thing is is my PD nurse in gville, now runs his own clinic in ocala, so i asked him if he'd hire me, so i kinda have a job lol, maybe im not sure if we wanna move to ocala but we'll see
i wish you the best of luck, and be extra careful ast night, dnt get lazy, trust me i did and it ddnt end well. one time is all it takes... just sayin

[AnnieB]

Bleija, do you live in gainesville? I went to school there (many many years ago, more than I will admit to...) 

[bleija]

my husband and i moved up there to be closer to shands bc i was working with them for transplant, but when hubby couldnt find wwork we were forced to go back to pold county. but we like it here better. we stayed up there for almost a year.in 2010-2011

[Whamo]

Wow, two years of nursing school already done?   You're halfway there already.  My wife struggled with statistics, but she got through it.  She was working as a charge nurse, and finishing her four-year degree while working full-time.  It was hard on her.  She was also Chairman of the local American Heart Association Chapter.  That was a hard time for us.