Nursing to microbiology

[Andi29]

Hi

I am a nurse and have recently been accepted into a bachelor of science degree.As I wish to work within the health industry my choice of majors are between microbiology and genetics.I am leaning more to microbiology as diagnostics and diseases as well as analysing and research have always majorly interested me.I would potentially hope to work as a clinical microbiologist in a hospital.I have read many discouraging reviews on studying microbiology but I have always wanted to venture into more and or expand my nursing career whereby I could combine the two.I am not really a maths novice ,however am okay with science subjects .The maths aspect is decreasing my confidence somewhat.Please offer any advice ,thank you

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

If you're interested in moving into a career in Laboratory Science, then by all means - go for it! But, as I'm sure you have already discovered, this is a completely different career from nursing so you'll have a lot of new coursework to complete. Laboratory science is a "hard science" career so there will be much more math and science involved. If you are interested in research, this is rarely conducted in a hospital environment.. unless it is a major big-time academic center.

If you're interested in working in the patient care side of Laboratory Science, you should probably know that there is always a Physician (Pathologist) directing the lab. SHE/HE is the top dog, and the only one who is actually considered a 'scientist' in the pecking order. You may want to talk to some lab folks to get a clearer idea of the hierarchy and job titles/qualifications since it can be pretty complicated to 'outsiders'.

Best of luck on your career change.

[MatadobraK]

In my experience as a Lab Assistant, I have had a Medical Technologist tell me to avoid his career if I enjoyed working with people. Some of the Techs miss the human interaction. Some are very very intelligent, but have poor social skills. An additional thought is that M.T.s make significantly less money than a nurse. Other than that, it is an interesting field and you can save people's lives by reporting findings to the doctors. Some of them have great hours and can get time off. Just my two cents.

[gingerdee]

I concur with the previous posts, i have worked as a med tech for 8 years and am now looking to get my BSN. i have worked micro, blood bank, chemistry, hemo/coag and i am bored! the micro experience you are hoping for will not be much of an experience at all; many things are automated now so the true clinical experience is reduced to putting things on/taking things off instruments and carefully evaluating results.

furthermore there is not much chance for upward mobility as there is in nursing. u can move up to become a shift or section supervisor whereby you are coordinating break schedules, cap surveys, preparing for inspections, ER issues, etc. from that point you can move on up to lab admin manager and deal with budgets, hiring/firing etc and that is basically it.

and in the lab it is true, most med techs do not have people skills and borerline ocd (im this way as well)

so being a clinical lab scientis is not as glamorous as some ppl think. we are at the bottom, and make less than rn (the starting pay for an adn in my area is $30, as opposed to a bs med tech

which start around $24)

it is a thankless dead-end job and i can see this new generation just using it as a transient career