Nurse or sonographer

[ilovemycavalier]

I'm going to be going to college next fall. I definitely know I want to chose a career in the healthcare field. I've been thinking about become an RN (registered nurse) or a sonographer (ultrasound tech). I plan on getting an associates degree. I was heading more towards becoming an RN because it seems there would be more job openings but my mom is an LPN of 20 years and says not to become a nurse. My mom hates being an LPN and says it's stressful because she works a floor by herself with so many patients. (works at a nursing home) My mom says that she would like to see me at as sonographer and I think I would like being one but it seems like there wouldn't be as many job openings. So I'm stuck between the two. Do any of you have some advice on whether to head towards an rn or a sonographer? Money isn't really a issue but I want to make at least 60k... Or I just want enough to be able to support myself financially and not be struggling. Not sure if one career has a higher salary than the other. I live in CT.

[ruralgirl08]

I would have to agree with your mom, she is a nurse, and knows the business well. Your mom would also know you well, and would have your best interest in mind. Unless there is something more attracting you to nursing, such as a strong desire to be a nurse or a strong passion for a specific area.

IMO, sonographers would have better work hours while making a decent income. Like nursing, they still get to interact with a variety of people, and there is always new things to learn. But listen to your heart, it will tell you what you need to do.

[damrcngrl95]

This was my big question when I was trying to decide between Radiology, Respiratory, and nursing. I shadowed all three and learned a great deal about all three fields. I found my love with Respiratory. I am an asthmatic and so are my two younger children. We have been battling with breathing problems due to the area that we are living in. Thankfully we will be moving next month.

My advise would be to shadow a nurse and a sonographer for a couple of months each. Also if you do decide to get a sonography degree maybe get a radiology tech degree too. I have seen programs where you can go through the radiology program and add on the sonography too. This would help you to be more marketable in the radiology field. The biggest problem that I hear from my radiology friends is that the field is very saturated right now. They say that the glut could last for many years, but I'm hearing the same thing about nursing too.

When I finish my degree I don't know if I will get a job anytime soon, but I know that I will have picked a field that I can enjoy and relate to. That was the biggest factor when I was deciding which degree to choose.