Daughter wants to be a nurse?

[wis75]

Physicians also treat the patient, not just the disease. The key in the above post is diagnosis type. As a woman physician of many years I applaud the progress for women in both fields and can relate many stories. Becoming a physician's assistant requires less time than becoming a physician, but it is also a very competitive field to get into, it is different than becoming a nurse practitioner. For all prospective nurses it is important to realize there are differences between medical and nursing fields, and to choose nursing because that is the type of patient care one prefers. There are many different specialties in both fields, eg surgical and psychiatric are polar opposites for personality types interested in them. Choosing the specialty comes after being in training, after exposure to different areas.

[janesmom1]

Three cheers to your daughter on wanting to become a nurse. She will never be unemployed. I know in my area the community college has the toughest program around. It is the hardest to get into and stay in for that matter. Some of the best nurses come from those programs. If she decides to do a two-year program then she can take the boards and continue on. If she decides to do a four-year (which I suggest) then since you are looking in the northeast--NYU has a great program. She can't go wrong whatever she picks because she will be rewarded in more ways than just money.

[Mombot]

Cheers to your daughter--good for her for doing what interests her rather than following the herd as a premed or wanting to go into investment banking!

She's guaranteed a job on graduation so find a good program--no need to pay up for a nursing credential if she can get into a good state school or get a full ride at a lesser known school.

[norcalguy]

Nursing is a great option in this day and age. Not only will she be serving a vital need, it pays great and you won't have to deal with malpractice and much of the bureaucratic BS that doctors have to deal with. Physicians meanwhile have to contend with larger and larger debts upon graduation, declining salaries (when you factor in inflation), rising malpractice premiums, and decreasing autonomy.

[StickerShock]

You're correct of course, Wis. I did say my explanation was oversimplified!

I would not recommend the CC route unless $$ is a concern. While the programs are great, the OP's D should have the opportunity for the total college experience if possible.

Norcal mentions autonomy. That's a good question for nurses, as well. There is a fairly wide disparity in how much autonomy nurses are allowed from state to state. Even in practice, you will find that from hospital to hospital the nursing roles vary. That may be a consideration when choosing a school, because often the graduates choose to practice where they studied. One important thing to check out is the school's passing rate on the nursing boards. If it's not 100% over a good period of time, I'd be asking lots of questions.

[nurseratchet]

I would be doing flips right now if my daughter knew she wanted to become a nurse. The world of opportunity will be hers. I have listened for 20 years from people why didn't I become something else. There are not many professions out there that at the end of the day you know you touched someone's life and made a difference. She can teach, go into law, do an advanced practice nursing etc. She will graduate making a lot more money than her friends and her career will be one of the best when she marries one day and starts a family. She will always be able to relocate etc. I don't know what your financial situation is but I would recommend not spending a fortune on undergrad. I went to a state school because it had the best nursing program and the highest board scores in the state. It was a great choice for me. No debt after college and I bought my first house right a year after I graduated! Grad school is more important moneywise in my opinion. My brother did the opposite. Spent a fortune on undergrad, paid back loans forever....Your daughter will never be wasting herself on nursing. I know 3 ceo's that began as nurses. It is probably one of the few professions that offer a world of opportunities, will always offer employment, pays very well, and will give her a lifetime of personal satisfaction. The limits are endless. Support her and be proud she has the qualities to want to choose this field.

[mythmom]

StickerShock: Thanks for your explanation. I meant my remarks only as a sign of respect -- didn't realize that the distinction is one nurses themselves support.