Anyone gone from the engineering field to nursing?

SillyLilly · Oct 12, 2006

I didnot, but there were 3 women who I went to school with who did have an engineering degree. 2 of them I believe had a Masters. They obtained their engineering degrees overseas though. I had asked them that question in the middle of the second year (ADN). They said, its different. Thats all...

Engineering, from what I know, is allott of math. Nursing school is difficult as well, you need to learn the fundamentals of nursing and disease processes and apply it. If you really want the nursing degree, and put your heart and mind into it, I think you will do ok.

Good luck. :wink2:

txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN · Oct 12, 2006

My husband went from nursing to engineering.

gdelrosa · Oct 12, 2006

I used to be an industrial engineer and I just graduated from an accelerated BSN program. I thought nursing school was harder. I had an extremely long commute to my clinical site. Not my own doing of course and it was so unfamiliar to me. It's very different from engineering and takes time to get used to. I'm not sure if a year made me comfortable with bedside nursing but my preceptorship is making me more comfortable with procedures as well as my bedside manner. If you're tired of engineering, go for it. I personally was no longer fulfilled by my career and needed to do something that made me feel needed. And there is certainly a need for nurses!

CrufflerJJ, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Oct 12, 2006

DIdnt know where to post this question. I am a Mechanical engineer by degree but work in the aerospace field for the past 7 years. I have been thinking of goign back to school for a career change and would love to go into obgyn nursing. Anyone out there who has made the career change from engineering to nursing? How did nursing school compare to engineering school? How did your engineering background help/ or not help you in nursing school or in your nursing career? Thanks!

I'm a degreed Chemical Engineer with 20+ years at the same employer in a variety of roles from lab rat to tech service to product development to plant superintendent to....

After giving it serious thought over the past 2-3 years, I turned in my resignation this July and am crunching my way through the prerequisites for an accelerated BS-->BSN program. I've volunteered as a paramedic on the local fire dept since 1990, and have always enjoyed that side of my life. It's always seemed more "real", and I like interacting with my patients. I'm attracted to advanced practice nursing, leaning towards NP or CRNA. Who knows, though - it's still very early in the process for me.

I can't speak to the difficulty level of nursing school vs engineering school, but the Anatomy & Physiology & Microbiology courses are challenging. Lots of memorization & internalizing of concepts. I'm doing OK, though - 110% in A&P, 98% in micro so far (about halfway through the courses).

None of this would have been possible without the support (& gentle prodding) of my wife!

My career was no longer challenging, fun, or interesting. Life is too short to be miserable. If you want to change careers, do the necessary checking up-front, then DO IT.

Quickbeam, BSN, RN · Oct 12, 2006

There were 3 engineers in my class in nursing school. All 3 said that the transition from a clean quiet work environment to the frenzy of nursing care was a shock. I remember this so well (it's been 20 years) because I too went from a similar professional career into a BSN program.