Thank a nurse and consider joining the growing field during National Nurse’s Week May 9-12 Published May 9, 2016 by Ali Sexton

From the moment Florence Nightingale established the foundations of professional nursing during the 19^th century, nursing has been a special calling for special people. Rose State is proud to carry on the tradition of training front-line healthcare providers with our Nursing Science program. Graduates of our program earn an Associate in Applied Science degree and are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) to become registered nurses.

Want to hear more about the pros and cons of pursuing this rewarding career?

Tara Lojka-Alonzo graduated this fall from Rose State College’s LPN to RN Program. She chose Rose State because it was close to home and because her prerequisite classes were completed at Rose State, making it an incredibly easy decision to complete the program there as well. “I didn’t have the problem of having to transfer my classes to a different school or take more classes to meet other programs’ requirements. Rose State was beneficial to me because I knew what I needed to do and have before applying to the program.”

Two weeks after graduating from the program and obtaining her pin as an RN, Tara was hired by Alliance Midwest as an RN in the ER. Throughout her fourth semester, during her “clinicals,” she obtained invaluable experience at Alliance Midwest, also in Midwest City, that would quickly translate to her career as an RN.

“Find an area you’re passionate about and go for it. Find a program that fits your needs, schedule and price and put forth the effort to make your dream job become reality. It’s never too late.” For Lisa Hamilton, Labor and Delivery Nurse at OU Children’s Hospital, nursing was a second career. After graduating from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Communications in 2007, she decided that marketing and sales was not for her. So in 2009, she went back to school to pursue the job she had always wanted: one where she would be able to move anywhere, have a work schedule she decided and to carry out her passion of caring for others. Within 8 weeks of graduation, she was hired to be a part of the Residency Program at OU Children’s Hospital. There she has found areas of interest she didn’t know existed prior to employment. She’s been able to further her education and hopes to become a Nurse Practitioner and earn her Master’s degree. 

Pros:

You will make a difference. It’s simple. The actions you take in whatever patient care area you choose – and there are many to choose from -- will deliver

positive, difference-making results. You will be able, for the most part, to choose what kind of patients you care for. From labor and delivery, to surgery to the ICU, open positions are abundant and from the recent experience of our graduates, need to be filled right away. You may even choose to not care for patients directly, but rather in case management, discharge planning or even education. 

In addition to the plentiful options along your nursing career path, the flexibility of your work schedule is another perk when choosing to become a nurse. Many nurses report opportunities to choose their own schedules, to choose how much they work, and even how much they want to earn in each pay period. Some nurses choose to work full-time while others part-time or on call. If you like adventure, you even have the choice to work as a travel nurse, working stints in different areas of the nation.

Cons:

It is fact: nurses deal with a handful of sights and sounds that one must have a strong stomach for. If you are at all squeamish when it comes to blood and other bodily fluids, then a career in nursing may not be your best choice. It’s also important to consider that as a nurse, you’ll face exposure to contagious diseases – safety is a critical issue in the field.

The job can be taxing emotionally, as well. There will be sad situations – and some of those may even be tragic. Nursing requires a healthy measure of patience, understanding, and service as you deliver necessary care in dire situations.

If you would like more information on the Nursing Science program at Rose State College, please visit our website to review the fully accredited Nursing Science Program.