If you had a reset button, would you choose nursing again?

[amazingme]

I often hear conversations with nurses old and new discussing whether or not they would choose nursing as a career again if they had the opportunity. Some even have children in college now whom they haven't quite steered away from nursing, but strongly suggest they may want to choose an alternative career path. For me nursing wasn't my first career choice, but I'm glad I ended up here, and would definitely choose it again,

[Julesmama28]

I've only been a nurse for about 9 months but I have wanted it for years. It is just as stimulating, interesting, heart wrenching, exhausting, heart warming, and satisfying as I imagined it would be. Sure, health care is changing, but it's still a great, steady job to have. 😀

RN BSN

[BecomingNursey]

Ever since I was little, I knew I wanted to be a nurse. I love nursing so much and can't believe that I finally am a nurse and doing what I love. I would absolutely, positively do it all over again!

[emmy27]

Yes, I would choose it again if I were going back in time- it's been extremely rewarding and interesting, I value the flexibility and stability that having an in-demand, portable skill set has brought to my life, and I appreciate the potential doors that are open to an experienced nurse for careers away from the bedside.

That said, knowing what I know about the state of hospital nursing now, I probably wouldn't choose to start over as a new grad now, and I would steer most people I know away from beginning in the field now. I feel like the personality type that is capable of thriving in the current working environment is very specific and most people who are drawn to nursing as a helping profession do not have it. I can't imagine being a new grad under the current performance metrics and staffing levels in many hospitals, and if I were told I had to do it over again this way, I wouldn't.

[technofreak]

I am going to answer that question with a resounding no.

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

Yes, no, maybe. As you can see I have very mixed feelings on the subject.

[Jules A, MSN]

If I were doing it again in my late 30's then absolutely. If I had the maturity and foresight as a younger person, no way. I would have been better suited to have become a veterinarian or physician.

[Farawyn]

Yes, absolutely.

[cracklingkraken, ASN, RN]

I kind of wish I would've experimented with CS or engineering. I love numbers and problem-solving. But I haven't actually worked in nursing yet, so maybe I'll find that I wouldn't trade it for anything else. :)

[AJJKRN]

Without a second thought, absolutely!!!

[CBlover, BSN, RN]

Ewww...That's a tough one. I don't regret the career path I chose since in nursing there are so many avenues you can take. I have often thought it would be neat to obtain a law degree in addition to my nursing degree and become a nurse attorney. But I really don't know what I want to do when I grow up.

[AdobeRN]

Yes! The only thing I would change would be that I would have had my act together right out of high school, finished college at a much younger age and maybe even gone further with nursing to be a Nurse Practitioner. I didn't go back to school until my late 30's, sometimes I look at these young people just starting and think if only I had my act together at their age......