Help? I regret this career choice?

NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN · Feb 18, 2015

A lot of assumptions:
- I have actually not gone to many parties, I'm quite more of a bookworm then anything else. Idk what about my post made you conclude I was some lazy, degenerate club rat but m'kay
- Wasn't expecting an 80K a year job
- So because I want to take a different path, and try to ask for some suggestions on alternatives to either:
A.) My education as a whole (i.e. something diff then nursing, but somewhat related or perhaps by the end of this I'll realize I want something unrelated)
B.) Career alternatives with a BSN
the answer I'm looking for is to CLEARLY work at Starbucks. Lmao, ok then.
I'm not sure how my post makes you think I want boat loads of money for zero work, I am asking for suggestions of what else to do and half of the responders to this thread are blowing a gasket, although some managed not to lose their heads over this.

We aren't blowing a gasket because of your original post. It's your crappy attitude when you respond to our advice! You really should look into that interpersonal communications class I suggested earlier...if you are going to work with people you are definitely going to need some help in that department. I'm sorry if you don't get it and I truly believe you when you say that you don't know why we are reacting the way we are but learning how to interact with people is going to be necessary for most healthcare related positions. I wish you luck

CogNeuroGuy · Feb 21, 2015

I am not a nurse, I already have an A.A., B.A. and will be graduating with my M.S. in cognitive neuroscience this May. My original plan was to go into a Ph.D. for clinical psychology, I volunteered, got experience doing research, even published some articles in some prominent journals and published many posters for national and international conferences. I realized after I worked in neurology rounding with a doctor in there that I loved seeing patients, not sitting in a room for 4-7 hours doing neuropsychological assessments. My undergrad is virtually useless (sociology/psychology), so is my master's, unless I go and do research in psychology or neuroscience.

The point to my synopsis above is that I tried it out, I have spent $96K in student loans to get three college degrees that by themseleves are useless to me for job prospects. Sure, I can snag an office job (which I have done lots of mortgage and recruiting and retail jobs). Before all of this, I was a professional classical musician, I played for 15 years, professionally for 4; teaching and performing. Music is/was my passion, but the market for classical musicians is even worse for paid research assistants.

To address your concern directly, I really do empathize with what you are feeling, it's frustrating, scary and depressing. Seriously, after spending weeks reading many of the posts here on allnurses.com and Student Doctor Network, you will find that most people in those forums are predicting doomsday scenarios; pharmacists complain of saturation, student loan debt, no jobs in 4 years and actually having office politics! Dentists are complaining of student loan debt and market saturation, veterinarian students are complaining about no jobs and low pay. Nurses are complaining about the environment, no nursing shortage anymore = fewer job prospects and pay issues. The point is...these are pretty difficult fields to get into, the pay is significantly better and you will see more professional longevity within these fields compared to other fields that maybe only require a generic bachelor's degree.

I look at all of these issues, and I tell myself; "I suppose we should have all just become janitors then." I think you should get in there, and try it out. I have been looking at doing the BSN myself with the ultimate goal of getting the MSN in psychiatric NP. I have no big plans to want to be in a high-capacity atmosphere, but if I had to do it, I would do it just enough to get into the environment I would want to be in. From the responses I have read, there are many paths to take to practice as a RN, you don't have to be in some unit like you see on TV, you do have choices which is good. I certainly know that I want to be an independent practitioner, so the NP route is my ultimate goal, not bedside.

Goodluck!

T1meK1ller · Feb 22, 2015

Well put. As someone who is shedding their blood, sweat and tears to get into a nursing program, I would like to thank you personally and on behalf of all other prospective students for wasting a spot in a program.

sjalv · Feb 22, 2015

Well put. As someone who is shedding their blood, sweat and tears to get into a nursing program, I would like to thank you personally and on behalf of all other prospective students for wasting a spot in a program.

Sorry, no one is entitled to a spot in any program. While I obviously do not agree with many of the things she has said (see my previous post towards her), I do not think it's okay for you to say she's "wasting" a spot in the program. She has had to work hard to get accepted, study for hours upon end for tests, meticulously prepare for clinicals to perform adequately, and pull all-nighters in preparation for finals like anyone else. She had to fret and worry about the NCLEX before and after taking it.. just like anyone else. I can say all these things about her without knowing her, because the nursing student experience is universal. Just because she isn't happy with the profession now that she's in it, doesn't mean she was less deserving of her spot in school than anyone else.

klone, MSN, RN · Feb 22, 2015

Hey, if she passes entrance exams, did all her prerequisites, and had a GPA that was good enough to be accepted, she did not waste a spot. That attitude is so frustrating to me. Nobody has an inalienable right to get into nursing school.

T1meK1ller · Feb 22, 2015

You're correct, no one is entitled to a spot. It's just too bad she took up valuable space to decide whether or not it was the right career choice. We're all entitled to an opinion, no?

Nurse Neddie · Feb 22, 2015

When I heard those crazy stories I would keep them in mind so when I'm on the floor I could try and avoid them or even learn what to do, if something similar ever happened to me or a co worker!!! You use those stories to learn

ajmclean · Feb 22, 2015

I really regret choosing nursing and lately idk what it is but I have been having breakdowns dreading the brutal schedule I'm going to have as a new nurse if I ever find a job. I'm going to have no social life or time for myself. I know this profession is a bit about being selfless but I really don't want to play a martyr. I know the deal in the hospital is weekends and holidays but after much thinking this isn't something I want to give up either. Please no "well uh why didn't you realize this in nursing school?" truthfully then I had a passion for it and probably didn't think too much on how big of a sacrifice it was going to be. Is there ANYTHING else I can possibly do in the healthcare field that would accept me when I get my bachelor's in nursing? Or is there any bachelor's program I can look (allied health) into that will accept most of my science credits & I could finish it relatively soon and leave this horrible profession behind? Or just any program in general that you could recommend cause I have no idea what I want to do, I was even thinking turning to finance or marketing but that is going to take me another 3-4 yrs to complete.

You are dreading the "brutal schedule you're going to have"? Are you finished or not finished nursing school? If you are not finished, you are putting the cart before the horse. You don't know whether or not you're going to like it. And if you are basing your foregone conclusion on friends who are currently practicing, have you talked to anyone who likes what they're doing? When I'm at clinicals. I see a few different nurses. They are all working 12 hour shifts/ 3days on and seem to like it. They only complain about how many "difficult patients" they're getting! And here's a suggestion I submit with hesitance: Ever think about going active duty military once you have your BSN? I don't know your age, but you probably won't be doing 12 hour shifts. Yes, you might deploy, but that's a different subject.

caliotter3 · Feb 22, 2015

You mention marketing. I have seen several job ads for marketers in my area lately. An RN with a BSN would be welcomed for a marketing job at a home health agency. You could also do some administrative work for the office to help out the clinical supervisor, QA person, or the Director. You would get good experience in that area of the business, need never see a patient, and still be working in healthcare.

klone, MSN, RN · Feb 22, 2015

We're all entitled to an opinion, no?

Of course, and others are entitled to disagree with it.

sjalv · Feb 22, 2015

You're correct, no one is entitled to a spot. It's just too bad she took up valuable space to decide whether or not it was the right career choice. We're all entitled to an opinion, no?

How are you supposed to know if you're going to like being a nurse until you actually are one? People can tell you about the profession all day long but until you experience it yourself, you're not really gonna know for sure.

T1meK1ller · Feb 22, 2015

Right you are.