Feeling called to nursing...some questions

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My whole life, I've planned on becoming either a History or English teacher. But as I"m about to go back to school to finish my degree, something is telling me to consider nursing school. I spend most of my time perusing the nursing pre-reqs instead of the education dept and lurking on allnurses.com! :)

I think my only hold-outs are

1.My family fashions me as a teacher-type and to some extent, so do I. By considering another field, I feel that I'm abandoning my former self or something. But the truth is that surly students that don't really want to learn, self-entitled parents that think their child can do no wrong and hours upon hours of unpaid work and detention duty sound less than appealing. Helping my son with his homework is painful for me, as he is a typical 6 year old that would rather play video games than write sentences. Shouldn't a future teacher enjoy motivating him??

2. My mother is a nurse and we have a less than great relationship. She missed most of my life events growing up and always blamed it on "the job." I always thought that nurses had a profession that made being heavily invloved in their child's life near impossible. Now, as an adult and parent myself, I'm starting to think that her lack of involvement was more a matter of her personal choices and less due to her profession. (She's a very selfish person who puts herself before her family 90% of the time.)

I understand that there will be things that I miss out on as a nurse. Holidays are required as a hospital employee and I feel my family can work around it. (Celebrate the day before or after for instance.)

I guess my questions are...how do you feel your work/life balance is?

Do you think that this is a good fit for a mom who's willing to make extra effort to not neglect either her job or her children?

How long do most nurses work in the field before part time becomes a viable option? I want to have this option if my home life begins to require it, but I know that I'll likely have to be full time to get my skills up for a certain period of time.

How did you know that you wanted to be a nurse? As I said...I feel a calling. It's a feeling I can't shake, although it doesn't really make perfect sense to me. I do well in biology, but math eludes me! I'm more of an English and history person.:confused:

Mom RNs: What shift do you work and what is your childcare situation?

Thank you for your time and thanks for reading! :D

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Specializes in Psych, I/DD.

mgra328, I entered college thinking I would become an amazing Math teacher. I absolutely LOVE teaching! However, I also wanted to be a nurse so I changed my major and am now an RN. First off most people believe that being a nurse means working in a hospital; not! I am no fan of working weekends nor holidays so I work as a residential RN with special needs population (I never knew it exsisted until I got the job) You may also consider school nursing. (Nurses sometimes do not consider this "real" nursing but I think its just because they don't know exactly what it entales.) I also get to teach all the time. I teach about different medications, different treatments, reasons for certain medical appts, etc. I am also enrolled for my MSN in Education as my goal is to one day teach classes to nurses to be! I get the best of both worlds. Best of luck to ya!

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Specializes in mental health, military nursing.

I think that your reasons for questioning teahcing are exactly what you'll have to deal with as a nurse, except with all ages, crazy families, and life-or-death "lessons."

And while nursing does not prevent you from having a life, (unless you are lucky to find a M-F, 7-3pm kind of job) you will have to give up many holidays, evenings, and weekends.

It is much easier to make a living with nursing than teaching (I know many teachers that are subbing and working at the mall to make ends meet, because full-time jobs are hard to come by)... but the two fields have a lot of common stressors.

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If your family needs some convincing, you could say you want to be a nursing educator :)

To be honest, I did this to myself 4 years ago. I went into Journalism and communications at University because it was what I really excelled at and what everyone, including myself, though I would always do. I looked often at the nursing program, but I was afraid I couldn't pass the chem or math classes. But nursing math my first term...just clicked. I was one of 5 to test out of the math course. It's not as difficult as even what you did in high school.

Well, my degree in communications got me in a string of cubical jobs that I didn't enjoy and drove me batty. I was so relieved to be laid off! I got incredibly lucky with an emergency response job that paid for my training, and the lay off from there when the economy tanked gave me the opportunity to attend nursing school.

I'd worry first about your time on schooling, because that took up far more of my life than working as a nurse did (I was LPN; going for RN currently). Schooling is full time AND takes up your nights and weekends to study and finish products, whereas working...your shift is your shift, unless you are on call. I'm not a mom, so I'm sorry I can't really answer that area, but I attend school with a lot of parents and single moms, and our educators are quick to share stories about how working life goes.

Here, and especially in hospitals, you will often start on night shift - but every area and every facility is different. Look through some job ads in your area to get an idea of what's being hired for in your area; it may help.

And regardless of what you choose...best of luck to you!

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Specializes in Clinicals.

A nurse educator would be a great idea!:D

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I would never "rule out" nurse educator, but I'm guessing I'd have to be a floor nurse for a bit first, no?

And what's funny is that I'm starting to think that I don't want to neccessarily teach, as much as I would want to be immersed in my subject area all day....

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Specializes in Home Health Care.

I'm a relatively new nurse & mom of three very busy kids. My first job out of nursing school, I worked a mix of 12hour Day and Night shifts for 1yr, then worked PRN for an additional year. With PRN I chose when I worked, however it was always a 12hr shift. Last Oct, I quit and took a job in home health care and currently work M-F 8a-4:30 pm My agency is very family friendly, meaning If my kids get sick, have a dental appointment, school play, or band trip, it's not a problem to take the day off. As for child care, I am going to rely heavily on my 15yr old and in-laws this summer. When I worked PRN, I pretty much took the summer off, only picking up the minimum shifts to keep me eligible. (like 2 per month).

I also felt that calling into nursing.

I agree with others, our nursing field needs good educators! Work for a couple years on the floor then get your MSN....(It's what I'm doing!)

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.

Teaching is a fabulous career insofar as the schedule fits with the schedule that the kids follow. I was raised by teachers and never really understood that most kids didn't have their folks around for all the holidays and didn't regularly spend weeks away from home as a family each summer. My spouse is a teacher and it certainly makes our lives easier in planning out the summer vis-a-vis childcare and activities.

I'm of the opinion that one of every couple with kids should be a teacher, just because of the schedule.

The nursing schedule can be a challenge. The 12-hr night shift seems to work pretty well for the nurses-with-kids that I know.

Full disclosure: I believe the "calling" thing is bunk... I believe that most people can be happy in, and prosper at, many different vocations and that work environment and employer attitude (along with job stability) are the primary determinants of vocational contentedness.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

Honestly, if you want to teach we need you on the floor! There are daily opportunities to try to help patients better understand their medical conditions, diets, procedures etc. I am a wife and mother of a 2 year old. I work nights and honestly dont feel like I miss much. Well, other than sleep. I try to work thurs, friday, saturday. That way thursday night I'm home until 6:30pm like normal, then hubby gets him dinner and ready for bed, friday my mom comes over to babysit and they get to enjoy the day together while I sleep and go back to work, Saturday he gets a day alone with his dad, and Sunday after work I will stay up all day to spend time with them both. Other than that I'm home with him Mon-Wed.

ETA: I never thought nursing was a calling for me until I became a nurse and started working. Before I graduated there were days I wondered what the hell I was doing. Now I look forward to going to work 99% of the time, give 100% everyday and leave everyday feeling rewarded.

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I only really have a right to comment on one part of this post, and thats the first comment you made...

1. Time is never wasted until you have a change of heart and refuse to follow. Much like a relationship... Years spent with another is only wasted when you know in your heart that they are not the one for you. Before then, it is all experience relevant to you becoming the person you are today. Follow your dreams or you will look back and regret it forever. You are never too invested or too old to be happy.

I wanted to be a US history teacher for years (funny coincidence) and am now aiming at starting nursing prereqs at the age of 23 with almost no general education even completed. I am already state-licensed for and involved in another full time career (not even remotely the same field). Like i said, it is never too late, and my time was not wasted. It WILL however be wasted if I continue doing something when I know my true passion lies elsewhere.

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I believe where you are in the country may make a difference. I work in Tampa, Florida and we are begging for nurses (especially nurses with experience). I am an RN in the hospital. I work PRN which is wonderful since I have a small son and I only have to schedule myself 2 days a month. I happen to work at a hospital that has self scheduling so if I do decide to work 3 days a week I can work around my husband's schedule. I have not worked a major holiday since I don't know when. I rarely work weekends (maybe 1 weekend day every 6 wks or so).

Nursing, I believe, is wonderful for parents. However, you have to find the right hospital, the right floor, and the right manager. If anyone of the earlier are bad it can make your whole situation awful. That being said, I love being a nurse, however, I hope that you understand that being a nurse comes with ALOT of baggage. For example, you are susceptible to any and every disease, thus making your family susceptible. You clean up poop and pee all day. Doctors, families, and patients can be demanding and abrasive. Sometimes you are expected to be superwoman, meaning, give pain meds, take people to the bathroom, answer callbells, talk to doctors, etc... all at the same time with a smile on your face.

I truly believe though that the positives far outweigh the negative. Especially considering that a nurse in the hospital is rarely without work and almost always makes a pretty paycheck. I also feel like I don't have to a**kiss at my job, which I adore. If I had to work with a bunch of teachers all day I would probably go out of my mind with boredom. Nursing can be fun/funny. I ALWAYS have a funny story to tell. I work with awesome people. And since I work in critical care I get the high I need from my job. Being at a school everyday would be very mundane and I need stimulation. Plus, in my experience, teachers are kind of snotty and humorless. I don't mean to start a riot here, but that's just my opinion. And I have to say I think most nurses have a pretty good sense of humor... it's kind of a job requirement. :nurse:

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Nursienurse...i live in riverview, right outside of Tampa!! I'd love to know what hospital you work at! :)

I nver really thought about what kind of people work at a school. (they are kind of uptight aren't they..in general of course!)

From my mom, i do know that nurses definitely have to have a sense of humor! Thanks for the insight. I'd love to hear more about your work situation and any recommendations you can give me for where to work and where not to work in the bay area.

I was accepted to USF and hope to switch my major to pre-nursing soon.

Thanks for the post...it was most helpful! :yeah:

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