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,

[QuarterLife88, MSN, RN, NP]

No. I would have been a psychologist instead. That's what I really wanted to do. But I'm a nurse now, and while I do not hate it, I don't have a passion for it at all. At least not for floor nursing, so I've decided to go back to school with the ultimate goal of becoming an NP. At least that way the increase in pay and higher education, will help make up for my flop life choices.

[edmia, BSN, RN]

If I had a better head on me in my 20s, then no. I would have gone to med school like I had planned.

Now, I don't regret being a nurse and soon to be NP. I have always known I am meant to be a medical provider, I just got here via a longer road

Sent from my iPhone -- blame all errors on spellchecker 😉

[hershelwalker]

Diversity is the advantage of nursing. Where else can you get one degree and expand in so many areas. The world is your oyster. Patient first, all else will come.

[SarahJ08]

Negative

Would have went straight for the NP

[canigraduate]

Probably not. OK, definitely not. I would have stayed a CNA. I actually enjoyed that and never dreaded going to work. Pay sucks, though.

But, I want a lot of do-overs, not just nursing.

There was that one guy... **sigh**

[Bortaz, MSN, RN]

I'd still do it, but I'd do it at 20 instead of 40

[southernsyl]

I would not choose to enter into nursing if I could redo it. I did it for my self and my family. I knew it was a stable job and I had grown up around nursing. My mother is a nurse. She warned me not to do it. Sometimes mother knows best. Well 25 years later I despise the field and I am going to college for myself not anyone else now. The only thing I like about nursing is that I am financially stable and not a starving student having to take mediocre jobs. I chose a new career in computer science. I enjoy the field and look forward to not worrying about anyone's health care needs.

[cocoa_puff]

Not a nurse yet, but if I could be anything I'd want to be a forensic medical examiner or possibly a pastry chef.

[GCom24, ASN, RN]

Been a nurse now for a little over a year.. Worked in Med-Surg since I graduated, I always wanted to do ER, that was my dream. I wouldn't trade it for anything. Nursing school taught me a great deal about myself. And this career has only continued to do so. Wouldn't trade the experiences, the friends, any of it. Every job has it's days. But this one sure does bring me satisfaction. Like others, I would have gone straight to nursing instead of as a second degree.

P.S. I start in the ER in one month. (Keep chasing your dreams)

[maccheese]

I'm in the same boat. Unfortunately, I've had to take measures to not have more kids so I'm not supporting them by myself. The job in itself is enough pressure. :/

I'm glad I took up nursing later in life. I like the flexibility, stability. Works for now. :)

Yes, I would choose it again if I were going back in time- it's been extremely rewarding and interesting, I value the flexibility and stability that having an in-demand, portable skill set has brought to my life, and I appreciate the potential doors that are open to an experienced nurse for careers away from the bedside.

That said, knowing what I know about the state of hospital nursing now, I probably wouldn't choose to start over as a new grad now, and I would steer most people I know away from beginning in the field now. I feel like the personality type that is capable of thriving in the current working environment is very specific and most people who are drawn to nursing as a helping profession do not have it. I can't imagine being a new grad under the current performance metrics and staffing levels in many hospitals, and if I were told I had to do it over again this way, I wouldn't.

[prmenrs, RN]

For sure, I would do it, hopefully, get more schooling, do it better!!

[Oedgar]

Definitely not. I am not suited to the 'anything-can-happen' nature of nursing, whether it's 5 admissions on my floor, or a pregnant meth head behaving erratically in my busy clinic. I have found that I need control and routine. I should have gone into coding, because I love studying medicine, but not hands-on.