From Teacher to Nursing

Published

Im a little nervous about going back to school to acquire more financial debt, but recently lost job as a teacher due to cut backs. Wanted to go back to school to get nursing degree so I can have this as back up in case this happens again to me. Just wondering is it worth more debt r should I continue n education and just take the good with the bad?

HELP!!!!:uhoh3:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Tele/PCU/ICU/Stepdown/HH Case Management.

before you incur more debt, you should read many of the posts here regarding new grad nurses that cannot find employment. i don't know that i would encourage anyone looking for work right now to pursue a degree in nursing, considering how many 2009 grads are still without jobs.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Im feeling a little down due to how hard it is to find a job with min experience as a teacher

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, Home Health, Camp, Travel, L&D.

Well, FWIW, from what we're hearing, it may be the same with zero experience as a nurse. Although, where I am in the Southeast, new grads seem to be getting jobs, just maybe not the jobs they wanted.

Also, the aggravations are the same. Institutional politics, Gov't policy changes, fiscal difficulties resulting in less than optimal working conditions/staffing, and irritation with pt family members (just like student family members)...it's all the same! So, while nursing looks "secure" from the outside, I don't know that it really makes a good "plan B" career choice.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatric Private Duty; Camp Nursing.

I was a teacher for about 7 years (one year contracted in a major city district, then I moved to another state and could only find short and full-year sub jobs). When it was obvious finally that the odds of getting a contracted position in my area were slim to none, my husband and I decided that for the good of our family's financial future, I'd cut our losses and start over. I got the prereqs I needed and then went into LPN school. Of course I would have preferred going straight for the RN but the wait time to get in was crazy plus LPN school was a one-year course as opposed to two. I have two children and figured when they were older I could go back and do the rest, plus I'd have an employer who would pay for it. Let me say that this was the best decision I could have made. We got a couple months behind in our mortgage and other bills since I was working less, and if I hadn't started nursing right away it could have been disasterous. But when I started going back to school, I left teaching all together and got a job in a nursing home as an activities aide. Then after graduation, they snatched me up as a nurse right away, since they had paid for some of my classes. So if you do this, try to get a foot in the door somewhere. That's the trick to getting a job in this economy. And I do believe that after this recession opens up, nurses are going to be retiring in droves. Good luck to you, LMK if I can help you out with any suggestions/ideas on the transition.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, rehab to home, PACU.

Job shadow some nurses, be sure that it is something you would like to do before incurring the debt. I know after reading lots of post on here people have different experiences based on their own personal situations and where they live. I graduated 3.5 yrs ago from RN school and was offered a job right away at the 3 places I had applied. Now things are very different. There is no nursing shortage and starting Jan 1 my hours were cut due to increasing nurse to pt ratio on my unit. That means no breaks or lunch for me. I am paid very well but I am to the point where I don't care about the money. I just don't want to be stressed and physically drained. I have an associates degree and want to go back to school for a bachlors degree but want it in something else! I know the grass is not always greener on the otherside but I have been considering becoming a teacher. When starting school I had equal interest in both professions and chose nursing over teaching due to better job prospects. Boy was I naive, I never considered the physical slavery of the job along with high stress considering the patients are ultimately your responsibility, not the LPN or PCT you are supervising. Plus all the patient satisfaction administration crams down your throat while they take away your staffing to cut budgets. It is sad. So I urge you to do your research, I wish I had. I know both careers are different in different parts of the country but most the teachers I know are very happy. It is predicted that when the baby boomers retire that will open lots of teaching opportunities since they hold a lot of those jobs. I know to say hang in there is easier said then done when there are bills to be paid though :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Teaching jobs do seem very far and few between lately. I think going to nursing school would be a great idea. You just might prefer it over teaching. I have noticed that new grad RN's are having difficulty landing their first job but it seems to be much worse for teachers. Being a teacher you already have a Bachelor's degree so more thank likely you have a lot of the prerequisites out of the way. There will probably be more opportunity if you are willing to relocate for a new grad position. Many of the large teaching hospitals and universities hire quite a few of new grads. Your teaching experience would be a great asset to your nursing. Good luck! :D

Up Vote Up Vote ×

When I left teaching, I did an accelerated second degree program which was shorter and cheaper. But I don't know if I would recommend nursing as a "back up." A nursing school education is expensive (books cost more than average textbooks, you have to buy uniforms, some equipment or special computer programs may be required). I didn't mind this expense as I am now earning a RN salary. I would't want to spend that money then earn a teacher's salary.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I thank everybody some much for the advice. You know I was going into my second year of teaching when I got cut which sucks! There are not many jobs at all in teaching like it use to be.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Short version: I'd encourage you to go to nursing school if you want to be a nurse and practice nursing

Long version: The demand for nurses these days has chanced similar to that for teachers. Sme years back most anyone with a pulse and a college degree could get work as a substitute teacher. And someone willing to work in a high-needs community could get an emergency credential and start teaching by the beginning of the next term. Now, highly experienced teachers are competing for work as substitutes in less-than-desirable areas.

So a few year ago, if someone with a bachelor's degree was thinking about going into teaching... well, it wasn't that big of an investment to get qualified and not that difficult to land a job without experience. These days, it's a different story, right? In nursing some years back most anyone with a nursing license could land a job with decent pay. It might be in miserable working conditions with lousy hours, but offers could be had if you had "a warm body and a license".

Another point to consider is that, like teaching, nursing is a job that you can't just go on autopilot if you're not feeling great that day, or go take a coffee break if you're feeling overwhelmed. Very few issues can be put off for more than a few hours, much less til the next day.

Similar to teaching, if the field is entirely new to you, and sometimes if it isn't, it takes at least a year of full-time work to feel anywhere close to even minimally competent. You struggle through each day keenly aware of how much responsbility you have (lives literally depend on you) despite how completely unprepared you feel - which is how many new grads feel since most nursing programs can only offer limited hands-on opportunities for various reasons such as liability issues and more nursing students than available rotation opportunities in the community.

I'm not trying to discourage you from nursing if it's what you want to do. I do discourage it at this time as a "just in case" "back-up" plan for someone in your position. Best wishes!!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I might see it from a different point of view so here is mine. Almost everyone in my family is in education. They are all pretty satisfied overall with their careers. I chose a different path and became an RN. From my point of view they have it pretty good. They never have near the stress that I experience as a nurse. They work Monday -Friday with all weekends and holidays off. They are in control of their classroom. As an RN you are not in control of your day as your patients and doctors are.

If I had it to do over again i would probably of gone the teaching route for a host of reasons.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion