Elementary Education or Nursing?

Music in My Heart · Oct 1, 2007

Other things to consider:

As a teacher, you generally have one time per year to get hired. If you don't get hired that time, you have to wait another year to have another chance.

It can really create problems if your spouse needs to move for a job. My wife and I ended up living apart for 9 months because I took a new job right at the start of her school year. Not only did we need the money from her job, she didn't feel right about leaving the school and the kids in a lurch one week into the school year.

Not only do teachers have great schedules, they can also take sabbaticals or leaves-of-absence. As a kid, we moved overseas for two years with my dad on a leave of absence.

Once you hit about 7 years, if you change jobs, you take a pay cut because most districts will only transfer 7 years of experience for purposes of the salary schedule.

While the families of patients can be a problem, the parents of students can be just as bad or worse. And you're stuck with them for 9-10 months. The same is true of kids who make your life difficult.

Teaching has a lot going for it but it has its drawbacks, too.

deeDawntee, RN · Oct 1, 2007

Thank you for the advice! Do you mind me asking what state your niece lives in? I live in MI.

No problem....Minnesota. Perhaps the outlook is better in Michigan?

patwil73 · Oct 3, 2007

As someone who was a teacher before becoming a nurse I can share what my thought process was and hopefully it will help.

I graduated at the top of my class for Secondary Education (Jr High and High School) and spent the next 3 years searching for a full time job. I worked everywhere and any level to get my foot in the door and just couldn't get hired for a position. Applicants were mostly hired from those who did there student teaching at that school (mine was in the north where I didn't want to work)

In addition to not getting hired full time, I was not getting paid a lot. Starting teachers in my area made around 28k (Upper salaries topped out around 55k). When I worked long-term substitution my days lasted from 6:30am to around 9pm (English teacher so had lots of essays to grade).

After those 3 years I went back and got my nursing license in half the time it took to get my teaching license. After graduation I applied to 6 hospitals and received job offers from 4 of them. My first year I more than doubled my teacher's salary (granted some OT - but 3 days a week working makes that easy). Every two weeks I got six days off in a row. I have been able to work in ICU, Home Health and Hospice, LTC, Agency (ICU through Med-Surg), and finally House Supervisor of a hospital.

I truly enoyed teaching. I loved creating lesson plans and tests and activities. Educating youths just seemed like I was meant for it. That being said, I have never regretted the switch to nursing. The variety, the opportunity, the challenges, the pay, the benefits - all made the choice easy to make and stay with.

I don't wake up everyday feeling like my job is the greatest in the world, but I am always aware how good it really is.

Hope this helps - if you really want an analytical approach make a spreadsheet listing what you want to do in life, and then under each thing you want list whether a teacher or a nurse will make that a reality.

Pat

CloudySue · Oct 5, 2007

I am a former elementary teacher, currently taking my pre-req's for a nursing program. I can concur with much of what others have been saying. I love teaching, and I'm great at it. However, my kind are a dime-a-dozen. I have been subbing short and long term assignments for seven years. This past spring, I had an epiphany. I want to be needed and appreciated, and tired of being ignored and passed over. I have so much energy and passion to contribute in a positive way to society, and I just couldn't cut a break anywhere. After learning that there were 1000 applicants for 4 positions in the district I was working in, I realized that if I went back for nursing, I would have employers banging down my door in two years. If I did nothing, most likely I'd still not have a contract in that time. I want to be able to pick and choose what I do for the rest of my life, not take undesirable long-term sub jobs because I had no other choice. I need to take control and being in an in-demand vocation is the way to go.

So many people (myself included) knew the odds of getting a job out of college with elementary ed, but thought to themselves, "Oh, I will be different! I'll get hired! I'm better than everyone else! They'll see!" Don't kid yourself. I blindly told myself that for years. Some teachers do get lucky, but many more do not. As a college student, I had no mortgage, no kids, nothing to make me think beyond the present. I now have two children and I am so angry at myself for not making better choices to earn a secure living for them. I let them down. But now I'm making up for it. Nursing scratches the same vocational itch I get when I want to "make a difference" (hokey but true). When I originally chose my major, I had decided against nursing b/c of the math and science requirements, but as it turns out, I'm using my aforementioned anger to fuel my desire to do better for myself and my family. Turns out I can do anything when I'm motivated. I earned a 100% on my last A&P test.

I would hate to see anyone else take the long, frustrating path I did, but I do feel like I'm a better person for it and have a better sense of clarity of my life's purpose. My advice to anyone would be to keep asking seasoned teachers and nurses about their career path, and use their advice to imagine how the big picture will frame your own life. Above all, do NOT believe you when they say there's a teacher shortage, it's a big lie in most cases!

Music in My Heart · Oct 5, 2007

The teacher shortage has some similarities to the nurse shortage. There is a shortage of teachers willing to work with difficult kids from lousy homes in low-performing, poorly paying big-city urban districts.

For the jobs in the nicer suburban districts that have solid tax base, good salaries, and educated, intact families from which to draw their students, the competition for jobs can be fierce.

That said, I do know several teachers who managed to get hired in the more desirable districts so it can be done.

jjjoy, LPN · Oct 5, 2007

I second SongInMyHeart

Location makes a difference - some places have lots of demand; others, not at all.

And the places with the highest demand are generally the hardest places to work (whether its nursing or teaching). Sometimes, the pay for such jobs is good, but the conditions are so miserable that most don't want to stay long term. It's not just that it's hard work, but it's practically impossible to do a good job in the situation your given to work with.

dustbowldiva · Oct 6, 2007

"This past spring, I had an epiphany. I want to be needed and appreciated, and tired of being ignored and passed over. I have so much energy and passion to contribute in a positive way to society, and I just couldn't cut a break anywhere. After learning that there were 1000 applicants for 4 positions in the district I was working in, I realized that if I went back for nursing, I would have employers banging down my door in two years. If I did nothing, most likely I'd still not have a contract in that time."

Wow, can I relate to that! I have 2 degrees (Psych and secondary English Ed.) and graduated at the top of my class. I have spent the last three years as an aide in an alternative high school, and applying for full-time teaching jobs. I love working with the kids, but I do all the grading, and a lot of the actual teaching and make less than a convenience store clerk.

This summer I realized that since I have a lot of science classes in my background, I could get through nursing school in 2 years and enjoy a career with so much morevariety, flexibility, and financial security. I am extremely excited about this and can't wait for the year to end and be admitted (fingers crossed) into a nursing program. I know that nursing has its issues, but so does education -believe me!

katesmom · Oct 7, 2007

Your post really hit home with me. I am so analytical & weigh the pros & cons of every career decision too. Ive become paralyzed by my indecision to become a Nurse. The commitment scares me & Im really dragging my feet. I applied to Nursing School 3 years ago & then got scared. I then did a Medical Transcription study at home. I disliked that & never finished the program. Since graduating high school many moons ago I have weighed so many careers. (Elem Ed, Nursing, Pharm Tech, Medical Coder, Medical Transcription, Loan officer, etc...)

I took a personality test to determine a career path. Turns out Im an INFJ (Introverted / INtuative / Feeling / Judging) - "As an INFJ, your primary mode of living is focused internally, where you take things in primarily via intuition. Your secondary mode is external, where you deal with things according to how you feel about them, or how they fit with your personal value system" Wow that was an eye opener.

I too have been through mild depression because of my indecision..... Its so hard & scary to settle on one career choice. I can honestly say of all of the careers Ive research (a ton) Nursing offers a huge spectrum of possibilities. I currently work in a ICN Nursing Unit as a secretary & the nurses I work with love what they do. They have so many opportunities available to them & tons of opportunities to make extra money (shift diff / CE's) You never quit learning as a nurse. I also feel that once you start caring for others you will take the focus off of yourself & wont doubt your decision as much.

I need to take my own advice when I say commit to it & endure the hardship.

Music in My Heart · Oct 7, 2007

Your post really hit home with me. I am so analytical & weigh the pros & cons of every career decision too. Ive become paralyzed by my indecision to become a Nurse. The commitment scares me & Im really dragging my feet. I applied to Nursing School 3 years ago & then got scared. I then did a Medical Transcription study at home. I disliked that & never finished the program. Since graduating high school many moons ago I have weighed so many careers. (Elem Ed, Nursing, Pharm Tech, Medical Coder, Medical Transcription, Loan officer, etc...)
I took a personality test to determine a career path. Turns out Im an INFJ (Introverted / INtuative / Feeling / Judging) - "As an INFJ, your primary mode of living is focused internally, where you take things in primarily via intuition. Your secondary mode is external, where you deal with things according to how you feel about them, or how they fit with your personal value system" This explains why I focus so much internally (analyze to death)
I too have been through mild depression because of my indecision..... Its so hard & scary to settle on one career choice. I can honestly say of all of the careers Ive research (a ton) Nursing offers a huge spectrum of possibilities. I currently work in a ICN Nursing Unit as a secretary & the nurses I work with love what they do. They have so many opportunities available to them & tons of opportunities to make extra money (shift diff / CE's) You never quit learning as a nurse. I also feel that once you start caring for others you will take the focus off of yourself & wont doubt your decision as much.
I need to take my own advice when I say commit to it & endure the hardship.

You're never really going to know until you spend some time working in the field after you've become proficient.

Take heart in the knowledge that nothing is cast in stone - you can always change later on, either within nursing or into another field. Just look at how many of us are making mid-career changes INTO nursing.

Analyzing and planning are good but you need to avoid "analysis paralysis".

Me, I became a mechanical engineer but have invested significant time and money in exploration of becoming a Coast Guard officer, a Marine Corps officer, a professional pilot, an air-traffic controller, a math and science teacher, a physician, a chemist, a biochemical engineer, a civil engineer, and finally a nurse - and who knows where I'll end up in nursing. I don't think any of my education nor training has been wasted.

Making career decisions is hard. It's so hard to know what you'll like or be good at and, as several have related, you may not be able to find work in your chosen profession or get into the school or training program that you need to.

Make the best decision that you can and work toward a goal but always know that you can change if you want to.

HealthyRN · Oct 7, 2007

Your post really hit home with me. I am so analytical & weigh the pros & cons of every career decision too. Ive become paralyzed by my indecision to become a Nurse. The commitment scares me & Im really dragging my feet. I applied to Nursing School 3 years ago & then got scared. I then did a Medical Transcription study at home. I disliked that & never finished the program. Since graduating high school many moons ago I have weighed so many careers. (Elem Ed, Nursing, Pharm Tech, Medical Coder, Medical Transcription, Loan officer, etc...)
I took a personality test to determine a career path. Turns out Im an INFJ (Introverted / INtuative / Feeling / Judging) - "As an INFJ, your primary mode of living is focused internally, where you take things in primarily via intuition. Your secondary mode is external, where you deal with things according to how you feel about them, or how they fit with your personal value system" Wow that was an eye opener.
I too have been through mild depression because of my indecision..... Its so hard & scary to settle on one career choice. I can honestly say of all of the careers Ive research (a ton) Nursing offers a huge spectrum of possibilities. I currently work in a ICN Nursing Unit as a secretary & the nurses I work with love what they do. They have so many opportunities available to them & tons of opportunities to make extra money (shift diff / CE's) You never quit learning as a nurse. I also feel that once you start caring for others you will take the focus off of yourself & wont doubt your decision as much.
I need to take my own advice when I say commit to it & endure the hardship.

I am also INFJ and I have had a lot of difficulty making career decisions. I struggled with the decision to become a nurse and now that I am a nurse, I am struggling with the decision to leave nursing for another profession. I have to agree with the above poster. I don't really regret becoming a nurse because I have learned many life lessons that I will carry with me forever, even if I eventually leave nursing. Education is never wasted.