BSN student looking for career other than RN.

[bsnstudent2015]

I just finished my sophomore year of nursing school, and am going to be a junior this upcoming year, working towards my BSN. I went into nursing school because I was very interested in the health field, however, I'm starting to realize that it's not the hands-on part of the health field that I am attracted to.

Since I am already half way done with college, I don't think it would make sense for me to switch my major at this point, although I was considering switching to public health and then going to grad school for PH. I've recently decided that I should continue the next two years, get my BSN, and then try to find a non-nursing job that is still in the health field. I've done some research, and it seems that there are a lot of jobs that a BSN can get you, other than an actual nursing one (legal consultant, pharmaceutical rep, medical writer, etc).

What do you guys think? And does anyone know how easy/hard it is to get one of these jobs with a BSN and what the salary rates are like? All advice is appreciated!! :)

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

Those kinds of jobs are fairly hard to get without either networking or having some kind of work background that is compatible with the area you will enter. You would probably need a couple years hands on experience. I have managed light hands on non-hospital work for the last 20 years as a nurse.

[bsnstudent2015]

I was actually thinking of getting a minor in either business or english to help me out. And if you don't mind me asking, what kind of non-hospital work do you do? (just trying to figure out what my possibilities are)

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

I did office nursing for a decade, case management, and research nursing (not hospital based) for the last 9 years.

[llg, PhD, RN]

I think you are making a mistake by investing all the time and money required for the final 2 years of your nursing degree if you don't want to be a nurse. Far too many people have student loans, etc. that are enormous from educational programs that they are not using. The debt cripples them financially for the decades. Don't do that to yourself.

You would be better off to take a semester off and use it to figure out what type of work you want to to do ... and then move forward in that new direction. 2 years of being unhappy in nursing school is not worth it.

If you are still unsure about nursing and want to give it a try ... then do it for a semester to see if you like it. If not, get out before you dig yourself into a hole of crushing financial trouble for something you don't like.

[elkpark]

I agree with llg (as usual :)). If you aren't sure you want to be a nurse, don't invest any more time and money into nursing until you've answered that basic question. Lots of people switch majors halfway through college -- that is not a big deal. What is a big deal is putting the time, effort, and $$$ into finishing a degree you don't want and then trying to figure out how to get a job in something else with that v. specific degree, or getting into a non-clinical nursing position without a significant amount of clinical experience.

Nursing certainly isn't for everyone, and there's nothing wrong with not wanting to be one. :) Best wishes for your journey!

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

IIg and Elkpark are giving you good advice. I have been very lucky to find the jobs I have and if I hadn't had my background and connections in healthcare prior to nursing i probably wouldn't have been able to do what I did.