Letter Carrier or R.N?

gladtobeOB · Aug 6, 2004

Wish I could help but......that is a decision you and your family will have to make. Make a paper of pros and cons to both. But if your heart is in nursing go for it.

KayRN2003 · Aug 6, 2004

I have a couple of friends that are letter carriers for the U.S. postal service. Their starting pay is about equivalent or more than a R.N. It is a very good stable job. My husband is currently trying to get a letter carrier position.

TiffyRN, BSN, PhD · Aug 6, 2004

I don't really know that much about letter carrying as a job but I can think of a few things. Schedule would probably be a lot better. From what I know postal workers sure seem to get every conceivable holiday off, not a reality for nurses. I know some work at night but not to the extent that nurses do.

However; if you want a job where you impact people's lives daily and want to help people heal, then I don't think postal work can compare to nursing.

Many times after a tough shift, I wish for a different job, office work, 9-5, less chance of affecting life and death. Then I think how personally gratifying it is to comfort and help healing and I am thankful I am a nurse.

cannoli · Aug 6, 2004

I would go for the letter carrier. Actually I took the postal exam a few years ago and scored quite high. The position was for rural carrier, only one day a week, which wasn't enough time so instead of going for the interview I put my name on a list for a permanent postion, supposedly; I never heard anything back. I was working as an RN at the time in a hospital as a federal employee.

So here I am, still an RN, but if I could work for the post office, I would jump at the chance. Good money, good benefits, and I'm sure it must be stressful, but it can't be anywhere near the stress of nursing, and no responsibility or liability as compared to nursing, no one is going to die or sue you for messing up the mail.

You can always go to school. You may not get the chance to work for the PO again.

Good luck!

saskrn · Aug 6, 2004

Hi all, Today I just received a letter from the U.S Postal Service to go for an interview next week. Currently I'am a pre-nursing student and had plans to make it into the L.P.N program and work and the in the future go back for my R.N. I really want to become a nurse but the I really need to make money for my family because my husband is the only one making an income for us. I feel like this is a one in a lifetime opportunity for me and dont want to regreted later if i decide not to take this job. I just wanted to know what you guys think I should do any advice would surely be appreciated. I'm sooo undecided :uhoh21:

I would try for the letter carrier position, and if that doesn't work out, or you are unhappy, you can always still continue with your nursing plans. I'm sure nursing will be around forever!! :)

Good luck!

KaroSnowQueen, RN · Aug 6, 2004

I would go for the letter carrier. They may start out near RN pay, but the pay goes up over time much higher than your average RN, and their retirement is out of this world. My mother in law and my cousin are both retired from the post office, and their retirement pay is great! My cousin has a regular car, gets a new Corvette every 4 years and restores old cars for fun, and has plenty of money for his family. My mother in law has invested and has more money than I will ever have as a nurse.

Go for the postal, and if you want you can go to school later. I have tried for postal jobs for several years, have had interviews but never get called. If they want you, by all means TAKE IT!!!!!!

RNPATL, DNP, RN · Aug 6, 2004

Actually, take the letter carrier position and then apply to nursing school after you have worked for 1 year. The government will pay for you to become a nurse. In fact, I think with the postal service, you can actually receive a paycheck while you are in school. Look into it before you apply, but I think that is one of the federal benefits for federal employees. I think you can access that information on http://www.vacareers.gov

Good luck

kastas, BSN, RN · Aug 6, 2004

How strange that someone else would be in this dilemma...

My Dad is a letter carrier, planning to retire October of '05. I took the exam while in nursing school also. I went through the interview process and seriously considered it. I can't tell you what to do but here was my thought process....

Government = great retirement, union, guaranteed cost of living raises each year, reimburesment for uniforms, outdoors, no supervisor breathing down your neck for several hours of each day...I'm sure I will think of more later.

I have always wanted to be a nurse and chose that route. The 2 things that really made me go this way were 1) job stability - I can do a million different things with this degree. Once a letter carrier, always a letter carrier. There aren't many other options out there for letter carriers if you decided you didn't like it down the road (though you could go back to school then). 2) I am making now (6 yrs later) what my Dad is making now (30 years later).

I chose the money and the security. Now, talking to my Dad a bit more I find out that his money is really much better than mine. He has awesome insurance! A perfect retirement! And, 30 years ago, he started out making $3/hr. Do you think nursing pay will go up that much in 30 yrs? I highly doubt it.

Good luck with your decision. I KNOW it is a hard one. You will choose what is best for your family right now and I doubt you will regret that decision. Stick with your gut.

Paramedicated · Aug 6, 2004

If you have to ask yourself if you should be nurse or a letter carrier, especialy if it is a money thing, GO please and Bring the mail.

Medicine is not something we do because it pays good. We do this Job because sick an injured people need us.

We may question "why" we put up with the trials and tribulations of our field. But we never lose site of the ultimate reason why we are here...it has nothing to do with cash.

P_RN, ADN, RN · Aug 6, 2004

Kastas wrote:

And, 30 years ago, he started out making $3/hr. Do you think nursing pay will go up that much in 30 yrs? I highly doubt it.

I graduated in 1974 and my first hospital RN job was in 1976. I was making $4.03/hour. So for me that is about equivalent.

Anyway, I think I'd go for the letter carrier also. This may be the only chance you have for the interview, and you don't want to spend the rest of your life wondering what might have been.

Is this a government job? I think that around here letter carriers are contract (1099) employees and there is no promotion possibility. I could be wrong it's only been 36 hours since I slept.

RNPATL, DNP, RN · Aug 6, 2004

If you have to ask yourself if you should be nurse or a letter carrier, especialy if it is a money thing, GO please and Bring the mail.
Medicine is not something we do because it pays good. We do this Job because sick an injured people need us.
We may question "why" we put up with the trials and tribulations of our field. But we never lose site of the ultimate reason why we are here...it has nothing to do with cash.

I am not so sure that inquiry is a bad thing here. Young people need to explore their options. There is certainly nothing wrong with looking at professions that are going to bring you a secure future. I think the OP is very mature for asking questions like this. People get into nursing (we are talking about nursing here, rather than "medicine") for many different reasons. Why is it a bad thing to be concerned about wages and benefits?

For many people, nursing is a calling and they are not concerned with their pay or benefits and for them, I respect their decision to enter nursing. For others, they enter nursing because they want to work with people. Yet, others enter nursing because it offers a variety of working options and a secure future.

I don't agree that the OP should go deliver the mail just because he/she is asking these questions. We need to encourage young people to look at their options today .... and there are plenty of them. Hopefully, they will see nursing as a viable profession that can help them achieve their professional and personal goals.

To the OP - I say ... do what best meets your personal and professional objectives.