Nursing as Second Career for Mature Professional w/Full-Time Job?

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Katie5

1,459 Posts

Dont do it. stick with your 90k job. The euphoria you currently feel wont last long when you have to go through nursing school and when you are on the floor being screamed at by patients and doctors.

If you want to do something to help others, volunteer at a hospital or homeless shelter.

Too much Grey's Anatomy me thinks. How would someone with a full time job, a two year old, a well paying job, up and decide to change.

Is there any likelihood of your being laid off?

Music in My Heart

1 Article; 4,109 Posts

Specializes in being a Credible Source.

From what I see, this may be just a "ditto" post but:

1) You like your job

2) You have no stress in your life (presumably including your job)

3) You make 80-90k per year + benefits

I think you'd be nuts to dump all that and go into nursing. You may improve in the "making a difference" category but you're going to lose out on #2 and #3 above (and #1 is at risk).

Don't do it... stay put.

Blackheartednurse

1,216 Posts

Too much Grey's Anatomy me thinks. How would someone with a full time job, a two year old, a well paying job, up and decide to change.

Is there any likelihood of your being laid off?

There was also another poster here claiming they made 250 thousand dollars per year in their previous career and they decided to pursue nursing....

Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.

I agree with posters here about taking your time. However, the 90k is very, very doable in South Florida. Take your time, that's all.

sunnycalifRN

902 Posts

So, I need a sanity check from the folks in this great community - Am I crazy???? For some reason I feel I have the nursing bug. I've checked out numerous books from the library and I've been trying to register at Broward College to start my CHM1032 prereq - hopefully online if something opens up. I figure if I focus on my pre-reqs first and get A's then I can begin focusing on getting into Nursing School. However, all the schools in Broward County are full-time (clinicals during the day). Miami-Dade College is the only one that currently offers a part-time curriculum for full-time professionals (clinicals on the weekends).

Right now, my husband doesn't support me in my current pie-in-the-sky dream because he says that nurses in South Florida only make 40K. I told him that I'd spoken to several nurses who made 50-60 K (with ASN degree and BSN). So, would someone out there shed some light on my very dark situation - am I crazy or just a glutton for punishment? Should I be saying hey I make good money stay put and forget about this nursing thing!

Please help.

Throwing away a 80-90K/yr job for possible unemployment, possible back injury and a stressful, difficult job, if you find one . . . you're crazy!!

mmmc2

43 Posts

I wouldn't do it again if I could have a do-over. I would have went to med school instead. Heavy debt for the BSN and a lot of regret. Oh well...

traceh23

5 Posts

I agree, med. school!!!

MacMaster

36 Posts

Journey...I just ran across this old thread...and I was just checking in...wondering whether you made the leap or kept your feet planted to the ground? Any second thoughts/regrets/feelings of confidence you made the right decision...whatever that decision was...?

Skips, MSN, RN

517 Posts

Specializes in L&D.

Why leave a good job that you like and spend money and time in something that makes less? It doesn't make sense. Nursing isn't all about helping people. A lot of it is task-oriented. Also, jobs may be hard to come by.

Why fix it if it isn't broken?

I like PP's idea about volunteering at a hospital or other place where you can help people. (:

EDIT. This thread is old! Oops! What happened OP?

Specializes in OB/GYN, Peds, School Nurse, DD.

You will have to decide for yourself, of course. IMO, trying to juggle a full time job while raising a toddler AND going to nursing school sounds suicidal. Someone is going to get the short end of the stick. The thing about nursing school is you have to be 100% committed to it. I would recommend that you take your pre-reqs at a pace you can tolerate. Then when your child starts school, perhaps you will have more time and less direct responsibility.

Personally, if I were to consider a career change at my age(50s) I would NOT choose nursing. Not at this age. I've put in 36 years of work experience, the first 18 years working in hospitals on the evening and night shifts. I have paid for that with a sleep disorder, type 2 diabetes, arthritis in my feett from all the standing and walking. Best thing I ever did was leave hospital nursing. I worked as a school nurse the last 6 years and even that became difficult as my arthritis got worse. I left school nursing and now I'm working for a non-profit, doing training and chart audits. Most of my day is spent researching files and writing educational materials, which I truly love. But I couldn't have done this job as a new grad. It has taken 36 years to get where I am today.

Good luck. I hope you think really hard about this. I woudn't do it until your Husband is on board. Nursing school can be incredibly hard of marriages and families.

ETA: oops! zombie thread!

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