[Maria]

I was both. I found that getting thru the BSN program required endurance, stamina, and back when I went thru the program at UVA (univ. of va.) there was no room for persons that could not attend requisite clinicals, classes w/o deviation from the standard. I don't think back Disabled Student Resources was the entity that it is now if it even existed.

When I went thru my MSN program (MSN/NP) there was much more wiggle room re how I was able to attend my classes (sat in bean bag chair thru most of them/or lying on a table in Grad Statistics) and was able to not have clinicals back to back so had some room to recoup.

Working was another story. In the days of the RN in the past one had to first work a year at least on a medical surgical unit before going into a specialty. Then it seemed some years later Specialties were recruiting new grads but watch out with what specialty one chooses as I worked nearly every that there was and later ended up fascinated with Neurosurgery which was pretty brutal for my spine actually.

The VA system here in the states had the best mechanical assistance to nurses in terms of lifts and such (help getting adults out of bed, weighing them).

The last several years my father was in and out of hospitals showed me that not much had changed in terms of nurses/patient lifting except that RNs didn't have to do the lifting when there was someone else assigned to do it but could not always get out of it.

Full body lifting and transfers are not good if you've a bad back or neck or other bumm body part that might give out like a knee.

Nursing is a great profession I think in terms of opportunities and esp. now as there are many more positions open to someone other than working on the floor in the hospital. The BSN educational part I'm very glad I got thru before my back injury because I doubt I could have completed it anytime after that w/the pain/probs I've had over the years. As mentioned, MSN program much more accomodating. Could have something to do with political correctness these days as well (disabled/equal opportunity).

Good luck to anyone in pursuit of Nursing degree and/or position.

For those that have other other degrees and might still want to get into a position similar to NP there's the PA (physican assistant) programs.