Career help?? (Nursing vs Education)

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I am in need of some help. I am stuck between career choices which are Education and Nursing. I cannot seem to figure this out... Right now my major is education, and I am taking a summer class. If I do choose nursing I don't want to just waste money with this class that I am currently taking... Can someone please help me figure out if nursing could be for me? I know that I will be in pediatrics if I do do nursing. I love children. I am good at science (actually I love science). Thats why I choose education because of the children.. but when I did field experience (which is I go to a school for 30 hours) I was bored... not gonna lie... Everyone I talk to except my fiance says nursing is a far better career choice for me and esp. with this economy. Can someone please give me your input!? The more I have the better I can choose these two careers...

Specializes in Hospice.

I have an education degree and it bored me to peices.....wish i had gotten my nursing degree first. the economy isn't being 'nice' to either job market so go with your heart.

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Everyone seems to be telling me to "follow my heart" but to tell you the truth I have no idea what my heart wants. All I know is that I want to work with children, have time for my children && family, and help children... So if anyone has any tips on helping me try to figure where my heart is please tell me =D

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Specializes in Hospice.

well nobody can tell you that. education allows you summers off (maybe) but there are hardships with that. my sister doesn't get to go on field trips , concerts ect...very often. nor does she get to interact with the teacher. I work nights sleep while my kids are at school and schedule my days so that i can do that stuff. but i work some weekends and holidays.

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evolving is your sister a nurse or a teacher??

I know that nobody can tell me but I just wanna know how people came to the conclusion that nursing or whatever they do for a career is what they wanted to do?

Also with the holidays I know its a must if I'm a nurse. Unless I land a job at a doctors office... but I heard that they mainly hire LPN's because they are cheapter to pay... no offense to the LPN's (my sister in law is one). My mom also told me if its part of your job oh well its gotta be done... she was in the military... so I'm prepared for that..

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Specializes in CVICU.

So you've decided against teaching because shadowing a teacher was boring? I'd guess that actually being a teacher is far more challenging than following one around. Wouldn't you be the one lecturing and talking to the kids and educating them, in addition to the grunt work she had you do to help her out? You'll find nursing boring too, if you shadow a nurse, because I guarantee the only thing you'll be doing during that shadowing is emptying urinals, foleys, and bedpans. You won't be starting IV's or doing any actual care or even any paperwork. You might get to help the CNA's with baths all day.

My information, although I've never worked in a doctor's office, is that they pay way less than hospitals or LTC facilities and have even crappier benefits. But if you go into bedside nursing at a hospital or LTC facility you can do ok, money wise. My teacher friends make about double what I do, though, and I make a pretty good wage for a nurse in my area.

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Education is worse than nursing in my area. Several people I know have moved the Alaska for teaching jobs, while the hospital here is hiring.

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Specializes in Labor and Delivery, MS.
One good thing about education is the time off. With education, you will be off work every day that your child is off, and not have to juggle nights/weekends/12hr shifts and will be there Christmas morning for them. Or you could become a school nurse, and have all of the above!

Days off same as your kids only if you work in the same school district. Unable to attend fieldtrips and conferences because are often scheduled at the same time you have to do yours.

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

Lisa - have you considered shadowing a school nurse?

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So you've decided against teaching because shadowing a teacher was boring? I'd guess that actually being a teacher is far more challenging than following one around. Wouldn't you be the one lecturing and talking to the kids and educating them, in addition to the grunt work she had you do to help her out? You'll find nursing boring too, if you shadow a nurse, because I guarantee the only thing you'll be doing during that shadowing is emptying urinals, foleys, and bedpans. You won't be starting IV's or doing any actual care or even any paperwork. You might get to help the CNA's with baths all day.

Yeah that!

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Have you thought about looking into what school psychologists, counselors and social workers do? They also work in a role that helps kids. Something else to think about is that if you go into education you don't have to stop at being a teacher. There's administration, supervisory roles, coaching, teacher education/training, etc. If you find one age group/subject is boring to work with you could try working with another. There is a degree of flexibility in teaching, as there is in nursing.

This is a debate I too have had with myself and the truth is, only you can decide what would be best for you. There are nurses who lovet what they do and there are teachers who love what they do but only you can decide what will be a good fit for you and your family.

Worst case scenario, maybe you'll eventually be able to try both :-)

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