Should I give nursing another try?

Nurses Career Support

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I am extremely depressed. My whole family are nurses mother and all my aunts. They kept on telling me nursing is the only way to make money quick. So I enrolled in nursing school but I didnt pass the practicum and failed med surg II. I was going to a school where a class is 5,000 and I had a loan but since I failed I would have had to pay out of pocket and also to retake the class I would have to go a different campus that was a really far place. So I left the program and went to school to get an english degree because I am passionate about writing and magazines. I want to be a magazine editor. Unfortunately the writing market is going down and I am kicking myself for leaving nursing. I was only one semester to go. I can't think of a job that makes as much as a nurse. Does anyone have an idea for a non medical job that is high entry level and not too much schooling?

1. Dental hygienist

2. EMT-paramedic

Those are associate's degree jobs that make decent money. From this post, and previous posts I've seen of yours, it really doesn't seem like you want to be a nurse. The stress is not worth the $$ if you hate doing it. What else interests you? Would you be interested in teaching? Teachers don't make amazing money but the schedule is nice and you make enough to live off of. If I were you, I'd stop worrying about how much money a career makes and focus on what you are interested in. The money will follow. You can google different degrees that you may like to find out what you can do with it.

I'm not trying to sound rude. You just seem to be going back and forth a lot but the only reason you come back is bc the possible income.

Specializes in Ortho/trauma acute care/med surg.

Absolutely not! If you didn't like it the first time you won't like it now! Don't go into a career because it's flexible and you can make good money! You will be one miserable person in the long run! You only have one life make the best of it! Do something that you love! You will be the nurse nobody wants to work with because eventually it will start showing in your work that you hate nursing!

No, please don't. I am not discouraging you if that's all you can imagine doing because you love the subject and love caring for your patients. But it sounds like you are in it for the money. I don't know if you have read other threads but landing a nursing job these days is not a walk in the park. There are other good careers.

Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

It is VERY apparent from your other posts that you and nursing school were not a good fit the first time around. Please don't take out any more loans for a profession whose only draw for you is a perceived high salary level. I say 'perceived' because there is much more volatility to nursing salaries than you are apparently aware. Plus, read all of the (quite frankly) desperate new grads who have been searching for months if not years to find that first job. And these are new nurses who would take a position at ANY salary in order to get their foot in the door. Usually, going for the quick & easy solution only backfires in the end.

Specializes in Allergy/Immunology.
There are literally no good high paying jobs besides nursing. I realize that now.
Nothing is high paying off the bat.
Specializes in General Internal Medicine, ICU.

Money shouldn't be the ONLY reason you do nursing. I've read your other posts, and I get the feeling that you are drawn to nursing because of (potential) high income and (perceived) job stability. Don't do nursing for those things alone--or you'd feel "stuck" a few years down the road. Do something YOU enjoy.

Specializes in ER; HBOT- lots others.

only one comment, if you dont like it, didnt like, you wont grow to like it. please dont do it unless your heart is in it.

Specializes in ICU.

Not true. Try being a CNA first. See if you like that. If not, then try another field. I always thought being a paramedic would be fun if I hadn't gone into nursing. That takes a LOT of knowledge and skill, too though...definitely not an easy way to some quick money.

OK, here it is. Even if you love so many aspects of nursing--even if you you have found your niche--even if you really strive to have a great attitude--um, a person can become miserable in the role for a good many reasons. So, if you aren't into it, please consider not doing it.

IMHO, there are already too many disgruntled, burned out, miserable, and just unhappy nurses in the field. Some of that came for them over time, and for some folks, well, they thought it was going to be something other than it is.

On top of that (and I truly expect to get slammed for saying this), there are too many insecure people in the field. No, not all.

Many people just aren't in touch with their lack of ability to work together, be flexible and supportive of each others--regardless of clique or faction formations--that is, they don't get the concept of forming coalitions with other nurses for the ultimate good of nursing. So, they can't find common ground toward that aim and choose to work together without infighting. There are some that just strive to be on top of their game, but can't do so without trying to intimidate, manipulate, or out-do others.

And then there are the poor folks that just want to do their best, but are wrongly viewed as being competitive and vicious ladder-climbers, when indeed that may totally not be the case. I'm always amazed at how much jealousy there can be in nursing. I scratch my head, and I really don't get it. There are a lot of nurses that don't get the whole "You're OK, I'm OK" thing.

So, there's this gross lack of security, objectivity, balance, and fairness in the field; that is, IMHO--and I think after 20 years of hard work and striving to do right, I am entitled to my opinion.

Unless something has really changed within you or you just think you didn't give it a fair enough shot early on--OR if you think you were more on the young and immature side--don't go back into the field.

It's not worth it to make maybe $20 extra per hour. $15/hr(40 hours) is about $30,000. $30/hr is about $60,000. That may seem like a lot to some folks, but it's not really--especially if you are miserable doing something, are working off-shift & holidays & weekends, are dealing with all kinds of stress and getting your hands dirty. You have to be OK with all that, plus the sad disunity that may accompany the team or group with whom you may end up working.

Get something for now that will help pay the bills and go back to school for something your really like--and hopefully is more marketable.

Education can be a political pain in the butt, but if you like it, and are good at it, there can be many more benefits to it than working in nursing.

Or, perhaps if you go back to nursing school, and then you could also work on getting a school nurse certificate--or try occupational health. You really have to do your research and take some time to think about it--after doing your homework (research) that is.

Good luck to you!

Specializes in geriatrics.

I'm not impressed with the system of nursing, and many nurses feel the same (staffing, unrealistic pt ratios, etc....) However, nursing for the sake of helping others, and the ability to be stimulated will make me stay. I will just switch specialties eventually. If you aren't truly interested in nursing, and your primary motivation is money, you won't be content. There is no amount of money that could make me take a job I didn't enjoy on some level.

Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Merged threads

Specializes in Transitional Nursing.

I just love that she is young enough to still think that starting at $50K makes it a rich profession. Please keep that attitude about money!

50k is a whole lot better than 19k lol. What I could do with that salary........

"No day but today"

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