Posted Thursday, August 7, 2008 by
Liza Ollila
I love reading, but I hate getting excited to read a new book and then discovering three pages into it that it's not at all what I expected (in a bad way). So that’s what’s great about today’s post; today my post features an excerpt from a book titled Hot Nursing Careers for the 21st Century by Micheline Birger. Not only does it give you a sneak peek into 
the book, but there’s also a Q&A that I did with the author and the chance to read the first 20 pages of the book online!
The book consists of 111 questions and answers about virtually everything to do with nursing. After reading the intro about the author and her 36 years of experience in the field, doing everything from pediatric neurology to insurance reviews, I was a bit intrigued.
So if you’re a nurse, you’re in nursing school or you’re thinking about doing either, there’s a chance you might want to read this. Here’s an excerpt from Hot Nursing Careers for the 21st Century:
6. Suppose I don’t want to work in a hospital, what other places can I work in as a nurse?
That depends on the individual nurse and what their specific qualifications are. For example, suppose a nurse has a background in sales. He/she could be hired to market pharmaceuticals and medical supplies. Usually the employers will put them through their own training program for the particular product that they are marketing/selling.
If the nurse has a background in the written word, they may be hired for medical editing or medical journalism. A nurse may have a computer background. They could be hired as consultants in planning medical information technology. A nurse may also work with lawyers or do chart reviews for insurance companies. Once again, usually this requires solid hospital experience.
Generally, if a new nurse wants to work in an alternative setting such as a clinic or doctor’s office, the one year of solid hospital experience generally applies. Again, this is a highly individual process. Each potential employer will evaluate the specific skills of the nurse.
8. What kind of money will I make as a nurse?
That’s a good question. It depends on location, location, location. Initially, in order to entice new graduates to hospitals, hospitals offer high starting salaries for new grads. If a nurse decides to stay in a particular facility then they would receive yearly increments or cost of living increases. Places like New York City and San Francisco pay nurses more but the cost of living is much higher than other areas of the USA.
Generally speaking (and this is subject to change in a heartbeat and a sneeze in health care), the Southern States pay less. The best way to find out is to look on the Internet and do a search under Career Builders or some other job search engine. But, no matter which way you cut, dice or splice it, you can make a living as a nurse. If you want to get rich as a nurse, write a best-selling book, win the lottery or have a relative who is a savvy investment whiz show you how to leverage your hard-earned money.
19. Suppose I don’t want to work nights and week-ends when I graduate. Will I be forced to do that once I am hired as a new graduate in a hospital?
Once again, that all depends on you and what you want to do once you graduate. In general, if the hospital needs a night nurse and you need the experience then one must do what one must do in order to get where one needs to go. Look at it as a win-win situation. You get a job, you get experience and the hospital gets a night-nurse. Usually there is no way around it unless you marry the Chairman of the Board or the Head of the Department.
As if answering 111 questions for her book wasn’t enough; I asked the author a few questions of my own.
What prompted you to write Hot Nursing Careers for the 21st Century?
What prompted me to write the book was nurses themselves. I had worked a lot of travel nursing assignments nationally and the nurses that I would come into contact with were looking for alternatives to the traditional hospital setting. They were experienced but weren't quite clear about what their next step would be. They were looking for ideas. A lot of them didn't want to get their Masters and teach, they weren't interested in administration. They knew that they wanted to continue in the field but were unsure about what was available.
Another thing that prompted me was people who thought about nursing but didn't know the questions to ask or how to get started. Face it, the average person thinking about the field of nursing thinks of the shows ER ,General Hospital or MASH! It is/was my intention to educate, enlighten and entertain people about learning more about the nursing profession. I used to think there has to be a book out about that kind of thing that wasn't overly academic and so dry that would put me to sleep. Then I thought, well then, I guess I have to write it. It was an organic process. It just kind of unfolded. As I kept asking questions, I kept getting answers. I wish when I started out in nursing 100 years ago that I had this book.
What is astonishing to me is, even nurses that have been nurses for years didn't know about some of the directions and other disciplines in nursing. It was news to them! That is why I included on the cover - A Practical Guide for New or Seasoned Nurses. I also think with the general state of the economy as it stands now; people are worried about their futures and their families. Face it, without the nurse in society, medicine could not function. That is why it is specialized knowledge. People want to enter into something that pays decently and is respected in society. Also I wrote the book to help demystify all the questions that people want to ask but didn't know how to ask them.
What is the single most valuable tool that you've found for acquiring a nursing job?
I do believe that the single most valuable tool is being positive. Smile a lot. Answer the questions that the interviewer poses to the best of your ability. Depending on what type of nursing job do your homework about the facility itself and how you would be an asset to the organization. Other than the standards of dressing nice and being polite, be approachable and likable. Be classy.
What do you think the outlook for the nursing industry is for the future?
Nursing/health care is one of the big growth industries for the 21st Century. We live in a specialized society and so any special/technical education will always be an asset. I do strongly emphasize that a new RN gets experience. Experience is paramount! Ask questions....do your homework. There is no substitute for a firm foundation and knowledge base.
Out of all the jobs you've had in this industry which one did you enjoy the most and why?
Interesting question, each job that I have had in the industry has always been a learning situation. When I first got out of school in the 70's I worked in Adult Neurology and Neuro- surgery. At that time I thought it was fascinating to see how the brain controlled the body. I gained valuable experience in addition to critical thinking skills.
But to answer your question, which job did I enjoy the most and why I would say that anything that involved teaching or directing groups. I worked in one of the premier psychiatric facilities and ran groups in a Day Hospital. I loved teaching my seminars on laughter and health when I was on the West Coast. I taught nurse's aides for their certification. In all that I always had stories to give the students because I had such an abundance of experience.
If you had to give one piece of advice to someone starting a nursing career what would it be?
Make it a priority to have fun in your life. Don't forget to laugh. Don't throw other ambitions by the wayside. Keep a well-balanced life. Strive for excellence. Also, remember that the people that you serve are just that - just people. Treat them with respect. Treat yourself with respect. Another thing to remember is customer service. Always have good customer service skills.
Also, keep expanding your horizons. Once one has the firm foundation of the education one has a solid basis in life.
In the introduction to your book, you stated you only went to nursing school because your mother wanted you to. After 36 years in the profession, are you glad you did that?
Yes, I do believe that the knowledge I have gained throughout the years has been invaluable. More importantly is the insight one develops working with people on such an intimate level. One sees people at their worst most times, and that is where you truly learn about life.
When I watch the TV journalists conduct interviews about anything to do with health care I laugh. It all sounds so Madison Ave. Real healing, the kind that transforms life is a personal journey of insight/acceptance and self-love. I'm not talking a narcissistic love but a true acceptance of ones failures. Failures as well as successes. And more importantly the ability to forgive oneself or others. One must learn to take personal responsibility for their health/life.
So, to answer your question, yes. In today's oversaturated conflicting information boom I am glad that I have the knowledge about health care and what I can do to keep myself sane and healthy on an ongoing basis
So if you would like to read more, the first 20 pages of this book are available here. These pages really give you an idea of whether or not you want to continue reading the book. They contain an introduction about the author, a list of all 111 questions included in the book, and the first 27 questions and answers.
If you have any other book recommendations for nurses or nurses to be, leave a comment and share your suggestions.
