Knowing what you know now about nursing, what other career would you have chosen?

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Given a second chance, would you have chosen a different career path and if so what would it be?

Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

If i could make a living at it, singer/songwriter....

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Nursing... of course I haven't gotten into school yet, but I'm trying.

Its going to be my third career choice. I was a legal assistant/paralegal for a long time, and then I got a JD and practiced law for awhile. I realized I really hated the legal field. Hopefully, I have found the right fit for me.

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I'm only 3/4 of the way through NS, and I really enjoy it. However, and please don't flame me, I wish I would have discovered that I was interested in health care and extremely good at science courses when I was younger. I don't know if it's the direction I would have actually gone in, but I would have liked the opportunity to consider med school. Now I just don't have the time. I didn't even really think about it until I'd already started my ABSN program. It would have been nice to have taken premed courses when I got my first degree to see how I would have done, and to have had the chance to shadow some MDs and see if it's something I would have enjoyed. Now I'm married and planning to have kids soon, and it's just too late to do that. I'm planning on CRNA instead, after kids, and I hope it's as fulfilling as it sounds in my head.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Psych.

Meteorologist (sp?) - TV weathermen report their weather predictions and just laugh when they are wrong, along with the rest of the world. Even tho statistics indicate there is no predictability of weather several days out, it is still reported on the news. And they make big bucks!!

Post office worker - Doesn't matter how many people are in line, they still work slow as molasses! And many get away with poor customer service skills altho they have those silly signs up at the PO.

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This thread is interesting because I'm a photographer going back to school for nursing. I shoot advertising and fashion and I can tell you the people you have to deal with in this field are just as bad....the only difference is in the medical field you are actually saving lives, in photography they act like they are. The egos are unreal, a doctor's ego is nothing compared to egos I deal with in photography and advertising. It's like any other field, the horrible people are in all of them.

I actually make more money as a photographer but I can't stand the instability. When the economy goes down you better have money saved up. A lot of us went out of business after 9-11 and companies cut down on advertising....it's been back to normal for the past couple of years, but you never know.

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MB37, you are still young. I have friends in med school, one is in his late 30's with kids. He told me there is a women in his class who is in her 50's.

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Specializes in Psychiatric, Geriatrics.

Landscape Gardener, which in fact I was for ten years before becoming a nurse. It involves a lot of biological knowlege and interest as well as a nurturing qualitiy. Ever since I was a kid I enjoyed working outdoors with plants and I still do. The business side was never lucrative or secure enough, though. If I worked for a landscape or nursery company, i never made enough money or had any benefits,(read, I was exploited) and when I had my own business, there were only so many hours in the week of daylight for me to work, although I was highly in demand, but I don't have a head for business (read, I don't like exploiting people) and didn't want to hire people to work for me. I just felt that I didn't know how to be "president of a landscape company" all I was really good at was the art and science of gardening. I really do enjoy nursing, and I have more security in my life now. I even have work when the weather is bad! LOL. Also, I have time to work on my own landscape and veggies and stuff with no pressure, purely for enjoyment. I also take on small projects for colleagues and nieghbors from time to time on my days off, and if you just want to wax horticultural, I can shoot the breeze with ease.

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Specializes in Telemetry, Med-Surg.
I'm only 3/4 of the way through NS, and I really enjoy it. However, and please don't flame me, I wish I would have discovered that I was interested in health care and extremely good at science courses when I was younger. I don't know if it's the direction I would have actually gone in, but I would have liked the opportunity to consider med school. Now I just don't have the time. I didn't even really think about it until I'd already started my ABSN program. It would have been nice to have taken premed courses when I got my first degree to see how I would have done, and to have had the chance to shadow some MDs and see if it's something I would have enjoyed. Now I'm married and planning to have kids soon, and it's just too late to do that. I'm planning on CRNA instead, after kids, and I hope it's as fulfilling as it sounds in my head.

When I was in undergrad, about 10 years ago, one of my friend's mother decided that she wanted to go back to school to become a doctor. She had a young son, in addition to my friend (who was in her late teens/early twenties) and was in her forties when she went back. She has since finished and is most likely in her fifties now. So, if you really want it, go for it! However, there's nothing wrong with your current path either. Just do what makes you happy, as you only have one life to live.

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being a veterinarian.

In human medicine-either lab or radiology

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Neurology, Public Health Education.

I would be a full time writer (hopefully in a gorgeous home, possibly by the beach with a family). Currently, I am only writing when I get a chance and I hope to publish a book someday but writing is not what pays the bills. Nursing is the career that will be the moneymaker for me and allow me to do what I love to do which is work in medicine and care for people.

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Specializes in ED, ICU, Heme/Onc.

I'd be a trash talk show host. This way I can get paid lots and lots of money to sort out baby's mama dramas, family fights and infidelity reveals that I often find myself witnessing.

Or I'd run a "soap opera" business. One that sounds glamorous, but I really am not doing anything but sitting around looking fabulous with my frenemies.

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Not even through with school, but my other choice was social work. I may still do that...too.

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