In need of guidance and advice

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Hello all wise and wonderful nurses!

I've been wracking my brain, trying to figure out what to do with my career and degree. So, I came to this site to get some advice from anyone who can provide some.

A little background on me:

9/8/13...

the last day I was able to work as a nurse. I suffered a career ending (as a floor nurse anyways) back injury. It has been a sad and rough year and a half for me.

This September I returned to school online to get my BSN, as I needed to do something with my self and refuse to just give up on something I worked so hard for. I had always wanted to teach nursing from the time I started as an aide. I saw this as an opportunity to possibly fulfill this dream/goal.

My dilemma:

When I became injured, I was in my second year of being a nurse. I'm thinking I won't be able to teach. Though I've spent over 5 years in the hospital and have experience on many levels, I don't feel like I'd be a credible teacher. After all whose going to

listen to someone they have more floor experience than?

Am I right? What do you all think?

I did precept, took student nurses under my wing. It made me feel so good and was so rewarding to help new grads and those students.

So, in light of my dilemma and feelings. Do any of you know what else I could do with my BSN/Masters?

Thank you for any guidance you all can provide!

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

MSN in nursing education or NP school perhaps?

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Thanks for the reply Lev

I am currently enrolled for my BSN to my masters in Nursing Ed.

My concern is that I'm not experienced enough to teach. Which is what I wanted to do from the beginning.

I'm so torn with all this, I just do t know what I'm doing anymore.

As for the NP, I don't know if I'd be able to perform all the aspects of the job and I'd hate to waste the time and money only to find out I can't handle the physical demands of the job.

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Call up employers and nursing colleges in your area and arrange meetings with administrators, recruiters, and managers. You might even try your local government job services/employment offices. Since you are already enrolled in a nursing program, arrange to speak with nursing faculty and administrators. In doing so, explain your aim is to discover opportunities for people with your limitations and strengths. Explain you are seeking information for the purpose of career planning.

Surely you are not the first person ever to have physical limitations which don't readily conform to standard job duties. You are going to have to carve out an area, but the experts in educating, hiring, and managing have no doubt dealt with these issues many times and can advise you on areas that will suit your skills and abilities. Don't neglect to avail yourself of the people surrounding you, whose wisdom and experience you can tap into. Explore all possible leads. This may lead to visions and vistas you never knew existed.

Don't sell yourself short. You will find your niche if you keep trying. Keep in touch with Allnurses for support in your quest...and good luck!

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

Bedside experience does not make a great or even good instructor. The best teacher I had was in A & P, micro and patho, she had zero bedside experience but was extremely knowledgeable and a great teacher. As long as you know the material you are teaching and are able to teach it well I don't think that limited bedside experience would be at all detrimental.

Nursing as a whole is underpaid, and teaching nursing is way underpaid. It is hard to find qualified candidates when the required degrees can make so much more in the private sector than as nursing instructors, so yes please become a teacher! We need more good ones.

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Bedside experience does not make a great or even good instructor. The best teacher I had was in A & P, micro and patho, she had zero bedside experience but was extremely knowledgeable and a great teacher. As long as you know the material you are teaching and are able to teach it well I don't think that limited bedside experience would be at all detrimental.

Nursing as a whole is underpaid, and teaching nursing is way underpaid. It is hard to find qualified candidates when the required degrees can make so much more in the private sector than as nursing instructors, so yes please become a teacher! We need more good ones.

Thank you for the advice! I'm definitely not in this field for the money lol. I'm doing it for the love of it and to not let what has happened to me hold me down or back. I let my sister in law get into my head. She said that she didn't think anyone would let me teach considering how little experience I had.

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Thank you for the reply!

I will definitely be checking in with advisors and career planners at school when it's back in session.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

There are many different levels of teaching. You certainly could teach LPNs! Nursing education (academia) tends to be very structured due to accreditation requirements... they are also struggling right now with steady declines in NCLEX pass rates, so they're being even more picky.

Have you looked into any other types of graduate (MSN) specialization? I have a friend who obtained her MSN in Quality & Patient Safety. She was 'headhunted' before graduating because this is a rapidly growing specialty area. Case Management is also becoming hugely important.

I'm so sorry you were injured. I wish you all the best as you move ahead with your career.

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How about office kind of jobs. If you find a title you like, get a masters to complete your resume.

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