Nursing or Accounting?

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · May 12, 2010

Only you will know what you can do. For me it would be nursing. I am not meant for Desk Jobs, I had one once and I hated it. Only reason I kept going was because I had great friends that were also "cube mates" that made my job bearable. If it wasn't for them though I would have quit.

I like the interaction with people. I plan on getting my BSN and maybe MSN but it will not be so I can go into management and be behind a desk, it's not for me.

But some people prefer to do that kinds of stuff so it all depends.

allnurses Guide · May 12, 2010

Definitely take a good read of the "Graduate Nurses" forum under the student nurse heading. Nursing jobs are no longer very plentiful for new grads in the vast majority of the country. If you don't have an affinity for healthcare, you will be very disillusioned if you are going into it for what you think is a shortage of nurses and therefore more money and more opportunity. Right this moment there is no nursing shortage. It may improve but not any time soon most likely. New grads are having a really hard time finding work.

Do your homework well to know what you are getting into. Accounting is vastly different from nursing, obviously, and therefore the comparison is pretty much impossible. There is a fellow in my current class who was a teacher and then a mortgage broker. He got into nursing because he assumed it was going to be big easy money and guaranteed work due to that whole 'nursing shortage' myth. Turns out neither are true and he hates studying theorists and the emotional side to nursing and all the judgement calls plus the fact that he will be legally responsible for anything he does to a patient and can be sued. He admitted last week if he had done his homework and known all this, he would have gone a different route.

I am not trying to discourage you at all. If nursing is your passion, you will be fine. But if you are doing it because of a perception of job security and fantastic money, that's erroneous and you will be unhappy.

Bob_N_VA · May 12, 2010

Honestly, I don't know that I would recommend nursing to you if your other choice is accounting. Whatever your reason for choosing it, a good part has to be a desire to help others in ways that are less than appealing to most folks. Doing it for the money or job security will probably not work for you in the long run. But if you are really serious, try doing some volunteer work in a hospital and see how that sits. Also keep in mind that you need pre-reqs like anatomy and micro that you probably don't have with an accounting background. Good luck with whatever decision you make.

Kundera · May 13, 2010

Lol, you are helping people when you are an accountant! If I were you, I would think about what type of work environment you would feel the most comfortable. There is a lot of chaos in nursing, but if you are a people person it can be easier to ignore. If you get a lot of pleasure out of poring over details for hours, I would assume that you would be happier in accounting. You say you have a math background... have you thought about becoming a financial analyst? You would probably have to get at least a bachelors, and maybe a masters, but it pays well and there always seem to be jobs for people with mad math skills! It is good to question what you really want to spend the rest of your life doing, and considering all the angles and options is what smart people do! Good luck with your choice!

morerobert · May 13, 2010

Thx everyone for answering to my post. I really appreciate it!

I am still looking for advice about both career (nursing & accounting), but people some time don't have enough time to discuss about it. What a way of living!!!!

I know I must take my own choice; but sometimes is not so easy. I have spent one year doind all pre-req to take nursing and I almost have all for accounting. My father is a doctor, but in Cuba everything work in a different way.

I hope to decide soon. Otherwise I could meke a big mistake.

Thax again,

roberto