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Discussion

Considering Nursing Career- is it for me?

I am considering changing professions to be a nurse and wanted some input from actual nurses first.

I have a business degree and owned a successful business before Hurricane Katrina hit. I lost everything I owned including my business and since the storm have been working as an executive assistant in a business profession. I enjoy my boss and co-workers and I have a secretary so I'm really focused more on handling contracts, insurance issues, etc. and I'm not really doing filing work or anything.

However, I would rather have a job where I feel like I'm making a difference or being of some help. Right now I feel like I'm just there, working, but not helping anyone. Also, I am not satisfied with my opportunity for advancement at my current job and don't want to be an exec assistant forever. I am definitely a "people person" (exceptionally friendly yet professional) and in addition to my communication skills, am extremely proficient in more administrative tasks like paperwork, typing (over 14,000 keystrokes/hr), dealing with confidential legal issues, etc. I am also highly organized and detail oriented. HOWEVER, science and math were ALWAYS difficult subjects for me from high school to college- not good grades! Basics like accounting were ok but not calculus or anything like that.

Another issue is that in the New Orleans area we are extremely understaffed in the medical field and it seems like all the jobs open in the city are medical- mostly nursing jobs.

I am thinking that within the next 3-5 years I will have children and also would not want to work full time (or possibly at all). I'm thinking that ideally I wouldn't work until my children were in preschool and at that point, go back to work part time. My current job would not allow for that. Also, the business careers I have connections in are not going to be flexible with work hours (I currently work roughly 50 hrs/wk) and if I were to not work for a few years and then go back, it would be exceptionally difficult and even then, working part time would be difficult unless I were a secretary of some sort.

It seems like nursing might be a good career choice for me. It is in high demand in my area and nurses will always be needed. The schedules seem to be flexible and there is more potential I could not work for a few years and then go back part time with more ease. Also, obviously, the pay is fairly good.

Finally, because I got my business degree in 2004, it hasn't been TOO long and I'm hoping I could do an accelerated program that would only take about 20 months to complete an associate's degree (starting in Fall 2009 if I was accepted the first time I applied).

I think I would enjoy working in NICU or with babies in some aspect or also potentially with allergies. I'm gonna be honest here, I'm not sure how much "blood and guts" I could take. Maybe I would be surprised because I do watch a lot of those shows on tv with real surgeries or people getting plastic surgery done... I guess I may not know until I get into it. Could I potentially work in a hospital in some aspect while getting my associates or do most all hospital jobs require a degree of some sort already or experience?

Am I crazy or do you think nursing would be a good fit for me?

Also- and I'm sorry but I do have to ask- I hear that "nurses eat their young" and even as a patient, I have experienced a LOT of "grumpy" nurses in my time! lol How bad is this, really?!

Thanks so much, I really do appreciate it!!

Featured Replies

Also- and I'm sorry but I do have to ask- I hear that "nurses eat their young" and even as a patient, I have experienced a LOT of "grumpy" nurses in my time! lol How bad is this, really?!

Just FYI: The phrase "eat their young" is not liked on these boards. It's a sensitive area for most people here.

I hope you get the responses you're looking for, and welcome!

  • Author

I'm sorry- I certainly meant no harm!!

It's just a phrase I've heard. I have several friends and sisters-in-law who are all nurses and of course, I think they are wonderful, but I have certainly heard horror stories from them as well as not having some great service myself both at doctors offices and at an emergency room.

I certainly understand that you can experience grumpy people in ANY profession but I have heard that this is particularly trying for some reason.

I just wanted some advice in general about all my questions without going to my friends or family first... if they know I'm considering it at all, they'll get excited and then if I don't decide to go that route, I'll never hear the end of it! lol :)

But either way, I have a lot of respect for nurses and obviously think I may like to be one myself so there is certainly no harm intended- again, I'm sorry.

I also had a degree in another field. I also was not very good at math and science in high school. I worked desk jobs for awhile and ended up going back to school to get a BSN in nursing. I thought I'd like pediatrics until I did my pediatrics clinical. Now I'm about to start a job as a new NP (Adult Health).

Nursing, I have found, has much flexibility. Sometimes the job openings depend on where you live. I live in a metropolitan area.... everyone needs RNs... part time, full time, days, evenings or nights. And they are always looking....especially for RNs to fill hospital positions..

As for you...I always hear folks mentioning shadowing a nurse for a day. Not sure if that's reasonable for you but if it is that might give you some idea of what an RN does. Nursing is a good field but it can be stressful and rewarding and humbling at the same time, depending on where you live. Some patients and their family members will thank you, others .... let's just say others may not thank you...

Best wishes as you explore whether this field is for you. :)

  • Author

mom and nurse- wow, that was a wonderful answer- thank you so much!!

It is just so nerve wracking and such a HUGE decision... to think that someone else's life or health or well being could be in my hands is very scary!! I don't know if I'm up for it! lol At the same time, the prospect of feeling like I am making a difference and helping others is wonderful and exciting. :D

  • Experts

when we were kids my mom had stacks of plastic surgery journals at home with gross photos of deformities. we looked at them all the time. after you see enough you get desensitized to it.

you might want to read these articles:

also- and i'm sorry but i do have to ask- i hear that "nurses eat their young" and even as a patient, i have experienced a lot of "grumpy" nurses in my time! lol how bad is this, really?!

do you mean to tell me that you've never experienced grumpiness in any other profession? hmmm. hospital and ltc nursing is very stressful. so is being a police officer. you are dealing with people who are, in general, having the worst days of their life. it does make for a stressful environment. it tends to bring out raw emotion in everyone. if you aren't emotionally screwed on tight, then things come out--including bad behavior. it's as simple as that. some people just aren't good guardians of their bad behavior and that includes the nurses, shame on them.

nurses eating their young does not refer to grumpiness. it refers to bullying. when it does happen it is a behavioral problem, and bullying happens in all walks of life. part of my nursing education was communication skills and assertiveness training. this was to protect us from experiencing verbal threats and cutting off this kind of behavior.

  • Author

Daytonite- Thank you so much!! Your post was EXTREMELY helpful!! wow- I really, really appreciate the links!

I did post as well that I understand that there can be not nice people in any profession, of course! I have just heard a lot of horror stories but yes, I can completely understand what you're saying about people having the worst day of their lives and I understand this must be a VERY stressful profession, although rewarding. I guess that's part of my uncertainty about it- the stress of dealing with people who are emotionally charged and at the same time, the personal stress knowing how important your decisions are and that every action you take has a lasting effect on another human being.

Anyway, thank you, your insight was invaluable!! :D:up:

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