RN vs. Psychologist

Nurses General Nursing

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I am currently in college to become a registered nurse but tonight the teacher who teaches my psychology class has mentioned that there is a shortage of school psychologists(he is also a school psychologist and teaches a night class once a week for his own enjoyment). I did some comparing and school psychologists make more money, they get out on school breaks, they sit on their butts for a large part of the day...and from what I have seen psychology is a pretty easy subject.

Which do you think would be better? Should I switch fields and get my master's degree in psychology with hopes of getting a lush job or do you think it would be better and more predictable to stick to the old ball and chain of nursing?

Or could a person do both?

Decisions, decisions...:uhoh3:

Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

I had to giggle in total agreement!!! Yes...nursing can certainly be a real bummer (to quote an old 80's phrase since I can't put the actual word I was thinking! LOL). But Psych! Oh man, okay...ya like being bit, scratched, hearing stories that fill your dreams in the bad way....hoping to help against what you think is rational vs the human condition? Uhmmmmmmm I will take nursing over Psych! Trust me!

I took a large stent in Psych..I thought it may help..and wow..the ONLY place I worked for in precepts that thought I was a DOC not a nurse! LOL..and I was a student! Then there was the day...a sweet old lady came up to me and was fondling my breasts..Okay not good..but she was very..ummmmmm confused and called me Hal..her husband....okay fine but only once!

Then we had a little chap from STATE...he tweeked out..and I was such a new nurse that yes..I was there going...ummmmmm breach of civlity code...can't hold him like that..can't give inapsine like that!!!

TILL!!! The old lady I was fending from danger BIT me on the left breast! Okay that gal did it! I didn't harm her in any way...my facial expression and kind grasp of my own breast lucky reminded her of something she knew was wrong! I ran to the med cart..said..sorry outloud "&*&K this!" and got inapsine...the doc said "bless your heart!!!!!!"..and I said..Bless my breast dude...you will be examining the damage in a min!!!!!!!!

Lets just say...patient that was being unruley was controlled, the breast enfactuated lady was fine and actually for once in her treatment remembered what she did and was heartbroken..which I talked to her about and cleared it all up (I have a scar~!!!)..and said..just be good to you...don't do what you wish to others! (she died of a stroke 15 days later....poor dear).

Oh yeah..the patient that caused the whole uproar...turned out to be okay once his 'recreational drugs' wore off..and he was a NURSE! Wow!

But that is cool...considering the docs thought I was one of them..and I was able to order meds without actually knowing I was (which I fessed up to ...and they said..wow! And nothing more go figure..LOL!)....

Um and that is the DAY in the life of Psych!!!!!!!!!!! LOL!!!!!!!!

Take it if you want it....but I say...ummmmmm not worth my breast!

Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

I had to giggle in total agreement!!! Yes...nursing can certainly be a real bummer (to quote an old 80's phrase since I can't put the actual word I was thinking! LOL). But Psych! Oh man, okay...ya like being bit, scratched, hearing stories that fill your dreams in the bad way....hoping to help against what you think is rational vs the human condition? Uhmmmmmmm I will take nursing over Psych! Trust me!

I took a large stent in Psych..I thought it may help..and wow..the ONLY place I worked for in precepts that thought I was a DOC not a nurse! LOL..and I was a student! Then there was the day...a sweet old lady came up to me and was fondling my breasts..Okay not good..but she was very..ummmmmm confused and called me Hal..her husband....okay fine but only once!

Then we had a little chap from STATE...he tweeked out..and I was such a new nurse that yes..I was there going...ummmmmm breach of civlity code...can't hold him like that..can't give inapsine like that!!!

TILL!!! The old lady I was fending from danger BIT me on the left breast! Okay that gal did it! I didn't harm her in any way...my facial expression and kind grasp of my own breast lucky reminded her of something she knew was wrong! I ran to the med cart..said..sorry outloud "&*&K this!" and got inapsine...the doc said "bless your heart!!!!!!"..and I said..Bless my breast dude...you will be examining the damage in a min!!!!!!!!

Lets just say...patient that was being unruley was controlled, the breast enfactuated lady was fine and actually for once in her treatment remembered what she did and was heartbroken..which I talked to her about and cleared it all up (I have a scar~!!!)..and said..just be good to you...don't do what you wish to others! (she died of a stroke 15 days later....poor dear).

Oh yeah..the patient that caused the whole uproar...turned out to be okay once his 'recreational drugs' wore off..and he was a NURSE! Wow!

But that is cool...considering the docs thought I was one of them..and I was able to order meds without actually knowing I was (which I fessed up to ...and they said..wow! And nothing more go figure..LOL!)....

Um and that is the DAY in the life of Psych!!!!!!!!!!! LOL!!!!!!!!

Take it if you want it....but I say...ummmmmm not worth my breast!

Well I have my bachelors in psych, been in the MH field for 11 yrs, and now back to school for my BSN. Choose wisely. All of these previous posts state a lot of "truths" about the professions. Psych tends to require more schooling for less money, most states only really value a degree in social work and with the degree in psych one usually needs to go on for their doctorate if you want to make any money. Most of the folks in my current profession usually need to hold down two to three different jobs (which are usually on call). Some of the clients can be violent, and consider being spit at on a regular basis. Most of the clients are not really cured they are managed. It seems like a revolving door. In nursing you have many oppurtunites to care for a lot of different people and actually SEE them get better! Then again if you are a school psychologist you only have a certain group of kids that will graduate and then you will get new kids. Different faces same problems! In my area of the country PA, a lot of the jobs within the school systems tend to be who you know and not what you know. A lot of the jobs in MH tend to be dead end and a psych degree does not offer a lot of flexability. I feel the world is your oyster having the RN or BSN, and having a psychology background I feel is a nice compliment to the nursing degree. The bottom line is only you can choose what you want. I am choosing to get out of the MH field because I need to find something that is more satisfying and I feel nursing is what will do it for me!!

Well I have my bachelors in psych, been in the MH field for 11 yrs, and now back to school for my BSN. Choose wisely. All of these previous posts state a lot of "truths" about the professions. Psych tends to require more schooling for less money, most states only really value a degree in social work and with the degree in psych one usually needs to go on for their doctorate if you want to make any money. Most of the folks in my current profession usually need to hold down two to three different jobs (which are usually on call). Some of the clients can be violent, and consider being spit at on a regular basis. Most of the clients are not really cured they are managed. It seems like a revolving door. In nursing you have many oppurtunites to care for a lot of different people and actually SEE them get better! Then again if you are a school psychologist you only have a certain group of kids that will graduate and then you will get new kids. Different faces same problems! In my area of the country PA, a lot of the jobs within the school systems tend to be who you know and not what you know. A lot of the jobs in MH tend to be dead end and a psych degree does not offer a lot of flexability. I feel the world is your oyster having the RN or BSN, and having a psychology background I feel is a nice compliment to the nursing degree. The bottom line is only you can choose what you want. I am choosing to get out of the MH field because I need to find something that is more satisfying and I feel nursing is what will do it for me!!

Specializes in Government.

My cousin is a school psychologist. He has a PhD. He works 3 different jobs to make ends meet....and he makes less than I do ( and as a community health nurse I make less than most nurses).

Anyone looking into this should really do a detailed search about opportunities and salaries in their area.

Specializes in Government.

My cousin is a school psychologist. He has a PhD. He works 3 different jobs to make ends meet....and he makes less than I do ( and as a community health nurse I make less than most nurses).

Anyone looking into this should really do a detailed search about opportunities and salaries in their area.

Don't want to end up like your cuz, deep down something tells me to just stick with nursing.

My dilemma now is getting accepted into a BSN program...gee whiz, 3.0 average isn't good enough anymore. So people who can't get accepted anywhere else, maybe that is why they choose psychology...

Don't want to end up like your cuz, deep down something tells me to just stick with nursing.

My dilemma now is getting accepted into a BSN program...gee whiz, 3.0 average isn't good enough anymore. So people who can't get accepted anywhere else, maybe that is why they choose psychology...

OUCH! People who choose psychology do so because they find it interesting and they want to help others. Gee I have my bachelor in psychology, and I am enrolled in a BSN program currently. P.S. My grade point average is a 3.7.

Don't want to end up like your cuz, deep down something tells me to just stick with nursing.

My dilemma now is getting accepted into a BSN program...gee whiz, 3.0 average isn't good enough anymore. So people who can't get accepted anywhere else, maybe that is why they choose psychology...

OUCH! People who choose psychology do so because they find it interesting and they want to help others. Gee I have my bachelor in psychology, and I am enrolled in a BSN program currently. P.S. My grade point average is a 3.7.

Don't want to end up like your cuz, deep down something tells me to just stick with nursing.

My dilemma now is getting accepted into a BSN program...gee whiz, 3.0 average isn't good enough anymore. So people who can't get accepted anywhere else, maybe that is why they choose psychology...

OUCH! People who choose psychology do so because they find it interesting and they want to help others. Gee I have my bachelor in psychology, and I am enrolled in a BSN program currently. P.S. My grade point average is a 3.7.
Yea, I started college when I should not have started (right after high school). I dropped out after a year with a 1.8 GPA. The bad grades weren't from too much partying but debilitating depression, which I still suffer from at times. When I got back into the swing of things and started back to college 8 yrs. later those bad grades stuck to me like velcro. So in spite of taking all the math and science and taking extra psychology courses to help bring up my GPA and keeping a 4.00 GPA in my new college career and proving myself I have just barely pulled myself up to a 3.0 (will be a little higher after this semester). So there is no second chance for me. So don't be so quick to boast, you don't know why other people are in the circumstances they are in.

LPN to RN: Pomfrey was in no way being derogatory. S/he was responding directly to your comment, "People who can't get accepted anywhere else, maybe that is why they choose psychology." In fact, this entire conversation began with your derogatory comments about psychologists describing them as lazy. Everyone has his/her strengths and if it weren't for this diversity, we wouldn't have the variety of professionals out there. In health care, we need RNs, MDs, social workers, psychologist, PTs, OTs, STs, CNAs, LPNs, RDs, etc etc (and I am leaving out so many that I can't even think of at the moment).

You seem to have issues regarding other peoples' successes and your own academic history. That is no reason to denegrate others. If anything, you should be proud of yourself. Many students fresh out of high school do poorly in college, but you returned 8 years later and are now doing great. Give yourself some credit and move on.

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