Want to Become a Nurse, but not entirely sure

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I am a 25 year old single mom of 1 who is currently and has been employed as a fulltime classroom teacher for four years. I am now taking my science pre-reqs to begin nursing school, but i am not sure for a number of reasons. I enjoy teaching and helping students but teachers do not earn a competitive salary, there is little support (at least in my area) from parents and most times I feel like I complete more paperwork than teaching. People have told me that nurses earn a decent living and that since I'm already accustomed to stress and the career setting, I shouldn't have too many problems. I would like to give nursing profession a try, just to see if it could actually be for me. My concerns at this point are, is a beginning nurse's salary match or surpass the 40,000 i currently earn (however, that salary reflects the 4 yrs. of experience and a master's degree). Also, I have a small child (15 months to be exact) so i am concerned with not being able to work, and once I am a nurse, will i have time for my small child? I am accustomed to much time off as a teacher. Any advice??

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

New graduate nurses typically make in the low to mid-20's per hour depending on what part of the country you live in. A typical week might be 3 12-hour shifts, 36 hours a week. So say you start out at $23.00/hour, a typical salary here in the southeast (The entire west coast and the NE Coastal states pay the highest salaries for nurses), then your pay will be about $43K....more if you work a 40 hour week, and more if you do overtime.

As a new nurse, unless you find a per diem job, you will most likely work summers, every other weekend, holidays including Christmas, and chances are you'll work night shift as well. But the beauty of working 3 12's is that you'll get 4 days off to spend with your kid(s).

The paperwork and other regulatory requirements for nursing is endless, and you'll hear the same complaints from nurses "I haven't even charted yet, I have so much charting to do........"

In many cases managements hands are tied and you'll find little support there.

Family support? How about rude demanding families, doctors, patients, and coworkers.

Factor in your retirement benefits, (I was just saying to a retired nurse friend of mine who is in his early 50's that I've yet to meet a teach that didn't retire in their 50's), other benefits including your time off, and you'll find the financial rewards of nursing might not be worth the effort.

On the other hand, nursing has many great things about it. I wouldn't do anything else. Check this thread out: https://allnurses.com/forums/f8/what-i-love-about-nursing-206199.html

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