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If you want to be a nurse, you should head down the nursing path instead of the speech pathology path.
Depending how far along you are, you might consider knocking out the nursing pre-reqs, finishing your original degree, and then trying to get into a second-degree program (of which there are fewer with the combination of budget cuts and the new-grad glut).
If you're not too far down the path, though, you might want to bail out now and just focus on pre-nursing and core sciences.
The best path for you has many variables including your academic skill, your family situation, your financial situation, where you live, and your ability to relocate.
I come from a similar background - thought I wanted to be a teacher (my family has LOTS of teachers in it), and am a few credits short of an ECE degree. I discovered that nursing was a better match for my interests when I joined a volunteer doula program when my oldest was 2. Before that, I hadn't really been aware of nursing at all. I have no regrets about the decision - I can't imagine I'd actually enjoy teaching.
That said... if you're already well-invested in a speech pathology program, is there another path that would meet your goal without starting over? If you're working Per Diem for a hospital, you could likely easily work as birth/postpartum doula as well. SLP is one of the accepted health professions for becoming an IBCLC (lactation consultant).
Have you job shadowed either an SLP or a nurse? In different specialties?
Hmm - is your Mom a nurse? Just asking to see if you have a realistic picture of how nursing is different from other jobs and the potential impact on your personal life. As the mother of a very young child, how do you feel about working nights, weekends, holidays? The working schedule is pretty rigid & the most desirable schedules are reserved for more experienced staff. Staff nursing is highly regimented and task oriented - at least until you have sufficient experience/education to move into a higher level position. We're the bottom of the health care professional hierarchy with very little authority & enormous accountability.
Just want to make sure that you are seeing the reality & understand that it will probably take you several years of hard slog to make it into your 'ideal job'.
missjayda
5 Posts
Hello all! I am relatively new to this site. I remember growing up I wanted to be a pediatrician or a nurse but my mom had told me nurses work long hours and your dealing with sick people so that derailed me. When I got to college I opted to go the Teacher route and received an associate in Early Childhood education. Now I am in a four year college, and I am in the speech program but pediatric nursing/ labor and delivery is my calling. I have a 9 month old son, and I would really like advice from moms with children on my situation. I would really love to go into a field where I will enjoy working and that is nursing. Right now I am a teacher assistant and even though I enjoy the kids, I dislike the politics in schools.