[batmik]

Yes. The flexibility I have been afforded with working part time has been great for our family. I have been very fortunate to have worked at a wonderful hospital ever since I got out of nursing school. There have been bad days but way more good days.

I also have the comfort knowing I will always have a career which is in demand.

[VivaLasViejas]

Yes........but I'd make sure they knew what they were getting into before putting out MY hard-earned money for nursing school

[Spidey's mom]

If that is what my kids wanted to do, of course I'd support them.

My eldest son is in college to become a teacher. Their pay is not great, they have incredible stress due to government regulations, broken families and kids not prepared to learn, among other things. However, he wants to teach. He wants to coach kids. I support that.

My second son is working in the woods right now trying to figure out what it is exactly that he wants to do with his life. He gets up at 3 a.m. and gets home at 9 p.m. Walks in the door covered with dirt and grease, heads to the shower and then to bed. I'm supporting his choice at this moment but I do hope he chooses college or a tech school or even the military. Working in logging is seasonal and tied to the whims of politicians who don't care about working families.

My daughter wants to be an actress. That scares me but I'm determined to do all I can to introduce her to theatre so she heads in the direction of acting and not CELEBRITY.

Every job has its bad points. There is no nirvana . .

steph

[KrisRNwannabe]

I would never discourage my child or anyone for that matter to go into nursing or anyother job that they wanted to do. when i was picking a major, I picked something that sounded fun and exciting, now 6 years later I have a BS in Geology, and am starting my first semester in clinicals. It took me awhile to realize that I was going no where and making no money to boot. if only I had listened to parents, i may have went to nursing school right of high school. they wanted me to realize that maybe the jobs that are the most fun or whatever may not be all that fun in the end. Now I will have a job that I will enjoy, I will be around people, all kinds of different people, helping people, and i will be able to have kids that won't be in day care all the time. maybe nursing isn't the most glamorous job, but like my sis says (a nurse herself) if she can be appreciated by one pt per day it makes up for all the others that don't. I worked for two years as geologist and was never appreciated. not even when i worked 70+ hours, 7 days a week. i think if you don't like what you do, you should get out. i have been in the hospital a couple times and there is nothing worse than having a nurse who looks like taking care of patients is the last thing they wanted to do. just my opinion

kris

[cniro7]

Hi:

I am not a nurse..yet! However, I do have several friends who are nurses, and I think it all may depend on where you work, and if you specialize in a certain field of nursing that you find to be fulfilling, etc.

The nurses I know all love their jobs.......one works for a private group home agency, another two for hospitals, and another at a clinic. I think that if that is really what my child wanted to do, I would be supportive because even if she/he decided that working in a hospital was not what he/she wanted to do, there are so many options available, whereas, with other degrees, you have more limitations on what you can end up doing.

My brother graduated with a Master's in Education, and is now working with developmentally delayed adults after seeing what "teaching" would really entail, my fiance is a lawyer who wishes he went to school to be a doctor, and my other brother who also has a bachelor's in education, is not working in that field either.

No matter what occupation/job, your child seeks to do, it is their life ahead of them and he/she may change their mind at some point anyway........if she/he really feels strongly about nursing, then it may be best to be supportive; after all, he/she could change their mind at some point anyway, and at least with a degree in nursing, there are so many options available that he/she might not end up wanting to be a hospital nurse but find another niche in the profession somewhere.

Prior to nursing school, I worked as a paralegal and made the same, if not more, money than I will upon graduating and working in nursing; however, I have found that since nursing is what I really want to do, I regret not having done it sooner. The only other jobs that I am qualified for outside of law, which I have no interest in any more, are secretarial/clerical. If I had a degree in Nursing, I would be able to do many more things, even if it didn't deal with patient care directly.

Perhaps you could encourage your child to go for a Masters or Doctorate which would also allow for much more autonomy and also increase options for the future.

Just my 2 cents...

Carla

[grammyj]

Yes, I would (and do) encourage my children to be whatever they want, and if that includes nursing, then so be it!
I have one who was a singer, dancer, theatre...you name it, anything like that, she was in it...now she's in the Army in communications.
Then, another who wants the MArines, and that's great too!
Another with the Police Academy in mind, and the youngest girl wants to be a nurse like Mommy...
Yep, I would encourage. IN a heartbeat.

[chris_at_lucas_RN]

Would I want my children to go into nursing?

yes.

[roxannekkb]

Definitely not, for all the reasons given already. I worked long and hard to get out of nursing, and as far as I can see, the situation is worsening and not getting better. I don't have any kids, but I certainly would never encourage either my niece or nephew to go into nursing. In fact, I would actively discourage them if they showed the slightest inkling towards it. But neither has the slightest interest in healthcare, so no need to worry. Plus they know that their aunt Roxanne is far happier away from nursing.

[TriageRN_34]

LOL, Oh I am just terrible, but I told both my kids heck no! I want my kids to explore a different avenue according to their aspirations, dreams, and personalities. Where nursing is a good one for learning compassion and many great skills (not to mention flexible for specializing), it is not really in accordance to their dreams or personalities
In fact, the only reason they told me they would do it is strictly for the money! OUCH...not a good reason!!!!

I have a son who wants to design aircraft or avionic technology...right on!!! I have a daugher who wishes to become a vet, and since that was the dream I had and gave up on...I encouraged her to follow her dreams towards that instead of settling on something that may not have the motivation she desires in her heart. Both said, however, they would pick nursing because of the money...which is far from the reason for becoming one...so I told them no way, and come back to me when you figure out that the money isn't the deal! I think that pretty much scared them out of it! LOL!

Well, it doesn't help that my hubby teases me all day calling me a 'highly paid posterior wiping technition!" LOL!!!! I think my kids kinda gross out when he says that! LOL!!!! (that's okay, I just call him an 'ambulance driver' and that ticks him off!!!!! LOL!).

[lvsmith]

I told my daughter - NO WAY- never want her to be as miserable as me.