Prior degree and career fair=$$?

[dawn1971]

I have a question. I know that typically prior degrees don't mean anything and that new grad rates are new grad rates. However, I have a BS in sociology and have 5+ years of experience in social services. Does this give me the potential to make anymore (even loose change!) than other members of my class? Does anyone know? I have a career fair tomorrow and supposedly they will be doing onsite interviews, so I'd like to be prepared. Thank you!!!

[wooh, BSN, RN]

If you can speak a foreign language, and can pass the hospital's translation tests, you can often make more money. Just realize that translating is a special skill above and beyond merely being fluent in that language.

[anne74]

I have a previous bachelor's degree in Advertising and 7 years professional work experience in public relations. I now have a BSN, and no - I don't get paid anymore than a 22-yr-old with little life or professional experience.

Nursing in general has a poor track record of adequately compensating nurses - so do you think they realize the benefits of a nurse with prior degrees/work experience? Not for a long time, unfortunately.

I do notice, however, that many nurses with other degrees often don't put up with a poor work environment - perhaps because they've been exposed to other work experiences, and know that it doesn't have to be that way. So at least you'll have other perspectives/experiences to draw from, and you'll be more apt to demand good working conditions for yourself. I've certainly been able to do that (I recently transferred to a much better unit, after being treated poorly in another unit.) And I've watched other nurses just stay in a poor environment, thinking that "that's just how it is." Those of us with outside work experience question things more, and I think that helps advance the field of nursing.

One poster asked if you get paid more if you have a foreign language degree. If you fluently speak another language - especially Spanish - many hospitals do pay you at a higher rate. My hospital does. Be sure to ask that when you're job hunting.

[Megsd, BSN, RN]

If you can speak a foreign language, and can pass the hospital's translation tests, you can often make more money. Just realize that translating is a special skill above and beyond merely being fluent in that language.

Yeah, translating seems really intimidating to me, even with a BA in Spanish. If I decide to go that route I will probably take a few refresher courses or "Spanish for healthcare workers or something" first.