Career switch - from 6 figure salary

hobbes · May 21, 2004

A lot of the above posts made me fuming mad! Melly, a lot of these people are angry at life, not nursing. :angryfire
The most laughable comment has to be about nursing not having any job security because we are usually employed "at will" meaning we can be fired any time. Newsflash: 99% of the people in this country are employed "at will." You clearly have no idea what it means to have no job security.
I used to work in IT. To give you an idea, imagine that you've just spent 20 years becoming a kickbutt ER nurse. And then imagine that all the hospitals on the planet just stopped doing emergency medicine. That's what IT is like. (Just substitute ERP Software for ED Nursing.) In nursing, even if your ER closes, you can always go across town and get a new job.
When was the last time someone posted on this board about not being able to find a job?
Oh, and the people who complain about not having enough flexibility. Hello?! Do you know what it's like to work 6 12's? With no overtime compensation? For weeks on end? That's what many of my IT jobs were like.
And then of course people complain about the money. Well, a lot of them are probably not willing to work OT. What do you expect for 36 hours a week? No one is going to pay you 6 figures working 3 days a week with a bachelor's or less. No one.
People have these fantasies in their heads about what a working day is like for people with "normal" jobs. They have this infuriating notion that there are people out there who put in 40-hour work weeks in stressfree jobs and pull down 6 figure salaries. And even better, they think these people can take time off anytime they desire. And the best part: They think they have job security.
And a final piece of advice: Don't take advice from anyone over the internet.

THANK YOU!!!!!! Someone, like myself, that has actually been there in IT and knows. If you only listen to one poster on this thread, this is it. Thanx ClimbingNurse!

Sheri257 · May 21, 2004

"Well, if Bush et al have their way, Employers will be under no obligation to pay time and a half."
Im not talking a higher rate for the overtime. In the IT industry as "exempt" employees we can work 80 hours a week and get the exact same paycheck as when we work 40. Oh but maybe we get to keep our job.
"As far as outsourcing, foreign nurses are being insourced in. Hospitals and others are clamoring for relaxing immigration to allow them in."
Yes but the foreign nurses still have to pay rent here! One can live pretty nice in Bangalore on a 5K salary. Thats not happening in Oakland, CA. I do worry about this but its not the threat that outsourcing is.
"That's the way to fix the nursing shortage, not by improving working conditions. And unlicensed personnel are being trained to perform nursing duties, like giving meds and catherizing patients. Nursing is being deskilled. It is far cheaper to bump up the skills of a CNA, use LPNs/LVNs, than hire on RNs."
In Cali we got mandatory staffing ratios for RNs. Of course the Adminstrators are lobbying against it. Thank god the nurses here seem much better organized that the poor tech workers.
"So don't be so smug about nursing's rosy future. There are many issues going on right now, none of them particularly optimistic."
Cheer up, the fact of the shortage is optimistic for you. Its Basic Economics, low supply of nurses = high pay.
"As I stated in an earlier post, one should not enter nursing merely because it seems like a "good opportunity," or think that they can have convenient hours, or for any other reason than that they truly wish to work as a nurse. Otherwise, it will be sheer misery."
I'm happy you work as a nurse just to save the world and don't care about pay. My Sister took this approach to Medicine. As an MD, she makes less money at a clinic for poor people than RNs make around here. Good for her. Sorry I am such a selfish bastard!

Great post.

Sheri257 · May 21, 2004

There's a reason that half a million RNs are choosing NOT to work in nursing currently and many nurses remain in the profession because they don't have the option of another career.

This number is quoted out out context so often, it needs to be put into some perspective.

That number comes from a U.S. Health Department report, which also said that 70 percent of those people are over 50, and they don't know much about them. Meaning, we don't know how many retirements are in there, how many are deceased, etc.

If the government doesn't know, you don't either. We don't know how many nurses are choosing not to work in the profession.

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · May 23, 2004

Some of you might find this hard to believe, but some nurses actually like their jobs. And while many say they have no choice but to stay in their miserable nursing jobs, consider these things: 1) How many 'adults' are in college these days, changing careers, and 2) how many different specialties there are within nursing that one can try before they've decided they hate it (been there, done that, almost left nursing because I hated it, then finally found a field I liked.

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · May 23, 2004

So a new grad can work per diem? I think this would be ideal for me once I graduate...
TIA-J

Not very likely, as most people want per-diems to have experience. You will not get the orientation you deserve. Best advice is to start something full time and switch to per-diem (at that job) after a year or so, that way you will have gotten your experience. It's even hard to get part-time as a new grad, b/c they feel you need to work FT to get the hang of it.

rn500 · May 24, 2004

If you have to work full time, which I do, I feel that nursing has provided me with more flexibility than many other professions would. I have worked 12hr night shifts for many years. Yes, the every other weekend thing sucks, As does the holiday thing. And yes there have been some nights when I absolutely could not make a switch and have had to miss my kids evening school things.

BUT -

I am there during the day if my kids get sick (which was often).

Everywhere I have worked, the holiday schedule always was such that you either had the day or the eve off, usually switching every other year. When my kids were small I could often find someone who wanted to work my Christmas if I worked their New Years. If I work Christmas Eve, we open presents when I get home, I have a nap, then we still do the Christmas dinner/family thing. If I work Christmas Day (meaning I go in at 7pm on Christmas day), then I have had the whole day to spend with my family. My kids and hubby have never known anything else with me, and they are fine with it.

I usually work no more than 2 nights in a row so that things don't get too out of hand around the house before I am available again. But if I chose to, I could work my 3 all in a row and have a stretch off, or work one day at a time.

By clustering your shifts the right way, you can have a week off and not use any vacation time.

I don't have to try to cram in everything I need to do on Saturday and Sunday, when what I really want to do is have time with my family.

During the week, when the kids are in school, I HAVE TIME ALL TO MYSELF!! (very big plus in my book!)

There are alot of minuses too, but aren't there in most jobs? You just have to weigh the good and the bad.

Good luck

Gldngrl · May 24, 2004

This number is quoted out out context so often, it needs to be put into some perspective.
That number comes from a U.S. Health Department report, which also said that 70 percent of those people are over 50, and they don't know much about them. Meaning, we don't know how many retirements are in there, how many are deceased, etc.
If the government doesn't know, you don't either. We don't know how many nurses are choosing not to work in the profession.

I can certainly surmise that while there are those who are retired, or are ill, disabled, there are certainly a great number out that are not working in nursing and are working in a closely related profession, or have chosen another. I know from personal experience numbers of nurses leaving to go back to graduate school to enter a different profession, returning to a former profession, or are simply leaving, period. There are nurses that enjoy their careers and the benefits outweigh the negatives, but there are others who disagree. Each profession has its share of benefits and risks, but in any case, both should be disclosed realistically to those entering a given profession so that they can make informed decisions.

Sheri257 · May 29, 2004

I can certainly surmise that while there are those who are retired, or are ill, disabled, there are certainly a great number out that are not working in nursing and are working in a closely related profession, or have chosen another. I know from personal experience numbers of nurses leaving to go back to graduate school to enter a different profession, returning to a former profession, or are simply leaving, period. There are nurses that enjoy their careers and the benefits outweigh the negatives, but there are others who disagree. Each profession has its share of benefits and risks, but in any case, both should be disclosed realistically to those entering a given profession so that they can make informed decisions.

I agree. And it's certainly possible that a good number of nurses have left the profession due to bad working conditions. It's just that people tend to overlook the fact that the RN workforce is also aging, and that too might have something to do with the shortage and those numbers.

The average age of nurses is now 46, whereas, 20 years ago it was 25. Therefore, it's not surprizing that the same survey which found 500,000 non-working licensed nurses, also said the number of retired nurses jumped from a relatively stable 25,000, to 175,000. Another half million nurses are expected to retire in the next 20 years because of advanced age. Certainly this has something to do with the shortage as well, not just poor working conditions.

tj796 · Jun 3, 2004

I don't know if I'll help but I'll try. It is soooo super hard making a decision to do something for the rest of your life - and maybe you shouldn't put that pressure on yourself. Is it children you want to teach, or adults? Would being a nursing instructor be an option for you?

some please help!I have been reading all the posted comments on the site in regards to the career switch. I am a full time student who is aspiring to become a nurse but I also have a love for teaching. my heart and mind are both torturing me causing me great confusion in making my career decisions. I'm posting this because I don't know any nurses who can give any real advice on the nursing perfession. The people I do know in the medical field are CNA's who think I should become a nurse because the salary is good. I really don't know what to do and I'm just looking for someone to place a little light on the real situation of being a nurse, I would like to know the good, the bad, and indifferent.
Thank you in advance to all that reply.

tj796 · Jun 3, 2004

I too am changing careers for nursing and I can't wait to finish! ALL jobs on the planet have negatives - there is no perfect job and it is wrong to think that any job ever will be.

A lot of the above posts made me fuming mad! Melly, a lot of these people are angry at life, not nursing. :angryfire
The most laughable comment has to be about nursing not having any job security because we are usually employed "at will" meaning we can be fired any time. Newsflash: 99% of the people in this country are employed "at will." You clearly have no idea what it means to have no job security.
I used to work in IT. To give you an idea, imagine that you've just spent 20 years becoming a kickbutt ER nurse. And then imagine that all the hospitals on the planet just stopped doing emergency medicine. That's what IT is like. (Just substitute ERP Software for ED Nursing.) In nursing, even if your ER closes, you can always go across town and get a new job.
When was the last time someone posted on this board about not being able to find a job?
Oh, and the people who complain about not having enough flexibility. Hello?! Do you know what it's like to work 6 12's? With no overtime compensation? For weeks on end? That's what many of my IT jobs were like.
And then of course people complain about the money. Well, a lot of them are probably not willing to work OT. What do you expect for 36 hours a week? No one is going to pay you 6 figures working 3 days a week with a bachelor's or less. No one.
People have these fantasies in their heads about what a working day is like for people with "normal" jobs. They have this infuriating notion that there are people out there who put in 40-hour work weeks in stressfree jobs and pull down 6 figure salaries. And even better, they think these people can take time off anytime they desire. And the best part: They think they have job security.
And a final piece of advice: Don't take advice from anyone over the internet.

sloydrn · Jun 3, 2004

Bravo for having the courage to make a difficult change! I'm a mother of 2 daughters who both graduated high school last week. When they were young (both in diapers) I gave up my FT Head nurse job which I loved, to work part time evenings as a supervisor and concurrently attend graduate school. My husband and I both made monetary and time sacrifices so my children were only at day care 3xw. ONe of us was always with them otherwise. It was VERY difficult, but looking back, I can tell you for sure...what my children remember is the TIME I spent with them, not how much MONEY I spent ON them! For me it was the right choice and I'm not saying it would have been the right choice for everyone, but you can never get those precious days back when your children are young, and that time really shapes their future. You might check out nursing scholarships too. The Govt has MANY scholarships that are just sitting there for nurses that noone takes. Some institutions also will pay your nursing school tuition if you agree to work for them for a period of time (like 2 years) after graduation. I know Baylor in Texas has an offer such as this. I would recommend looking into that. Start with a GOOGLE search and go from there. Who knows, maybe you can combine your nursing skills with the IT field one day and have the best of both! If it feels right to you, go for it! Best of Luck! Nursing is not an easy profession, but it can be rewarding and flexible for sure.

Just wanted to share my situation for those of you who are thinking of changing careers -- you are not alone!
I currently work in the IT field and make 108k a year (in NJ). I have a 5 month old baby girl, who I only see for 1.5-2 hrs at night during the week, then on Sat and Sunday. That just isn't enough for me. I have decided to switch careers and become a nurse. I am going back to school in Fall. It should take me 2 1/2 years. If all goes according to plan I will take the boards Dec '06.
I have been mulling over being a nurse for some time. The IT job just doesn't satisfy me. Though the $$ is great, I feel that if I have to be away from my daughter I should be doing something more rewarding and fulfilling. I must admit, the flexible hours are a huge draw as well. As a nurse I would work 2-3 nights a week, and be able to spend my days with my daughter -- no daycare necessary! Plus, NJ has lots of opportunities for nurses.
I would like another child, but want to make sure I am at least done with my final class before giving birth. They would end up 3 yrs apart, but I don't want to risk not being able to finish school - especially with the investment we will be making (savings runs out after a year - so we are in for loans and any part time work I can get at night to try to make up some of the difference).
We have a lot to work out, but I am taking it one semester at a time. I think going back to school to be a nurse takes 100% committment - but the good news is at least in the beginning I'll see more of my daughter going to school (taking Chem and Bio first semester) than I do right now working fulltime and commuting 1.5 hours each way!.
Anyone who is in the same boat and would like support or has any questions, feel free to contact me!
Melly06

lady_jezebel · Jun 3, 2004

You may be romanticizing nursing. It's very difficult work -- physically exhausting & thankless most of the time. You should think VERY deeply about your decision before leaving IT. Try shadowing a nurse for a while.

Why not try to create an IT job at home somehow? I know there are companies that are into the telecommuting thing. THAT would be ideal!