Early childhood major or nursing

SassyTachyRN · Nov 15, 2015

I'm a school nurse... Best of both worlds!

hazel_dreamss · Nov 15, 2015

Are there any cons to school nursing?

RNperdiem, RN · Nov 15, 2015

There is only so much we can tell you on a site like this. My recommendation: seek out real people doing the kind of work you are interested in. See if you can shadow them at their jobs. Ask them about their jobs; most people are happy to talk if you get them at the right time.

A little investigation beforehand will point you in the right direction.

BittyBabyGrower, MSN, RN · Nov 15, 2015

Look at the job market for both where you live. Where I am, both are pretty well saturated and people are having to move to get jobs.

SassyTachyRN · Nov 15, 2015

Are there any cons to school nursing?

I think it varies by person, honestly. I don't make as much money as my friends who work ICU overnights or weekends. But I also never work weekends, evenings, holidays. I am salaried, so I get summers off and still get a paycheck. I'm in the teachers union and get a pension. Some school nurses don't get a salary and have to take on another job in the summer or on breaks.

Sometimes it's hard being the only medical person amongst a bunch of educators. Sometimes parents are difficult. But you'll have challenges in any job you do.

Mom2boysRN · Nov 16, 2015

I was looking into early childhood, did some classes, then switched to elementary education. Many years later I went back to be a nurse which was what I really wanted to do, but was convinced I wasn't smart enough to do the course work.

You will make more money being a nurse, but money isn't what it's all about. You need to decide what you think you will be happiest with. You can shadow nurses and you could probably volunteer at a childcare center. That may help you decide what you are most suited for.

llg, PhD, RN · Nov 16, 2015

My sister was a 2nd grade teacher all her career. I am a nurse in a children's hospital. We have similar levels of education and are close in age.

As a nurse, I have always had a higher salary ... but she has always had better benefits (and those are important, too).

I had to pay for most of my graduate education myself. She had 100% tuition & book reimbursement by the school district.

Her health insurance has always been better than mine. (No co-pay until a few years ago, when she started having to pay $10 per visit. After retirement, she still has access to the school district's plan -- at the group rate.)

She has a state-funded retirement plan -- and was able to retire at age 52 with a pension worth 60% of highest salary guaranteed for the rest of her life, adjusted annually for inflation. She is also eligible for Social Security (though it is a reduced amount because of the state pension.) Between the 2 of those tax-funded programs, she will get about 80% of her highest annual salary for the rest of her life. She was also able to save additional money in a tax-deferred annuity -- and worked part-time during her 50's to earn additional cash and increase her retirement savings. She lives in the north, but winters in Florida, playing golf 3 times per week.

As a nurse, I will get no pension. But I have earned more cash than she has -- and I have been smart and diligent about saving. So I have a bigger retirement account -- but the income from that is what I will be living on in retirement. So I am playing it safe and planning on working until I am in my mid-60's.

In the end, we have both done OK -- but she got to retire a lot earlier as her future income is guaranteed by the government. With no guaranteed income except Social Security, I can't take the chance of early retirement. But I expect to have more money in retirement than she has -- if I manage my money well.

I say ... evaluate the essence of each career thoroughly. What kind of work would you rather be doing for all those years ahead? Both have the potential to be good careers -- but both can also be stressful and drive your crazy. Pick your poison carefully.