computer science before now nursing..

piper_for_hire · Mar 6, 2007

I was a software developer for more than 10 years before switching to nursing. The outsourcing thing really didn't affect me, but I absolutely hated the instability and pressures involved with the job. I've written countless thousands of lines of code and I felt it was all cool but utterly meaningless.

It was a bit rough adjusting to the hospital culture and I was a little freaked out about taking one step back to take two steps forward, but I'm glad I did. Nursing is very different than the corporate world but also much less stressful - but that depends on what you like to do. I work ICU and loving having unstable patients. That's not stressful, it's fun! It's just as interesting as designing complex software plus the work has the bonus of being socially significant. I start graduate school in a couple of months and I can't wait!

From a compensation point of view, I made about 80% of my old salary in my first year of nursing with some overtime. I work a lot less now. Things will be even better after grad school.

-S

WDWpixieRN, RN · Mar 6, 2007

I am not trying to offend or defend anyone but just wanted to let all of us know that we are helping eachother in lot more ways than we actually think. It is the fact whether we like it or not.

Saroj:

And I certainly didn't mean to offend or dismiss what you and others in IT do...heaven knows that it's vital to our world in this day and age...but for me, personally, it didn't "fit".....but I couldn't have lived without the help desk guys when my PC bombed because I don't do hardware...and the servers guys were invaluable when our app chose to take a dump....but for me, it was not fulfilling....and I never felt competent in the job which didn't contribute to my feelings of happiness....

In addition, I survived 2 layoffs, only to watch folks with families, mortgages, health issues, and single moms w/kids and no child support, be walked out the door in tears....I constantly felt like someone was watching and waiting so that when it came time to cut back again, I might be next...it was just very disconcerting...

I hated being required to work (unpaid) overtime, playing the evaluation/bonus/raise game every year, working in a situation where your work hours were subjective to the manager you had (I wanted a flex schedule, he didn't "believe" in it; but the manager in the next aisle had 8 members on his team flexing all over heck and gone)....I needed to feel a bit more control over me....

Again, this was how it affected me....I have friends there who love the work, have been with the company 10, 15+ years and will probably retire from there....

By no means was I putting down the work that you or others choose to do....I wouldn't enjoy being a teacher or any number of other positions in the business world, but heaven knows they're as VITAL to our world as health care workers are!!

:icon_hug:

Dreamer-RN · Mar 6, 2007

I enjoyed reading everyone's stories thus far. I am also a fellow Computer scientist; software programming for 10 years with the same company. I will begin Nursing school this coming fall and look forward to leaving the IT world this coming summer. I can certainly identify with many of the thoughts on the IT corporate world and believe I will not regret my decision to make this career change.

nepsys · Mar 6, 2007

Wdwpixie:

My apologies if I was being too strong in my response. I am really impressed by the mild and 'constructive way' people answer and 'put their point across' in these forums in allnurses.com. I guess that is what nurses are all about....being humble, caring and comforting.

I hope you will find a very fulfilling and satisfying career and be happy when you finally complete your nursing degree. I also wish the same when my wife comes home with a BSN degree. As I said in my earlier response, I believe that 'money will follow you wherever you go if you have desire to work hard but your happyness will leave you where you left it' !!

Once again, my apology if I came out too strong when I did not like some of the comments about the 'engineers'. I am sure you know how we can get when we disagree...:-).

WDWpixieRN, RN · Mar 6, 2007

No apology needed, saroj....I was just hoping I hadn't offended you with my earlier comments....you did not come on too strong, but with the way of the typewritten word, things are often misconstrued and I was hoping you (and others) didn't think I was putting down those who do work in the IT field!!

Best wishes to you and your wife!!

Balder_LPN, LPN · Mar 6, 2007

Wdwpixie:
I am really impressed by the mild and 'constructive way' people answer and 'put their point across' in these forums in allnurses.com. I guess that is what nurses are all about....being humble, caring and comforting.

That may often be true, but really, go check out the circumcision thread I have been posting in. not much "mild and constructive" or "humble and comforting" either. Nurses definitely have opinions, and allnurses give them a chance to vent them in ways they arent able to at work. Although even when they get opioninated, narrowminded, and even belligerent, I will still give them all "caring".

WDWpixieRN, RN · Mar 6, 2007

That may often be true, but really, go check out the circumcision thread I have been posting in. not much "mild and constructive" or "humble and comforting" either. Nurses definitely have opinions, and allnurses give them a chance to vent them in ways they aren't able to at work. Although even when they get opinionated, narrow minded, and even belligerent, I will still give them all "caring".

LOL....no kidding....there are some threads where you see down-right nastiness and anger.....and sometimes justifiably so....which is why I felt compelled to straighten to things quickly here...there was no attempt to demean others' choices and I felt it important to clear that up!!

We are just humans, like everyone else, huh? :lol2:

JerseyGirl1 · Mar 6, 2007

I have a BS in Physics and worked as a software engineer for 12+ years. My job was not that difficult...pretty cushy, really...but I wanted to do something different. Finished my ADN in Dec, sitting for NCLEX next week. Have a job in Tele waiting for me (if I pass, of course).

I know it will be tough adjusting to being on my feet all day instead of my a__, but I look forward to learning new things and feeling like I can make a difference in someone's life!

RN2BnNC · Mar 8, 2007

i can totally dig u guys! i have to appologize as well for how my post a couple of days ago sounded...i am in no way judging how other people feel about whatever job they have.....i've come to firmly believe that everything is connected to everything in this life....what each of us does...somehow and in someway (even a very minute way) affects someone elses life.

If there is one thing that my instructors love to remind us in school (and I agree although I hate being told over and over again) is that we focus on the patient from a holistic point of view and that in most settings we approach it from a multidisciplinary team approach. Meaning the patient is in the center and that one patient will have 10 + members of the healthcare team taking care of him/her whether it be the surgeon who operated on him or the nurse who looks after him on a daily basis or the Primary physician or even the physical therapist (PT) who helps rehab him.....it takes everyone!

piscesrn · Jan 5, 2008

I worked in IT for about 7 years doing finincial application support which was very stressful and have been a nurse for about 2 years...started in mother/baby and now doing home care. I really don't like being a nurse and I'm really upset because I worked so HARD to become one.

WDWpixieRN, RN · Jan 5, 2008

I worked in IT for about 7 years doing financial application support which was very stressful and have been a nurse for about 2 years...started in mother/baby and now doing home care. I really don't like being a nurse and I'm really upset because I worked so HARD to become one.

What is it you don't like about being a nurse? Have you pursued other options within the career field? Is it pt care or the responsibility or the employers you've had so far? Have you checked in to some aspects of perhaps the IT/infomatics for health care to combine both backgrounds?

I'm sorry to hear this and worry that this might be the end result for me...I am hoping that with the options available within nursing that I will find my niche once I have graduated and begun working...

Best wishes!! :icon_hug:

Music in My Heart · Jan 5, 2008

In addition, I survived 2 layoffs, only to watch folks with families, mortgages, health issues, and single moms w/kids and no child support, be walked out the door in tears....I constantly felt like someone was watching and waiting so that when it came time to cut back again, I might be next...it was just very disconcerting...
I hated being required to work (unpaid) overtime, playing the evaluation/bonus/raise game every year, working in a situation where your work hours were subjective to the manager you had (I wanted a flex schedule, he didn't "believe" in it; but the manager in the next aisle had 8 members on his team flexing all over heck and gone)....I needed to feel a bit more control over me....

I was an engineer, not an IT guy but there are a lot of similarities. The preceding quotes sums it up pretty well for me, too, except that I survived 8 layoffs and got tagged twice.

To it I'd add the desire to work under a collective bargaining agreement, something that's virtually nonexistent in the engineering field. The older I get, the more I value not being able to be terminated "at will" but rather by seniority.