Nursing or Vet Tech LVT/BSN

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Hi all!

I'm seeking advice on which job would be more fitting while I start and finish nursing school. I am currently a Vet Tech and have been for 7 years. I recently have had a job change and decided I want to start nursing school to gain my BSN. I have been offered 2 positions at this time. One is in a human hospital and the other in a pet hospital. They both pay the same. Would any nurses recommend one way or the other? I have no human medicine experience but again I have a lot of school to get through in the next 2-4 yrs. Would y'all reccomend I get into the human side asap or safe to stick to what I know while in school?

Thanks in advance!!! I'm really stuck on which job to take right now!

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Hi all!

I'm seeking advice on which job would be more fitting while I start and finish nursing school. I am currently a Vet Tech and have been for 7 years. I recently have had a job change and decided I want to start nursing school to gain my BSN. I have been offered 2 positions at this time. One is in a human hospital and the other in a pet hospital. They both pay the same. Would any nurses recommend one way or the other? I have no human medicine experience but again I have a lot of school to get through in the next 2-4 yrs. Would y'all reccomend I get into the human side asap or safe to stick to what I know while in school?

Thanks in advance!!! I'm really stuck on which job to take right now!

What is the job in the human hospital?

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Emergency.

How is the nursing job market in your area? If it's oversaturated like many metropolitan areas are, I'd personally go into the human hospital to get the connections that may help with getting a nursing job. If there's no issues getting jobs after graduation, honestly I'd pick whichever one is less stressful (in my experience that was the animal hospital but that's not true for everyone) or pays better/offers more flexibility for classes. I didn't have any nursing related experience prior to my first RN job but I lived in an area with a ton of options for jobs after graduation, so I would play it based on that factor mostly.

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It is a patient information coordinator

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There is high opportunity for Nursing Jobs once I'm finished with school in my area. I'm just concerned that passing up a human med job as it may help me get through school easier? Although, I'm also concerned that I may overload myself with learning a new job/longer travel to work and school at the same time. I'm an expert in the vet tech field and more than comfortable there. Its unexpected how I will feel in human med.

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There is high opportunity for nursing jobs once I'm finished with school in my area. I'm just concerned that passing up a human med job as it may help me get through school easier? Although, I'm also concerned that I may overload myself with learning a new job/longer travel to work and school at the same time. I'm an expert in the vet tech field and more than comfortable there. Its unexpected how I will feel in human med.

I worked informally as a vet tech when younger and in the office (mostly) of an animal ER while in nursing school. I think my experiences in those positions actually helped me in nursing school. Likewise, nursing school deepened my understanding of what was going on in the veterinary world.

I would pass on the hospital job for now ...for all the reasons you have already considered.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Emergency.
I'm just concerned that passing up a human med job as it may help me get through school easier?

Even those who are "ahead" because of CNA experience tend to even out after fundamentals. The main benefit I've seen CNAs I work with have from working in the hospital during school is the availability of nurses to help explain concepts they don't understand well and their comfort level working with people in that kind of setting. I was uncomfortable with it until my final semester when everything clicked and it felt more natural.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

The human hospital would be a good segway into meeting professional contacts who will benefit you down the road and often times they will give preferential hiring consideration to a current employee. A reason to consider staying at the vet hospital is if you have worked there a while and they will allow flexibility with your school schedule. Sorry not much help! Best wishes.

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As a current nursing student and former lvt, I say go for the human hospital. There are so many things skill/asepsis differences, and as much as my veterinary experience has helped so far, I also feel like I have a million bad habits to unlearn. :/ You'll kind of get the idea of what a large organization is like (compared to veterinary, it has been pretty bizzare for me). I feel like after 7 years you already have all that is going to help you through NS down.Plus, only a handful of people in the human side IME will ever give you credit for your knowledge base.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
A I feel like after 7 years you already have all that is going to help you through NS down.Plus, only a handful of people in the human side IME will ever give you credit for your knowledge base.

A handful plus one. :) I've seen both first hand and it would take a dozen human hospital employees to complete what a single vet tech does in a day.

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A handful plus one. :) I've seen both first hand and it would take a dozen human hospital employees to complete what a single vet tech does in a day.

Thank you, it is nice to hear.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Moved to the Nursing Career Advice forum.

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