what did you do in your former life?

Nurses General Nursing

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This is for all those who have changed careers....what did you do before you decided to become a nurse??? This is just to satisfy my own curiosity....I am currently working in retail and have started prereqs for a nursing program. However, I'm also considering becoming an elementary teacher...I thought if people would share their stories it might shed a little light on my own situation. Thanks....

Before I was paroled from the corporate world, I was the Sr. HR Professional for Comcast-Fresno area. This is something that I always wanted to do so I'm going for it. Good luck everyone!

Shaun

In order from 1st to now: Paper boy, food service (several), 4ys in the US Army as a promotion and troop manager, Mechanic, machinist, welder, Factory Foreman, constuction worker, CNA, LPN, LPN-C(IV certification), will be RN shortly, assuming I don't screw up bigtime on the test.

Tom

And since I have worked all of these other jobs I can say with all my heart---there is no better job on this planet than nursing--at least for me.

I was an airline pilot. Was furloughed (layed-off) in 2003 and went to nursing school. When life gives you lemons..make lemonade!

It's fun to see what everyone has done prior to nursing!

Specializes in Med Surg/Tele/ER.

I worked at Fruit of The Loom for about 12 yrs.

My sister & I owned & operated a daycare. We needed to work, but did not want our kids going to the local daycares....so we opened our own. Manager/troubleshooter/trainer for 24 hr convenience type grocery/gas stores. This was the hardest job I have ever had in my life...I can multitask & organize with the best! :chuckle

Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, Home Health, Oncology.

I'm afraid I had no life before Nursing. I went straight from High School into Nursing School. While I was in school, I held the usual part-time jobs--Nurses Aide, Babysitting and for a time, filing in an office.

Not very intereting, I'm afraid.

I have worked on many different types of floors, tho, thru the years.

Mary Ann

Specializes in Case Management, Home Health, UM.

Inventory Clerk, Cashier at K-Mart, Nurses' Aide (There were no CNA's back then), LPN, then RN. I graduated from nursing school five days after my 30th birthday.

Specializes in ER.

I have a BS in Social Studies Education - taught for 3 years, moved couldn't find a teaching job, pharmacy tech, processed medical claims for major insurance company, managed chiropractor's office, had to leave when started nursing school - got a job in an ER as an administration tech then patient care tech then RN all in the same ER. I've also been an EMT for 13 years which really helped while in school.:D I graduated 2005 at the ripe old age of 43 and am loving every minute of the ER. There have been ups and downs but wouldn't be happy anywhere else!:)

Specializes in L&D,Lactation.

I was a can-can dancer in a little theatre company, worked in retail, cleaned shrimp, worked for the statepark system in summers while I was in nursing school.

veterinary technician and stay home mom

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

active military, USAF for 10 years. Went back to get my degree on GI Bill. No looking back.

Some of this brings back memories, especially the modelling stuff. My first job in HS was pumping gas in airplanes at the local airport. I had a GF who was a model and led me into the business. So I did the underwear/swimsuit modelling for a little while (still in HS). It seemed to pay good at the time but in reality it barely covered expenses. I had the body for it then but that was 30 years and 40 lbs ago. :chuckle In college I worked as an orderly at a hospital. I got interested in stock car racing and took off a year and worked on a Nascar Cup team (this was before Nextel or Winston) as over the wall crewman doing the job of front tire changer. Back home in college I worked part time as a mechanic in a race shop. Raced on Sat nights in the late model series. After getting my associates degree in Criminal Justice I went to work for the Sheriff's Office and did 24 years there. Did lots of different jobs within the dept; corrections, patrol, evidence, detective, aviation, traffic, and accred/prof standards. After retirement I went to another police agency where all I do now is fly airplanes and helicopters, except for the occasional firearms instructor. I guess someday I will get around to going (back) to nursing school, maybe when I can't fly anymore. If I had it to do over again I might have explored the race driver career a little more carefully. After the Sheriff gave me a job I never looked back at racing, but I did compete in and have wins in a series known as today's Busch series. And I ran and had wins against guys who went pretty far in their racing careers.

I was a teacher for several years before deciding to quit and go back to school for nursing. I have taught all grades 7-12. Before and during college, I worked as a tech in a drug rehabilitation center for adolescents, a tech in a mental health facility for MHMR, a CNA in a nursing home (I worked there during my junior and senior year in high school), and as an assistant in the library. Of course, this doesn't include my 45 minute job at Burger King or my 3 week stint at KFC. haha Anyway, I will hopefully finish my prerequisites this semester, and I will apply in January for nursing school. I am really looking forward to it. The thought of returning to teaching turns my stomach. ughhhhhh!! There is not enough money to make me go back to teaching. Anyway, good luck to you whatever you choose to do.

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