Medical Technologist to RN to NP

emeraldcity · Jan 3, 2010

You would be making about the same amount of money as an RN, right? Not worth the debt and the lost income during school in my opinion. Also, you can make a positive influence on lots of peoples' lives --like coworkers--without being a nurse. Working nurses have precious little time to give the tlc they would like to. Just my 2 cents.

RNnbakes · Jan 4, 2010

yep I agree with the emeralcity. You are probably making more now as medical technologist with less stress. Its not worth the debt if you want to only get your RN, but if your end goal is to become a NP then I will say go for it.

mitzi12 · Jan 6, 2010

If you really like your job, then stay with it. I see the nursing field as a tough one to find a job right now and more stressful. I am changing my career (dental hygienist right now) into nursing for (hopefully) more opportunity. However so many people are going into nursing right now. My family has also had some unexpected costly repairs in the last month and we are even more in debt and I have guilt and high stress due to the nursing program and not able to pay bills now. Stay where you are --especially since you are happy.

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Jan 6, 2010

I agree with previous posts - if you like your job, stick with it. Nursing has many downsides that would probably outweigh the (sometimes rare) warm fuzzies we get from patient care. I would advise you to pursue career growth in laboratory science instead - maybe an advanced degree and/or move into a management position.

I also want to assure you that you are certainly "working with patients" - just not directly. I hope that you and your colleagues understand how important you are to patient care. We (nurses) may be the frontline troops, but we can't do it without you.

Bionic Woman · Jan 13, 2011

I did this and would not recommend it. If you do decide to do it, I would recommend keeping your full-time med tech job and starting as a prn or part-time RN. Then if you decide that nursing is not for you, you still have your full-time med tech job. If you decide you do like nursing, then you can switch to full-time nursing.

I was a med tech for 10 years and then decided to go to nursing school. I worked full-time and went to school full-time. VERY HARD. After graduation, I transferred within the system to a job as a nurse on a busy renal/med surg floor. What I thought nursing was and the reality of nursing are two entirely different things. After five months, I turned in my resignation (I'll spare you the MANY stories-- Try reading some of the new grad stories in the first year after graduation forum.)

Anyway, I am now back to being a med tech and I have a new appreciation for being a med tech. Also worth mentioning is the job market. There are so many new RN grads out there looking for work now.

At one time I entertained thoughts of NP, but no more. I'm perfectly happy in the lab.

rockabye · Jan 13, 2011

My hubby is a med tech and really enjoys his job too. He has no patient contact and I think he likes it that way because he is more the analytical type. I would suggest that you may want to shadow a nurse first before you invest the time and money into nursing to see if you will like it. Do you have any friends or family that are nurses too? I really like my job and I think feeling like I made a personal difference to my patients is important. It was stressful sure, and it has taken a couple years to feel as comfortable with it as I do today, but I definitely think it was worth it. Do some research on it and get a feel for what specialty you may like. It actually took me way into my nursing clinicals during school before I found my calling. Good luck and at least you will always have med tech to fall back on! :)

Editorial Team / Moderator · Jan 13, 2011

Follow your passion. Good luck. :)

cmscookie · Feb 13, 2012

I just got accepted into an Accelerated BS/MS for non nurses direct entry program. I am currently a medical technologist at a hospital lab and although I have some tough days at work I really like my job. I decided to apply for a direct entry nursing program because I always knew I wanted to go back to school and have always enjoyed working with patients. I think nursing would be a good fit for me however I am concerned that starting this career change might not be worth it. I have a good job now, I would have to cut my hours significantly once school starts and I wonder if it would be worth the large amount of money I'll be owing after graduation. Just knowing that by being a nurse I'll have more opportunities to have a positive affect on people is reason enough to be going into this with no doubts, but sometimes I can't help but wonder if it will be worth it. Any feedback is welcome.

I am going through the same kind of situation. I am a Medical Technologist working in a clinic and taking classes towards nursing. I am torn with the decision should I go on with the nursing program or stay in my job as a med tech?? The money is not as good as I expected for 4 YEAR DEGREE and I thought an RN position would be more gratifing and better money. The med techs where I'm at do not get much recognition someone said to me right away "Why didn't you go into nursing at least their respected?" Will the change be worth it I'm just not sure. Any feedback appreciated.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Feb 13, 2012

so often these questions are posed or answered by people who don't have a really long work history in the field, or who, caught up in the moment, assume that today's market and situations will always be the same. think about whether you are that person, or not. i'm gonna ask you to look forward in time ten years.

are you still content being a med tech? are you where you want to be for the rest of your working life? if not, have you thought about advancement or other settings where you can put your education to use, and concluded that the answer satisfies you?

in my opinion, you'll have many, many more doors open to you as a nurse, and i foresee more of them in ten years as the boomer population starts moving through the health care system en masse, and the number of nurses there to do bedside, primary, and rehab care shrinks. your call, though.