We started the 2020 series with two women from the nursing career.
Collyn West MSN, RN, CNL, PCCN-BC
Collyn grew up in a mill town, and knew that her goal for college was to move somewhere else. She liked math in school but didn't have more direction at the time. When she was in community college she took a few science classes, and in one of the classes she got to dissect a cadaver - which got her hooked on biology. She went to Western Washington University and studied biology. It was after her degree that she decided to look into nursing careers. She got a position at the VA hospital (Veteran Affairs Hospital) and was able to work at the VA while studying in college to qualify as a licensed nurse (Registered Nurse - RN). This was part of the Valor Program.
She has worked at the VA for more than 15 years. She likes working at the VA because the VA believes everybody has the right to health care, and they care for the whole patient. Collyn worked as an RN for a number of years before becoming a nurse lead. She realized she really enjoys helping other nurses improve their skills and better coordinate patient care. Collyn then took her Masters degree (while working at the VA). Having the masters degree allows her to work more broadly to help the whole hospital.
Natina Dudley RN, MSN, Clinical Nurse Educator Surgical Services.
Natina had always wanted to be a nurse as her mother, and grandmother had both been nurses. However her mother died when she was 18, and that changed her situation as she then had no support to help her got to college. She had to get a job. She got a job in the insurance industry. Later she decided to join the military, and she joined the Coastguards. She was deployed to the first Gulf War. She worked in computers in the military, and managed the health records of people serving. After the Gulf War she returned to the US to Baltimore. Because of the GI Bill she was had support to go to college. She studied for 16 months to get her nursing degree. It was an accelerated degree program. She then took an additional degree at Johns Hopkins University and trained to become an ICU nurse. Her husband was still in the military, and was deployed to Hawaii, where she worked as a nurse in the transplant unit for 3 years.
Natina worked for 9 years in the ICU at the VA. She worked the night shifts, and humorously says she loved working with patients that were sick or have problems because they were the ones that made her night shift interesting because they kept her busy!
She eventually got her masters degree to become a Clinical Nurse Educator, where she is now responsible for teaching nursing and medical staff about new process and training on new equipment. One project she has been working on recently is with a group who are planning on what happens in case of a major natural disaster in the area, such as 'the big one' earthquake.
What's the training like to become a nurse?
Both Natina and Collyn mentioned that there is a time in the nurses training when it gets tough because they overload you with assignments and coursework. They say the courses do this because it's very important that nurses get good at being organized, and focused on getting things done. They both said the work itself at that point doesn't get more difficult but its the management of the school work. They both say - 'hang in there' as it gets better after that period.
Job prospects
Nurses are in demand now, and that's only going to keep increasing. The starting salary for a nurse with an associates degree is $68,000 and it usually comes with 5 weeks of vacation (most jobs in other fields do not start with that amount of vacation!).
How to get started in nursing?
Volunteer! There are a variety of ways that students can volunteer (see links below).
They explained that there are different paths people take to get into the nursing profession. The entry level position of nursing assistant is a good position to really learn the ropes of caring for patients, and learning about medical
RESOURCES
How to get into nursing: Link
Student Volunteer links
VA Hospital : Link
The page mentions there are summer student programs but doesn't provide details. I suggest contacting one of our speakers, or contacting the VA volunteer program [email protected]
Seattle Children's Hospital : Link
They have a teen volunteer program for students over 16 years old. They ask for a commitment of 3 hours a week for 6 months.
Summer program at Children's. Note: the post is for 2019, but follow up with them to learn more about 202 options. Link
Swedish Edmonds : Link
They have a Junior Volunteer Program for students 14 years and older. They ask for a commitment of 4 hours a week for a quarter.
UW Medical Center : Link
UW Medical Center have a summer volunteer programs for teens.
Collyn West MSN, RN, CNL, PCCN-BC
Collyn grew up in a mill town, and knew that her goal for college was to move somewhere else. She liked math in school but didn't have more direction at the time. When she was in community college she took a few science classes, and in one of the classes she got to dissect a cadaver - which got her hooked on biology. She went to Western Washington University and studied biology. It was after her degree that she decided to look into nursing careers. She got a position at the VA hospital (Veteran Affairs Hospital) and was able to work at the VA while studying in college to qualify as a licensed nurse (Registered Nurse - RN). This was part of the Valor Program.
She has worked at the VA for more than 15 years. She likes working at the VA because the VA believes everybody has the right to health care, and they care for the whole patient. Collyn worked as an RN for a number of years before becoming a nurse lead. She realized she really enjoys helping other nurses improve their skills and better coordinate patient care. Collyn then took her Masters degree (while working at the VA). Having the masters degree allows her to work more broadly to help the whole hospital.
Natina Dudley RN, MSN, Clinical Nurse Educator Surgical Services.
Natina had always wanted to be a nurse as her mother, and grandmother had both been nurses. However her mother died when she was 18, and that changed her situation as she then had no support to help her got to college. She had to get a job. She got a job in the insurance industry. Later she decided to join the military, and she joined the Coastguards. She was deployed to the first Gulf War. She worked in computers in the military, and managed the health records of people serving. After the Gulf War she returned to the US to Baltimore. Because of the GI Bill she was had support to go to college. She studied for 16 months to get her nursing degree. It was an accelerated degree program. She then took an additional degree at Johns Hopkins University and trained to become an ICU nurse. Her husband was still in the military, and was deployed to Hawaii, where she worked as a nurse in the transplant unit for 3 years.
Natina worked for 9 years in the ICU at the VA. She worked the night shifts, and humorously says she loved working with patients that were sick or have problems because they were the ones that made her night shift interesting because they kept her busy!
She eventually got her masters degree to become a Clinical Nurse Educator, where she is now responsible for teaching nursing and medical staff about new process and training on new equipment. One project she has been working on recently is with a group who are planning on what happens in case of a major natural disaster in the area, such as 'the big one' earthquake.
What's the training like to become a nurse?
Both Natina and Collyn mentioned that there is a time in the nurses training when it gets tough because they overload you with assignments and coursework. They say the courses do this because it's very important that nurses get good at being organized, and focused on getting things done. They both said the work itself at that point doesn't get more difficult but its the management of the school work. They both say - 'hang in there' as it gets better after that period.
Job prospects
Nurses are in demand now, and that's only going to keep increasing. The starting salary for a nurse with an associates degree is $68,000 and it usually comes with 5 weeks of vacation (most jobs in other fields do not start with that amount of vacation!).
How to get started in nursing?
Volunteer! There are a variety of ways that students can volunteer (see links below).
They explained that there are different paths people take to get into the nursing profession. The entry level position of nursing assistant is a good position to really learn the ropes of caring for patients, and learning about medical
RESOURCES
How to get into nursing: Link
Student Volunteer links
VA Hospital : Link
The page mentions there are summer student programs but doesn't provide details. I suggest contacting one of our speakers, or contacting the VA volunteer program [email protected]
Seattle Children's Hospital : Link
They have a teen volunteer program for students over 16 years old. They ask for a commitment of 3 hours a week for 6 months.
Summer program at Children's. Note: the post is for 2019, but follow up with them to learn more about 202 options. Link
Swedish Edmonds : Link
They have a Junior Volunteer Program for students 14 years and older. They ask for a commitment of 4 hours a week for a quarter.
UW Medical Center : Link
UW Medical Center have a summer volunteer programs for teens.