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I am an RN. I went to school for 2 years (associate degree). I have been a nurse for 5 years. For 4 years I worked in outpatient Oncology giving chemo. I worked Mon-Fri 8 hour days and made about $29.00. I now work in a cardiac ICU. I work nights 12 hour shifts and every 3rd weekend I make about $37/hr plus differential on my weekends.
I love nursing. There are so many career paths, that if you need a change there is always something new to try.
I also worked as a CNA and LPN so if you have any questions about those just ask!
I'm in school for a BSN-RN, its 2 years after basic pre-reqs (many of which you would already have with a BS degree). No idea on pay yet since I'm not done but from what I understand its good. :)
I was a phlebotomist for years and LOVED IT!!!!!!!!
I worked in the hospital here so I got to see lots! ER, OR, Cath lab, codes, trauma, and just your regular ol patients.
I took a Medical Assisting program that included phlebotomy and aftwerward decided that that's where I wanted to focus.
When I started, with no experience, in a semi-small city, I got 8.5 an hour.... was there for a year and got a $1 raise and then left before my next raise at the 2 year mark...... the hospital gave a rasie EVERY year, no matter how long you'd been there so we had a couple ladies that made a pretty nice paycheck.
downside.... it was shift work and was horrible for my DS... during the weekdays I worked I worked noon-8 (off on tuesday) and EVERY Saturday I worked 4am-noon... after about 9mths of this schedule my body just wasn't havin it anymore so I left to a Dr. Office...
There I did Medical Assisting where I took a paycut BUT the hours were better. Due to the Dr being a 2 year old tyrant, I wan't there long. lol
Then went to a local lab back to phlebotomy along with specimen processing... started at 9.5 and was there until I went back to school full time... worked very normal hours with 1 have saturday a month... it was nice =)
I considered doing nursing BUT after working in the hospital for almost 2 years I knew it wasn't for me... and that likely I'd be one of those horrible nurses that you ask "why is she even doing this?..." yea... I didn't foresee it going well. lol
I STILL miss the hospital though and it's been almost 4 years! SO.... that's what I did in the medical field and if push came to shove could always go back to it.
Hope that helps some =)
I have been an LPN for almost 6 years now and will be starting RN school in Jan. I work at a Rehab/Long Term Care facility on a skilled nursing floor that is mainly post cardiac and ortho care. I make pretty good money for my postion, $23/hr not including shift diff. New RNs start at only $2 more than me and there is none of the I'm under them stuff there. They respect LPNs, I respect them. We do the same work there. I work nights, by choice. Have done it for almost 4 years and have passed up numerous opportunities for days. I work 7p-7a one week is 2 nights the next 4. I will say I'm in Central Ohio and there is no such thing as a nursing shortage here, but an excess of nurses. Also we were just informed of Federal budget cuts for Medicare and Medicaid reimbursent so staffing in facilities like ours will be cut and it will he harder to find jobs. I'm sure it will effect hospitals as well but not to the degree of LTCC. I did the LPN program bc it was nights, part time and the RN program had over a 2 yr wait and still does. I will never tell someone to not go for their LPN bc sometimes it's the best way for those that need to work FT as well as school but I will always say do not stop there. LPNs will never be phased out as people like to say, but to advance further and make more money you will need an RN. And no, in my area it does nor matter if it's an associate or bachelors RN.
I work as a Nurse Practitioner in outpatient oncology. I have been in this job for about a year, after graduating with my master's. I do miss my job as an RN - I now am salaried (and thus make less per hour bc I am overworked), have less vacation and much more responsibility. Since I work about 50 hours per week, I estimate that I now make $29/hour.
I loooved being an RN (a grass is greener situation). I worked on a busy hematology/oncology unit in one of the main Chicago hospitals. I had made about $31 per hour, plus shift/weekend differentials. I legitimately might quit my NP job and go back to my old RN job.
I would recommend PT/OT/speech/RN. I wouldn't recommend PA/NP. I feel bad for the PAs at my job because they are stuck in this mid-level position. NPs at least can go back to RN jobs.
And I forgot the most important part of your question....I love what I do. Not necessarily in the place I am now though I love my residents and fellow nurses. My heart is pediatrics. It was my first job as an LPN for a year and I want to go back when I'm done with my RN.
Ahh thank you soo much ladies! I'm looking into some of the BSN programs and what not and also actually the LPN programs just to get my feet wet and get the flexibility.
I also have interest in the sonography programs and x-ray tech non bloody side of it too. I did some x-ray stuff ( with a certification course) as a med assistant for a podiatrist and it was awesome.
So glad you guys LOVE what you do and you get compensation you deserve for what you are doing ( for the most part)
@ETwedding: that is wierd, i thought you would make much more as the NP , seems like the newest craze or the whole doctor nurse path thing too!
I'm an RN with an associates degree. I've been a nurse for 8 years and make about $49/hr. It all depends on where you live and what kind of position you have. The amazing thing about nursing is that you can do so many different things and always change your mind. Love it!!
I'm an ER tech, and I'm in LPN school full time....I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!! I can't wait to be making more money as an LPN, but I seriously don't wanna leave the ER that I'm in now...(they don't have LPNs)....ugh... =(
@Purple Nurse: So true! Thats awesome! Do you get time off and benefits or is it just PRN stuff?
@Dolldancer8:yay! doing what you love and getting paid is amazing. soooo glad to hear you are positive in such a negative subject like employment these days!
I am a medical dosimetrist. It wasnt on your list, but its allied health.
I make the radiation plans for cancer patients. It great. I have normal hours, and great benefits.
As far as schooling, look for an accredited program, and most take about a year to complete. If you are good at math and computers then I would look into it. There is some physics involved but its nothing too complicated. However, the job market is a little weak at the moment with all of the heath care cuts. Starting salary is between 70,000 and 75,000. Then once you pass your boards it goes up.
A job that is always in demand it seems though is a Radiation Therapist. They are the ones that have one on one contact with the patients on a daily basis, and actually give the treatments. Most of their programs are 2 years, but there are a couple one year ones out there. Their starting is between 55,000 and 60,000 I think. And their program has a little more biology and less physics.
Just a couple that weren't on your list. Hope this Helps.
Dental hygienist, AAS, $40./hr plus benefits. Out on disability due to repetitive stress injuries, but DH is a great, lucrative profession, depending on where you live and where you work.
If I had it to do over, I think I'd choose nursing, as there's not much else you can do after clinical hygiene except teach.
DH is a medical laboratory technologist (people who do all the tests). He works 42.5 hours/week and gets paid about $23/hour, which isn't amazing but still not bad in this area.
He has a degree in biology. Most states also require certification for this job.
@dallasbride2012: Oh excellent contributions! I have heard of both of those careers, thanks for sharing the inside scoop :)
@smyley: yeah, I looked into DH , but it didn't have a ton of options if burnout were to happen or as in your case injury! I appreciate your honesty!
@Eva Peron: Can I just say how much I love this post? I've been studying accounting but eventually want to get into health care. My dream is to go to med school but that's a little too ambitious perhaps. I really really enjoy reading these responses! I feel such a strong calling to medicine in whatever way possible :)
@SuperKate: Not to shabby! What an interesting job!
@beekiss: Ahh I'm so glad I'm not the only one! Seems like the most flexible and steady job in existence! So many options with hours, locations, and varying levels of patient contact. Don't give up on your urge! Even if you can't be a doctor, everyone in health care makes a world of difference in one persons life!
There are many jobs which work with health care industry, but aren't directly health care that you might also consider. It's not on your list, but I'm a health care lawyer. 3 years of law school (~$200k in loans after interest when you're all done). If you get a big law firm job on graduation, pay is $160k the first year. Otherwise, broad range of $40k on up.
Damnthat's good money! I never would have imagined but then again the only reason I am still with my dentist (I despise him) is because of his hygienists, they are the best! So I would hope they are paid well bc I see them more than him!
I am a Pediatric RN and I work for our local Juvenile Hall. I make $46/hr and am paid hourly so I do get a lot of overtime. It sounds like a lot of money but the cost of living in California is absolutely ridiculous so its not. Schooling I thought was pretty easy but I have always been good in science. I have been an RN since I was 18. I am now 23. I started college while I was in highschool so when I graduated at the age of 17, I was put right into the program. Having been an RN for the past 5 years, I really don't find it to be what I want to do. I love it but I don't feel as passionate about it as I thought I would. My coworkers are all very nasty mean people so that doesn't help. Now I am getting my Masters to become a social worker. Best of luck to you!
@kay01: Nice :) Yea the field is very broad!
@Tswife4ever: I'm sorry you don't feel passionate ! Social work is a great way to help people,and from what i remember about your past sharing in posts, it is close to your heart. Glad to hear your going for it!
I don't work in health care, but my sister does and she loves it! She's a CPA now going to school to become an LPN (I think.... it's higher up, but not a nurse). She's worked in a nursing home since she was 16 and is now 22, both in skilled care and assisted living. Now she's getting to work with younger patients, and she's enjoyed seeing the other side.
I know her employer gave her lots of free training to administer medication and to take vitals, and the hospital where she's going to school has her out on the floor too seeing all the different sides of a hospital. She's been given a lot of great opportunities and has had the chance to see a variety of settings before deciding what she wants to do with her life.
I don't work specifically as a healthcare professional but am a Healthcare Recruiter (work in Human Resources for a large Health System). If you have the heart for it, I highly recommend becomming a RN. Many healthcare professions are becoming oversaturated but RNs are not. There are many options for starting your career as a RN. Such as you can work as a CNA during school get your LPN (shorter program) do a bridge program from LPN to RN (which often is a part time or weekend program for working adults). Or of course you can go straight into a BSN program. I always recommend that nurses get their BSN eventually but the beauty of nursing is there are options to how/when you do that. One of the reasons I recommend RN to people is because 1)the constant demand - you can get a job anywhere 2)work schedule flexibility - you can work 8, 10, or 12 hours, days or nights, straight weekends, weekdays only, etc 3)pay - obviously this fluctuates depending on where you live (northern states pay more than southern) but no matter where you live RNs make good money and there are lots of add ons such as shift differntials, call pay, over time, extra shift bonuses, etc 4)and finally there are so many career paths you can take within nursing - you can be a bed side nurse in a hospital (specializing in any number of areas). You can get advanced clinical degrees such as NP, CRNA, CNS. You can teach. You can work in an office. And you can get into Healthcare Management/Adminstration. So there you go. That's my 2 cents on why Nursing is awesome! :)
Did you say an LPN is not a nurse or did you mean CPA? Because I assure you, as a LPN I am a nurse. :)
@MissGreen: OOhh...I was thinking the same thing! Don't tell an LPN s/he isn't a nurse, bad things might happen to you! 
I'm a registered x-ray tech. I like my job! It was two years of school. Our school was hospital based and required 30 hours a week of clinicals plus your study courses. It wasn't hard. Just time consuming. You're gonna see gross bloody stuff though. It's just part of it. After you see it a few times you get over it. One thing that a lot of people looking into x-ray don't realize is you also study fluoroscopy...which includes barium enemas. So that is something to think about.
I find my job rewarding. I like helping people, but I'm not a nurse. I don't think I have it in me to be a nurse. There's an artistic side to the job too b/c you're taking pictures! Where I work I also do Bone Density and CT's. We're about to get MRI and I'll cross-train into that as well. As far as pay goes it just depends where you're living. Metro areas pay more, but as far as my pay goes I make 19.25/hr. And I live in a small town of about 8000. The cost of living here is pretty low.
Sonography covers a broad spectrum. Correct me anyone if I'm wrong but I believe there's up to 8 registries. You don't have to be registered in all areas to get a job though. I had originally wanted to do sono but hated it when I did my clinical rounds. Everyone's different though!
@MissGreen: It is, but in California the pay rate is a lot higher....$50.-65/hr., but their fees are also much higher. The new salary review is due out for hygiene, and many states are not faring so well in terms of over-saturation and being unable to find employment, and much lower pay.
@Eva Peron: I have amazing hours. I work 10 hr shifts, Mon-Thurs. All nights, weekends and holidays off. I'm pretty spoiled that way. But that's another great thing about nursing. You can work to find something that fits your life. As far as time off we get about 7.5 hours a pay period of PTO/Sick hours. It turns out to be quite a bit.
I am currently a CNA working in assisted living/LTC and I make $15 an hour on nights. I love my job - my passion is working with the elderly, especially those with dementia & Alzheimer's. I've been working at the same place for 4+ years now.
I'm currently in LPN school, and will be graduating this May. The program was 18 months long because we had the summer off, but I know a lot of programs are generally 11 months long.
I plan on going for my RN eventually, just not sure when- I'm not really in a huge rush, because I have no desire to work in the hospital :)
Oh, and I also used to work as a CDA (certified dental assistant). I made $20 an hour, only worked Monday-Thursday, great benefits, and made bonuses every month. Sometimes I wonder why I left that job lol. But I am much happier doing what I do now :)
I know you posted for allied health jobs, but I wanted to share :-)
In college, I had dreams of going to med school, but then I figured out that I like public health more, and I'm better at it. I have a BS in Psychobiology and a minor in African/African-American Studies. I work as an analyst for CA Correctional Health Care Services. I'm helping my boss build our auditing department. I find/analyze all of the things that are wrong with how we're treating inmates in regards to medical treatments. I visited a prison yesterday and it was super intense!! I love my job though! I'm salaried, and I make about 42k. I love working for the state though because a lot of departments have great job security. I get paid time off, full benefits, and discounts on a lot of things.
I plan to get a Master's in Public Health in about 2 years. Just another route if you're interested in public health too.
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Hey Bees!
Is any body here currently working in the health care field or in school for it?
[LPN, CNA, RN's , PA's , NP's, Dr.s, X-ray techs, Ultrasound, dental, physical theraphy, really anything in allied health]
If you wouldn't mind sharing a bit about your schooling time, what job and hours/pay you get now and if you like it?
I'm thinking about going back to school for something in health care- i have previous clinical experience as a medical assistant but just didn't end up getting my degree in allied health, just a broad subject bachelors degree with some science background.