Help With Choosing A Career Path

Published

I'm considering going back to nursing school in Eastern PA for the Fall semester to get my ADN. I already have a Bachelors Degree.

There are several reasons why I'm heavily considering Nursing. I'm male and age 40 and would really like to make decent $ while having job satisfaction. So instead of me trying to fit into a field, I've decided to try to find a field that fits me.

I recently did some vocational counseling and it turns out that I'm very Social / Helpful, Investigative / Organized, and Creative. I guess I've always known that but the testing really confirmed it. I haven't really worked in fields where my skills were used to there full potential and my creativity just doesn't pay the bills (although I'll always have it as an outlet outside of work).

Counseling and Teaching are good job fits for me also but when I compare the high cost of education (MA / PhD) vs. prospects for employment vs. the salary that I would earn, they just don't make that much sense, hence Nursing.

I have a couple of interests but I'm not sure what direction to head. I'll post my interests (and then you can laugh...) and maybe someone can give some suggestions?

I'm very interested in getting an Addictions Certification once I get some experience. I've been involved in Recovery for over 15 years and would really like to understand the 'nuts and bolts' of how the disease works and work with people going through detox. The science behind it sounds fascinating!

I'm also a very organized person (and I like organizing things) so it sounds like a Circulator Nurse or Perioperative Nurse might be a direction to head as well.

I thought about being some sort of Patient Educator as I really like helping, communicate well, and since I'll be in the nursing field...

Finally, I thought about Hospice care. Sounds tough but death and dying really don't bother me. Strangely, I can handle the gruesome stuff. It's the poop cleaning that I'm worried about. Although, just reading the sticky in the other section has made me more confident in that area... :cool: I'm going to stock up on mints and gum and start practicing breathing through my mouth...

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Anyone? Anyone?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in PICU.

I would start familiarizing yourself with different working environments, volunteering, job shadowing, networking and find out what feels right and logically makes sense. Even if something sounds like a good idea, if you have never physically put yourself into that kind of work environment or observed directly it might not be a good idea to just jump in and hope it works out. In the meantime I would suggest that on top of taking an anatomy class and seeing how you like it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I would start familiarizing yourself with different working environments, volunteering, job shadowing, networking and find out what feels right and logically makes sense. Even if something sounds like a good idea, if you have never physically put yourself into that kind of work environment or observed directly it might not be a good idea to just jump in and hope it works out. In the meantime I would suggest that on top of taking an anatomy class and seeing how you like it.

Going to do just that. I'm shadowing in Med/Surg at a local hospital on Thursday.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment