How many of you had a different career/education before becoming an RN?

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just curious b/c I went to school for psychology & right now I'm in graduate school for social work. I am thinking of switching to nursing before finishing up my MSW b/c I'm so anxious to earn the title of RN and work in the hopsital doing clincial work!! :uhoh3:

I worked for a vet for 15 years. loved it but after my divorce was left with no insurance. I took a plunge, worked a summers notice and started school full time. I will finish my CNA class at the end of this month, Jan 2007 start the LPN program and in Fall 2007 transition to ADN. Cant wait!!

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Lizz - and you left all that?!! Wow, sounds like a dream to me!

Lizz,

Your life sounds so interesting!

Nah ... it sounds a lot more interesting and glamourous than it actually was. You end up doing all the research and production work so Diane Sawyer or some other anchor can waltz in, take all the credit for it and make multi-million dollar salaries while you're getting paid peanuts.

And, the TV news business is tough. Shows get cancelled or the ratings drop and they end up making staff cuts to pay for those multi-million dollar salaries so ... you're out of work a lot of the time and always having to find new jobs.

It's not like nursing where you actually have to have some skills and a license. They can replace you with a 20 year old kid with stars in their eyes at any time .... and they do, especially once you start making some decent money.

It was fun in the beginning but, after awhile, it gets old. No matter how many exclusives I gave them and no matter how many hours I put in ... it was never enough. Lots of corporate BS and cutthroat politics ... pretty much like any other job ... really.

:typing

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Specializes in Tele m/s, new to ED.

four years for Uncle Sam pumping gas, then pumped gas at the airport. Laid off and went to OT Asst program and did that for about 9 years. Now I've been a RN for a year and a half, and loving it! I wish I did it 20 years ago, but I think those other "Life Experiences" brought me to where I am.

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Specializes in cardiac.

I was a bartender. Yes, a bartender! From the time I was 20 until I was 32. Got married, had a baby. Marriage didn't work. Decided that I wanted a reputable job since I was a mom. Had always been intrigued with the nursing profession and had always held nurses in high regard. Went back to school, not easy! Took a long time. Learned a lot about people skills from working behind the bar. You see a lot of things that you never thought you would or didn't want to see. Love being a nurse. Just hate the politics that go along with it!:nurse:

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I was a Finance Manager. I did home mortgages and car loans, etc. Booooring! and just wasn't for me. I had wanted to be a nurse since I was 3 yrs old.... so finally I'm where I belong.

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I've worked in publishing for the last 12 years. Low pay, frequent layoffs, heavy overtime, and the knowledge that they can (and do) replace experienced people with bright-eyed English majors just out of college who will work loads of overtime for free.

Now I'm looking to go back to school so that I can do something that matters and have some job security at the same time. I always wanted to be a nurse growing up (had teachers talk me out of it), so hey... never too late, right? :)

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Specializes in Infertility, Reproductive Endocrinology.

Worked for 9 years as an analyst for a large health insurance company....had to get out of that cubicle!! I had worked as a medical assistant prior to that and really liked it.....Now I'm in my 1st semester of LPN school...planning on transitioning to RN eventually. :nurse:

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