Nursing....a very popular second career?

Mommy2NQ · Nov 19, 2007

I am right there with you. The flexibility of nursing is great for me who intends on working night shift when my husband is home with the kids. they wont even miss me. lol. Of course it is more than that. There are many aspects of nursing that interests me. Im not sure if I would have been able to take on the responsibility of being a nurse at the age of 20. (Im talking about myself only). Now that I am in my 30s with a family i am more mature to take on such a professional role. I also think it is one of the few careers today that welcomes people older than the traditional college student age. I get very discouraged when I hear how many nurses regret their choice of nursing. Hopefully I find it to be a good second career choice for me though. Time will tell.

Mommy2NQ · Nov 19, 2007

Please, do not misunderstand my previous post because there are many nurses that are young that are mature. i was only referring to myself at that age.

MNmom3boys · Nov 19, 2007

I have said for years that had I not been in a late teenage rebellion, I would have done this (nursing) the first time. :)

Because I attended a community college to get my ADN, there were many "non-traditional" students like myself also working on either a second career, or pursuing more education (CNA to RN), but not many young first career students.

But, you are right - off hand, I can't think of many other popular second careers. But, that could be because of where MY focus has been the last few years... :lol2:

DTCC PreRN · Nov 19, 2007

I've also noticed that a lot of those who choose nursing, or a career in the medical field, as a second career most likely have a technical background as well. Anyone else notice this?

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Nov 19, 2007

I've also noticed that a lot of those who choose nursing, or a career in the medical field, as a second career most likely have a technical background as well. Anyone else notice this?

I've observed this phenomenon. Plenty of software engineers, IT workers, computer scientists, and others who enjoyed prosperity during the "dot.com" boom of the late 1990s and very early 2000s are now finding fewer opportunities in their career field, so many feel the need to immerse themselves in a second career.

OldPhatMC · Nov 19, 2007

I've observed this phenomenon. Plenty of software engineers, IT workers, computer scientists, and others who enjoyed prosperity during the "dot.com" boom of the late 1990s and very early 2000s are now finding fewer opportunities in their career field, so many feel the need to immerse themselves in a second career.

I'm not surprised to hear that you've seen career changers from IT coming into nursing. I am one. But I've seen truck drivers, firefighters, police officers, and lots of health related folks come to nursing as well. My favorite career changer was an LPN that used to manage restaurants. One of my favoritest nursing school cohorts was a former mortgage officer. Overall, I think that people from all career paths are realizing that nursing allows you to use what you know as part of your personal evolution. Many careers want you to shed all that you know in order to start over. Not nursing. We swamp you with so much that you just sort of forget your past life. :uhoh3:

I'm getting the impression that the IT types that transition to nursing do it not for the money, but rather, more for the satisfaction that was lacking in their careers. I know that was my number one reason, followed fairly closely by a desire for more stability.

I think its really a good thing for the profession to have some life experience coming in from career changers. As a former tax guy, I have actually explained lab values in terms of the Alternative Minimum Tax to an accountant. It's nice to have a broader context.

OldPhatMC, RN

AMR21, BSN, RN · Nov 20, 2007

i am still a student. i finished my 1st degree in may and hopped into nursing school this fall. (at the start of my sr. year of college i discovered that i did not want to be a forensic anthropologist and fell in love with nursing. my parents and i decided it was best to finish up that degree then head to nirsing.) i would say that more then half of the people in my program are comming to nursing from a different field. i really love it though- we are all able to bring different experences to the table. it seems like so many people in my boat are truely in love with the field. i really get excited about that. :cool:

Faeriewand, ASN, RN · Nov 20, 2007

I thought I wanted to be a pre-school teacher and was pursuing a degree in that. Then I thought I wanted to go into Journalism because I liked writing. After I took two years of classes in that I realized that nursing was for me. The other professions made my skin crawl when I worked in the field. Nursing is comfortable for me and fits me just right. After raising my family I'm going for it now :) Almost everyone at my school is second career so I'm not the only one.

Annieee · Nov 20, 2007

Yeah, as my first year in college, there are a lot of people doing nursing. My college counselor also stated that there is a wait due to lack of teaching staff. She said that nurses make more money than being a nursing teacher, so perhaps that's a reason too!

DMae · Nov 20, 2007

Nursing is huge, it's definitely a popular second career. I'm the youngest one in my class (graduating w/my BSN in May at 22!). Most of the class is older, going back to school. All my friends own houses and have families. I'm still taking GEs and not taking strictly nursing classes. Although the faculty says I'm preferred because I'll be spending more time in the field, I always seem to get the short end of the stick. I'm last to register and never get the clinical times I want and I can't compete for externships with someone who already has a degree.