Blog 8: Semester Finals and Stress Management Review

I agree with the blog: "Semester Finals and Stress Management",  written by Luis Ruelas. As college students, the amount of stress towards the last week of class is high. Many try to achieve many long hours of studying and cramming before the test date arrives. Some suggestions listed on the article such as taking breaks and having a place open later than 10 p.m., would benefit many having late night reviews. Including parents, those that work full-time and students that only study later during the day due to other circumstances in their life. I can personally relate to this article. There has been times during this semester that I think I only slept 3 or 4 hours before a test because of late night studying. The body feels drained the next day, that by the time the test is over you tend to crash or feel very low energy for other activities. Improving awareness and teaching students new ways to cope with this amount stress would be of great help!

Is a Bachelor of Science in Nursing enough?

For many students going to the healthcare field, it seems like the salaries are insufficient. Comparing the salaries for many careers and the amount of education required, makes obtaining a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN), almost a minimum option. I'm focusing in just the salaries here in Texas since this is closer to home. 

I remember when I started school, obtaining an Associate’s Degree in Nursing seemed as a very well paid job. Don't get me wrong, it definitely has a higher paid salary than other careers (it's still my current career goal).  The amount of time you spend in school though, wait lists, financial aid, loans and other administration concepts seems to be a higher burden for many students at this point of age. This limits the amount of students that could actually pursue this career. Many are unable to obtain the funds to even apply to the program due to various circumstances. Brings a question to mind: Will the amount paid in the job exceed the investments put into the career path?

According to BSN Salary in Texas, the salaries differ between cities and regions of Texas. One example that I came across was with South Texas. The average experienced Registered Nurse (RN), averages to $56,717. This is only after they have obtained an Associate’s Degree and have been in the field for a while. This moves to the next category of when these individuals become BSN- educated. The average according to their table is $67,975. 

In my perspective, these figures just show a pocket-sized increment after obtaining a BSN. Of course, the pay salaries will change according to place and position. The demographics of Texas is changing and the population as mentioned in our Texas State and Local Government class: "good ol' boys" is not the only population category that should benefit from higher paying jobs. Just because everything was handed over to them on a silver platter, this should not diminish the salary options for those not part of their "world" benefits.