Please Give ME any Good Reason to Stay in the Nursing Field

ToNurseOrNot · Sep 17, 2018

I think you're making it more complicated than it has to be. You already know you don't like working in the medical field and the income range you want... and that you don't need to be a nurse to be caring and compassionate. So no, don't be a nurse. We, Internet strangers, can't provide you with motivation to do something you don't want to do.

But you can provide insight. Never said I didn't like it. I love certain aspects of it but the overall system does not seem to put nurses in the best position for what they do. but you're right if I'm going in expecting a certain amount, if that's not here then that is helpful to know.

ToNurseOrNot · Sep 17, 2018

It's perfectly fine to admit that you don't want to be a nurse and to go pursue what you'd rather be doing. You're never stuck doing any one thing in life. I taught for many years before deciding to become a nurse. I may yet do something else if I ever feel the desire to pursue something else. Don't let familial expectations weigh you down.

Thank you for that, I guess the thing is...I don't know but I guess that's ok.

ToNurseOrNot · Sep 17, 2018

You can easily make 6 figures after achieving a BSN, and some of those opportunities are not even direct patient care at the bedside. There are nursing jobs out there that are very lucrative but the majority of them do require being a RN and BSN.

See that's great to know, thank you! I was being told that it wasn't something that could not be done.

allnurses Guide · Sep 17, 2018

I recently bumped into the six figure range.

I do not work at the bedside, but I did put in time there and yes, it was super hard work and, while it paid a good deal more than a living wage, it wasn't wealthy by any stretch of the imagination.

I have a graduate degree. I work a M-F job that is not all that stressful, has weekends and holidays off with pay, decent benefits and a reasonable amount of social respect. I like my job. I like what I earn. I have been a nurse for seven years.

It is all up to you. I don't own my own business. I do spend time creating things as well as implementing them.

I think you will find that no matter what you wind up doing, the thing you are looking for is unlikely to be found in a job. Of any kind. A few people get that, but most of us have what we do to pay the bills and then we get our fulfillment in life out of all the things we do outside of our job. For the vast majority of people, six figure incomes only come with time and experience, almost no matter what the career trajectory. Even if you own your own business, most don't break a profit for the first two to five years, let alone pay off in that range.

I don't mean to rain on your parade, only to encourage you to temper your expectations. And no, I won't give you a reason not to give up nursing. I am of the opinion that anyone who needs to be "talked into" being a nurse......should NOT....be a nurse.

RevolutionBreeze · Sep 17, 2018

I find myself in a similar-ish situation. I have my RN, with 5+ years of experience, and am burnt out. About a year ago I sustained a back injury that means I will never work bedside again. As a result, I've decided to pursue my BSN. While I don't know yet what I will do with it, my goal is to move up the ladder, away from a lot of the brutal grind of bedside. I've also been contemplating not returning to nursing. I'm considering pursing project management post BSN, but time will tell. A BSN is a solid degree and speaks volumes to your abilities. Even if you don't plan to work bedside, or even in nursing, the education, critical thinking skills and people skills that come from completing this degree will give you an edge in the corporate world. I agree with others that us internet strangers can't really advise all that well, but will encourage you to trust your gut. In order to get that 6 figure salary you want, there will be compromises along the way, you'll have to decide which ones are worth it or not.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Sep 17, 2018

I know a few people who have their own businesses and work part time in nursing for the benefits. However, their businesses are personal passions and not done to make 6 figures.
Your mind sounds made up. Don't do nursing. You already have an lpn to fall back on for income while you figure the rest of it out.

I actually have a former colleague who did just that. I think she earned 6 figures from her business though. She designs high end events, she won some award for designing a wedding that had a budget over $150K. She has chronic illness, however, and for a while worked a full-time nursing position in addition to running her business for the health insurance.

I also know a fair amount of nurses who think they have their own businesses but they've really just bought into pyramid schemes.

To the OP, you don't sound interested in being an RN therefore I can't recommend that you continue with your program. If your goal is to go into business for yourself, why waste time getting another nursing degree instead of moving ahead with business?

RevolutionBreeze · Sep 17, 2018

What position are you working in now? I'm curious of the various directions people go in away from bedside.

pro-student · Sep 17, 2018

Respectfully, it doesn't sounds like you want to be a nurse. Your family or an online community can only want it for you so much. If you don't want it for yourself, you're better off getting out now.

Just another point to consider: there are dozens of people who desperately want your spot in a BSN program and even more who are competing for the few good jobs left. While I'm not diminishing that you worked hard and earned you place in the program, I am suggesting that that space might be better occupied by someone who has their mind made up.

Pursue your passion and, if your family is truly supportive, they will come around. They certainly can't say you didn't give it a shot. Best of luck.

RNperdiem, RN · Sep 17, 2018

Don't sink anymore money into education until you have a real plan of what you want to do with your life. It is obvious you don't want to do nursing. This is okay, life is too short to get into a career you despise.

Since you are 28, what kind of work have you done? You mention dabbling in a couple of areas that sound interesting, perhaps you could look at those fields again.

People who earn six figures usually work hard for the money working long hours and often having advanced education and skills.

The only artistic person I know who lives an upscale life is a cousin of mine who is a singer. She is married to a high-earning corporate lawyer and he subsidizes her career.

brandy1017, ASN, RN · Sep 18, 2018

It doesn't sound like you would be happy as an RN. Most bedside jobs are high stress and short staffing, overtime may be plentiful but burnout is likely. Office jobs and clinics are probably more pleasant but don't pay as well, certainly not six figures! Some home health care jobs pay by the visit! I don't think you should go further into student loan debt. Your six figure salary is unrealistic unless you are gifted in computers and can get a degree in computer programming than perhaps you could, but those jobs are being outsourced as we speak and the workers are being forced to train their foreign replacements in order to get severance. Disney was the most recent employer in the news guilty of this, but I believe even the University of CA did the same thing.

The only way you would get six figures in nursing is lots of overtime or if you worked in San Francisco, LA or NYC where the cost of living is so insane it wouldn't go very far anyway. Do some research on personal finance and you will find you don't need six figures to be comfortable! How much student debt are you currently in? That is the worst debt out there and has to be repaid one way or another, however long it takes. Seriously, learn about personal finance before you spend any more money on college.

I agree with the OP that said an MBA without relevant experience would probably be a waste of money and just put you further in debt. I don't know what school you are going to but you are not paid more for going to private schools, and for-profits tend to be very expensive and use high-pressure sales tactics to go after your "pain points"; also they are not always reputable and several have closed recently due to this problem.

Leader25, ASN, BSN, RN · Sep 18, 2018

You can easily make 6 figures after achieving a BSN, and some of those opportunities are not even direct patient care at the bedside.
There are nursing jobs out there that are very lucrative but the majority of them do require being a RN and BSN.

tell us where please please.

SpankedInPittsburgh, DNP, RN · Sep 18, 2018

I think if you need talked into anything then you probably shouldn't do it