Is going into Nursing a good idea?

[littletwinstar]

Since having my two children (one is now a toddler and the other is an infant) I've realized I would love to become a nurse. I've always had a special place in my heart for children, the elderly, and animals. I love caring for someone else and helping out. IT makes me feel accomplished. I love being a mother even when it's tough, and I am passionately dedicated.

I'm currently in school, though it is for a pre-medical degree (bio-chemistry) and I'm considering switching to nursing (BSN) with a goal of becomming a CRNA. I'm alittle hesitant as it seems recently, EVERYONE is going to school for nursing, even people I would never have considered to be nurse material. I think this is because they hear about "the nursing shortage" and the paycheck for that career, which I understand as someone in a family of 4 living off about $2,500 a month. But I feel that by the time I finish, there will be 0 job openings for me and an overabundance of new grad nurses.

Should I continue into nursing or find another feild? Any tips or advice for someone considering? I appriciate the help.

[sjoe]

Go to med school. Nursing school has gotten to be ridiculously competitive and the amount of work and stress is overwhelming for the pay and there is no guarantee job after you graduate. In med school, there is.

Med school is the very LAST thing I would ever suggest to someone I liked. Talk to some doctors about what it is like today to try to practice. The only thing even close that I would recommend is a PA program.

[netglow, ASN, RN]

Yeah sjoe, but ask those docs if they should have gone into nursing, and you would get a big

HELL NO! and a NEVER!

[Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN]

I would put in a big ole endorsement for med school...except that you have little kids. Docs get paid the big bucks because they make some big sacrifices. Talk to a few docs in your specialty and ask what their home lives are like. You really have to decide if you want that lifestyle. There are many, many who make it work without their family suffering, don't get me wrong...but it is a juggling act.

I like the PA idea that several others have tossed around. Like many previous posters, I am hesitant to recommend nursing, especially based on the idea that a job will be waiting for you. It just isn't likely.

[leslie :-D]

to answer your question op, NO, it is not a good idea to go into nursing.

so far, the great majority of us are advising you not to...

and there are quantifiable reasons for that.

do your homework/research - nsg jobs (overall) are few and far between.

combined w/fact that employers are also cutting costs = more demands with less resources.

stay where you are - not nursing though.

good luck to you.

leslie

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

Jobs. There are nursing jobs out there, but you have to work your butt off to find them as a new grad. I graduated May 2011 in Chicagoland. A handful of people from the class before me and in my class don't have jobs. The December, 2011, graduating class is already being offered interviews.

Money. In my area, full-time new grads can earn about $50K for floor nursing. If you don't mind having $150K in student loans after your graduate med school, and receive crappy pay as a resident for quite a few years, go for being a doctor.

From a quick google search that showed the Cedars Sinai (in CALIFORNIA!!) contract for residents:

Effective as of January 2, 2011, physicians-in-training will receive annual stipends as follows:

• GL-1 - $49,584
  
• GL-2 - $51,176
  
• GL-3 - $53,188
  
• GL-4 - $55,035
  
• GL-5 - $56,933
  
• GL-6 - $59,272
  
• GL-7 - $61,044

Time: Full-time nursing is just like any other full-time job. Forty hours per week (or 36 hours for 12-hour shifts), and then you go home. Nurses usually don't stay late to do patient care; they stay late to finish up charting. Being a doctor involves a lot more hours and interruption of your downtime. I know because I wake them up whenever I'm working!

Good luck with your decision.

[netglow, ASN, RN]

Pretty nice arrangement for docs isn't it. Paid residency. Lots more clinical experience and you are paid for it as well.

[littletwinstar]

thank you everyone, this has been so much help to me, I've also looked around the rest of the message boards and have a pretty good idea that it's a pretty bad idea for now. Sorry if any of my questions/comments sounded immature or childish, I don't know what its really like to be a nurse so my opinions of them and their profession are alittle bit on the simple side. I've talked to several nurses while I was in the hospital (labor and delivery) and they all told me they loved their jobs and it was a nice career to get into with lots of flexibility, so I had my hopes up alittle high.

[littletwinstar]

I would put in a big ole endorsement for med school...except that you have little kids. Docs get paid the big bucks because they make some big sacrifices. Talk to a few docs in your specialty and ask what their home lives are like. You really have to decide if you want that lifestyle. There are many, many who make it work without their family suffering, don't get me wrong...but it is a juggling act.

I like the PA idea that several others have tossed around. Like many previous posters, I am hesitant to recommend nursing, especially based on the idea that a job will be waiting for you. It just isn't likely.

You make a good point about my little ones, it does take alot of time and effort for med-school and beyond. Taking care of my family is important, but if I can get around having to sacrifice so much to support them, I'd rather look in other directions. I do like that Physician Assistant idea and I'll have to look into that. thank you all.

[netglow, ASN, RN]

No problem. You are very wise to have asked!!

About those nurses when you were in the hospital -- they could have meant all that, but remember part of what nurses are required to do is customer service. I don't think I'd have told you what I think if you had asked me on the job. Too much potential for getting in trouble. Not kidding. As they say, rainbows up your skirt while at work.

[MyUserName,RN]

I'm glad I never listened to the debbie downers when I was pondering if going into nursing was a good idea. I knew it was what I wanted very badly, but still wondered if I would be able to find a job etc when done with school, that fear based primarily on this board. I decided to take the risk and go for it. I got a job as a patient care tech in the hospital during nursing school. Worked prn 1 day a week just to have my foot in the door. Graduated in May 2011 and was hired on as a nurse June 2011. I have friends who did the same and also friends who didn't have their foot in the door and still got jobs within a few months of graduation. I suggest, if it's what you really want to do, go for it. Get your foot in the door during nursing school to secure you an RN job quickly after graduation.

I also have two small kids at home. My husband got a second job part time, I worked very part time, and the rest of our bills were paid with student loans. I don't regret it one bit. We sacrificed for 18 months and it was very hard, but that time is past now and I am doing what I want. For those who may be wondering, my student loan debt total is only 11k.

[littletwinstar]

No problem. You are very wise to have asked!!

About those nurses when you were in the hospital -- they could have meant all that, but remember part of what nurses are required to do is customer service. I don't think I'd have told you what I think if you had asked me on the job. Too much potential for getting in trouble. Not kidding. As they say, rainbows up your skirt while at work.

hahaha, good point! One of them especially sounded sincere, but I'm sure either way they did not want to say anything that could come back and bite them.

[silentRN]

Too be honest, just stay away from healthcare. There is nothing glorious about it and everyone hates it, from Doctor to house keeper.