Is nursing your second career?

Nurses General Nursing

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I decided to go back to school to become an RN after a short career in sales and retail management. My first degree was in a Bachelors in Communication. I've noticed a lot of educational programs recently catering to second degree students. I am just wondering about any others out there who went into nursing as a second career. What was your first career and why did you decide to leave it for nursing? Also do you regret it or do you think you made the right choice? I believe that I have opened up a whole new world of opportunities now that I am an RN, however I often wonder what if I stayed in my first career and was it worth it.

I got a BA in English right after high school, it was a useles waste of time and money that I didn't even enjoy. A useless degree like that doesn't lead you into any real career, so I spent some time in dead-end jobs like receptionist and administrative assistant at companies in NYC. I somehow floated into Human Resources Recruiting, and spent a few years doing that. It was THE WORST. Boring, unappreciated, sedentary, always having to BS people and lie about things, and always the first position to get cut in bad times. I was laid off 6 times in 8 years because companies hire a recruiter when they want to grow, then lay you off in 1-2 years when the growth spurt stops. I hated both the instability and the jobs themselves, and I wanted to do something more hands on, where I wasn't sitting in a cubicle staring at a screen all day, where I was actually helping people, and posessing real skills. I had worked in an animal shelter as a teenager and loved it, the hard, dirty work with long hours was not a problem for me. And I always liked science and health issues so I had a gut feeling that I'd like nursing. So after my most recent layoff in January 2009, I applied to nursing school and started taking pre-reqs. Thankfully I was right, I love nursing and am so glad I'm doing this now. I wish I had done it at 20 instead of 30, but I was not mature enough at the time to really know what I'd be good at and what I wanted to spend my life doing (and my parents were pushing me to "be on wall street").

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I worked a string of low-paying retail jobs for the first 2 years after completing high school. I then was a factory worker at a tissue paper plant for over 3 years before I took the plunge and enrolled in an LPN/LVN program. I knew it was a good time to start nursing school because I was slowly getting into trouble with the managers at the factory, and knew in my heart that I needed to switch careers before that choice was taken away from me.

I have been an LVN for 4 years, and will graduate from an RN bridge program in a couple of months.

Specializes in ICU, CVICU, Surgical, LTAC.

Do u second degreers have your adn/asn? Or did u do a second degree bachelors? I find that my non nursing bachelors doesn't get much respect. But I went for the adn for time and financial reasons.

Great thread! I am just at the beginning of pursuing nursing as a 2nd career choice. I'm working on pre-reqs right now. I'm planning to register for a 4 week PCT training. Hopefully I can find a job after I'm done w/ classes and then in a year or so, start taking classes towards my 2nd degree. I don't know if I'll go the traditional program route or if I'll go w/ a advanced degree program (2nd bachelors). My first degree is a B.A. in Elementary Education. I taught for 4 years and then we started our family. I have been a sahm since then, 11 years ago. Now, 4 kids later, I'm looking to get back into the working world. But I have no desire to step back into teaching. The schedule looks wonderful but the amount of work that educators bring home is unreal. Plus, many teachers have to find work during the summer to make ends meet. Which leads me to the money that teachers don't make. I taught alongside many teachers who took home way more $$ than me and they were truly poor educators. Plus the government is expecting more and more from teachers and yet tying their hands in so many areas.

Nursing was always my second choice of a career. I have a sister who is a NP and I've always been inspired by what she does. Another variable in my decision is the desire to help others. We have had 2 children that required medical flights from one hospital to another (2 years apart; unrelated emergent surgeries) and I've been so impressed by the wonderful care we received in both of those situations. I was fascinated by all that the nurses were doing. I was also impressed by the great care I received through my 4 c-secs. Maybe I'm really seeing this through rosey glasses...but that's my story. lol

Even though this career can mean crazy hours I think that the flexibility and overtime will help our family...especially with 4 kids going to college!

Another second career gal here!! I'm 36 w/ three kids and a hubby looking forward to starting my RN program this August. I currently work full time and will continue to do so while in RN school ( I know it's going to be hard but not impossible). I received my BA in Public Communication and my MA in Governmental Affairs. I've worked in government relations, grants management, and non-profit association management since '95. I've liked my jobs and have been happy with my pay but was never really passionate about any of them. I've always wanted to work in healthcare but was intimidated by math and chemistry. I didn't have enough faith in myself until about two years ago to get over that fear and start on my nursing career. I've always admired the work that nurses do and I look forward to having a career where I can have a direct impact on helping or changing peoples' lives. I'm making the change to nursing because I want career satisfaction, more options and flexibility in my work schedule and environment, and job security. I'm going for my ADN because it's cheaper and I can sit for the NCLEX just like the BSN folks and still have RN behind my name once I pass. I'll eventually get my BSN but hopefully my employer will pick up the tab.

Specializes in ER.

HI-

I have a BA in History from a fancy liberal arts college up north. I spent five years working in the legal arena. I found that I enjoyed listening to clients and helping them negotiate their situation but felt that my role was limited. I was out of work taking care of my children for about a year when I decided that I was sick of the 9-5, sick of the hostile work environment (lawyers are, surprise! argumentative all the time) and considered my alternative career option: psychologist.

I went back to school hoping to take a few pre-reqs for a PhD program and eventually stumbled upon the BSN-MSN psych NP track which seemed to suit me to a T. I started taking nursing pre-reqs and will hopefully graduate in May with a BSN. I absolutely love the course work and taking care of patients.

The BSN is the fastest track for me. I am doing an accelerated second bachelors which is supposed to take 16 months after pre-reqs are complete. I didn't even consider an ADN.

On the other hand, I have some regrets. When I started, I anticipated that job prospects would be good. My career as a paralegal was fairly lucrative and I was at the point where I could command a good paycheck and probably find work fairly easily. I also don't enjoy some of the suspicious "are you a failure at your career or looking for a better paycheck?" attitude that I occasionally get.

Specializes in Critical Care, Postpartum.

I haven't been on Allnurses for a while due to me concentrating on finals.

I'm 28 and was forced to go into nursing. To explain, the healthcare field was always a field I wanted to go into since I was in high school, but when I entered college, it quickly changed (several times). After graduating with my B.A. in ITI, I landed a job and was sitting at my desk about 3 years later saying there's got to be something better for me. Well, be careful what you ask for, because a few months later I was laid off. So many people around me honestly told me to take this opportunity and go back to school to become a nurse. With much prayer, I've decided to do it. I'm half way done with my prerequisites to (hopefully) start nursing school this Fall. I've chosen to go into an Accelerated BSN program and want to take the Nurse Practitioner route in the future. Despite the economy effecting new grads getting jobs and hospitals' hiring freeze, I'm confident by the time I graduate, it will work out for my good. ;)

To all those who are still taking pre-reqs (like me:D) are you scared now because of many new grads not being able to find jobs? I know when I first started taking my pre-reqs jobs were plentiful but now they seemed to be far and few between (at least in my area).

Specializes in CVICU.
Do u second degreers have your adn/asn? Or did u do a second degree bachelors? I find that my non nursing bachelors doesn't get much respect. But I went for the adn for time and financial reasons.

I went for the ADN so I could get out and start working right away and am currently in school for BSN, which will be done in December 2010. I plan to continue on for my MSN in education, or possibly Master of Nursing Informatics. My advice is to do the ADN first and then finish, because many, many hospitals will cover some or all of your tuition to get your more advanced degree.

I'm regretting it a little now. Heh heh. I'm wondering if I shouldn't have gotten a masters in something instead of an ADN. Yeah, nobody cares if you have a bachelor's in something else. I don't think I'm that less educated than a BSN nurse. As far as I can tell they only have a few more classes than I do.

Specializes in ICU, CVICU, Surgical, LTAC.

i hear ya first year student. I have thought about what it would have been like if I would have gotten an MBA or a masters in Health Administration. I do sort of feel like i rushed into nursing without first checking out all of my options. I am just now going back for a master's now. im not going to get a bsn because there are so many tracks now that will allow you to go straight to an msn.

Specializes in Critical Care, Postpartum.
To all those who are still taking pre-reqs (like me:D) are you scared now because of many new grads not being able to find jobs? I know when I first started taking my pre-reqs jobs were plentiful but now they seemed to be far and few between (at least in my area).

It's due to my faith why I'm not worried. If all goes well with my plans, I would finish with my BSN in Dec. 2011. And I'm believing I'll land a job before that graduation date.

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