Going back to school the second time around proved beneficial for this Exercise Physiologist who hopes to merge the best of both professions.
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About two years ago, I decided to take the leap and go back to school to get my nursing degree. I was already established in my field, but I have always felt that something was missing. So, I applied and was accepted into an Accelerated Program.
Being an Exercise Physiologist for over 15 years, this was a huge step for me. Now, I was not only a non-traditional student, but also I was older than several of my classmates, had a family and was working full time. Times had significantly changed in the fitness world since I graduated with my exercise physiology degree.
I chose the clinical route for my Master's Degree, but decided to take the apparently healthy route as a career and apply my clinical knowledge. Several of my former colleagues had taken the clinical route and told me that their clinical roles had changed over the years. As a result, many had also chose to become nurses to compliment their current careers and recommended that I do so as well.
I have to say going back to school the second time around was much easier. Being an educator myself, I knew what the professor expected of me and "cut to the chase" especially since I had other obligations.
As a result, nursing school proved very beneficial for me. After graduation, I resigned my job as Exercise Physiologist and started a new job on a cardiovascular unit. I have no intention of severing my ties from the fitness world, but rather in the future hope to merge the best of both worlds together.
I felt that my new degree helped to fill in the gaps where my previous career was lacking. Before, I felt I was very knowledgeable about fitness and assisting clients in achieving a healthy lifestyle, but now I feel that my clinical experience has made me a well rounded professional.
My goal of going back to school was to find the merger between the nursing and the fitness world. My previous profession challenged me to work with both ends of the Wellness Continuum from the extremely fit athlete to the extremely diseased with the goal of just being able to perform activities of daily living with out fatigue. In either case, exercise proved beneficial.
Nursing has further allowed me to help those that are in need, but to also educate them on the benefits of leading a healthy lifestyle. In my new position, I have already encouraged several of my patients on the importance of positive lifestyle changes and continuing these habits beyond their hospital stay. As a nurse, we are taught that discharge begins upon admission. My hope to is to educate and emphasize healthy lifestyle choices before the patient even is admitted a goal of continuing wellness through a lifetime. I truly enjoy my profession as an Exercise Physiologist and I am enjoying my new career as a Nurse. These two fields benefit each other but sometimes communication is lacking. I hope that in the near future I can be the key to link these two valuable fields together and positively influence people's lives.
