Nursing as a 2nd career

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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Hi All,

I'm looking into nursing as a 2nd career. I'm 28 years old, have been working in biotech for over 6 years, and graduated with my bachelors in biology in 2005. I really like biotech, make good money and don't want to leave it, and would love to do nursing on the side per diem a few weekend days a month and most holidays (even Friday night shifts would be great). Thoughts? Do does anyone currently do something like this or know someone who does? Would it be worth it?

I live in Massachusetts where biotech/pharmaceutals is a booming business and have no worries regarding job security, but unfortunately this industry isn't everywhere in the country. If I decided or needed to move somewhere else, it might be very difficult finding a job in this field and feel that nursing would be a great career to fall back on.

Although I already have my bachelor's in another field, I'm looking to go to a community college for an Associate's and get my RN that way. Figure it will be cheaper, and the community college I'm looking into has an option to do clinicals on the weekend (which would work great with my current Monday - Friday daytime work schedule). Or should I be looking into some type of BSN program?

Quite a few questions, I know :) But if any of you out there have gone this route or have any advice/opinions/testimonials, etc etc any input would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks so much!!! :yeah:

if you really want to do something fun and challenging (and you sound like someone who could do that) and have something that will make it easier to wrote your own ticket, tool on over to the mgh institutes and ask about the bs-in-anything-to-mn program. 18-24 months. with your biotech background and an mn you could have a lot of nifty options that would give you more flexibility and more $$$$.:twocents:

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I'd advise strongly against nursing at this time, reasons too numerous to list.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
Hi All,

I'm looking into nursing as a 2nd career. I'm 28 years old, have been working in biotech for over 6 years, and graduated with my bachelors in biology in 2005. I really like biotech, make good money and don't want to leave it, and would love to do nursing on the side per diem a few weekend days a month and most holidays (even Friday night shifts would be great). Thoughts? Do does anyone currently do something like this or know someone who does? Would it be worth it?

I live in Massachusetts where biotech/pharmaceutals is a booming business and have no worries regarding job security, but unfortunately this industry isn't everywhere in the country. If I decided or needed to move somewhere else, it might be very difficult finding a job in this field and feel that nursing would be a great career to fall back on.

Although I already have my bachelor's in another field, I'm looking to go to a community college for an Associate's and get my RN that way. Figure it will be cheaper, and the community college I'm looking into has an option to do clinicals on the weekend (which would work great with my current Monday - Friday daytime work schedule). Or should I be looking into some type of BSN program?

Quite a few questions, I know :) But if any of you out there have gone this route or have any advice/opinions/testimonials, etc etc any input would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks so much!!! :yeah:

If you're getting paid well and enjoy your job, I wouldn't go into nursing just to work w/e and holidays. Jobs are scarce and it's not the greatest paying gig. Not to mention, it would take a while for you to develop the skills to work such limited hours. You don't just graduate ready to hit the floors like nurses did years ago.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
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?

Since when has the media been known to report accurately?

As for leaving the bio-tech job you love and that pays great to go into nursing FT? No, no, no.

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Specializes in Med Surg - Renal.
I'd advise strongly against nursing at this time, reasons too numerous to list.

How about listing just the top 3?

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Specializes in Psychiatric Nursing.

If I were you, I would continue on to get a Master's degree or a Ph.D. in your field. Nursing is very different from Biology and "hard" science (and this coming from someone who has a BS in Biology as well). I don't personally find it more intellectually challenging than bio science. If you are looking for something challenging, go to graduate school or medical school (or even pharmacy school).

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How about listing just the top 3?

1) New grads are not in demand on any level

2) Money is only ok, hours are awful

3) the actual BSN schooling itself nearly ran me and other in my class into the ground

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
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.

Amen.

I'm so surprised that so few people, even nursing students, realize this. They come into the field expecting it to be a "guarantee job" (another girl, not a nursing student, said this). It isn't.

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Specializes in Med Surg - Renal.
Amen.

I'm so surprised that so few people, even nursing students, realize this. They come into the field expecting it to be a "guarantee job" (another girl, not a nursing student, said this). It isn't.

There are no guaranteed jobs. However, the job outlook for nursing is better in comparison with many professions.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
There are no guaranteed jobs. However, the job outlook for nursing is better in comparison with many professions.

Not for new grads. Last year there was an article in USA today about new grads and how 46% were unemployed.

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Specializes in Med Surg - Renal.
Not for new grads. Last year there was an article in USA today about new grads and how 46% were unemployed.

It is a difficult market for new grads of any type, but nursing is favorable in comparison to a lot of other degrees.

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Specializes in LTC, SNF.

I have been to a lot of information sessions for nursing programs lately and they all make it sound like the nursing field is the place to be, but as you can see from not just this website but many others the nursing field is being flooded. I think its so that at some point in the near future wages will come way down. Just think about it, with all of the nurses out here, hospitals, LTC and other places will be able to low ball everyone and because so many people need jobs we will take whatever we can get. I think the schools are just trying to stay above water and don't care if the student is put in the poor house by student debt. The school knows that new grads in any field are having a very very hard time getting jobs after school, but they just keep cracking them out in to the world.

So if you are lucky enough to have a job please do yourself a favor and stay there. That's just my :twocents:.

P.S.

I was told at one nursing school info session that the new and only entry level into nursing will be BSN. Now that could just be the school trying to make more money but who really knows whats true anymore.:uhoh3:

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