I need advice please, Nursing or PT?

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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Hello everybody if you could help out with giving your opinions I would be so grateful for your advice ....

So here is my dilemma:

I am trying to choose between Nursing or Physical Therapy.

As of now, I already have a B.S. Degree, and I am trying to decide between the 2 choices:

Option 1) Get an Associate's RN Degree from a Community College work for a year then, if I really don't like nursing, just work for a year and use that money to go to Physical Therapy school. This way, I really get a feel for whether or not I like nursing, and if i don't like it I would have extra $ to pay for school. If I do like nursing, then I would just work for a year and get my Master's in Nursing. This would probably take 5 or 6 years (2 years nursing, 1 year work, 2-3 years Graduate school)

Option 2) Just go straight into the Entry Level Master's in Nursing Program which would take 3 years. The reason why this one seems so appealing to me is because of the shorter time span, and the fact that there are many sections in nursing I can work in.

Please help me with this decision, i am so confused

All your input would be so helpful

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why waste your time and money going to nursing school if you are not sure you want to be a nurse?

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Specializes in Infusion.

What's your B.S. degree in? Have you taken biology courses, done well, and enjoyed the material? Why nursing, is it because of the pay?

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What's your B.S. degree in? Have you taken biology courses, done well, and enjoyed the material? Why nursing, is it because of the pay?

Well, it's because it seems like a very stable career and also I have shadowed a nurse and enjoy the interactions with their patients, .....but haven't shadowed a PT. I am just afraid that if I do decide to go into nursing that I will fail because of the fast paced activities and might get sued for something like wrong dosage or something. I think I scare myself out of the profession a lot, and need more confidence and I am just afraid of being a bad nurse! It also seems very fast paced and that it might be very stressful at times but I'm not sure if this depends on the unit or if it's the way every nursing job is in general.

I imagine PT to be not as fast paced, which is something that I like about the profession. I do like the fact that both professions have great patient contact. Also, I do like biology and chemistry courses. I know I can do well in them, which is why i want to do nursing. I dunno I am just really nervous about messing up in nursing!!! Blah.....

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I know how you feel about the liability issues and how much is involved with nursing. Here's an older thread that you can probably read... https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/physical-therapy-nursing-321733.html

Hopefully you can decide what you want to do before wasting your money on a career you will hate. Good luck!

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Thank you so much! i didn't see this thread... thank you!

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Specializes in Ortho/Trauma.

People who study for PT go for the phD.

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...I am just afraid that if I do decide to go into nursing that I will fail because of the fast paced activities and might get sued for something like wrong dosage or something.

woot - Have you done any research on what a Physical Therapist actually does and what is involved in the profession? PTs diagnose and treat patients, so you will still run into the fear of getting sued for something you did wrong. Actually in today's society, you could be a secretary and get sued for something, but that's a whole other issue. I wouldn't let the fear of the possibility of getting sued deter you from this profession if it's something you want to pursue.

I would recommend you go with Option 1. You seem to be concerned about whether or not you will like nursing, and it seems like it would be a waste of time and money for you to pursue a direct MSN at this point. Of course, no one really knows whether they will like nursing until they actually become one and begin working. It might be a good idea to get started working as a nurse, find your niche, and then pursue a MSN. You may actually end up working for a facility that will pay for you to continue your education. On the other hand, you may realize you don't enjoy nursing and then you can decide if PT is the right route for you to take. Good luck in whatever you decide.

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Specializes in Nursing Education.

Yes, if you decide to pursue nursing I would probably recommend getting your ADN or BSN first, then working a little while to find your niche. There are so many areas and specialties in nursing that you can work at that level, and it would probably help you decide what specialty you want to get your MSN in. If you jump straight into the MSN, then you might have a hard time deciding which type of MSN to specialize in.

One more thing I would suggest looking into...since you said you have BS already, you could look into doing a 2nd degree accelerated program. Those tend to be a little shorter than ADNs (mine was 13 mos, plus pre-reqs). Also, you would then have a head start on the MSN since you'd have the Bachelors level Nursing classes already.

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I don't think it's wise to just go into a Master's Nursing program, which are usually Advanced Practice Nurses, if you do not know for sure you will like nursing. Also, an APN hold more responsibility and liability than an RN.

If you are sure about nursing, I would agree with RNTutor. Get your BSN because it will be shorter for you.

On a side note, I'm sure EVERY nursing student is scared about messing up something and harming a patient. That's why you go to school, to learn what you need to do and be confident in your duties to overcome that fear. But you also need to accept the fact that people make mistakes. You can only do your best and if you are ever unsure about something, then you get help. You concern and care for the patient should outweigh your fears of messing up, which means you will do everything you can to ensure the patient is cared for properly.

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Specializes in Geriatric Nursing.

I know I'm responding late to this topic but, I currently work under the supervision of physical therapists. Their job is very demanding and requires alot more than nursing. In order to become a PT now you must obtain PhD unless you are coming here from overseas. The pay for nursing and PT is similar, depending on what field you want to work in. I found myself in the same dilemma some months ago. My job offered to pay for school because they only hire rehab techs, PTs, OTs, and STs (STs is a very good career move since you have B.A.) I hope this information helps. My coworker is a ST and graduated from LaSalle--good school if in the Philly area! Good luck!:nurse:

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