Educational and Career Opportunites

[MangoTango]

Basically I’ve been having a life crisis for about a year. I’ll graduate college next year with a BS in Bioengineering – difficult coursework, lucrative field, bright future, yadda yadda – the moral of the story is I despise it. Every internship I’ve held is a bore; I can’t deal with office jobs and just can’t see myself climbing a corporate ladder.

So I’ve been doing some soul searching – and cannot shake the idea of a career in medicine/healthcare. I’ve always been interested in human anatomy/physiology/pathology, but always sworn I didn’t want to go to medical school. Now I'm thinking about it - but I see myself starting a family at 30, not a career. So recently I’ve been thinking about nursing (mostly advanced practice).

I don’t want to toot my own horn, but I’m a smart girl with ambitions. I like to be challenged and don’t like being treated like I’m stupid. I’m looking for some opinions about the following associated with nursing:

- educational opportunities (or limitations)

-how mentally stimulating/challenging it is

-how much grunt work

-if you feel looked down upon and if so how you deal with it

And how all of this applies to someone with a BSN vs. those who have an APN degree. I really would really appreciate any stories, advice, or opinions…. Thanks!

[Jules A, MSN]

Nursing is a fair amount of "grunt" work simple as that and there will always be people who look down on you no matter what level of education you obtain. My suggestion would be that you accept that and get over it. As someone who has always thought they were pretty smart also I have to say it only gets you so far in the real world and maturity and diplomacy really count for far more. You might want to consider working for a while in your present field no matter how mundane to establish professional references and a financial base that you can use if/when you decide to restart school. Good luck.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

I am assuming the OP is in mid 20's? I find it difficult to reconcile a self description of 'ambitious' but also not wanting to climb the corporate ladder... hmm. No matter what field, one always has to pay dues in the form of basic work experience before expecting to gain higher rank. I'm trying really hard not to stereotype, but these comments seem very 'millenial' to me.

By definition, Nursing is at the 'grunt work' level on the health care heirarchy and I don't anticipate that this will ever change. We do what no one else wants to do. AKA, personal, hands-on patient care. This type of work entails intimate contact with people when they are in their most unattractive and vulnerable state. It can be physically and emotionally exhausting. This type of work does not garner accolades. It is what it is.

If you pay attention to the posts on AN, it is evident that nursing school tends to change one's self-image. People who have very high GPA's (required for admission these days) can find themselves floundering academically within a very short time. The educational process is very different -- it is fast and must occur on multiple dimensions simultaneously. Success in pre-nursing or basic sciences does not necessarily translate to high GPAs in nursing school or guarantee a successful transition into practice.

[MangoTango]

You are correct, I have just entered my 20’s, and I really was not trying to put myself on a pedestal “above” the field. I have so much respect for nurses, which is why I am here questioning if I too could be that type of person. I am currently finding myself on the fast track to a “square” career, and that prospect doesn’t excite me. There is nothing personal about designing, manufacturing, and marketing medical devices.

So many tell stories of personal growth that are inspiring, but I am curious to hear about any professional growth that people here have experienced. Personally I believe that is a large part of professional satisfaction – whether with nursing that’s changing units, workplace setting, or obtaining new certifications/degrees.

I will soon be volunteering in a local hospital and will shadow a few doctors over the course of the summer because truthfully I am just curious about what it might be like to work in the medical field. I would love to hear more about how men and women here have made nursing a career, not just a “job.” Thank you for the advice and opinions!