Attorney to Nurse Career

TammyG · Jun 19, 2016

I've been a lawyer for six years and am seriously considering making the switch to nursing school. I'm starting my pre-reqs now and have not decided yet whether to do a one year accelerated BSN, or do a 3 year accelerated RN/NP program. I'm scarred and excited at the same time. Could any of you give details on the types of program you completed? Thank you!

I went to a four- semester accelerated BSN program. It does not exist anymore, recently having been changed to a four semester generalized MSN program that prepares you for the RN exam. I then went to NP school part-time over a four-year period while working full-time as an RN. I work in hospice care which is my passion.

Everyone is different, but I did not want to commit to a three-year program. I did not know whether it would be rewarding enough and if I did not like being an RN, I did not want to waste additional time being an NP. Therefore being an RN first for a while before pursuing the NP he was the better choice for me.

Kala08 · Jul 23, 2016

Hi everyone,

I have been a lawyer for 5 years and am trying to make the really tough decision about whether to go to nursing school. I have finished all of my prerequisites and could attend a ABSN program starting in January. But I am having so much trouble deciding if I should make the switch!

I feel like I have invested so much in my law degree, but at the same time I find practicing law both boring and stressful. I've been working as a per diem CNA so I have seen some of the tough parts of nursing (physical exhaustion, too many demands, not enough staff, etc.). But I also find myself looking forward to my hospital shifts more than my law job! The active nature of nursing and patient care seem like a better fit for me than the sedentary/adversarial nature of law. I'd love any thoughts former lawyers have about how to know whether to make the switch. Thanks!!

TammyG · Jul 23, 2016

Kala, I practice law for almost 20 years before I quit to go to nursing school. I did not like it anymore, had not for a long time, it was stressful and I was working around the clock. I wanted a change and I wanted a profession where I could help people and feel good about what I was doing every day. Financially I already had my retirement taken care of, so that was not an issue.

I thought about it for years before I finally started planning and did it. That was 10 years ago, but I have not looked back since.

Let me say a few things. First, having an RN degree and a couple years of experience will make you very desirable as an attorney if you want to remain in that profession. With that medical background, you would do a wonderful job with medical malpractice, nursing law, nursing home law, or any other medical legal field. I have had absolutely no interest in returning to law, however, I may be interested in care management sometime in the future and having both degrees makes it very easy .

Also, if you are working as a CNA now, my guess is that your legal career has not been all encompassing. Have you achieved what you wanted in five years as an attorney, and are you in the area of law that you like and headed in the right direction? If the answer is no, that makes a change easier.

These are just some of the things that I thought of. I was in a time of my life where I had no kids at home and I could afford to take the financial hit to stop working and return to school.

You will know when the time is right to make a change. You never know how things will work out, and you are always taking a chance that you won't like nursing school, or that you will not be able to return to the same legal position. Plan things the best you can, and go for it when you think you are ready.

Kala08 · Jul 26, 2016

TammyG,

Thank you so much for all of your advice. It's so great to hear from other lawyers who have gone through this career change. To be honest, when I first began considering switching to nursing, I thought it was such a crazy idea that I would never go through with it! But I have finished all of my prerequisites now and it definitely feels like something I could actually do.

I've really never felt that practicing law was right field for me. I've had a variety of jobs, and none of them have ever felt like what I should be doing. But I'm thinking that I may work for another year to make sure I have enough saved to pay for school. Because I already took out loans for my other degrees, it looks I may have already maxed out my federal financial aid, so I'll need to pay out of pocket for my nursing degree. Also, I'm hoping to do have a kid soon, and I think it would be hard to have the baby while in school.

TammyG · Jul 31, 2016

Having a baby while in nursing school would be tough because you are on your feet for clinicals all the time, then will need child care after the baby is born. You really can't miss clinicals so if you are just feeling poorly or have to see a doc, you might wind up not finishing the class. Lots of my classmates had babies in law school, none in nursing school.

It sounds like you have thought this all out very well. Feel free to PM me anytime.

DivaliciousMe85 · Aug 3, 2016

Hi all! I am not a lawyer, but I was a law student. I was in an accelerated JD program and would have been graduating next May. I had done nursing prereqs before I entered law school, but then decided law school had always been a dream so I went for it. After doing a year of my JD program, I decided it just wasn't where I wanted to be, and have now made the switch back to nursing. Finishing my prereqs this fall and then heading to the full nursing program in spring '17. I'm glad to see so many people who went the legal route ended up switching and enjoying nursing so much more. I really feel that I want to be in the medical/science field rather than the law field. I'm grateful for this thread. I always thought my decision was silly, but now I see I'm in good company!

Natalie513 · Dec 27, 2016

Hi there,

Another lawyer transitioning to nursing. I have practiced for 7 years, still practicing full time. just finished my pre recs (went down to part time at my law firm during the science lab classes), applied to start nursing school this spring. how have you all been enjoying your new careers? for those of you that were previously thinking about leaving the law but hadn't decided yet, did you do it? i am nervous because i live in a very competitive area and i have kids in school and we are absolutely not considering moving, so i know it will be hard to find a job. but i have faith it will work out somehow! and i totally agree with the above commenter, even just my pre recs are SO much more interesting than law school. i love how everything has an answer, and has a real basis in evidence (as opposed to opposing views as to how some words written a hundred years ago should be interpreted). Looking forward to hearing from any other lawyer to nursing folks who may read this thread!

TammyG · Dec 29, 2016

Hi Natalie, I left law (completely) after 20 years to become an RN. I was not interested (at that time) in combining the two careers. I LOVED LOVED LOVED being an RN. I was a floor nurse, then a hospice and home health nurse. I did not have trouble finding a job (and you won't either). My JD only helped me. Also gave me something to talk about with my patients!

I later became an NP (might want a do-over on that decision).

Now, 10 years later and as a part-time NP, I am taking the bar exam in my new state of residence (could not be admitted via comity). I am not sure what I will do with it, but I am interested in nursing home abuse, nursing license defense, and also am in a position to do more pro bono than I was before. I would love to do plaintiff's side work. I am also interested in care management. The sky is the limit!

I have never looked back on my law career. I did not like it and grew to hate it over time. Moving to nursing was a great decision for me. Others may feel differently but I am very happy that I made the decisions that I did.

I am happy to talk anytime! Great work on getting thru most of your pre-reqs. Are you thinking about part-time nursing school while working part-time? I was able to go full time, since I had no kids in the house by then, but understand that that is not an option for everyone.

Good luck!