Changing careerS

[iTyrizzle87]

Just curious if there are any other career changers? I am a former public school science teacher who has decided to pursue my original passion, which is nursing. I kick myself all the time because I started out as pre-med, then switched to nursing, and from there to math/science education.

[Homesickgypsy]

Yup me too. I'm just at the start if my nursing path though so fed up with prereqs. Haven't even been able to start school yet. Please tell me it will all be worth it!!

Kevdewd68 said:

I'm 45, retired 4 yrs ago from Navy, and starting nursing school later this month. I hope that there isn't a lot of age/gender bias out there when it comes time for me to find an RN job.

from 'Ottumwa, IA'

Come on, Radar, we know that (a) you're a whole lot older than 45 and (b) you were in the Army...

You still in touch with Klinger?

Homesickgypsy said:

Yup me too. I'm just at the start if my nursing path though so fed up with prereqs. Haven't even been able to start school yet. Please tell me it will all be worth it!!

Hard to say that it *will* be worth it until you're actually doing it.

No false promises or knee-jerk encouragement but it does prove to be a good career choice for many people. Recognize, though, that very many nurses would steer you away, too.

[PauperRN]

Quote

I was an engineer for almost 20 years. I got tired of always wondering when the layoffs were going to hit and the 'keep your resume updated' mentality. I was also weary of the uncompensated overtime and the travel (which was fun for awhile but got very old).

I've been a nurse for 4 years and it's one of the best decisions I've ever made.

There are aspects of engineering that I miss and aspects of nursing that I'd like to miss but overall, my present nursing job (my 3rd) is a much better gig than were most of my (5) engineering jobs.

Which Engineering branch are we talking abt here? And what level of it? As in Bachelors or Masters. Am just curious. Thanks

Mechanical... Design, PM, automation, process development... Even a stint in technical publications... Three different Fortune 50 companies, three different tiny companies.

[PauperRN]

*Sigh* from my side because am about to shift careers from nursing to engineering, not mechanical though. Of course concerned about the job security and all that but I will have nursing as a back up plan in case of such scenario. Thanks for replying.

If I were to be looking at engineering right now, I'd focus on environmental, civil, and biochemical... probably the latter...

If I were after the cash, I'd go petroleum or geotechnical and then high-tail my sorry butt up to North Dakota... or the middle east.

[PauperRN]

I too think Petroleum is big, esp. with USA being the number one with oil reserves. But am into EE with maybe a minor in Computer Engineering. And I think Texas is still a market I could compete esp. If I will have a masters in EE.

To me, EE means power systems engineering... Definitely opportunity with trying to build out the smart grid.

Personally, I much prefer being an hourly pawn than a salaried bloke always looking to justify my pay by the contracts I'm winning or the costs that I'm cutting.

[CoachChris]

I will be starting an accelerated B.S.N. in August 2014. Started out in the United States Air Force for 6 years as a fuels specialist. After that is was college and graduate school (9 years worth). After graduate school I became an ordained minister. Served about 12 years as a local church pastor and then was a non-profit organization consultant for 3 years.

My wife and I began working with children growing up in generational poverty in the Mississippi Delta region back in 2011. I began seeing the critical need for training in pediatrics and psychiatry. After I complete my B.S.N. I hope to move as quickly as possible into a D.N.P. program. So I guess I am changing careers in a way. But what I am doing now is really just an outgrowth of what I've been doing for the last 3 years.

I was taking pre-med courses along with my nursing pre-reqs and did better than I thought I would (3.93 GPA) but I feel like I'm too old for medical school. Some people suggested going the D.O. route but I decided to go a D.N.P. route because I can be licensed as an R.N. in about 17 months from now if I successfully complete the program I was accepted to.

[windsurfer8, BSN, RN]

Danlee, maybe if you have been going through this "for twenty years" you should look at what you are doing wrong and not blaming everyone around you? I have had people die in my family. I was thrown out of my parents house at 16. I still figured out a way to get my BSN. You were bullied? By who? You were bullied in college? Stand up for yourself man. It is easy to say "if only"..but things are what they are. It is up to you and you alone to make it happen. If you are accepted into an LPN program then stop wondering and just DO IT. Good luck!