supermonkeyball

:welcome:! I too became a nurse as a second career. While hospital nursing may not be for you if you want time to get to know your patients- RNs keep patients physically safe and as healthy as possible FIRST-this is always the priority- which means there often isn't time for getting to know them. You can and will make a difference for your patients, although sometimes they may not realize it. The good news is there are a lot of areas you can work as an RN- sounds like you might like something like hospice or homecare. Going into something with your eyes open is a good thing, remember people often post here when they are upset and need to vent. I say go for it, just be aware that it may take a while AFTER you finish school to find the job you envison now, but it is possible. Good luck, I'm sure you will make a great nurse!

I would recommend following your heart and instinct. People can only tell you what they do/don't like about their career based on experience. I can tell you that my first degree was in biology and I miss it. I chose to leave working as a lab tech. because I didn't want to get a doctorate/fight for grants and hard to find jobs etc. etc. I wanted something that would be flexible for having a family and provide job security. To be totally honest nursing is harder than I thought it would be, it is very stressful emotionally, physically and mentally. In terms of opportunity there is always something in science as well as nursing, even if you have to work in industry or on a project you're not crazy about. If that is your true passion, I say go for it, things will come together because you will be doing what you really want to. I think the people who are most successful and best at their jobs are the ones who like what they do and believe they can succeed. If you do decide to stay in nursing there is always research to be done too! Best of luck no matter what you decide!:balloons: