go to nursing school or not?

Nurses General Nursing

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I'm due to start an accelerated 1-year BSN program in August but I've recently been having second thoughts. I currently work in IT, have a pretty cushy job and make good $$$, have good benefits. It's kind of a dead-end job though, no room for advancement and it's specialized enough that it would be very difficult to find another job if I moved (which is unlikely), or lost my job (also fairly unlikely, but I guess could happen). I don't love my job, computers aren't my thing, but it's okay. I've been having second thoughts because I'll have to quit my job to go to school, which I always knew but I guess now that it's getting closer I'm getting scared. The way the economy is going makes me really scared to quit right now. Plus I look at posts here about nurses who are burned out, hate their jobs, are very very stressed and not making a whole lot of money on top of all of that. I talked to one girl recently who was a nurse but quit because it was too much, and she's very much of a go-getter type of person, likes to be busy. I'm smart and learn fast and I know I'd be good at nursing, but I don't know if I want to go into a field where I'll be extremely stressed out and making about 40% less than I do now. I'm willing to work some weird hours but I do NOT want nights, so that's another consideration. I will have to work in one of the not-so-great hospitals in the area for two years because of a tuition forgiveness program so that doesn't help, plus there seem to be lots of nursing schools in this area so I don't think there's really too much of a shortage here. Although I know once I got my master's degree the money (and probably pretty much everything about the job) would get better, that's several years down the road. I don't want to go through school and end up hating my job in a few years and regretting giving up my current job, but I do love health care and want to be a part of it. Any advice?

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Specializes in School Nursing.

Re-read your own post. Sounds to me like you're trying to talk yourself out of it. Nursing is a great career if it's what YOU WANT. Follow your heart.

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In a way I've been in your shoes. I don't work in IT, but my current industry is dying a really ugly death. I'm in a profession where jobs are almost nonexistent, and getting scarcer by the day. I had been accepted to nursing school 25 years ago when I got distracted by what I do now; I never lost my interest in nursing and in fact have thought SEVERAL times over the years of going back to school. I never took action and went forward with it until the time was right. Only you will know if the time is right for you right now, or maybe in the future, or maybe not at all.

This situation brings to mind something my brother (who had two young children a the time) told me: "The day to have a baby is the day you can't live another day without one." Going to nursing school isn't as big a deal as bringing another life into the world, but...it's a pretty big deal. Listen to your heart!

Good luck!

Penny

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Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.

I worked in IT. I liked the complexity and the ability to grow with technology. I disliked the lack of advancement opportunities, the lack of respect for advanced degrees, and the lack of opportunities to truly make difference in a person's life. PLUS, I never had a passion for IT. Thus, my heart was not into IT as much as it should have been even though was good at my job. In other words, being good at your job does not mean squat in the long run! My advice is the same as the others, follow your heart!

From your post it sounds like you are not sure and probably would not be happy with a switch at this time. I am just a nursing student, but the following was told to me by nurses: The grass is not greener on the other side unless this is your passion!! Without a passion for nursing, the problems with nursing will NOT be outweighed by the benefits. In fact, the problems of nursing will crush you....!!

IMO nurses who remain nurses forever do so because it is how he/she defines him/her self. He/she is a nurse no matter what he/she does. Similar to being an IT programmer or tech. It is what you are if that is your passion. For me IT was just a job. I was good at the job but I was always defining myself in other ways, unlike those with whom I worked who had a passion.

On a positive note, nursing has become my way of life! I think, eat, breathe, and sleep it not for good grades but because I love this field!!! So I know this is it for me!:nurse: Can you say the same?

If not, do more research before making a switch. In fact, get a job as a tech at a hospital and see if you like what you see. Please note, being a tech is not the best job in the world, but you will see nursing first hand an experience working on a collaborative team. Not to mention dealing with the 12 hour shifts and scheduling while juggling personal obligations. being a tech provides a more realistic experience then shadowing a nurse for a few hours. GL.

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I don't think you should go into the nursing field if you have all these reservations.

Just getting through nursing school is tough, you have to be completely dedicated to it 100% in order to do it. That dedication is what is going to keep you going forward when the teachers, exams, patients, & complete lack of money during school makes you want to quit.

You really got to want it.

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Specializes in Telemetry, CCU.
Re-read your own post. Sounds to me like you're trying to talk yourself out of it. Nursing is a great career if it's what YOU WANT. Follow your heart.

:yeahthat:

Plus, a 1 yr accelerated BSN program? Good lordie, I did BSN for three yrs and couldn't hardly breathe the whole time. On top of that, 1 yr isn't a whole lot of time to hone clinical skill, I had a part time job while in school as a tech and still feel so behind in learning things now that I'm out of school. I'm not trying to talk you out of it, but a 1 yr BSN program sounds like something for an ADN to BSN, not for someone with 0 nursing knowledge. Just my :twocents:

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Specializes in Jack of all trades, and still learning.

The thing to do is to find out from a nurse what the job entails. We could do it here, but being a nurse is multifaceted and we could go on ad infinitum.

Then work out / write it out what you would find advantageous for you to do nursing, and what may negatively affect you.

This may help you to think more clearly.

One thing you could consider; nursing and IT can be combined, but you would have to have a few years experience first before considering that avenue.

Are there any other roles that take your fancy?

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Psych.

I suggest you look at other careers in the health field that could fulfill you more than your current career and investigate potential problems with those careers as you have with nursing. I think you have a realistic view of RN work and would regret continuing with your current plans. I greatly regret leaving my previous career for the higher salaries and perks of nursing, but I didn't know what I signed up for and now feel pretty much stuck with nursing due to student loans.

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I too was like you to some degree. I was in the computer field. The jobs were drying up badly just before 9/11. I needed a new career and chose nursing thinking I could do Nursing with computers or even Psych since I had a psych degree prior. But this has NOT panned out as I thought it would originally. School was NOT the problem. The actual work environment....the culture, the harshness of the need to be near perfect, and in some cases the backstabbing of other nurses WERE the problems.

Additionally, today's nurses are at times overworked and walk a very tight line. Are you a perfectionist? You need to follow rules to the letter? In my short history so far the best nurses are anal. Is this YOU?

And finally realize as someone else has already pointed out that to move around alot in nursing from one specialty to another won't be allowed to happen till you've got about 3 to 5 yrs of experience under your belt.

All the best in your decision......

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Specializes in Medical Surgical.

I would advise you not to do this, based on what you have said. If you're still not sure, try an LPN program first. There are some that are part-time, evenings or week-ends. You will see a little of what health care is really like without risking what sounds like a great job already.

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I woud advise you to not go to nursing school. Your time, energy and money to get through school will not be worth the benefits of being a nurse. Working as a nurse is one of the worst things you can do for your body and mind.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Psych.

You seem to think your tuition will be reimbursed by a job after schooling. What if that plan doesn't work out and you're stuck owing thousands of dollars in student loans?

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