Ive been torn between nursing and teaching for awhile but ive decided that I should really pursue teaching because I have a lot of successful background with kids and LOVE working with them.
Here's the complicated part. I was accepted to the ADN program while i was still in the decision process. I start in the 2nd eight weeks (soon). I applied because I already have a BS in biochemistry and I thought it would be a good choice since I like helping people with what I know. I only need to finish the clinical part of the program so it seemed like the "open door" at the time.
Basically, what I'd like to know is will it be possible to work PRN as a nurse a couple times a month on the weekends and the same or more in the summer? Im not looking at nursing as a full time career anymore, but I really do think I will be good at it and would enjoy it as a second job to supplement my teaching income....if that's possible.
Does anyone else teach high school and do PRN nursing? Maybe that's just too much, but if not, i think i'll do the adn program and hop into the alternative teaching cert a year later than I planned.
Are you married/have a family? Just wondering when you would see them if you teach during the week and RN during weekends. sounds like a lot for one person to do. Also, it would be really hard to get a prn job right out of school. Most want you to work close to or at full time and it would take a while to be able to go down to just weekends here and there. Plus you would have no time for yourself and family. I would choose one path and put your heart into the one you truly love. If your true love is teaching high school, I don't see the point of going through the grueling process of nursing school. Finding pharm and patho easy does not mean nursing school will be easy. I have a technical/science BSN and found RN school to be the most challenging thing I've ever done. I would never suggest anyone do it unless it was their true passion. Why not do the one thing you know you want to do (teaching?)
Are you married/have a family? Just wondering when you would see them if you teach during the week and RN during weekends. sounds like a lot for one person to do. Also, it would be really hard to get a prn job right out of school. Most want you to work close to or at full time and it would take a while to be able to go down to just weekends here and there. Plus you would have no time for yourself and family. I would choose one path and put your heart into the one you truly love. If your true love is teaching high school, I don't see the point of going through the grueling process of nursing school. Finding pharm and patho easy does not mean nursing school will be easy. I have a technical/science BSN and found RN school to be the most challenging thing I've ever done. I would never suggest anyone do it unless it was their true passion. Why not do the one thing you know you want to do (teaching?)
To be honest, Im more passionate about teaching than nursing. However, the reality is that alot of teachers work 2nd jobs to boost their income. They dont make much. I have a few friends that i graduated with who went into teaching and they supplement their income working at bestbuy and delivering pizzas on the weekends.
My thought is that *maybe* I can have a 2nd job that I actually enjoy and can do that in the summers and maybe once a month. It sure beats selling stereos or delivering pizzas. I know i'd be good at it and it would be a rewarding supplemental job. I dont even mind if i have to do it a couple years before being PRN. I'll just substitute and tutor during that time.
I have an unusual advantage with a biochem degree with concentration in human bio.
This probably means you'll do well academically in nursing school but I don't think it would have any correlation to whether or not you'd enjoy nursing. Nursing is more about dealing with the sick patients and making sure that they are getting the care they need than with an in depth understanding of the biochem or human biology of their illness.
I know i'd be good at it and it would be a rewarding supplemental job. I dont even mind if i have to do it a couple years before being PRN. I'll just substitute and tutor during that time.
What I'm hearing is that you really want to teach HS science but are looking for a rewarding, decently-paid supplement to teaching. I can see where nursing looks ideal. And it might very well be. But unless you have a realistic idea of what nursing is and know from experience that it's the kind of work you'd enjoy, I wouldn't put too much weight on such a detailed long term plan.
The most readily available nursing positions are on hospital units or in nursing homes. Since you have anywhere from 2 patients (ICU) to over 30 patients (nursing homes) that you are responsible during your shift and since you can only address one thing at a time, it'is a constant juggling act to try to get everything done in a timely manner. Administering medications, making sure the intravenous fluid bags aren't running dry, calling physicians, waiting for call backs, sending a patient to a test, answering family questions, checking what and how much a patient ate, ensuring patients are peeing and pooing, etc. If anything goes wrong, someone eats when they're not supposed to, someone's blood pressure starts dropping out, a family member gets upset about something, you can't read the physician's writing, everything else gets behind while you deal with it. The time goes quickly if you like nursing. But, like teaching, it's not the kind of job you can just "put your time in and get your paycheck."
If it turns out you don't like this kind of nursing, it will be more difficult to put in the couple of years of full-time work as nurse that is highly recommended to be successful as a PRN/agency nurse. And would you be happy to go in and do this kind of work for a full 8hr or 12hr shift on the weekends after a full week of teaching? You probably can't know this yet.
Since it sounds like you're already ready to go in a nursing program, it's probably worth it to you to just give it a try and see how it goes. I just wouldn't put too much weight on the assumption that you'll be able to work PRN as a nurse while teaching HS full-time. I think there are just too many uncertainties at this point.
This probably means you'll do well academically in nursing school but I don't think it would have any correlation to whether or not you'd enjoy nursing. Nursing is more about dealing with the sick patients and making sure that they are getting the care they need than with an in depth understanding of the biochem or human biology of their illness.
What I'm hearing is that you really want to teach HS science but are looking for a rewarding, decently-paid supplement to teaching. I can see where nursing looks ideal. And it might very well be. But unless you have a realistic idea of what nursing is and know from experience that it's the kind of work you'd enjoy, I wouldn't put too much weight on such a detailed long term plan.
The most readily available nursing positions are on hospital units or in nursing homes. Since you have anywhere from 2 patients (ICU) to over 30 patients (nursing homes) that you are responsible during your shift and since you can only address one thing at a time, it'is a constant juggling act to try to get everything done in a timely manner. Administering medications, making sure the intravenous fluid bags aren't running dry, calling physicians, waiting for call backs, sending a patient to a test, answering family questions, checking what and how much a patient ate, ensuring patients are peeing and pooing, etc. If anything goes wrong, someone eats when they're not supposed to, someone's blood pressure starts dropping out, a family member gets upset about something, you can't read the physician's writing, everything else gets behind while you deal with it. The time goes quickly if you like nursing. But, like teaching, it's not the kind of job you can just "put your time in and get your paycheck."
If it turns out you don't like this kind of nursing, it will be more difficult to put in the couple of years of full-time work as nurse that is highly recommended to be successful as a PRN/agency nurse. And would you be happy to go in and do this kind of work for a full 8hr or 12hr shift on the weekends after a full week of teaching? You probably can't know this yet.
Since it sounds like you're already ready to go in a nursing program, it's probably worth it to you to just give it a try and see how it goes. I just wouldn't put too much weight on the assumption that you'll be able to work PRN as a nurse while teaching HS full-time. I think there are just too many uncertainties at this point.
Ive actually done a lot of volunteering at the local hospital and took a CNA course with clinicals. Im good with people and i enjoyed it. I can see it being stressful tho, and even though it pays well, it's not worth the paycheck if that's all a person does it for.
I think you said it well though. Too many uncertainties. Thank you for the input. I felt it was very wise and well said.
I have a friend that's a teacher/nurse. She loves it. She workes as a teacher all year. Then on the long Holiday's and summers she works as a nurse. Best of both worlds ! Good luck on your desicion
I think its a great idea, and something I have thought of as well. I have been a nurse for almost 4 years now, so it wouldn't be difficult for me to decrease my hours. I don't think I could ever teach nursing as some others suggest because I like working with the kids, that is really the only thing I love about my job as a pediatric nurse. I would have to stick with elementary or secondary education.
However, my fiance and many of my friends are teachers and they think I'm crazy to want to teach...it's not an 8-4 job, most spend many hours after the school day and on weekends preparing for lessons, etc,..No job is perfect, but I believe you need to do what you feel passionate about.
It will take a lot of time and effort, but if you are up for the challege, I say go for it. You can be a nurse and work with kids...peds, PICU, NICU, adolescent psych, etc...and there is a lot of "teaching" involved in patient care. I also thought about teaching as well..but there are too many detterents(sp?) for me. In Colorado, good teaching jobs are hard to find, the pay is low (expecially since you have to put in so much overtime in the evenings and weekend without pay)...so I would love to work the floor for 10 or 15 years, then become a nursing instructor. To me, that is the best of both worlds...hands on work, and academic enviroment.
It is DIFFICULT! I'm a registered nurse and I currently teach high school health....I work per diem at the hospital-but the I have to work 32 hours a month minimum!! It's a lot and I'm always exhausted. I'm torn right now on if I should go back and just work as a nurse or continue to do both! I love both jobs! I'm hoping to start a family soon and don't know if I can handle both!
The only things I don't like about teaching are waking up everyday and all the take home work! It's true you really don't get that much time off teaching-I usually put in 12 hours everyday as a teacher! Time off is great, but goes by fast and we do have planning meetings 3 weeks out of the summer...and all of My free time is spent in the hospital as a nurse! lol Working 3 12's a week really is nice...but you have to work holidays and weekends....
Be a nurse first and then teach...I know if teaching doesn't work out I can always find a job as a nurse.
There are pro's and con's to every job and you have to decide what's important to you..
futurecnm
558 Posts
Are you married/have a family? Just wondering when you would see them if you teach during the week and RN during weekends. sounds like a lot for one person to do. Also, it would be really hard to get a prn job right out of school. Most want you to work close to or at full time and it would take a while to be able to go down to just weekends here and there. Plus you would have no time for yourself and family. I would choose one path and put your heart into the one you truly love. If your true love is teaching high school, I don't see the point of going through the grueling process of nursing school. Finding pharm and patho easy does not mean nursing school will be easy. I have a technical/science BSN and found RN school to be the most challenging thing I've ever done. I would never suggest anyone do it unless it was their true passion. Why not do the one thing you know you want to do (teaching?)