Unhappy camper looking for some advice from nurses

[skigirl8]

Currently I am a geologist, and I work in a big fancy office for a big oil company. I sit in front of a computer Mon-Fri 8-5. I go for coffee breaks, and workout at lunch. It is pretty easy. I get stressed when there are deadlines or presentations, but other than that it is pretty stress-free. I am close to making 6 figures in my 3rd year out of university. Sounds pretty awesome right??

But I am totally miserable. I have no passion for it. It bores me to tears. The thought of working here for the rest of my life makes me want to jump off the 30th floor. Geology is different in that there are no right answers and you are making stuff up and then presenting it as if it were the absolute truth. I really don't like that.

Sorry for the lengthy post, but I have been racking my brain for the past 2 years on what I might like to do instead. Discovering nursing has been like a light going on in my brain, but I am still unsure if (what I think are) my needs and the nursing profession will be a right fit. Here they are:

I want to be doing something different and exciting everyday, no sitting around and surfing the internet out of boredom.

I am an extrovert and am energized by my relationships with others.

I think it is totally awful that I am sitting 8-9 hours per day, sitting in the car, sitting on the couch at home.. even though I work out regularly I don't think humans are meant for this much sitting.

I want a career where I am doing something meaningful (ie. NOT finding oil in the ground)

I want to use my brain... I am a science geek.

I always want people to be comfortable and happy, and if I had a career doing that I think that would be amazing.

I have always been interested in healthcare, I initially wanted to be a doctor but my dreams of getting into medical school are long gone now. I've looked into phyisotherapy and occupational therapy as well.

I want the opportunity to work anywhere.

Monotony freaks me out.

What I am hoping to get with this post is some honest feedback from those who are nurses.

It is greatly appreciated :)

[Guttercat, ASN, RN]

If you really, really must change, either suck it up and go to medical school, or become a PA. You are not going to get the kind of science in nursing that it sounds like you crave. There's a lot of monotony involved in nursing, even in the ED and ICU, and I don't think you're the kind of guy who is going to be happy fetching blankets and turkey sandwiches for grumpy patients and demanding family members.

Choose wisely.

This. ^^^

[Guttercat, ASN, RN]

I really appreciate everyone's responses and it has given me plenty of food for thought.

In terms of grades.. I have an honours degree with a GPa of 3.6/4. Where I live (Canada) to get into med school you need above a 3.8. There are 1800 applicants at my local university and they take 120.

I have searched more about OT's and PA, but I still like the idea of becoming a nurse and eventually a NP. I am absolutely crazy for mountain biking and skiing and would love to live in a mountain town. Becoming a nurse would allow me to live in these places and make good money. I am not sure there would be as many positions for OT's and PA's there. BUT I am not basing my decision to become a nurse purely on the fact I can live in a small mountain town.. it is just one of the benefits.

Again, thanks everyone.

One (of many) reasons I went into nursing twenty-some years ago, was to be able to live in a mountain town. Please be aware that "Mountain Towns" are often high rent districts. I know this is true up in Canuckistan, as well as down here in Americastan.

As an RN, you may have a greater odds of finding professional employment in these desirable areas, but it may mean you're still living out of your vehicle. I know Canadian mountain towns are equally if not more expensive than down here.

Not long ago, I was offered two positions at two different facilities in a prominent Northern Rockies town. When I sqwuaked about the paltry salary offerings, I was told (and I'll never forget it), "We consider where you'll be living (___ Mt Town) as part of your benefits and salary."

I replied that the view from my truck must be amazing then, because that's where I'd be living.

[bebbercorn]

OP, it seems you really want to do this. I've been an RN for 3.5 years after leaving another career I was in for 10. I'm still new, but I'll tell you the pay is decent, you can make small differences in people's lives and there is a wide variety of jobs (though in short supply) you can do. Follow your heart, but go and get that NP as fast as you can! Floor nursing will shorten your back's lifespan

[Tashired]

Not a nurse, but as someone who had a "cushy" corporate job and left it,

because of similar reasons, bored not challenging etc, for a different career path, only to find its not wht it seems I wasnt wise about the move and

[Tashired]

Now I sometimes regret it. As the others have said do ur research, vo lunteer, make an informed decision. Good luck!

[Tina, RN]

I completely agree with previous posts by Esme and JadeLPN.

Your current job/situation sounds awesome. Cling to it with both hands. Go to school to be a paramedic, and do that on the side. Or further your education and teach. Or volunteer.

Having a low stress job allows you to have the physical and mental energy to do so many extra things, outside of work. By the time I leave work, I am physically and mentally shot...

[Nonetheless]

Honestly every career has it's ups and downs.

If you are making good money, I think you should stick to where you are.

It's easy to glamorize and idealize nursing but when you actually go into the hospitals you will find that a job is a job and like everything else it has it's pros and cons.

Maybe I am greedy but id rather make 6 figures and be bored out of my mind but able to afford a nice place to live and have some savings than making 5 figures, living in a tiny apartment, but be busy and excited.

I do not know much about Geology but there has to be a way you can move up in rank or take on new challenges.

[emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

aje8,

As a skier to a skier, nursing has advantages & drawbacks:

Pros:

can get more regular time off to ski than when 9-5 when working 12's.

have options to live closer to playlands.

Can trade shifts to arrange blocks of ski time.

Cons:

Unlike 9-5, you can't just skip work for a powder day unless you can find cover.

Hospitals don't close because there's a massive snowstorm (see above).

Your schedule might be one that precludes actually getting a lot of time on the mountain - i.e., working 8's instead of 12's.

Heli trips harder to afford on nursing pay whereas corporate bonus alone paid for 2 trips a year.

I used to get 70-80 day seasons when I was in corporate (worked remote and job itself could be handled by cellphone). Now I'm down to 50-60 day seasons but that's fine with me.

[maxvoca]

I'm not a nurse but have been considering nursing for years now, all due to the exact same reasons you are!

[workingharder]

Well, I suppose nursing isn't as boring as geology.

As a nurse you'll enjoy the stimulation of learning new skills: plumber, electrician, cable tv technician, waiter, mailman, receptionist, gofer, electric bed mechanic, interior decorator, maid, butler, transportation liaison, referee/mediator, housekeeper, psychologist, and appointment scheduler. You'll meet interesting personalities, including: depressives, drug seekers, dementias, noncompliants, and of course God (usually in the form of a surgeon). You'll discover that the same anti-hypertensive the patient has been taking for ten years seems to be foreign to them, and you have to explain it to them all over again. Every time you give it.

You'll find that even the best shoes will wear thin after 8-16 hours walking on tile covered concrete floors. You'll experience the exhilaration of discovering back muscles you didn't know existed. The thrill of knowing that a bladder really can hold 6 cups of coffee and a Big Gulp between pee breaks. Lunch is a means to induce indigestion while charting. Multitasking will become second nature. Redundant, superfluous, inane, CYA paperwork will become part of your very soul. You'll learn discipline in how to maintain a professional composure when you really, truthfully want to reach out and throttle a patient, patient's relative, coworker, superior.

Unlike Geology, where the company needs you and is willing to acknowledge such, in Nursing Corporate has the attitude that you are a necessary evil.

From my perspective (and take free advice for the what it's worth) if you're bored, take up sky diving, bungee jumping, cliff diving, or running with scissors.

If you are looking to help humanity keep in mind, without the oil you're locating we all suffer; you, me, patients, doctors, all of mankind. It sounds like you have a good gig, don't lose it.

[veggie_girl]

Canadian Student Nurse here so my perspective is quite different and completely un-jaded. If I ever become cynical about nursing I'll know it's time to leave. Firstly, I was also working in an office setting about University trying to figure out what to do (have a Bkin from UBC) and I felt the same way - decent money but I was super bored all the time and felt that I was wasting my brain. Everyone has unique motivations but at the end of the day, I'd rather have a job that brings meaning to my life versus bringing home a paycheque. That's something only you can decide. I disagree with a lot of what's been said as being Canadian, nursing is not the same. In BC, we are backed by a VERY strong union. On the medicine floor I am currently on, the nurses always get an hour break, in addition to a half hour break in the AM and PM. This is the norm and union protocol. In terms of jobs, in the city a full-time line is difficult to land right out of school however I have met a few grads who landed jobs right away. Nursing school is what you make it. If you are willing to move to a remote town, there are LOTS of jobs and the BC government repays a portion of your loan (I think it's about $4000/year) for each year you stay where there is a need for nurses. The cool thing about working in a remote area is that you'll work to your full scope, be exposed to a wide range of patients, and get to work beyond your scope (Such as prescribing medication) when needed. Salary is unionized as well according to steps and pay is quite decent in BC. The great thing about nursing is that your possibilities are endless - many people go on and pursue further education (Masters) in Nursing, Public Health, Health Admin, NP etc. There is quite a bit of room for specialization, which some health authorities will pay for (though some are phasing that out). I would highly recommend shadowing a RN before committing to something. Being a nurse is extremely different to being a doctor as nurses take a holistic approach. In regards to job security, well, does that really exist anywhere anymore? I know a few OT's that have been unable to find jobs; even specialist doctors are seeing a higher unemployment rate than ever before in Canada. Do what makes you happy. I want to be able to look back on my life and think, yeah, I made a difference and contributed positively to society.

[calivianya, BSN, RN]

I'll trade jobs with you. I'm only a few months in to nursing, but I would die for a mind-numbing job right about now. Kidding... sort of.

I had several people in my nursing school class who went to nursing school for the same reasons you talked about. They all had high paying jobs. Not a single one of them is in nursing now. It's nice to think about variety and helping people when you/they were looking from the far side of the fence, but once they were actually about to take a huge pay cut for the opportunity to be beaten down by their fellow nurses, the patients, and their families while having no time for themselves, most of them bailed and found jobs doing something else. A couple of them thought about not even coming back for senior year of nursing school because they were so dissatisfied. I'm not saying this is going to be you, I'm just saying this is what I've seen when dealing with classmates who came from low stress, high paying jobs and tried to transition into nursing. It isn't as wonderful as you probably think it is.