[.net]

Hello all,

I am considering a career change and would like to get your thoughts. I spent 8 years as an active duty Navy Corpsman (FMF) before embarking on my current career as a Software Engineer. Despite my occupation, I do not have a college degree so, I am considering an ADN program in order to get into the field as quickly as possible. I may even be able to continue with my current employer, a large financial institution, for a while during the first part of school. Once that well dries up, I'll just take the remaining year+ off and go full-time.

I loved being a Corpsman and want to get out of corporate America. I found giving care to the Marines I worked with to be a very rewarding experience. As opposed to just working for the paycheck (it's a good paycheck, but not rewarding in the least).

Given my background, would looking into specializing in correctional care be a wise move? It's been a while since the Navy but my current job as a developer requires me to assess problems in code in a manner that isn't completely unlike conducting a patient assessment.

Any advise from others who may have made a similar career change?

I'm more than happy to provide any additional information. Thanks!

[SteveRN21]

While correctional facility nurses are in demand, wait until you get into school and get a feel for what you are good at, and what you might enjoy in a unit specialty. Many of us found our niche after graduation, and it wasn't in the field we originally thought. I initially wanted to do ED or Surgical/Trauma ICU, but ended up here in NICU.

[future-nwp]

Let me start by saying I agree with what Steve just said. You never know what you're gonna like stepping in till you get into the barnyard, so just relax and find your niche.

Second, I'm a correctional officer and I've been at my prison for about two years. Our medical department performs a very few basic functions. Med passes, accu-checks for the diabetics, evaluating bumps and scrapes on some geniuses who decided it was a good idea to start a fight in the yard or with us, and looking at pimples to figure out if it's MRSA or not. Once in a great long while you'll try fruitlessly to give emergency care to some poor soul who either hung up or cut up and was discovered waaaayyyyyyyy too late. And do psych referrals for the state hospital patients who've been put on the streets because of facility closings and end up with us. Correctional care is unique, but things the department can't handle still get sent out to the county hospital. Accute cases are out of the scope.

On the up side however, most of our nurses have said that their assessment skills have gone through the roof, and that the pay is slightly better. That being said, when I graduate I don't think I'm going to be considering correctional care, better pay or not.

[mcbismark]

4 years 3 mo in the USN got out as an HM2. 30 years in software engineering, sales support, technical sales and product management.
I start NS in Jun '08.

I have been asked what I dept I want to work in and answer honestly "I really don't know".
I figure I'll find out based on 2 things; what I find out during clinicals and what department has an opening when I get my RN.

I suggest you don't go into your program with a goal... just get licensed and if you don't know where you want to work when done take whatever job is offered and learn to be a *great* nurse.

Good luck!
Mark