Leaving the Law

nursemike, ASN, RN · Aug 6, 2004

I've known a couple of nurses who were working their way through law school. There is supposedly a big demand for nurses in law practices--they don't mind suing doctors, the story goes. I'm not sure I believe that, but it makes some sense.

I'm an ex-carpenter going into nursing. I'll make a little more per hour, but considerably more per year. (Currently working for 10/hr, but it's steady, hopefully will double next summer.)

You don't sound like you're going into this lightly, but it might be reassuring to recall that there are all kinds of nurses. If you find bedside nursing isn't what you'd hoped, you ought to have a great shot in nursing administration.

Reading all the horror stories about bad administrators suggests a real opportunity for good ones to make things better.

My Nurse Manager read somewhere that most Boomers go through seven careers! I feel like I'm a little behind schedule, but I do admire you young folks with your one or two career changes and sense of direction and stuff.

Anyway, best of luck,

November · Aug 8, 2004

Hey there! Just to let you know, there ARE others like you. I'm also leaving the practice of law (general practice, insurance litigation) to start over in nursing. I find it really comforting to hear that there are others making the same decision, and for the same reasons, so... thanks! ;-) Anyway, nice to meet y'all! My name is Scott, I'm 32, and I start an accelerated 2nd bachelors program at the University of Maryland in 2 weeks, which I couldn't be more thrilled about. An ex girlfriend of mine was a med/surg nurse in the area, and that's what originally got me thinking about the career change a few years back. I DO remember all of her complaints well (staffing, condescending docs, floor politics, scheduling, difficult patients and families, etc...), so HOPEFULLY my expectations about what nursing "really" is are realistic, and I'm not being driven too much by idealism. We'll see.... (I'll keep ya posted! ;-) I just felt I wanted something more positive and fulfilling than law, with more purpose, and more human contact... and the *constant* conflict and haggling in my old life made me feel like a glorified car salesman or something, and a salesman I just am not.... Anyway, yes, there are others like you!
Scott
P.S. - I just discovered this site last week, and have been spending WAY too much time reading all these threads. Fantastic info, so thanks everyone. (My favorite thread: the "What really grosses you out?" discussion! (Chicken feathers?!?! Heheh!) Great anecdotes!)

Its wonderful to meet you! If you are anything like me - the decision you've made was hard, and not always met with understanding. I am still taking pre-reqs and my employeers don't know of my plans (it would NOT sit well with them and I need the job to pay for the year off). I have been sneaking around and leaving at 5 or 6 a few days a week to get to my classes on time (unheard of for a lawyer, I know) and feeling very stressed. However, despite it all, the stress and the fear ("what am I doing....?") I am happier than I have ever been in my life, and feeling real hope for my life for the first time in years. I wish you the best of luck!

nycegyrl · Aug 8, 2004

Finally..... a positive thread. I have been reading threads on this site for quite a while now and there is a lot of discouraging posts. I'm changing careers also. I'm scared out of my mind about what lies ahead. I know nursing is hard. And I know I will love school. My other job was hard. Some people are hard to get along with. Management can be a pain in the behind. A lot of stress to work faster and get everything done. Working conditions were the pits. The things we put ourselves through for a paycheck is amazing. I like to read the posts that are positive and the posts that are negative remind me of the conditions I am already familiar with from my past employment. And I know that some people are just very negative. I remind myself that this is a discussion board for people to vent their frustrations. I may be here one day venting mine from a hard day of nursing. Thanks all for the encouraging words to the other poster. You helped me out also.

talaxandra · Aug 8, 2004

Welcome, November and Scott

I haven't worked with any lawyers-turned-nurses, though there are a few nurses-turned-lawyers. I think periodic career change helps keep us young and enthusiastic, particularly if it's to/from quite different fields. I think you'll also find some skills from the law serve you well on the Mean Wards (like the Mean Streets, only indoors!). Good luck!

(edited for typo)

November · Aug 8, 2004

Finally..... a positive thread. I have been reading threads on this site for quite a while now and there is a lot of discouraging posts. I'm changing careers also. I'm scared out of my mind about what lies ahead. I know nursing is hard. And I know I will love school. My other job was hard. Some people are hard to get along with. Management can be a pain in the behind. A lot of stress to work faster and get everything done. Working conditions were the pits. The things we put ourselves through for a paycheck is amazing. I like to read the posts that are positive and the posts that are negative remind me of the conditions I am already familiar with from my past employment. And I know that some people are just very negative. I remind myself that this is a discussion board for people to vent their frustrations. I may be here one day venting mine from a hard day of nursing. Thanks all for the encouraging words to the other poster. You helped me out also.

I too have been thinking alot about the negative posts. What is probably comes down to is this: All jobs are hard. There is mis-management, inequity, back-biting, ill-equipped superiors, too much work and too little pay. The answer must be - do what you really want - what you think you can love. Then, you can tolerate the problems and hopefully find some satisfaction along the way. I hope this is the case. I am banking my life on it. You seem to be doing the same, and I wish you the best.

BRANDY LPN · Aug 8, 2004

Scott and November-

I know that you are both burnt out on law at this time, I have had the unpleasant experience of learning recently that there are only about 4 RNJDs in my state and 2 of them are employed by the state board LOL. So it would seem there is a high demand for them, if ever you decided that you wanted to get back into law, you could do so by helping your fellow nurses, just something to think about and hopefully it will ease your fears a little to know that you don't have to totally give up your current professions but could sometime in the future combine the two in a positive way.

oramar · Aug 8, 2004

I recently had a nightmare about my son the lawyer. I wrote him and told him, "I dreampt you were kidnapped". He wrote back to me and said, "I HAVE been kidnapped, by PEOPLE WHO MAKE ME WORK 12 HOURS A DAY, 6 DAYS A WEEK". He is not kidding, he considers a 60 hour week a slow week. He seems to be thriving on it but I could see how some people :uhoh21: could not do it. I only know what he tells me but he says the number of hours you must bill keep increasing. In the old days if you did not meet the requirment you did not make provisional partner or then partner. For the first time his firm has started sacking people who are at the lower end of productivity.

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Aug 8, 2004

Wow- lawyers and chiropracters becoming nurses?

I am incredulous.

I do not think you will get the kind of respect as a nurse that you are used to getting.

Good luck to you!

Toby's mum · Aug 8, 2004

Welcome November! You already are experiencing one of the great things about nursing--the allnurses community/network of great folks ready, willing, and active in helping, supporting and encouraging each other :) I don't know whether you had this type of support in your law career, but it's truly amazing and it will help you in your quest.

I feel for you in the position you find yourself and I can relate to the identity crisis you describe. This past June, I left a successful investment banking business after 13 years due to many of the same reasons you list. I looked ahead at the remaining 20-25+ years of my working life and asked myself how did I want to spend those years. It came down to wanting to make more of a substantial difference with a closer connection to people in need than I experienced in the investment banking field. I also desired a network of colleagues to learn from and with--something I didn't have in the IB industry. Having made the leap--and left my job (where my colleagues were rather stunned at my choice), I have to say that I still experience the ups and downs of having made a life-changing decision. There are some really difficult days where I feel like picking up the phone and asking (begging) my old employers to take me back. Whenever I feel like this, I go for a long walk and remind myself why I chose to take this step.

I suggest you make a list of why you are pursuing nursing and keep it handy for whenever you need a reminder. Also, it gets a little easier when you are busy studying nursing classes--you won't have time to second guess yourself, which helps.

As for the identity crisis, I'm still struggling with this one too. I guess you have to remind yourself you still are that person with all the same skills, experience etc. No one can take that away and who knows where nursing might lead--there are so many opportunities. I think it just takes time to adjust to a new career and identity--one that encompasses all you have accomplished. We are much more than the careers/jobs we pursue. You may be surprised at the reception you get from your friends when you are confident enough to reveal your intentions. I found many are actually envious that I was willing to take a big chance and totally change the direction of my life. It takes a lot of courage, strength, confidence and determination to do what you want to do. Trust your desire to make this change--often times these difficult changes can lead to a far superior life beyond our wildest dreams. You can always fall back on the law if things don't work out--that's your safety net.

I applaud your decision and wish you the very best. We are all here to help you through your journey and beyond--that's why allnurses is so great :) Be good to yourself--Steph

November · Oct 14, 2004

Welcome November! You already are experiencing one of the great things about nursing--the allnurses community/network of great folks ready, willing, and active in helping, supporting and encouraging each other :) I don't know whether you had this type of support in your law career, but it's truly amazing and it will help you in your quest.
I feel for you in the position you find yourself and I can relate to the identity crisis you describe. This past June, I left a successful investment banking business after 13 years due to many of the same reasons you list. I looked ahead at the remaining 20-25+ years of my working life and asked myself how did I want to spend those years. It came down to wanting to make more of a substantial difference with a closer connection to people in need than I experienced in the investment banking field. I also desired a network of colleagues to learn from and with--something I didn't have in the IB industry. Having made the leap--and left my job (where my colleagues were rather stunned at my choice), I have to say that I still experience the ups and downs of having made a life-changing decision. There are some really difficult days where I feel like picking up the phone and asking (begging) my old employers to take me back. Whenever I feel like this, I go for a long walk and remind myself why I chose to take this step.
I suggest you make a list of why you are pursuing nursing and keep it handy for whenever you need a reminder. Also, it gets a little easier when you are busy studying nursing classes--you won't have time to second guess yourself, which helps.
As for the identity crisis, I'm still struggling with this one too. I guess you have to remind yourself you still are that person with all the same skills, experience etc. No one can take that away and who knows where nursing might lead--there are so many opportunities. I think it just takes time to adjust to a new career and identity--one that encompasses all you have accomplished. We are much more than the careers/jobs we pursue. You may be surprised at the reception you get from your friends when you are confident enough to reveal your intentions. I found many are actually envious that I was willing to take a big chance and totally change the direction of my life. It takes a lot of courage, strength, confidence and determination to do what you want to do. Trust your desire to make this change--often times these difficult changes can lead to a far superior life beyond our wildest dreams. You can always fall back on the law if things don't work out--that's your safety net.
I applaud your decision and wish you the very best. We are all here to help you through your journey and beyond--that's why allnurses is so great :) Be good to yourself--Steph

Toby's mom:

Thank you for your wonderful and very kind relpy. You, like you, so many of the nurses that visit this board are supportive. While I am still struggling with the identiy issue - I am getting better. Soon, I will be telling my boss of my plans, and I think that will help. I am sort of living a double life - in between worlds - and its very stressful.

Your story has been inspirational and I am glad to know I am not the first to have the feelings I do.