I'm double majoring in Accounting and Nursing. I don't go back to school until the 3rd of January and I've been considering dropping out of nursing school for quite some time. I live in the state of California where our state budget is rapidly declining due to illegal immigration, welfare, and other problems I don't really want to talk about. From what I can see, there's really no "nursing shortage." My mother (a physician) stated that hospitals would rather hire an RN with experience or even a foreign nurse with a work visa than train a new graduate nurse. This would save the hospital much more money. According to the Human Resources department at my hospital, they said that nursing schools in California are pumping out more graduates than there are jobs available. This will lead to a nursing inflation. I'm very interested and passionate about the career in Nursing, but if there's no job available at the end, what's the point? I know many nursing graduates who have been looking for jobs for the past two years and nothing has popped up. If I continue, where can I go to obtain experience? Out of state? Peace Corps? Military?
I've been doing really well in my Accounting classes and I have a paid internship position at one of the Big Four Accounting firms. I know the people in the Human resources department of the company. My resume and references is pretty solid and impressive for an Accounting student. Yet, I have no work experience when it comes to health care, but the clinicals I've been doing. I don't have any references from any hospital workers. I'm in school 6 days out of the week and if I drop out of Nursing, my schedule will be quite lenient. I have no troubles of continuing nursing school, but its just the emplyment situation. I'm not seeking out no big sign-on bonus or a high desired salary, I just want to work with patients and learn from my experiences.
Apologize if I sound pessimistic, but I just came from a group meeting comprised of economists and nurses who are stating that the economy will not jump back anytime soon, but several years. I just want the truth and nothing "sugarcoated." Thank you!
Well, I understand your concerns, here in Arizona, there really is not a shortage of nurses. They have had some jobs taken by CNA's instead with one RN in charge of the whole floor. So its the way the hospital is still making money and presuming that there will be problems when the healthcare system changes.
Your mom is correct about the over supply of new grad nurses. Also consider that your nursing school is not accredited.
Plus you seem to have an aptitude for Accounting. It's is one of the best careers out there. Accountants working for insurance companies and CPAs make a lot of money without the headaches of nursing.
I also think you should finish both. What if....fast forward.....you went on to become a nurse practitioner or other mid-level? Your accounting background would make you a ROCKIN self employed NP, seriously, you could do an aspect of your business that everyone else has to hire out for- saves you money, you'd be more invested than an employee, and you'd get your accounting "fix." Maybe you can do a little part time intern type work for a doctor/NP/CNM business to see what this is all about and how you can position yourself for something greater by combining both skills.
(I'm a chef, have been for 20+ years, I've no doubt that at some point, I'll find a beautiful merger between nursing and food.) I think opportunities exist for multi-disciplined people.
Your mother is completely right, you should stay with Accounting. There is no nursing shortage,I have been actively looking for an employment for the past 1.5 years and the only gig that I was able to land was a home health nursing.Few days ago I got a call from recruiter from one of the best hospital system asking me if I was interested in an outpatient RN position.When I told her that I only have 6 months of home health experience she said it wasnt enough and hang up on me. I guess now you have to lie or learn how to sell yourself really well since no one is willing to give a chance.
An accountant doesn't clean up puke, wipe butts, be treated like crap, yelled at by family, shuffle patients for some 30 minute window that gives a CEO a bonus at their demise, be sued, work short, work holiday nights, work crazy shifts, be responsible to train others when still green, have doc's yell at you at one am, with a patient needing them there now and they won't come, have docs that just yell, have management through your charts and write you up for everything from clocking in one minute late to messing up restraint documentation .... you have to come in sick or you'll be written up, your forced to have vaccines that have not enough safety studies on them.... you'll never pee some days.... choose between treating pain, or placating the pain in the orifice patient... and the pain in the orifice its the priority for management,
you barely ever win or succeed in making change in nursing, it's pure hell and you didn't want it sugar coated. To do this, you have to accept that you're usually wrong, are constantly counceled, will almost always fall short of your own personal expectations of care..... and be able to LOOK YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR AND BE WHOLE, and know you did your best, and be not only OK, with that, be able to sleep, have a healthy family life, friends out of work and try to be normal.
Not as easy as it seems... because it's not... and that is how nursing is.
You didn't mention that we practice in fear of losing our licenses and that we our decisions and actions are scrutinized and second guessed by EVERYONE from equal to subordinate or superior. Yes nursing is a lot harder than most think.
Forget the nursing degree. You sound unable to decide due to wanting multible professional opportunities down the road. I have a relative that is 22 years old, graduated from accounting (in WI) this month and already has a $85,000 a year full time position with benifits accepted along with a company car. Not bad for being a new grad. While so many nurses are out of work, pounding on doors, taking any offer that comes, I do not see nursing jobs magically opening up in the near future. Blame that on the nursing mills that scream shortages all over the country. what a joke that is. Your mom is a very wise woman. Concentrate on one thing and be the best at it.
I live in the state of California where our state budget is rapidly declining due to illegal immigration, welfare, and other problems I don't really want to talk about. From what I can see, there's really no "nursing shortage." My mother (a physician) stated that hospitals would rather hire an RN with experience or even a foreign nurse with a work visa than train a new graduate nurse. This would save the hospital much more money.
It might be best if you did follow the accounting path so you can see where some of California's problems extend well past what you have stated. In fact there is enough pork amongst the wealthier projects that outshines any costs due to welfare and illegal immigration.
Also, experienced RNs and the very well educated nurses from other countries are expensive but worth it. It was not too long ago when experienced RNs were the first to be cut as a cost saving measure.
An accountant may have just as much trouble in the job market as a nurse.. yes.. a paid internship lined up is awesome. But that doesn't mean she'll get hired on or that she won't be laid off in the near future and have a hard time finding work just like everyone else in this country right now.
In the late 90s through 2001 my husband worked as an instructor for Microsoft certification classes. Some schools he could bill up to $100 and hour. It was nice money and at the time we lived under the assumption that if he was making that kind of money then, it would only get better as he gained more and more experience. Then the 'internet bubble' burst and he couldn't find a job at all for the better part of a year. Finally, he landed a job making barely livable wages, terribly underpaid for his experience, (but for a state school which made it relatively stable) and it's taken years (and lots of furthered education) for him to land a position within the IT field that pays well.
My point? Just because some students are coming out of college with nice accounting jobs doesn't mean that will remain the case (or even if it's the norm). There are a LOT of students majoring in accounting too which will flood the market and lesson the job and pay availability as well. Don't let job availability in this situation be your deciding factor. Nobody has a crystal ball into the future that can guarantee you'll have an accounting job a few years from now.
I'm willing to bet though, there will still be a lot of sick people needing nurses.
If I were you, and had the chance, I'd continue to do both and let the cards fall where they may.
what a joke that is. Your mom is a very wise woman. Concentrate on one thing and be the best at it.
Guest717236
1,062 Posts
Good luck with your studies and return to nursing! It is smart to have education/experience in
more than one field....