Ever consider other (more technical) positions in the hospital?

[reformedlibrarian]

Hi there. I am a former English major currently completing the pre-requisites to get into nursing school. I have to say from reading the posts here for quite a while and following the scary trends in nursing now (more people going to nursing school, less people getting hired) I am getting pretty apprehensive.

I am now starting to look at some of the technician programs at local community colleges (i.e. Ultrasound Technician, Respiratory Therapist etc). It seems like the pay is often close if not equal to nursing, without the level of stress. Also, many of the technical programs I am looking at seem to be in more of a demand.

I guess my question here is two fold..

Have you ever thought about leaving nursing for another non-nursing position in the hospital?

and

If you were to move to another position (like Ultrasound Technician, Respiratory Therapist, etc), what would it be?

Thanks! I will move this to pre-nursing forum if anyone requests.

[nursalicious]

Honestly, no. As far as I know (been a critical care nurse for 7 years and in the process of transferring to the cath lab/EP lab recovery unit), there are WAY more options for nurses. Yes, the stress level in many areas of nursing is high, but I love knowing that I can tranfer to pretty much any area in the hospital or outside the hospital that I want when there is a position available. For example, I decided my stress level in the ICU was getting too high. When the former ICU nurses in CPRU asked me to come over, I made the decision to go for it. I'm not implying rad techs and RTs can't change areas (well, in my hospital RTs must float), but there is a plethora of specialties from which a nurse can choose.

[SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN]

this may be the wrong forum to ask because we are nurses... however, i will try my best to respond... i know rts and rad techs who worked as such for many decades and would never give up their profession (it is a profession because it requires education and a license too) to become a nurse. i do not blame them given what they are responsible for and the expectations of them vs. the expectations of a nurse. however, i personally like nursing (what it is) even though i absolutely hate my current job! this is why i have not thought of working as some other professional due to my basic interest and love for the nursing profession.

in fact, i cannot imagine being a geek about being a rt or rad tech like my friends in those professions... but i am a geek about nursing, specifically trauma. i study stuff i do not expect to see on the floors any time soon, but my goal is to move into emergency nursing some years from now... the most important thing to me in choosing nursing was having a passion that would assist me in putting up with garbage and motivate me in continuing to work hard to have a successful career. the other professions do not hold my interest in this manner and also do not offer the opportunities that mirror my other interest.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

I think about it often. I float between ultrasound technician, respiratory therapist (occasionally) and then, sometimes, I think of office work in the hospital. The main reason I have not done it is because there are not many respectable schools in my area to train me.

[suni, BSN, RN]

The issues in healthcare today are not confined to nursing. Rad techs, US tech and RT's are all losing positions due to downsizing. The economy has affected all aspects of healthcare and will continue to do so, this will ultimately make the nursing shortage worse then what was originally predicted.

The best thing to do is become more politically aware of what is happening and write your representatives.