Going from Psychology Major to Nursing

[Vanessa_k]

For the past 5 years I have been working in drug and alcohol abuse center, before that I got my associates in social science because the classes caught my attention. After working in the field and working towards a counseling license, I realize that it's not what I really want to do. I am however in the middle of a semester of a Bachelor's of Psychology Degree, but I feel like that type of degree is a joke unless you get a master's. I love helping people but doubt myself as a counselor as well as seeing my more established co-workers unhappy and underpaid with their master level degrees. I'm a 30 year single mother of 2 boys living with my parents and need to make a decision on my career path as I am mad at myself for wasting so much time after I had been so driven. I have looked into the local nursing program but it is so competitive that I feel like I might never get in due to missing some prerequisites and end up wasting yet more time. My associate degree was mostly psychology classes with minimal science classes. I also want to try going active in the Army as a Nurse before I reach the age limit as I feel it'll give me confidence.

My questions are is any of this realistic? I know if you work hard it can be but in all honesty. Would it be like starting college from scratch? What about the credits I'll earn after this semester? Or would it be more practical to stick out the degree and get a social work master's?

[shibaowner, MSN, RN, NP]

What I am gathering from your post is that you don't know what you want to do. You decided you didn't like substance abuse work. Why not? Why do you think you will like nursing? I suggest you shadow a nurse to get a better feel for nursing as a job. You can also talk to a counselor at school for ways to figure out a good career choice.

You say you missed some nursing prereqs. So, take them! There is nothing stopping you from completing the nursing prereqs, which are general science courses.

Yes, psychologists generally need a master's degree. They can also make excellent money. Psychologists with a private practice can charge $100 to $300 per hour depending on their location.

[Lhalty]

military might be tough on the kids?