I'm looking to make a career change...PLEASE HELP!!

[kgirl_80]

Okay, so I am 27 and have my BA degree in Spanish thinking that I wanted to be a teacher. WRONG!! I did not like it at all. I am currently office temping and am wondering if I want to go back to community college to get an ADN (2 year degree). Would this type of degree enable me to get a nursing job? There are many different nursing programs to choose from at my community college. There's the pre-bachelors nursing degree if I wanted to go on and get the BN degree. I don't want to go to 4 more years of college. What do you recommend? Is a 2 year degree sufficient for a nursing job? Is the salary much different between a 2 year and 4 year nursing degree? Thank you!!

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

Salary differences between a two-year registered nursing degree and a four year one are non-existent. The four year degree becomes an issue if you want management.

I would examine why you didn't like teaching. Nursing is even more service-oriented, rife with frustrating patients with whom you just have to deal with, and as over-regulated as any classroom could be. Add to that that it is physically demanding.

Seriously, look at what it is about service professions that attract you, and then look, deeply, at what it is about those same professions that you DON'T like. Because nursing will have a lot of the same bulldinky as teaching.

[LadyPhantom]

Sorry to hear you didn't like teaching. Do some more research before you decide to go with nursing. I really believe that nursing is a career you must WANT to do, not for the money, not for the job security, not for the flexibility, but because you WANT to be a nurse. Even then, it can be a difficlt and demanding job. Much more so than I thought. I have always wanted to be a nurse, was so thrilled when I graduated 6 months ago, and in the last 6 months have been frustrated, stressed-out, disappointed, and overwhelmed. The thing that keeps me going is that I know that I am helping my patients.

Nursing is a demanding job, physically and mentally. The shifts are long, the mental strain is difficult, the time factor (never enough of it) is hard, dealing with demanding patients, worried families and arrogant doctors is frustrating, and to top it all off, you have to work weekends and holidays.

There are great aspects of nursing too. There is no better feeling in the world than knowing you made a difference in someone's life, even if only for a little while. Being your patient's advocate, teaching your patient how to care for themself, or just being there to listen to your patient and knowing that you helped is extremely rewarding.

If you know anyone who is a nurse or a nurse's aide, ask them about it. Go to your local community college and speak with the director of the nursing program, ask questions and see if maybe you can "shadow" a nurse for a shift at your local hospital. I know the hospital I work at allows that.

Good luck in whatever you decide. Sorry if I sound negative, I don't mean to. Maybe I am just still really new at this and still feeling overwhelmed.

[Mulan]

What else can you do with a degree in Spanish? Work as an interpreter? Work for the government in some capacity? Work for a Spanish language TV station? Work for an embassy? I would look into what else you can do with that degree other than teach. There must be something.