If you have any specific questions lemme know. Also Ted’s kinda a practical doctor, low BS factor. If you want a softer viewpoint I can ask some other folks…
Ted said…
2) Nurisng. The good: Great pay. They get paid more than we do at a lot of places after you count overtime. Am I bitter? Yes. Great flexibility — pick a 12 hr shift. Want parttime? Probably not a problem. Huge need so job security will never be an issue. The best part of the job? You spend a lot of time with the patient and the family. You’re right there, and many times, I would say that the nurse will provide much more comfort for the family than we as physicans can. It’s the time you get to spend that I wish we had more of as physicians. The bad: your sister is probably too smart or any general nursing gig. She’ll want to do something more mentally challenging like ICU type things. Lack of respect: “You’re just a nurse”, you have to take orders from docs. Can be mentally draining since you’re always with the patient. The ugly: who really wants to clean up shit and drool, but depending on the places, there are always other people who are hired to do it.
I think it’s a great profession for her, especially if she wants to learn more about what Edda has and what are some of the things she can do for her. I’m not the best person to ask about this. You’ll want to ask a nurse (obviously). Might want to give Helma a call. She’s an ICU nurse, and I still keep in touch with her. I can also get you in touch with some other nurses as well.
Thanks for asking – pretty much what I thought anyway. We might be moving to Albany, there is a Physican’s Assistant program there that sounds appealing as well – I’d have to be working in a health care setting for at least a year as a prereq. God, ICU nursing – that’s usually 1 patient per shift (2 max), because they are so sick and need so much monitoring/care. Sounds intense.