second career, nontraditional backgrounds & ALL NURSES w/UNIQUE STORIES!-help r quiz!

GonnaBSN · Mar 10, 2010

I'm a master's level psychologist (LMLP). Due to the lack of licensing options across all 50 states for LMLPs, and reimbursement issues with private insurance (non-medicare/-aid), it's been very difficult (and frustrating) to find work I enjoy in my field. I left my first job as an psychotherapist and couldn't find another. I ended up taking an admin assistant job for a charity for half the pay. Meanwhile I was frustrated to see Social Workers who could find jobs left and right, take an easier licensing test (at $100 versus mine at $500!), and had fewer clinical skills than I. I gave up the dream.

I should say here that I loved the job, but didn't have the coping skills at 23 that I needed to hear all the disturbing and stressful stuff. I saw it as a weakness if I couldn't "take it"... I ended up "owning" my clients' junk as my own, instead of setting it aside. Add to that I was planning a wedding, teaching a college course, studying for my licensing test, and driving 2 hours to work everyday. It was simply too much. My husband "forced" me to quit. Thank goodness he saw what I wasn't able to!

My family also moved, so once we left my home state, I had to start the full license process all over again! Kick me while I'm down.

Luckily, someone at a healthcare research company saw value in my education. I fell into a writing and research gig and learned all about Patient Centered Care. It re-ignited my passion to care for others...

So, although it's a long LONG road. I'm hoping to come full circle. I want to be an Advance Practice Nurse in Mental Health.

So right now, I'm taking all the science classes I need to get into a nursing program.

Please send me your positive thoughts if you read this. My hard work in grad school for psych didn't really pay off... so I'm hoping my hard work in nursing will!

Salamanda NP, MSN, APRN, NP · Mar 14, 2010

how long have you been a nurse? 7 months

Age? 29

gender? f

What was your previous career? human resources

Did you receive a college degree in that specialty? no - my degree was in sociology

How long did you work in your previous career? a couple of yrs

What was the hardest part about changing careers? no longer having my own income and getting used to school again

What was your motivation in changing from your previous career? always wanted to be a nurse

did you make more or less money in your previous career compared to nursing? right now about the same

What qualities do you possess (if any) from your previous career that help you in the nursing field? organizational skills, people skills

Was your first career in the healthcare field? yes, it was hr for a large healthcare company

Is there anything you would change, in regards to your career choices if you could go back in time? ummm... I guess not

Do you regret choosing the Nursing field as your second career option? not sure - right now the economy stinks and I'm working at a job I dislike immensly

Rate your previous career, 1-10, or, how happy were you with your previous career vs how happy are you with nursing? previous career = 7 nursing = 5 (if I was in a specialty I wanted I think that number would be a lot higher)

what prevented you from becoming a nurse earlier? fear of how "hard" it was to go through nursing school and to be a nurse

On being a nurse:

Why the nursing field as opposed to another discipline? My thoughts were as follows: nurses are the backbone of healthcare - they are also the caring and compassionate staff members nine times out of ten. Also, I didn't have time to go back to school to be a doctor and was afraid of limiting my opportunities by becoming a PT, OT or SLP.

Are you worried about 'burning out' on being a nurse? Becoming too reliant alcohol or drugs for coping/escape? Yes I am concerned about burning out as a nurse. Especially as I am not doing any of the specialties I actually want to work in. Not worried about drugs - never done them, never will.

How do you feel about the glorious American healthcare system? [rate it 1-10, or RANT!] 3

On being a nursing student:

Did you have another job while in nursing school? No, I went to a direct entry MSN program and we were not supposed to work

What obstacles do you/did you face being a student? High workload, being married, having family emergency during school, not being able to see family/friends very often during school, etc. Nothing too terrible.

Which class is most important for student nurses? They all are.

Which is the least? Honestly, none.

What other classes do you feel student nurses should be required to take? More clinicals should be included in all nursing programs. I think it's a weak spot for most.

tiezto · Mar 14, 2010

Demographic and previous career details:

how long have you been a nurse?

Age? 27

gender? m

What was your previous career? Construction worker/ engineering/CADD

Did you receive a college degree in that specialty? yes

How long did you work in your previous career? 5 yrs

What was the hardest part about changing careers? being a nurse

What was your motivation in changing from your previous career? career opportunities/stability/helping others

did you make more or less money in your previous career compared to nursing? less

What qualities do you possess (if any) from your previous career that help you in the nursing field? technical skills

Was your first career in the healthcare field? no

Is there anything you would change, in regards to your career choices if you could go back in time? maybe, not sure

Do you regret choosing the Nursing field as your second career option? Not yet

Rate your previous career, 1-10, or, how happy were you with your previous career vs how happy are you with nursing?

3 vs. 7

what prevented you from becoming a nurse earlier? never thought about it

On being a nurse:

Why the nursing field as opposed to another discipline? it seemed a good fit for me

Are you worried about 'burning out' on being a nurse? Becoming too reliant alcohol or drugs for coping/escape? yes, worried about burnout; no, not worried about addictions, vacations are my drug of choice

How do you feel about the glorious American healthcare system? [rate it 1-10, or RANT!] It's in shambles and unsustainable, however - the current legislation being pushed through will only make things worse for the patient, doctors, hospitals and of course nursing staff. Do I have a better idea? Not really, but I'll be thinking about that one.

On being a nursing student:

Did you have another job while in nursing school? yes

What obstacles do you/did you face being a student? being a dude

Which class is most important for student nurses? assessment & pharm

Which is the least? bedmaking

What other classes do you feel student nurses should be required to take? more assessment & pharm