Im so indecisive

[Momof3]

Hey all, I have been an LPN for almost 9 years, I started in healthcare when I was 17 and have been an LPN since 19. For the last probably 5 years I have wanted to change my career, Ive thought about going into teaching, law enforcement, firefighting.

I have worked in various areas but have a ton of experience. Most recently in Allergy&Asthma, Urgent Care and Memory Care, Im a bit of a workaholic so prefer to work at least two jobs at a time. The only job I felt completely at home with was the allergy and asthma job, I absolutely LOVED It, but when we PCS'd and I worked for a different asthma and allergy company I cried every day after work for 6 weeks before I finally quit.

My husband is in the military and I have wanted to join for as long as I can remember. After I became an LPN I intended on finishing my BSN and joining but life happened and I am still an LPN. Most recently with our newest move I feel like I have hit an all time low, I have taken a nursing job that is not direct patient care and am thinking about getting a bachelors and joining the military, not as a nurse. In what im not 100% sure but I am super interested in intelligence, legal and all things crime.

My dilemma is, should I work on my RN pre reqs or in the same amount of time get a BA and join the military. I can't deicide, I understand I am still young and neither decision will make or break my life or career but I am just confused, exhausted and overwhelmed. I absolutely love nursing, before our recent PCS I willingly worked 60+ hours a week but sometimes in certain areas I feel its too monotonous, petty, money driven and in the 8+ years ive been an LPN my wage hasn't increased significantly, my husband makes more than me, has better working hours and better benefits and has only been enlisted in the military for 5 years.

Should I explore another career path or just tough It out with nursing? If I do change careers I have thought about keeping my LPN and always staying PRN at an ER or UC.

Thank you in advance for all your kind, or not so, encouraging words!

[Dln14]

The Army hires LVN/LPN's (MOS 68C) as enlisted. Maybe this is something you can look into further. It would be the best of both worlds.

Good luck!

~Sam

[Momof3]

Thank you Sam! I have Thought about that, but then I thought the military is my chance to try something new.

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

It's tempting to stay in the familiar (healthcare) even when it's miserable. Maybe don't look at it like an all-or-nothing. You can work part-time as an LPN to keep your foot in all the while training/studying for something different.

Or, let the military give you your training for free!

[Momof3]

That’s definitely true! I think That’s what I’m going to do. Thank you!

[cyclone67]

Retired Army person here. The military is a great way to get into and test a new career area, and worst case will give you the GI Bill which you could use to make a career change later. If you are interested in that, see a recruiter, see what’s available for you and research! Since you are married with kids, you would really need to know what you are getting into to make sure you are comfortable with the fact that both of you could be away at the same time, might have a time period where one of you gets assigned away from the other, deployments, etc.

You can have a great dual military career and there are some great jobs in the military that can set you up for a really high paying civilian job later. Do your research and know what a possible job would likely entail for you as far as possible assignments, deployment likeliness, post military career opportunities. Very important for you to research carefully since you are married and by user name have kids.

I would also recommend to “#$&@ or get off the pot” as the later you join, the tougher it is to stay in and retire if you wish. Military life is rough on the body and being in your 30s and trying to keep up with 18 year olds can be tough and can lead to lingering injuries. Sounds like you are late 20s so now is the time. Intel has some great jobs out there - I did Human Intelligence myself. That or Counter Intelligence might be of interest since you said you were interested in crime and legal. Lots of similarities with getting to learn interrogation and other aspects of the job. Anyways, good luck but really time will fly by and if you aren’t careful you could find yourself at 45 still a LPN and thinking of what could have been......