career change to nursing the right choice?

I also want to become a CRNA and I haven't heard horror stories about that profession being underpaid, underappreciated or miserable. In my experience, a lot of the horror stories come from bedside nursing and to be honest those positions may not be everyone and many people can get burned out within a few years in some of the more stressful units.

But, I wouldn't tell you to stay out of nursing simply because of that.
I think that you will find your niche once you get into nursing school and once you have some experience in the hospital. For instance, I volunteered in the OR and could definately see myself working in that environment and I am sure there are other areas that I couldn't see myself in it all but I'm not going to let that stop me from going into nursing school. Just remember that there are parts of school that you'll go through that you may not like as much as others but you do them all to get where you want to go and also to get the basic background you need to be a good nurse.

This is the analogy I will make. There are a lot of people working in education because they want to help children out. However everyone decides what level they want to be at (teacher, if so what subject is interesting to that teacher to teach, administrator, advisor, principal, superintendent, professor at a college doing education research). Would you tell someone not to go into education because they don't want to be a classroom teacher?

One lady I talked to recently said that nursing careers in the hospital only make up about 50% of the total nursing jobs available. IT IS A BROAD FIELD AND YOU JUST LIKE THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN EDUCATION WHO AREN'T TEACHING IN CLASSROOMS THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN NURSING WHO AREN'T WORKING IN THE TRADITIONAL ROLE OF A BEDSIDE NURSE...THERE ARE MANY OPTIONS ONCE YOU BECOME AN RN!

Back to becoming a CRNA for a moment. I have heard that it takes a lot of time, energy and money to get there but honestly what profession doesn't require you to sacrifice something (time, energy, money) to get to a respected, fufilling, professional position and the biggest thing is that it is worth the time energy and money you put in. I guess the way that I look at it is this. I don't consider myself entirely selfish (money-motivated) or self-less and that is one reason why I want to get into anesthesia...I figure it is a good way to balance doing something that requires a lot of responsibility that is fufilling (to me personally, knowing that I am doing someone a service by watching over them as they go through a procedure) with a good paying, good benefits job.

I would stay out of nursing if you are only doing it to become a CRNA and only because its a high paying job. There are easier ways to make six figures. I would say that if you care about people and can handle seeing them sick, vulnerable, dying and at their worst and you are compassionate then go for it. After all, nursing is a broad area and I don't think you necessarily have to be a bedside nurse to make a difference or to be successful in this field, I think the common denominator is simply wanting to be involved in a field that you know you are making a difference. If you can say yes to that question than you will find your niche whether it be a specific unit in the hospital (ER, OR, etc.) an advanced specialty, or nursing outside of the hospital.

Sorry if I got a little fired up in this message, hope I helped out a little with your decision and please feel free to PM me if you want.

GOOD LUCK!

Spartan05

I'm coming out of almost 20 years as an engineer (various facets of mechanical design, controls, manufacturing, and project management). I'm sick of the instability of my original profession, the unpaid OT, the travel, the sometimes lousy pay/no benefits (small companies), the often insignificance of the work, and the solitary nature of the work.

Nursing suits me on a variety of levels. Certainly the ROI on the education is very high and the stability and diversity of the field is attractive. It's also appealing to have a chance to do something truly meaningful.

I'm also considering CRNA or some other form of APN but could be content as a NICU nurse (my hope for my first job).

Glad to see I'm not the only "old guy" looking to make the change.

There certainly seems to be allot of us "oldies" out there becoming RNs as a second career.

Like several others, I have spent about 25 years in another field (physics), but decided the lack of job stability, and more importantly the lack of job satisfaction, led me down another path (CNA to LPN to RN). I still work as a physicist to pay for school (I am trying to get my MSN in education), but I also work part-time as a RN in a local rural hospital (3 bed ER and 9 bed or so acute care).

Although the hours are long (12 hour shifts get to me a little now) and sometimes it seems like you just can't win - I still look forward to the next day as an RN, and would recommend it.

Nice to hear that vkubiak. Thanks.

Hey Dino, first, of course most of the stories on this forum are the horror stories, a lot of people come on here to vent and ask for help. Anyway, I haven't read the other posts, but your background is somewhat similar to mine, so I'll share my thoughts.

I have a BS in Biology, was pre-med, took the MCAT, applied to med schools nationwide, even went to an interview in San Francisco before I decided that medicine just wasn't what I was looking for. Graduated, took some time off, started working as an EMT & ICU Tech, and found in nursing what I had been looking for in medicine (the all-too-cliche "wanting to help people" profession.)

Went through a 1-year accelerated program to get my BSN (btw, nursing school is absolute hell. Especially with a biology degree, you'll feel like you're wasting your time. It's not hard... just... lame.) I just started working in MICU/SICU and every week at church when people ask how my new job is I tell them "I love it." I don't know too many people who look forward to going to work, have a good time at work, and come home from work feeling satisfied. It is tiring, it is challenging, you're learning a million new things every day... but I guess that's why I love it. Not only that, I've talked quite a few of my church brothers to go back to school and become RN's as well. I don't think you'll be making as much money as a pharm rep, but personally, nursing is rewarding in many ways beyond the finances.

Good luck to you.

Man, I am a pilot too lol!

The general public has no idea all the b.s. pilots deal with. The training and schooling we go thru all to make peanuts and not even a stable source of peanuts. I always wanted to help people, but I don't think I want to go thru med school, so I am loking into nursing. I just don't know if I can clean up vomit and poop every shift. Do you guys know how often RNs have to clean up bodily fluids?

What do you mean nursing school isn't hard, just lame? I majored in aviation science and am a commercial pilot; but from what I hear, I am scared of nursing school. All the girls I've talked to say it is extremely difficult and challenging. Is that true?

I'm a guy, and a nurse since '86. Do I hate nursing - many days, but not all. You need to be aware that when entering nursing you will be treated as an employee, a drone, a piece of equipment to be abused or discarded at will. Even in the best of circumstances nursing has never garnered professional respect and indiviual autonomy that is practiced in other careers. Most days the maintenence staff are accorded more professional courtesy than the nurses. It can be satisfying, engaging, challanging and financialy stable, but rarely respected. If you can put up with that, nursing is an OK choice- you've been warned.

When I got out of aviation (I was in corporate), it amazed me the number of people that are just dumbfounded that anyone would give up "such a good job". LOL

They have no idea!

As for the bodily fluids thing, yes you have to learn to deal with it. I started out in medicine as an EMT, then a Paramedic, then an RN. Last year, I made $115,000 (FO pay at a major). So, I am quite happy to wipe the occasional butt.

How is it you make that? How long have you been an RN? And, how often do moat nurses have wipe patients butts and clean up vomit and feces?