students returning for a 2nd degree, did you have prev. healthcare exp?

bigmona · Aug 15, 2003

wow! I had no idea so many people had the desire to go into nursing without much healthcare experience. It's inspiring :)

camrn · Aug 15, 2003

Todd: I have a BA in voice performance. I was a professional musician for about 17 years. I also play piano, low brass and cello. You?

manna, BSN, RN · Aug 15, 2003

No real medical experience to speak of - I did file/secretary type work in a small FP's office for a while when I was younger. I hear lots of horror stories from my brother and his family (he's an MD finishing up his residency this year).

My husband is an aspiring musician - I think he'd give anything to be able to go to school somewhere like GIT. Was it someone on this board that mentioned they had a previous degree from Berklee? Wow! :)

neonatalRN · Aug 15, 2003

No experience. My degree is in Biology.

Heidi

vettech · Aug 15, 2003

Originally posted by bigmona
Just wondering how many people had worked in a healthcare/hospital setting or had healthcare exp. before going back to school for nursing.

I don't have much (except mental health) but I know that the mix of science, empathy and the fact that I thrive in high pressure situations makes nursing so appealing to me.

Yeah, but not with humans. I've been working in veterinary medicine for 10 years now. I've done emergency, day practice, oncology, exotics and now do critical care for a specialty practice.

I assume the skills and experince I posess have prepared me for the rigors of working in a human hospital but I'll know soon enough. I figure if I can put a catheter in a shocky kitten, humans shouldn't be too tough. I am also prepared for the "yukky" side of it... parvo season gives you a lot of experience with that aspect!

One of my coworkers said, "I don't know if I could switch to human medicine. Human yukky stuff is way worse than animal yukky stuff." We'll see... :)

twarlik · Aug 15, 2003

Originally posted by camrn
Todd: I have a BA in voice performance. I was a professional musician for about 17 years. I also play piano, low brass and cello. You?

I got my BM in percussion performance. After graduation I went into arts administration, which is what I've been doing for the last five years. Haven't played for quite awhile, tho' I hope to pick it up again in the future.

Manna- Yes, Ted (efiebke) has a degree from Berklee.

iliel · Aug 15, 2003

I was a comm major, then a CNA and a Dental Assistant. I don't think it gives any advantage, so I'm sure you'll be fine!

tmarie75 · Aug 15, 2003

for my business degree, one of my specializations was in health services management. i did an internship w/ the nursing team at the local public health department. this is where the nursing bug bit me again, and i decided to go for it.

Jen2 · Aug 15, 2003

Medical Assistant, and currently Phlebotomist. The more I learn, the more I want to learn and the more fascinated I become with the human body. I have always wanted to be a nurse and began feeling I wanted a much higher scope of practice.

PSUNURS05 · Aug 16, 2003

i have a history degree and worked in a museum briefly....I don't consider nursing a second career because I never had a first one.

i was going to be a physical therapist...I like helping people and being useful....but wasn't great at chem and physics....sometimes we need a little detour to get where we are meant to be

Paleobug · Aug 17, 2003

Nursing will be my third degree. My friends have told me that I should spend one semester and get a certificate for CNA or phelbotomy, work in the field while I'm finishing my nursing pre-reqs. I told them that I am so close now to finishing my pre-reqs. that I didn't want to spend more time than I have to finishing my classes.

I've worked in the casino industry long enough to know how difficult customers, coworkers and bosses can be.