Switching careers to nursing. who has done it?

You can easily find a nursing slot for less than 40 hrs/week, i.e. part-time status. However, working 4, or 6 hour shifts will be tricky... to say the least.

BTW, most likely you will not regret your decision in becoming an RN, which is a most gratifying career.

Good Luck!

...CG, thanks for the encouragement...and hey, I used to work at a vette only shop, so you gave me a laugh. Damn, the ergos of working under the dash sucked on those rides...and it's funny how many doc's rolled in vette's...and it's also funny that docs and lawyers were the worst customers. Truly a fun car, though. My faves were the '65 and the '84.

PM sent

Thank you, Corvette Guy, for out reaching member.


Wolfie

Hi,
I worked as a Cisco Systems Engineer and many other roles including management for many years. I have a BA in business and AA in computer science. Got the bug to change when my division was shut down after the operations center was outsourced to India and I was layed off. I wanted to change careers for a long time but just could not justify giving up the great money. I graduate as a RN in May and so far don't regret making the career job change --- except my pay is about 1/5 what I was making. I am, however, now happy and my wife is happy too. My company wanted me to come back to work but I refused because my stress level is so much lower now and I love the job. I work very hard at work but it is a different type of stress. As a manager the stress was never ending. While in my old job and just prior to getting layed off I had a heart attack (very serious) and nearly died then arrested two weeks later. About 1/5 of my heart is now dead tissue - Humm - there seams to be a correlation between my old pay and dead tissue........... I believe the work stress was the major cause since my CT scans, etc. indicate an extremely low risk for a heart attack. So much for diagnostic tests. Changing to healthcare has probably saved my life and if I do have another arrest working on Tele/ICU increases my survival rate! Regards. Bumpus.

I too was a former IT guy doing project management and training. Became a "Dot com refugee" three times in 2000-2002 so I did some serious soul searching and decided that nursing was it for me. I'm 44 now, finished the prereqs for RN programs but am starting an LVN (in CA - LVN, most other states are LPN I think) in January. I plan on a bridge to an RN/BSN program as soon as I get my LVN license in 18 months.

Of the many reasons for the career change to nursing, I spent 25 years helping businesses get healthier, but never did anything for people. You get older, have more experiences and find that you're not the person you were when you started your previous career. So if you think that nursing is where your heart is, GO FOR IT!!!

As a side note, my class has a record 12 men out of 36 students!

David,

Sent you a private (PM) message.

It is surprising that so many second degrees are from IT line. I am from IT line too, it seems that people doesn't want to admit that the main reason is that the IT industry is short of jobs.

I attempted to do so, and was extremely successful in the academic areas of science and nursing. However, I was advised that I did not pass Clinical 3, after all of my tiime and effort. I suggest you read up on this and other sites about possible discrimination you may face while trying to become a nurse, as as you are one if you become one. Just a word to the wise. Decide for yourself.

I made the move from accounting, after 21 years, to nursing. However, I started out (in the dinosaur age) as a nursing student, got married...then the kids. Went back got accounting degree, worked 7 years as an accountant. The last job was in a Home Health Agency where I decided I wanted to go back to nursiing. I don't regret the decision to do so. I worked 80 hour weeks during tax season..oh the money was great but I had no time to spend it; not to mention my husband and kids were strangers by April 15th. I love the flexbility and the diversity of nursing. Speaking of which I have decided to do some travel nursing now that the kids are OUT of the house..just me, the ole man, and the doggies. Has anyone out there done any traveling nursing? Would love to hear some tips.....You won't regret your decision to get into nursing.