If you had a reset button, would you choose nursing again?

[amazingme]

I often hear conversations with nurses old and new discussing whether or not they would choose nursing as a career again if they had the opportunity. Some even have children in college now whom they haven't quite steered away from nursing, but strongly suggest they may want to choose an alternative career path. For me nursing wasn't my first career choice, but I'm glad I ended up here, and would definitely choose it again,

[imintrouble, BSN, RN]

No to your question.

But that answer changes month to month, year to year.

If I were averaging, I'd say 80/20.

The worst part about my choice is it made me the bread winner, and that hasn't changed since day one.

It allowed my husband the freedom of choosing a job he liked, instead of one he could support a family with.

I guess that's not nursing's fault. Just another reason not to like it.

[whichone'spink, BSN, RN]

This thread has appeared many times, and I know I've replied before with a emphatic NO! And I'll repeat myself like a broken record, no no no no no, NO!!

[NanaPoo]

ABSOLUTELY!

Nursing was my 2nd degree so, if I could go back, I'd have majored in nursing my first time in college so I could start earlier!

[WKShadowNP, DNP, APRN]

Yes, but I would have started off better.

[SquishyRN, BSN, RN]

Yes, but I would have done it right off the bat instead of as a second degree.

[NightNerd, MSN, RN]

I would do it again. I have learned so much of what I'm made of through this career (ie, much stronger material than I thought!), met some amazing people, and seem some truly fascinating things. I am already quite certain that I will change careers at some point; I can tell that I will burn out due at some point. But this has been a very valuable piece of my life, and I'm so glad it happened.

[dream'n, BSN, RN]

No, I would choose a different career path altogether.

[anon456, BSN, RN]

It depends. I absolutely love the intellectual challenges, the patient/family interaction (most of the time), and knowing that I do make a difference to many people. I would do this part again and again.

What I wish I had known was how physically demanding it was going to be. I am a middle aged person in excellent health and reasonably good shape. The process of being on my feet for 12 hours per shift, awkward bending as we assist patients to the bathroom, up and down in bed, or even bending over to listen to them without raising the whole bed up each time is very very hard on my body. I wear a step tracker and my average miles walked per shift is 6-7. I often take 2 days to physically recover from a run of shifts, and I have to really psyche myself up to go back to work because I know my body will hurt. I use good lifting when I do have heavier patients (which I don't always, since I work peds) and always use good body mechanics and teamwork when I do. I understand why 12 hour shifts exist, but I am realizing these shifts cater to the younger nurses. I see many older nurses, who have such valuable wisdom, leaving for less demanding jobs just as they become less able to be on their feet that long.

If I had known how much this would hurt my body, and my mind when I was on night shift for 4 years, I would have chosen a different career path.

[NurseMikki]

Sorry, I have to say no.

[llg, PhD, RN]

Not sure. Maybe.

[shopaholicRN]

I was pressured into nursing immediately after high school by a now ex-partner. I am extremely lucky that I ended up enjoying certain aspects of it but if I could go back, I would have stuck with my original plan of becoming an MD (and dumped that ex bf much earlier!). Or gone with something different altogether, like engineering or business. There are some things about nursing that I do love, like making a difference in patients' lives and I do truly enjoy working in healthcare. But it is not something I grew up wanting and I hope to pursue graduate studies in an effort to achieve a career closer to what I always pictured myself doing.

[grandpaj]

I'd have gone to med school instead.