if this is your 2nd (or 3rd!) career what was your first?..m

[marci3335]

I'm just curious, what was your previous career and why did you decide to make a change?

Here are my answers:

In my previous life I was a Paralegal for a large corporation.

I decided to make a change because the law truly bored me! All I did was sit at a desk all day pushing paper, dealing with state bureaucracy, corporate politics, etc. I realize in nursing I will have some of the same issues (politics, etc). It's really the patient interaction that I'm looking forward to. I'm a real "people person" and a good hand-holder too!:kiss

Marci

[nakitamoon]

(color=blue) (b) (i)

Nursing is my 2nd Career,,,,,,,,,

Grad,,, in `74 at 17 went to W.V.U. in pre physical therapy courses,,,,, got really discouraged when found out,, they would after two years accept only 7 out of the 283 of us!!!!!! If I changed majors to nusing,,, would be year behind,,,, So like an idiots,,,,, fell into lust with satan,,,, married him,,,, quit school

Moved to Florida and managed a 100 unit motel,,,,, LOL about the same as my job now,,, D.O.N. just add healthcare into mix,,,,,,,,,,

Managed motel for 10 years,,,, got divorce,,,, my head back on straight,,,, deprogrammed,,,, from satan,,,,,,,

Started back to school finished my nursing program!!!! Graduated,,,, 1995!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After seven years,,,, love nursing,,,, but there will be a THIRD career,,,,,,

Got to have something,,,,, for myself,,,,, will always,,,, be a nurse,,,,, right now a nurse I've worked with my career,,,,, have started a partnership and are going to open business,,,,,,

Please say a prayer and keep us in you thoughts!!!!!!!

~Moon

[RNbeach, ASN, RN]

Everybody has such great backgrounds! I've enjoyed reading them! Good luck to you all!

Brenda

[sbic56, BSN, RN]

It is fun to see where people have been...and why they move on. Interesting to see all the animal people, (vettech andnurs2b, kardut). I am near ready to move from nursing to some type of occupation with animals.

[WI-RN2be]

I decided to trade in my Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant position for a nursing one. I will graduate in May 2003 with an ADN.

Sarah

[vettech]

Originally posted by sbic56

It is fun to see where people have been...and why they move on. Interesting to see all the animal people, (vettech andnurs2b, kardut). I am near ready to move from nursing to some type of occupation with animals.

Veterinary nursing is a wonderful job so long as you can tolerate really lousy pay. A lot of techs gripe about lack of respect but, I think they just haven't found the right clinic.

Incidentally, the better paying vet tech jobs are working large animal and equine. But, IMHO, the most interresting jobs are those working with exotics.

Just don't change jobs "because you love animals". You enter the veterinary field for the same reason you enter any other healthcare field, for the challenge. What other field can you work in in which you can do everything right and still lose the patient, do everything wrong and the patient live despite you?

[lisalpn]

I graduated high school in 96, went to college for respiratory therapy....decided that was NOT what I wanted to do.... In 98 when I finally quit college I went to a short program for phlebotomy.... I did that for three years.... right up until I graduated from nursing school in May.

[KC CHICK]

Graduated from HS in 1991. Yikes!!!!!....more than 10 yrs ago now.

I have a cosmetology license as well as my RN. I was a hairstylist for three years before I started to move on in search of something that 'fit' me better. After I left the salon, I worked as an assistant mgr in a clothing store for 1.5yrs, then for a call center for 3 yrs.....before I started and as I went through my nursing program. Fortunately, the call center ( ADT Security Services) reimbursed me for my ENTIRE nursing education...couldn't beat it w/a stick. So, I never had the experience of working as a Nurse Tech while in school.

Anne

[sbic56, BSN, RN]

vettech

I understand and agree with you completely about your statement about going into animal healthcare for the right reasons. I did go into nursing for the challenge as well as a desire to help people. Actually, I am thinking more towards becoming a groomer and pet sitter. I think I would have a hard time dealing with dying animals on a regualr basis and bad pet owners, (not that there won't be a few of those no matter where I work with animals.) I know you will be a good nurse having already been experienced in the field you are in. Just a different type of animal.

Also, I think those going into nursing believing they will get the respect they are looking for may be dissappointed. That is one of nurses biggest complaints about the profession...lack of respect.

[moni rn]

nursing will be my 2nd career, or will it be my 3rd?

i am currently a wellness manager for a corporate exercise facility, but when i was working on my degree (sports medicine), i was an athletic trainer for our football & basketball team. i am a sports fanatic, so i loved athletic training. the one drawback with training was having a family & being there for my family is my ultimate goal & with all the traveling of training that was not going to work out. i hope that makes sense.

good luck to everyone whether nursing is your 1st, 2nd, 3rd or more career choice!

[Kyle's Mom]

This is my first time posting - rather neat it's on this topic! Like Brenda, I was a flight attendant for Eastern as well. After Eastern folded, I went back to school a second time to pursue nursing. I then ran out of money and decided to return to work, this time with American Airlines, working in sales. I was laid off in 1999, so I decided to be a stay at home mom! Now, our son will be three next month and I am heading back to school!

[RNbeach, ASN, RN]

HI Kyles' s Mom.. I was originally based out of JFK, at the end of the show....I was supervising flight attendants out of LGA and EWR. Very nice to meet a fellow Eastern Airlines employee!

[Hooligan]

This has been such a neat topic! I feel so boring in comparison...

Ever since I was little, I always wanted to be a vet...but later realized like some of the others that the odds were stacked against me. With no real comprehension of what else I wanted to do with my life other than be a vet I decided that graduating college and getting a job to start making some money was important so I got my BA in English. I also new I didn't want to teach English (I always preferred Science, go figure ) so I got a job for a large University in Chicago for the past 3 years. I am the Resource & Policy Analyst of a research unit within the University. Which basically means I am the Jane of all trades, if you will... I get resources for the focus groups (IOW...I go to the grocery store across the street and pick up food for said meetings), I supply the materials for classes and focus groups (IOW...I run to the library and check out the books and journals and make all the photocopies), and I am in charge of all the correspondence within the unit (IOW...I answer the phones and take messages). My duties also include being a part-time courier...when my bosses don't come in to work...I bring their work to them at their home and when they are in...I often times go to pick up their lunch. :) In all fairness though...I love my bosses! They are great people to work for and are very uncerstanding of my class schedule and have been very flexible with time off requests. I just know that in my heart, I was meant for more. I despise the commute in to work every morning...and am secluded in my office all day long...my bosses come in maybe once or twice a week and I am the only other person in our unit...I AM the unit!!!! with the exception of the occasional graduate assistant...if they bother to come in. I will be quitting my job either in August or December of 2003 and I can't wait!!! I am really looking forward to taking my classes and working in a field with other people! Anyway...that's my story!