anyone else changing careers to go into nursing?

Corporate burnout · Mar 2, 2004

Thanks for your input. I may just get a part time job or something. The cost of nursing school isn't the bad part since I already have a degree and I'll be attending a junior college. It's the lack of my full income that will hurt. In any other part of the country we might be fine but where I live, mortgages are pretty hefty.

KattB · Mar 2, 2004

I never went to college to get my degree, I have been doing administrative work for the past 10 years because I really had no other choice. I am so sick of sitting in front of a computer all day, doing the same boring things. I have been trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up, I am 36 now...well I finally decided on Nursing. I am having to start from the ground up, I graduated from a non accredited private church school. I have no clue how to do algebra...I bought myself a book on Math and Pre Algebra for the clueless, I am pretty much a self taught type of person so I plan to teach myself to prepare for the Asset placement test. So I plan to start a pre-req class this summer and then continue to take 2 more in the fall and keep on going until all the basics (non nursing) are done. I can't leave my salary that we have come to depend on and just up and quit, so my very supportive husband's idea is to put as much of my paychecks each month into savings so that when the time comes for me to start the nursing classes, we can afford for me to quit. There really isn't any other way for us to do it, you know how they say the more you make the more you spend?? well that's us, we have a mortgage, 2 car payments, orthodontist payments, 2 girls that play club volleyball and that ain't cheap! And so on and so on...But I am very excited to do this and I figure now is just as good as time as any since I am not getting any younger. These message boards are a great source of information and I am so grateful I have stumbled across it.:)

amhash · Mar 3, 2004

I am a firefighter/ paramedic and considering a change in careers. I use to work in a hospital and applied for ADN school and paramedic school. I got into paramedic school first and wish I would have waited. As a paramedic, you either work as a paramedic or not. With RN you have so many more doors opened to you!

Tree2144 · Mar 13, 2004

I have been reading alot of various threads today, but this is my first post. I am pursuing the nursing field after being laid off of a job for nearly seven years. I am scared and petrified but also willing to make a change. After building electrical components for aircraft, I am now willing to care for others... I am nervous but at the same time I am excited...Good Luck to all!:)

TopCat1234 · Mar 13, 2004

I've been working in financial services for the last 10 years, and stick a fork in me, I'm done! I quit my job because I couldn't take it anymore and I've been exploring myself, my motivations and desires. I've realized that I've always wanted to be in the medical field, it's one of my passions, my mother was a nurse, so ta-da! :idea: It finally all clicked and made sense for me to pursue a nursing degree!

But I had gone back to school to obtain a finance degree. I met with my academic advisor and realized I was 7 lousy classes away from my bachelor's in finance. :rolleyes: So I am finishing that up, by going to school full-time with 5 classes this semester and the remaining 2 during the summer. But I am also working on completing my pre-reqs for nursing. I've still got to take A&P and Microbiology, which I've got to do this summer to get into the program I want in the fall.

Since I've decided that my ultimate goal is to become a nurse educator, I'm going to the direct entry MSN. I have two local programs that I can apply to; if neither pans out, then I'll go for the AccBSN.

In the meantime, I've been working a part-time job to save up some funds. My husband works full-time and is also trying to start his own business on the side to bring in some additional income. If worse comes to worse, we can always start borrowing money from family:bluecry1:

TopCat1234

NeilC · Apr 1, 2004

John,

I just stumbled across this message board. It seems we have alot in common. I'm 34 myself, with a wife and child. I too have a background in IT. I got my CS degree in 1999 and have been doing Java based software since the.

Like you, for a few months now I've been seriously asking myself how much longer will I make it banging out code in a cubicle for work that really makes little meaningful difference in peoples lives. Half the projects I work on get scrapped, the other half make our management team and their executive offices loads of money.

I think by now you might have started a nursing program. How have you found it so far? Are you going a AA route, or maybe getting a BSN?

Wish you the best

Neil

Amy:
- I am 39 yrs old, have MS-Comp Sci degree, and am switching into the nursng field.
- Granted, I am going to make the transition gradually. But, if I like the experience of nursing - then I plan on doing it full-time and getting out of computer science all together.
- I just utterly, utterly hate being kept in a cubicle all day long. Surprised we don't have a hamster or gerbil wheel for humans at the end of the hall to exercise in.
- So don't feel alone.
- Talked with my cousin who is going for BSN at California State Univerity (near Pittsburgh, PA). Says there are 50 students in his class. Only 4 are out of high school. The rest are adults making change to 2nd career. Says 11 of the folks are male students.
- Gotta run.
John Coxey
([email protected])

chuckcamp · Apr 1, 2004

wow, i dont know if its just coincidence, but it seems like most people who are changing careers into nursing come from some sort of business-like setting. i guess the office life has a way of testing someone's true intentions on what they want to get out of life. i, too, am going back to school and its because i want to do some sort of practical work where i can actually feel accomplished at the end of the day, instead of the satisfaction of making my company richer.

there's no better industry where you actually SEE the impact of your work such as healthcare. (not to mention that it pays very well and its a very noble industry to get into)

chiliwings · Apr 2, 2004

Hi neil,

I too just stumbled on your post here. I am currently working for an IT firm for about three years now. So far I have been lucky for not being laid off yet but in our current economic situation, who knows?! Right now, we are actually having trouble looking for projects which makes me a bit uneasy. I dread each morning that I come to the office for I'm paranoid that sooner or later I might just see that pink slip on my desk. This situation made me decide to pursue nursuing due to the lucrative jobs for nurses everywhere. Although I am still in my first pre-req class which I surprisingly enjoy (Anatomy and Physiology), I am hoping to be able to go into nursing school by the end of the year. Hopefully by then I will be able to finish all the pre-reqs.

Like you, I have a BS in MIS and have been working in the IT field ever since. Although I must admit, I never really had any problem with the office life. I dont mind being stuck in my cubicle the whole day. And I honestly do love IT. The only thing is that, its a very unstable industry right now, well at least in the company Im working for. I tried to apply elsewhere, but no luck. Guess IT folks arent just as in demand compared to the 90's. Plus I just got tired of having to constantly worry about my job for the fear of being laid off. Like you, it sucks when the projects get scrapped. Anyway, I would really appreciate it if you can share your thoughts about leaving IT or switching from IT to nursing. I actually started a thread on this. The link is below.

https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61843

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

John,
I just stumbled across this message board. It seems we have alot in common. I'm 34 myself, with a wife and child. I too have a background in IT. I got my CS degree in 1999 and have been doing Java based software since the.
Like you, for a few months now I've been seriously asking myself how much longer will I make it banging out code in a cubicle for work that really makes little meaningful difference in peoples lives. Half the projects I work on get scrapped, the other half make our management team and their executive offices loads of money.
I think by now you might have started a nursing program. How have you found it so far? Are you going a AA route, or maybe getting a BSN?
Wish you the best
Neil

KarenAR · Apr 10, 2004

My advice is to work as a CNA...between that and school/clinicals, you will probably know whether or not you really want to go into nursing. I wish I'd worked as a CNA; I probably would have decided against nursing at that point. Would have saved myself a TON of stress over the last few years, not to mention time and money. Lost time, lost money, overwhelming stress has really taken a huge toll on my family life. In school I was not sure if I should be going into nursing, but everyone said, "oh, yeah, everybody feels that way, you'll be fine/great, stick with it." But I *know* I am not cut out for hospital nursing. Doing it right now for the experience. (Still a newbie at nursing...less than 1 yr.)

Was a magazine editor before, and now thinking of going back to editing. Part of me thinks, geez, why did I waste all that money and time? But then again, I have learned lots of valuable life lessons - and things about myself (about how I handle stress, about my need to hone my assertiveness skills, about how to improve my time management, more about what my priorities in life are, for examples) - in the process.

I made the career change for many of the same reasons you mentioned, AmyRae...was sick of the cubicle, felt my work was meaningless, etc. However, working in the hospital, I don't even have time to go outside at lunch...work 12 hrs (minimum, not counting finishing up little things here or there, and charting)...have a 30 min lunch break, wolfing down lunch long past the point when hunger strikes, rushing back to the unit right afterwards. In the corporate world, your support system is easier to build b/c you can go to lunch with colleagues, spend more time collaborating with them, for example...in the hospital, everyone grabs a bite when they can, helps each other out but with a quick, brisque approach because no one has time to waste. There's teamwork, but not the same kind of comraderie.

Really depressing for me is that I don't see the outside world from the time I walk into the hospital until I leave at the end of my shift. Worse, I work night shift, which has taken a HUGE toll on my physical and mental health (worse on my mental health than physical) which in turn takes its toll on my family.

I wanted the three 12-hr shifts, thinking it would leave me with more time with the kids, and sometimes I'm able to take advantage of that. But working nights means I lose a day before my first night of work, and a day after my last night, because I'm adjusting my sleep schedule. And every 3rd weekend, I miss out on the weekend with family because of having to work. I'm stressed constantly which makes me snappy/grumpy, despite the self-awareness of WHY I'm snappy/grumpy. Just don't have the energy to be the mom I want to be...so drained from work.

I used to think I couldn't really "help" anyone/society as a magazine editor. Felt like wasted time. But I am coming to the realization that depending on WHAT magazine it is, yes, I can help people. (I like healthcare writing and editing...want to do more with that.) In addition, my family is my #1 priority. I don't want to be so drained by my career I have nothing left for them. I personally define my identity more by what kind of mom I am than by what kind of [iNSERT JOB TITLE HERE] I am. If I stock shelves at the grocery store, and I'm a loving mom/wife and good/cheerful/friendly/loving person, then GREAT. If I'm a great nurse but otherwise a royal you-know-what outside of work because I'm sapped from work, then that just doesn't work for me.

That's MY story...I just highly encourage you to be completely honest with yourself. Part of me thinks that if you are wondering if you are "just bored" and excited by the change, maybe that is a sign that you aren't choosing nursing for the right reasons. But maybe this is me being "Hector Projector" and projecting my experience onto you.

I also did not have a thorough understanding of what a day in the life of a nurse was like. So shadow a nurse - but do it for the full 12-hour shift if possible. Work as a CNA and watch what the nurses do. And be prepared to still do many CNA tasks as an RN. Push yourself in clinicals, as if you really were the pt's ONLY nurse for that day - if you have trouble with time management, make sure you get that problem solved BEFORE you graduate, because you will soon be on your own, flying without a net!

Mostly, I would say, if you start to get the gut feeling that maybe you should not be a nurse...pay attention to that feeling. Right now I go back and forth...but many days I think this was the wrong decision. But now I have so much vested in the career change...school loans to pay back, sacrifices my family made for me while in school, time lost with them that I hate to have lost in vain...it's hard to change BACK right now. Frequently miserable with the job, but too stubborn and shell-shocked to "call it" at this point.

Thought nursing was the answer to the question of "what am i supposed to be DOING?" but still not sure if it was the correct answer....

Then again, maybe it's just that HOSPITAL nursing is not the answer...I loved my public health clinical (which was done at an elementary school)...I also rediscover my love of psych while in nursing school. We'll see where those take me...

GOOD LUCK TO YOU in your decision. I didn't mean to be overwhelmingly negative in this reply....just want you to go in with your "eyes open," as they say. Telling you some of the stuff I wish I'd known beforehand.

jzprple · Apr 18, 2004

Hey AmyRae and Eileen..

I will be starting the accelerated BSN program at Creighton University this August and since you are both from Nebraska...I'm wondering if either of you know of good apartments/landlords in Omaha??

As for the accelerated BSN program over any other program...well I have a BA in public relations and Spanish and have spent the past 6 years working in various types of recruitment. For the past 3 years I have worked for the American Red Cross planning blood drives. I spent the first 18 years of my life wanting to be a Dr. and when I started college I decided partying was much more fun than studying Chemistry so I switched my major. Now after working alongside nurses for all this time, I realize that I'm working my tail off for next to no money. I currently work almost 10-12 hours a day and am on call 365 days a year 24 hours a day. For everyone who's wondering if they are making the right decision...remember that nursing is so broad that once you get out of school you can write your own ticket. Of course some of us will finish school and decide the hospital is not for us. Maybe the hours or whatever we won't like. But I work with nurses who get paid a great salary to work a 7 hour day plus they get mileage and are able to spend most of their day managing staff and not dealing w/ any DOCTORS!!

Just keep your eye on the ball and remember your initial excitement and love for the profession when you're having a rough day and hopefully that will keep you psyched instead of becoming jaded.

Nysloss · Apr 18, 2004

left my career in law enforcement after 10 years to go into nursing

dwoods1972 · Apr 19, 2004

You are not alone!....I just applied to the LVN program and I'm a downsized corporate baby. We who have chosen to become nurses from other careers were meant to be nurses from the start. We took a different path to get there and we are now here:) . Good luck to us all!