Dear Donna Encore
by Donna Cardillo, RN, MA Following is a sampling of questions and answers that have been featured in my Dear Donna online advice column at www.nursingspectrum.com. “Dear Donna” answers almost 1,000 questions annually from high school students, prospective nurses, nursing students, new grads, experienced nurses, and other health care professionals from all over the world. Dear Donna, What do you do if you do not get into RN school? Do you give up your nursing aspirations? I’m 40 and desperate to change careers. What do I do now? Desperate for a Change Dear Desperate, Right now, there are more prospective nursing students than there are slots in nursing programs, so many qualified candidates are being turned away. Keep working toward your goal by finishing your prerequisites and getting any health care experience you can. Consider becoming a certified nurses aide, licensed practical/ vocational nurse, or emergency medical technician while trying to get into RN school. The related education and experience will increase your chances of getting into nursing school in the future and will give you a competitive edge when you get into nursing. You’ll be creating a new career for yourself one way or the other. If you are determined to become a nurse, you’ll find a way! Donna Dear Donna, I have been employed for eight months at my first RN job on a telemetry floor. I am interested in working on an inpatient hospice unit, which was one of my favorite clinicals. Can you tell me what requirements I would need to be employed in such a position? I have a BSN, and I’m willing to take some courses that would make me more marketable in this arena. Feels the Pull Dear Feels the Pull, Hospice is a wonderful specialty. There are no special requirements for nurses to get started in it. Of course, each employer may have its own specifications, such as a certain amount of general nursing experience, but that will not be the case with all employers. I would encourage you to apply for a hospice position if that is what interests you. If there is such a unit at your current place of employment, then I would suggest that you speak to some of the nurses who work there, including the nurse manager. Do an informational interview with some of them. Not only is this a great way to get more information, but it’s also an excellent way to make some valuable contacts. Join the Hospice and Palliative Care Nurses Association to further develop your interest in and knowledge of this specialty. You will start getting the association’s publications, can participate in educational programs at member rates, can access “members only” sections of the website, and will connect with other hospice nurses. When you’re looking to change specialties, it makes sense to rub elbows with those already working in that specialty. Your membership will also give you a competitive edge in gaining a position in this specialty. You have to follow your heart in nursing and create your own career path. Do a little research, and then yield to the pull if you still feel it. Donna Dear Donna, I am a new RN. I work on a busy and diverse surgical telemetry floor. My question is about the nursing shortage vs. the excess of hospitals/beds in my home state. If we need nurses but there are too many hospitals, then where do we need the nurses? I am trying to plan my career in a direction that will prove fruitful. Confused Dear Confused, Regardless of any excess beds or facilities in your area, there is a current and predicted shortage of nurses to work in acute care (hospital settings). If you want to stay in hospital work, you will likely have work for as long as you want it, providing you keep up your clinical competence and continuing education and develop good social skills. You will increase your future opportunities, no matter where you are, by continuing your formal education, seeking clinical certification when the time is right, joining and getting active in professional associations, and always expanding your experience and knowledge base, including your managerial, communication, and leadership skills. Donna Copyright Nursing Spectrum Nurse Wire (www.nursingspectrum.com). All rights reserved. Used with permission. Back to Articles | 
