Nurses care for patients in hospitals, schools, and other health care settings. Some teach other nurses or do medical research. There is a lot of standing, bending, and lifting. RN’s also work is severely ill or dying patients, which can be very emotional for some people. Most full-time nurses work between 35 and 45 hours a week.  

 There are six colleges/universities in the Chicago-land area that offers the 2-year associate degree in nursing. There are eight colleges/universities in the Chicago-land area that offer the 4-year bachelor’s degree in nursing. The total cost at Morton College for the year will be around $3,892. Morton College will get you the 2-year associates degree. If you wish to go any further in the career, you could then transfer to a University to get a higher degree in nursing.  

 The person I had the opportunity to interview was Jacqueline Solis, she is a Registered Nurse who works in a rehabilitation unit. She comes from a family of two hard-working parents and 4 siblings, she tried her hardest to become successful and she did.  

Q: Tell me about your job. Is what you do differently in any way from what other’s in your occupation do? 

A: I work in an Adult Sub-Acute Rehabilitation Unit where I work 8 hours a day/4days a 

week. I usually care for 5 patients a day but sometimes it can be 6 patients. My day consists of providing care to my patients, managing their care, teaching and educating, and discussing patient care with doctors. I don’t think what I do is any different from what other nurses do, however, the patients that I care for are not critically ill or unstable like those in an intensive care unit or emergency room for example. 

 Q: Can you tell me about your background and how you got into this field? 

A: After I graduated high school I enrolled in college and completed one full year. I then decided to put school on hold because I had a full-time job and it was too much to handle at the time. I worked full-time for a few years and then got pregnant with my son. When he was born, I decided to go back to school and pursue my career. I knew I wanted to do something in the medical field because I like caring for and helping other people. With the help of my advisor I made up my mind and decided that nursing is what I wanted to do. 

 Q: What personal characteristics are required for someone to be successful in your job? 

A: I don’t think you are required to have certain characteristics in order to be a successful nurse because we’re all different and have different personalities. What I do believe is that in order to provide the best care, you need to have patience, compassion, dedication and be willing to learn every day in your career. 

 Q: How much job security is there for people in your field? 

A: Nurses are in high demand right now and there is so many job opportunities within the job field. There are nursing jobs at hospitals, clinics, outpatient centers, and home health to name a few. I strongly believe that nursing overall is a secure job. 

 Q: What other jobs could you do with the skills you have gained in this field? 

A: You could get into any field in nursing however, some require nursing experience while others are willing to take new grads and train them to get the experience. 

 Q: What do you think the future holds for people in your occupation?  

A: I think the future looks good for those who enter this career because there are many opportunities to grow and learn. 

 Q: What are the biggest challenges in your job?  

A: I think the biggest challenge for me is learning how to delegate to my patient care assistants (PCA’s). I sometimes walk out of work overwhelmed because I do more than I should when I could simply delegate the easier tasks to my PCA’s. 

 Q: Are there many opportunities in your field? What should people do to get started? 

A: There are many opportunities in nursing because as I mentioned, nurses are needed everywhere. Nurses not only work at hospitals but also at clinics, long term care facilities, outpatient centers, schools, etc. If you are thinking of going into nursing but are not sure, do your research and also talk to other nurses about their experiences good and bad. 

 Q: Do the responsibilities change with each degree? 

A: I don’t think the responsibilities change when caring for patients, what I think changes is what you are able to do within your scope of practice. Someone with a bachelor in nursing is not able to practice what a nurse with a master’s degree practices since it is more advanced. 

 Q: Is there a set schedule with this career?  

A: My schedule is set to working days and 4 days out of the week, however, if I want to pick up an extra shift and they need a nurse, I am able to make some extra money. 

 Q: Would you ever get transferred from hospital to hospital?  

A: I don’t get transferred to other hospitals, but I do float to other units within my hospital if our unit is overstaffed and another unit is short. 

 Q: Is there a difference between working in a hospital, school, or a clinic?  

A: Yes, there is a difference in the people you will be caring for and what their needs are. In a hospital setting, you are taking care of people who are under observation by a doctor throughout the day whereas in a school or clinic setting you are providing care, but your duties may be different. 

 Q: What is the annual salary? 

A: According to The US Bureau of Labor Statistics, “the majority of nurses make from $48,690 to $104,100 annually. The average (mean) nurse salary at the national level is $75,510.” Keep in mind that the workplace, location and the specialty matter a lot in how much you will be making.