nursing or teaching??

Nurses Career Support

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hey y'all

I used to frequent this website back about a year ago when I was totally sure nursing was my path. then teaching became my path--b/c I started to think (thanks to allnurses!) that nursing was not all the recruitment efforts have been making it out to be. I started to worry about burnout and couldn't help but fast-forward 10 or 15 years (or less!) and see myself once again wondering what the hell to do with my life.

I have a BA in English and have completed all the prereqs I need to start clinicals. I could start in the fall. I could also start a master's in special education this summer, a one-year program I have also been accepted into. I am currently working in an elementary school as an aid and I love the kids (and all the time off!) but am wondering if teaching is my niche. I love the idea of what the school nurse does but I know i need to pay my dues for quite some time before I would land a job like that. anyhow, to get to my point, are there any teachers who used to be nurses, or nurses who became teachers who could share their stories? I am drawn to both but teaching does seem much more cushy and maybe I am getting too used to that!

thanks!

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

Hey, if you figure it out, let me know! I'm facing the same decisions, with a lot of complicating factors. Teaching seems more accessible to me, but I think my heart's in nursing.

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Specializes in IMC, ICU, Telemetry.

How about doing both - public health educator, nursing education, clinical instructor...on and on. Nursing is full of teaching opportunities. Even a bedside nurse does tons on patient teaching.

Good luck to you in whichever the path may take you

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Could do like me... get a 4 year degree in teaching... then get your nursin degree because you can't make as near as much money teaching and the jobs aren't as plentiful. One of these days I might put them together and teach nursing, but instead of teaching school, I would do the patient education or hospital staff education.

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It's good that you are looking before you leap. I cannot go back to school right now(little ones at home). When I can, I think I will return for teaching. In NJ, teachers, after about 5 years, make about the same as nurses. There is no more stress, it is just different stress. And lets see, summers,weekends, nights off.....no begging to be off on Christmas......

And yes, I know a few teachers well (family). They do take home some work. They are not afraid of their phone ringing calling them back to work. They have great pensions and health benefits for life. For me, the decision is not so tough, after 20 years in nursing.

Good Luck

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Specializes in ER at Level 1 trauma.

IdahoNurse -

If you see this... I was wondering if you could brief the pros and cons of teaching and nursing since you have done both. I am a teacher and considering the move to nursing.

Thanks

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All the teaching I did was subsituting, that's why I went into nursing is because I couldn't find anything permanent where I wanted.

The biggest advantage to nursing is the fact that you don't have to look for jobs, they come looking for you. The biggest advantage to teaching is the 3 months off in the summer and no weekends.

There is too much politics in both...

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I was a teacher, and I am now in nursing school. Both nursing and teaching tend to have a lot of 'dysfunction' inherent in the job. A lot of teachers and a lot of nurses are anything but supportive of new workers (NOT all, but a lot). Politics is convoluted and gossip is rampant. Nurses say that they feel like they have no respect. Here is where I have to disagree. As a nursing student I have been treated with WAY more respect from patients that I ever had as a teacher. Teachers are also required to be responsible for so many things that are totally out of their control. For example, if a kid misses ten days of school, doesn't turn in any work, and is unmotivated it's the teacher's fault if the kid fails a class. Kids have been relieved of all resonsibility for their learning.If the kid is walking to or from school and gets beat up by a bully nowhere near the school, the school is still held responsible. I don't think (correct me if I'm wrong) that nurses are held responsible if the patient smokes two packs a day and ends up with lung cancer. Or if the patient gets in a car wreck on the way to or from the hospital if patient is driving his or her own vehicle.

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Specializes in ER at Level 1 trauma.

Amen!! I totally agree and I only think that the situation will get worse for teachers until someone wakes up and realizes that the teacher cant be the 1) Parent 2) Disciplinarian 3) Motivator 4) Counselor 5) Teacher 6) the "good" guy 7) Aways entertaining host (which is what kids expect now in this society) 8) Ever - improving Scorer on standardized tests ... the list goes on. And your are right, a lot of it is out of our control - but it is made our responsibility because the students are completely unaccountable. (they dont even have to flush, turn on a faucet or hand dryer anymore... it is all automatic. Maybe I am just being picky but I think it sends the wrong message that things will be done for them. :uhoh21:

My first year was eye -opening into this world of Politics in Education. I do have to say how surprised I was that so many teachers, administrators, counselors were ready to cut us new teachers down at any opportunity they got...

I actually had my job threatened by a couselor once over a student's *lack* of participation in a voluntary community service project-- Give me a break!!

On a positive note - I love my kiddos, even when they are disrespectful, or I'm playing mom and disciplinarian and counselor! :) And I think all of these experiences will make me a better nurse.

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I too am thinking bout either nursing or education..I have a degree in Business Management and IT..I work in IT but the job market stnks..I have a job in IT now but I dont like it. I been thinking bout healthcare or educationbc they seem to have alot of job openings...I am wondering if there are TRULY a shortage of teachers? I hear that some ppl can find jobs and others cant

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Specializes in Pediatric Pulmonology and Allergy.

I have been teaching for 15 years and now contemplating a switch to nursing. I know the disadvantages of nursing already - longer hours, greater responsibility with narrower margin of error. The pluses are - clear directions (I hope) and only dealing with 1 patient at a time. (Depending on the job of course.) Also your patients generally want to get well and will appreciate your help in making them feel better. But students don't always want to be educated, at least not in the subjects and manner in which they're taught.

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Specializes in Surgical/Telemetry.
I too am thinking bout either nursing or education..I have a degree in Business Management and IT..I work in IT but the job market stnks..I have a job in IT now but I dont like it. I been thinking bout healthcare or educationbc they seem to have alot of job openings...I am wondering if there are TRULY a shortage of teachers? I hear that some ppl can find jobs and others cant

I think that the teaching shortage depends largely on the state and what levels/areas that you teach. In Oregon, new elementary teachers and music teachers are moving out of state in search of jobs and not necessarily having luck. Many of my fellow students from my previous degree program (elementary music education) who did stay in the northwest got a sad surprise when their employers did not renew their contracts for a second year.

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