First, I want to thank each of you for selecting nursing as your career. I have experienced many hospital experiences (surgeries, childbirth, death, etc) and appreciate all you do.
Quick summary: I have a son (single, 32) who lost his job (real estate) and needs more "job security". Nursing has been suggested and he is looking into a community college for either a LPN or RN program. He has Anatomy II and Microbiology left as pre-req and most likely will be accepted into either program.
Is money/job security a valid reason to change careers?
I would hate to see him fail....nursing seems so hard!!!
Is money/job security a valid reason to change careers?
Yes. To change careers to get into nursing? No. Why?
Nursing is tough. Getting into nursing school is even tougher. Every day life as a nurse is tough. Nurses deal with all sorts of people, with all sorts of different backgrounds, religious beliefs, etc. They can be very mean, and this can be difficult for a nurse to handle.
Nurses do more than just "help people." There is so much responsibility involved. Nurses see the most disgusting things, and are required to face them head on. Poop, puke, snot, pee, blood, guts, you name it. A lot of people get into nursing and don't fully understand what the job entails, and end up dropping out. This is a complete waste of time and energy.
If a person - your son, whomever - wants to get into nursing, they need to want to do it for more than just job security and money. Nursing isn't a profession where you can just wake up, go to work, and come home. Your life is affected every single day, and you make a huge impact on every patient you touch. If you are there JUST to get a paycheck, shame on you.
Imagine the exhaustion one would feel as their career as a nurse goes on. Even those who have a passion will get exhausted by all the depressing things one encounters. A person who is not fueled by passion, but rather by money, is more likely to get burnt out quicker. At least the passionate nurse can reflect on why s/he became a nurse to begin with, and can much more easily reignite that spark.
If you're a prick of a nurse, you have no business being one. Period. People can tell when someone has a heart, and I believe there is a direct connection between a patient's return to wellness, and the relationships that they have with their caregiver. If they feel (whether consciously or subconsciously) that their caregivers don't care about their wellness, then why should they care for their own?
And finally, there is a nursing instructor shortage. This means that out of the hundreds of thousands of qualified students applying for nursing school, only a certain amount are going to make it. Those who are applying who REALLY want to be a nurse - and not because their first profession failed, or some other nonsense - deserve to get in. Those who have a passion for nursing make better nurses, and thus deserve to get that spot in school.
Long story short, he needs to make sure that his heart is in the right place. His success in this field depends on it.
I believe that the pay and job security are most definitely valid reasons to enter nursing. But they shouldn't be the only reasons. IMO, a sense of being "called" to help/care for others is extremely important. The prospective nurse also needs to truly have a passion for the art and science that defines nursing.
My husband is a long-time truck driver who became a nurse in his late 30s/early 40s after he saw how a male nurse took care of his dad while he was in the hospital. My husband is MADE for long-term care...at least I think! He is firm but extraordinarily gentle and caring--traits necessary for LTC. He's always got a fan club of little ol' ladies. The money is good for a 2-year degree and the benefits suck, but we have rocking conversations over lunch. Shoot--depending on education level, an RN can do about anything, really!
1 - your son is 32, kick him out of your basement already
2 - tell him to get his lazy ass on here and start asking questions, you are seriously doing this for him?
3 - hes almost done with pre-reqs and has no clue on the job market, salary, security? Sounds just like the person i want taking care of me...:icon_roll
Honestly , it depends on the type of person he is. Some men relate very well with the public. It may not be a great profession for "macho" acting guys. Ego is OK in small doses and when appropriate (advocating). From the sounds of it, your son has been interacting with the public for some time. I imagine working in real-estate he must have a positive attitude and understand personal boundries.
Mom, it is DEFINETLY worth thinking about going into nursing r/t job security these days, there just seems to be so much uncertainy about the economy, and businesses laying off people, going bankrupt, ect. We will always have jobs, even if we have to be flexible aboutwhere, when, ect.
And there are so many things a male nurse can excel at. My dh is an RN, and he is a nursing supervisor. He has been in the field for more than 20 years.
CHATSDALE
4,177 Posts
there is job secuity in nursing, my dtr and her husband both rns have doen very well
however by the time he finishes school the real estate market will probably have picked up...
career decisions are ones that only that person can make determination