hi! well ok i'm a student in grade 12 and it's time to choose my career (yeah, scary i know lol) and i've really been looking into nursing as a huge possibility but not many people tend to know much about it. i was just wondering if you guys could really help me get a nurse's insight on things i have a million and one questions but the ones i would like to know most are a nurse's salary in Toronto, Ontario (starting salary and how it might increase over the years..), i know there are 12 hour shifts and i was wondering how many times you work a week ( i heard 3 or 4 ..) and if you get SOME weekends off.. and my biggest biggest concern.. if you can really manage kids and a family while being a nurse ( i know i know its far from now.. but i cant stop thinking about it)
i would really, really love it if you guys could help
-Catia
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Helping a potential nurse-to be?! :D
Started by c-miranda, Oct 10 2007 06:00 PM
2 replies to this topic
#2
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Posted 14 October 2007 - 11:31 AM
QUOTE(c-miranda @ Oct 10 2007, 06:00 PM) 
hi! well ok i'm a student in grade 12 and it's time to choose my career (yeah, scary i know lol) and i've really been looking into nursing as a huge possibility but not many people tend to know much about it. i was just wondering if you guys could really help me get a nurse's insight on things i have a million and one questions but the ones i would like to know most are a nurse's salary in Toronto, Ontario (starting salary and how it might increase over the years..), i know there are 12 hour shifts and i was wondering how many times you work a week ( i heard 3 or 4 ..) and if you get SOME weekends off.. and my biggest biggest concern.. if you can really manage kids and a family while being a nurse ( i know i know its far from now.. but i cant stop thinking about it)
i would really, really love it if you guys could help
-Catia
HI CATIA,
I JUST WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO THE NURSE CHAT SITE. I THINK WHAT YOU DOING IS GREAT AS FAR AS ASKING ABOUT YOUR CAREER. SO MANY PEOPLE CHOOSE NURSING FOR ALL THE WRONG REASONS. FIRST OF ALL IM NOT REALLY SURE WHAT THE SALARY IS FOR NURSES IN CANADA BUT I WILL TRY TO FIND OUT FOR YOU. NEXT, IT VARIES FROM HOSPITAL TO HOSPTIAL AND CITY TO CITY ABOUT THE SHIFTS, SOME DO 12 HR SHIFTS SOME DO 8 AND IN MY EXPERIENCE WE HAVE ALWAYS WORKED EVERY OTHER WEEKEND. IN MY CAREER, I HAVE MET MANY WOMEN AND MEN WHO HAD WIFES, HUSBANDS AND CHILREN WHO WERE ABLE TO MANAGE THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR CAREERS.
THE GREAT THING ABOUT NURSING IS THERE ARE SO MANY ASPECTS OF IT. IF YOU GET BORED WITH ONE THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERNT DIRCTIONS YOU CAN CHOOSE. THE BIGGEST THING I LOVE ABOUT NURSING IS THE REWARD YOU GET WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE HELPED SOMEONE. I CANT EVEN DESCRIBE IT. I HAVE BEEN A NURSE FOR A LONG TIME NOW AND I WORK IN A TRAUMA ICU AND I CANT SEE MYSELF DOING ANYTHING ELSE. IF YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK THEM. I WOULD LOVE TO TALK TO YOU MORE ABOUT THE NURSING PROFESSION. AGAIN, WELCOME TO THE NURSECHAT SITE.
NAWLINSGIRL
Success stems from hard work, devotion, and the ability to learn from one's mistakes.
#3
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Posted 29 October 2007 - 10:54 PM
It's been so many years since I started nursing that I'm not sure what the starting salary is. My guess is that it is about the same as a teacher but they get much more time off and all holidays, no 12 hours shifts. Most hospitals work 12 hour shifts, it averages about every other weekend off, equal days and nights and every other holiday. Nursing is very hard work with great responsibilities. The rewards are many, you have the chance to improve someones life, to help people through difficult experiences, to save a life.
It is not for everyone. It's tough work and nursing school is very demanding. I suggest you take the University course and get a degree and you will have more options should you choose management or teaching over bedside nursing. Since you are in Grade 12, it might be a good idea to do some volunteer work in a hospital and to soak up the atmosphere. If there isn't a hospital near you, check out the nursing homes. They need volunteers to work with the elderly at feeding times and in recreation activities. This will at least give you an idea what nursing is like.
Can you have a family at the same time? Certainly, just be prepared to be exhausted. Those night shifts can be killers if you have been up all day with your youngsters. You will run on very little sleep at times and you have to be awake and alert while caring for your patients. Workloads are heavy. 12 hour shifts are much longer than that counting report time and travel time. Your shift could stretch out to being 14-15 hours depending on where you live and which hospital you work at in Toronto. Summer road closures in Toronto are no treat when you are tired and driving home after a long demanding shift.
The glory of nursing is that you don't have to work full time. You can work casual or part time shifts if you can afford it. Many nurses only work 1-2 days a week. That may be frowned on for a nurse just starting out though in some settings as you have to gain experience and working fewer shifts may not give you the experience you need.
The nursing profession is constantly changing. There is so much more to learn now but the rewards are great. I don't count on the financial aspect at all when I think of the rewards because frankly for the responsibilities of a good nurse, nurses are not well paid. There are so many more professions for women now that pay much better. It is the raising of self-esteem and satisfaction that I have after a good shift, when I know that I have done a good job and made a difference in someone's life that is far more important to me.
Wishing you well in whichever career you choose.
It is not for everyone. It's tough work and nursing school is very demanding. I suggest you take the University course and get a degree and you will have more options should you choose management or teaching over bedside nursing. Since you are in Grade 12, it might be a good idea to do some volunteer work in a hospital and to soak up the atmosphere. If there isn't a hospital near you, check out the nursing homes. They need volunteers to work with the elderly at feeding times and in recreation activities. This will at least give you an idea what nursing is like.
Can you have a family at the same time? Certainly, just be prepared to be exhausted. Those night shifts can be killers if you have been up all day with your youngsters. You will run on very little sleep at times and you have to be awake and alert while caring for your patients. Workloads are heavy. 12 hour shifts are much longer than that counting report time and travel time. Your shift could stretch out to being 14-15 hours depending on where you live and which hospital you work at in Toronto. Summer road closures in Toronto are no treat when you are tired and driving home after a long demanding shift.
The glory of nursing is that you don't have to work full time. You can work casual or part time shifts if you can afford it. Many nurses only work 1-2 days a week. That may be frowned on for a nurse just starting out though in some settings as you have to gain experience and working fewer shifts may not give you the experience you need.
The nursing profession is constantly changing. There is so much more to learn now but the rewards are great. I don't count on the financial aspect at all when I think of the rewards because frankly for the responsibilities of a good nurse, nurses are not well paid. There are so many more professions for women now that pay much better. It is the raising of self-esteem and satisfaction that I have after a good shift, when I know that I have done a good job and made a difference in someone's life that is far more important to me.
Wishing you well in whichever career you choose.
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