Nursing as a 2nd career

bill4745, RN · Nov 18, 2011

As you may have noticed in these forums, the nursing shortage no longer exists. New grads and (in some areas) even experienced nurses are finding it difficult to find jobs. With so many people looking for positions, some institutions are only hiring BSNs. Also, most hospitals are reluctant to hire new grads into part-time/per diem positions. They feel that you need full-time experience, usually one year minimum, to gain the skills needed to work independently.

Sorry to be so negative, but this is how things are right now. It is hard to predict when it will get better.

ImThatGuy, BSN, RN · Nov 18, 2011

Why would you need or want to move? You seem happy with what you're doing, and nothing in your post said "yeah, I wanna become a nurse" so stick with what you've got. If you just want to go to nursing school then have at it, but don't do it thinking it's your ticket to job security in a far off land.

cwa82 · Nov 18, 2011

Hmmm, I have some mixed feelings about this. Not to be negative, but I don't think nursing is a wise choice if you are simply looking for a side job or "something to fall back on". To begin with, nursing school is a huge undertaking. Nursing was my second career, and I was fortunate in that I didn't have to work while I was in school. Even so, the program was my entire life for two years. If you aren't at class or in clinicals, you are studying, preparing, and completing assignments. The time commitment alone is immense, and the stress can be pretty intense as well.

Second, if you like biotech and make great money - why nursing? This can be a very rewarding career for someone who is interested in the work. It can also be stressful and exhausting, and I've seen many new nurses want out of the field when confronted with the reality of nursing. And despite what you may have heard, the money isn't all that great. Sure, I make a comfortable living, but that's it. The people making crazy money in nursing are generally working boatloads of overtime to get it.

Finally, most PRN jobs are for experienced nurses. It takes time and money to train a new nurse, and few employers will be willing to invest that in someone who will only be working a few days a month in return. The skills and knowledge you need to be a good nurse take time to pick up, and I don't believe that can be done if nursing is simply a side job. If you wanted to spend a few full-time years in nursing to get experience, and then back down to PRN, that would make more sense.

I really hope I'm not coming off as too negative. As a second career on its own, I think nursing is wonderful. But for what you seem to be looking for, I don't see how nursing would be a good fit.

allnurses Guide · Nov 18, 2011

If job security is your primary motive, I advise looking elsewhere. Nursing does not have it, no matter what the media continues to propagate. There are unemployed and underemployed nurses everywhere. The job openings you see on hospital website or search engines a lot of the time are fakes that are put out over and over with no intent to hire, posted due to the corporate requirement of having to prove one needs the money allocated to them in the budget. So it looks like they need people (and honestly they probably do), but have no intention of using that money to hire anyone.

I think the idea of working per diem on nights/weekends is probably one that could work, but only after you get some full time nursing experience. Keep in mind that even if someone would hire an inexperienced nurse for that kind of a position, the liability you would assume would be massive. Poor training/orientation goes along with per diem/PRN work. Combine that with a green newbie and it is a recipe for disaster and potential financial destruction. You can be personally sued for pretty much anything you do as a nurse and nursing school no longer graduates people in a way that leaves them prepared to hit the ground running. Additional training is needed and this falls to the employers. Many simply decline, many have internships that require a full time obligation and many will hire you, say they will orient you properly, go back on their word or insist three days should be enough and then leave you to your own devices until you are either fired or quit or adjust. The first two happen more often than the last one.

Think very hard before you make this commitment. Even the two year RN schools are considered a full time commitment and are pretty exhausting and intense. Honestly I have trouble imagining anyone being willing to put in that kind of time and effort for a part time job kept for extra money and peace of mind just in case.

Quickbeam, BSN, RN · Nov 18, 2011

I'm a second career nurse and looking over my entire 25 years as an RN, it was worth it. However, if I had stayed at my old job and had used nursing as a part time "pin money" job? No possible way was the work and toil of nursing school worth THAT.

Seriously...the market is pretty crummy. I have a M-F case mgt gig right now and had looked at picking up Friday nights somewhere...no one was interested in an RN that part time.

33762FL · Nov 18, 2011

IMO stick with your current career, since you like it and it's lucrative. You'd have to put your career on hold to invest time & money in nursing school, then spend years as a PT or FT nurse to get enough experience to work per diem. You'd be leaving your current job for something that pays less, needs years of education to break into, and has more potential to be unemployed than biotech.

Cherzilla · Nov 18, 2011

Wow, 6 replies in a short period of time and none of them very positive lol. That's okay though, I appreciate the honesty and indeed was looking for any type of feedback. Nursing has been on my mind for a while now (about 5 years or so), and can't help but think maybe I should've done this right from the start in college.

The media, and by "media" I mean online articles and news threads, say that nursing is such great pay and that job growth is one of the best out of all professions. I wouldn't just be doing it for the pay of course, I've taken time to consider the whacky shifts involved, constant interaction with all walks of life, etc. But from everyone that has put their 2 cents in it sounds like just the opposite. Yes, I'm discouraged but such is life I suppose.

In terms of a complete career change... anyone think making a complete change from biotech to nursing would be worth it?

NelleG · Nov 18, 2011

I'm trying to figure out how you would go to nursing school while you work full-time M-F.

Quickbeam, BSN, RN · Nov 18, 2011

I respect your question because it is something all 2nd career RNs have had to ask. Is it worth the risk? It is a big topic and a respectable one.

Nursing is kind of in free fall right now...every news program on earth keeps saying it is a bomb proof profession. I have a hundred resumes on my desk right now for one RN case management job. About 30% of those are people not currently employed. It is a fragile economy and nursing has been hit as well.

My heartfelt suggestion to you is this. Get a weekend gig as a nursing assistant. You've got the time. See if you like hands on care. You'll get a feel for the profession by being around it. You'll do some backbreaking work and get a small paycheck. If that's work you enjoy and can see yourself doing/supervising, then you are on the right track to begin the discussion.

RNperdiem, RN · Nov 18, 2011

I work per diem on those weekends and holidays.

To get a good per diem job, you do need to invest in full time nursing for one year minimum, and that is the bare minimum, 2 or 3 years solid full time experience is even better.

Keeping your current job during that time would be unlikely, and the longer you stay out of your job market, the less chance of getting a job like you had before in biotech.

I second the above poster about getting a nursing assistant job for a while before you make a big investment in a career change.

MissM.RN, BSN, RN · Nov 18, 2011

Hi there,

Sorry to say, but I completely agree with the other posters. I bet you live around Boston/Cambridge (me too!) and believe me, there is absolutely no shortage of RNs. To make matters worse, associate degree nurses have a worse shot at the few new grad positions that the local hospitals are willing to hire for. I too thought about going to a cheap community college, but for that reason alone I'm doing a BSN. If you have job security in biotech, I'd say keep it but take lots of prereq's at roxbury or bunker hill. That way, if the job market changes (or you jump in full-time to nursing!) you'll be ready. Also, to work per diem, you'd need at least two years of experience. My best advice is to see if you can shadow someone who is a nurse at busy hospital. Then you'll know if you have the stomach for some of the pretty tough things you'll see everyday. It does take some getting used to. Best of luck to you!