Pre-Pharmacy gone Pre-Nursing

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Hello world.

I was taking pre-pharmacy classes to go to Pharmacy school but after working at a retail pharmacy for 2 and 1/2 years and also the hospital pharmacy for 1 and 1/2 years. It turned out to be not everything I was expecting that I wanted so I decided to change my major towards nursing! Im starting nursing school in 2 weeks and could not be happier with my decision.

What I was wondering is if there is anyone else out there that also changed from pre-pharm to nursing.

Or

If anyone has worked in a pharmacy before nursing school and if so, did the drug knowledge help in a big way?

Thanks

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I had a classmate that was a pharm tech through school. It seemed to help her a lot. She often knew how a drug worked better then others, or would know the name to drugs commonly used for certain diseases. I just don't know what draws anyone to pharmacy, lol. I don't think I could do it. I'm glad you figured that out before making such a commitment to pharmacy. Hopefully nursing will be the fit for you!

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Thanks for such a quick response!

I will also be working as a pharm tech at both jobs during school just working every other weekend between both!

I glad to hear its been helpful for your friend. I hope it is the same for me. :)

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Congratulations! I think you have made a wise decision. Anyone considering becoming a pharmacist must be intelligent and, unfortunately, the day-to-day job that pharmacists are asked to do doesn't use that intelligence. Nursing is challenging and there are so many nursing specialties where knowing your drugs in depth will be helpful. Depending on what you find during your nursing career, your interest in pharmacy would be a natural for a Nurse Anesthetist...and so many other specialties.

Good choice and good luck in school.

PS - Don't let the petty stuff get you down.

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Nylady: I couldn't agree with your take on pharmacy more! :D

I do hope nursing challenges me and hope my knowledge in drugs help me throughout nursing school. I def will consider crna! Def want to shoot for msn.

Thanks for the advice and encouragement. Im too excited.

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Specializes in labor & delivery.

I switched from pre-pharm to nursing for the same reasons--I was a retail pharm tech for about 5 years and had enough. The med knowledge helped a lot--especially knowing generic names!! I graduated last year from my nursing program and have NEVER regretted the switch. I also have more classes done toward my Bachelor's degree since I took so many pre-pharm classes. Love my job and would not want to be in a pharmacy anymore. Best wishes to you!!

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Really I know one nurse who went back to school to be a pharmacist and loves it. Another former co-worker of mine is now back in school to become a pharmacist.

I'll never forget one day this young nurse was conducting a poll on our (very hectic and crazy) floor, and the question was, "do you love your job." I told her certainly not as this was my first nursing job as well. She said she didn't either and when she went to nursing school she wanted to love what she did. Pretty much all the nurses on our floor gave her a negative answer to her poll.

She is now in pharm school and enjoying it very much.

My question is what is the down side of being a pharmacist? Thanks in advance.

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Thanks serenity1!

its nice to know that my joUy Yyyyyyb that ive been at for the last couple years will help me through school and continue to until I graduate.

Preeps: in my opinion there is nothing wrong with being a pharmacist. But I believe that if what you truly want in your job is to feel as if your helping people, making a difference, and saving lives, pharmacy won't do any of that. From working at cvs for the last couple years and being around many different pharmacists of different ages and races I would say yes, they are generally happy with their lives and job. Each and every one of them say its a lot less patient care than they thought and there is a lot of corporate b.s. than expected. But at the same time when your making a large among of $ it could def make things easier and less stressful. To be honest I actually feel like personally the techs do soo much of the work and get paid next to nothing while rphs make 5 times the amount. I guess some might compare that of a nurses to a doctor.

pharmacy school = $100,000 debt 3-4 years

Nursing school = $6,000 2 years. I like this option

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Your cost-benefit analysis is sound at the moment although long-term your income would far exceed that of a nurse's.

Also, any experience you have in healthcare will lend well to another healthcare discipline.

Nursing school does not really go in depth on either drugs nor diseases so what youv'e learned thus far in pharmacy about sickness and treatment will be beneficial. You'll likely also find that nursing school isn't as hard as it's made out to be especially for those of us who have completed premed/prepharm types of courses. They're different certainly, but not nearly as intense.

Good luck.

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Your cost-benefit analysis is sound at the moment although long-term your income would far exceed that of a nurse's.

Also, any experience you have in healthcare will lend well to another healthcare discipline.

Nursing school does not really go in depth on either drugs nor diseases so what youv'e learned thus far in pharmacy about sickness and treatment will be beneficial. You'll likely also find that nursing school isn't as hard as it's made out to be especially for those of us who have completed premed/prepharm types of courses. They're different certainly, but not nearly as intense.

Good luck.

I agree. In the long run, you would make much more being a pharmacist. But you seem to want to be in it for reasons other than money. Which is good. But, the real world of nursing hasn't been as altruistic as I'd hoped it would be either.

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I agree. In the long run, you would make much more being a pharmacist. But you seem to want to be in it for reasons other than money. Which is good. But, the real world of nursing hasn't been as altruistic as I'd hoped it would be either.

Yes! I agree. Sometimes I feel really good about my day and how I cared for and made a difference for my patients, but sadly it is not the norm.

Quite a bit of the time I am running around like a chicken with my head cut off racing in to a room trying to be tech, waitress, respiratory therapist, housekeeper, and finally RN. Nursing is not what I thought it was going to be that is for sure.

Nurses have so many "tasks" to perform, are constantly interupted, and have to answer to so many people. We wear waaay too many hats.

From my view I would say atleast pharmacists can concentrate on their tasks at hand and do the job well. I personally would rather have the quality of life of that kind of profession then the stressed out life of a floor nurse. Now if you have higher aspirations in nursing and the time, money and resources then best of luck to you

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Yeah.. I've been hearing these same things from the nurses I ask at work. And I don't know if I would go.for msn for sure, but def considering it because id love love a crna.

I do at the end of the day or at least some days I can say that I made a significant impact on another humans life.

Also the way pharmacy is heading with all the mail order and reducing of employees doesn't interest me.

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