Microbiology to nursing?

[TrueIrishTexan]

I will explain a little bit in detail. For the past three years I have been working on my pre-reqs for nursing school. With those prereqs I have a 3.8 gpa and I decided to start my journey as getting a CNA License. Sadly enough what I saw during clinicals was heart breaking to me. I literally went home and cried. And I feel during that period I got discouraged. I was even wondering if this is what I wanted to do. I applied for jobs at the local hospitals as a PCT, and no calls backs or anything. I want to work in a hospital, or should say wanted to....

After doing some thinking, I overthought myself and let my fears over take me. I am 27 as of this weekend and I know this is still fresh into this wild real world, but since I got my CNA I decided to drop nursing all together and pursue microbiology degree. Dont get me wrong, I love science so much and I feel I am good at it. Even considered medical school, but I feel that by time I finished and the heartache and financial burden, it was not worth it.

So right now I am working as a lab tech I in a microbiology laboratory testing foods for bacteria. It is not the most exciting, especially for someone who loves science so much.

And I keep on having this nagging feeling in the back of my mind if I should pursue nursing. I really do love people and I enjoy helping others. In the lab I am working at a bench with co workers who seem pretty much miserable and some even saying they wish they never went into science.

I just feel torn. Should I follow my natural instinct and pursue nursing or should I pursue microbiology.

Here are my plans for plan A = nursing or plan B = microbiology

Nursing I want to get a BSN and work towards NP.

Micro- I want to work in research and specialize in virology.

I am not choosing either for money. Both are decent pay but nothing grand. I have comed to learn no matter how much money one makes, if they are not happy at what they do, the money is not worth it. I am wanting to do something that makes me happy and know that at the end of the day I have made a real difference in someones life.

Completing nursing for me I would be close to about age 30-31

phd in microbiology I would be about 37 and then even the jobs are hard to come by.

I sit and think about how much passion I had towards nursing and maybe that one experience scared me too much and put me into shock in regards to the healthcare industry. As far as microbiology, I have a passion for it as well, ..... well for science.

I know with either option I choose the journey will not be easy, and they both take extensive amount of energy to complete. I am also wanting a career that I can start settling down in my life as well. I have a partner and we have been together for 5 years and I just feel we never see eachother and I am not sure I can endure that for another 7-10 years.

Has anyone had to make decisions like this. I am considering doing volunteer work to give me an idea of the daily life of an RN and see if that is a right fit for me. But so far.... working in the microbiology scene just seems so BORING and not what I thought it was going to be. I could use some words of inspiration, because ever since I started this job, until about into the 4th week, I started feeling dead inside. And each time nursing comes to thought, I feel a spark livin up in me, but then it dies down. I have a feeling I am letting that one bad experience stand in my way of an amazing journey.

Thank you for taking the time to read my short novel and please offer some support and guidance. I really appreciate it. Thank you.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

I support your decision not to enter nursing. It's not so rosy at this point for nurses. Oversupply in many areas, workload increasing on a continuous basis, and who knows what the impact of health care reform will be. Many people are finding that the reality of nursing today is pretty much squashing the 'spark' right out of them.

Have you considered medical laboratory technology? It seems as though this may be a good combo for you - very 'sciency' and actively engaged in providing patient care. There is the ability to specialize (hematology, cytology, etc) and jobs are available in hospital settings as well as reference labs. Career progression pretty much follows the educational trajectory. Here is their professional site with info ASCP.