zagalady

Thank you both very much for your honest input! I feel a bit relieved. I have really been working towards OT, but it seems like all nurses I tell about my plan (mainly my NP sisters and mom) kind of roll their eyes and say something like "how dreadfully boring." I think they secretly view it as a career that doesn't make much impact and isn't intellectually stimulating. It kind of has had me freaked out that there were things I just do not know or something. But all the OT's I talk to love their jobs, and it seems like they have the kind of flexibility and life balance I would like in a career. I know that a graduate education is such an investment, and so I do not want to just go into something without seeing what others out there have experienced or seen. Anyhow, do you both mind telling me what it is that you do? I assume you are psych nurses but it was not entirely clear to me. If you are psych nurse, do you think you will be doing it for your lifetime? Harmonizer-what school is your school that you mention? Just curious. Thanks again I really appreciate it!

I am drawn to both careers: OT and psychiatric NP (direct entry programs for someone who already has a BA). I have heard many negative things about psych nurses from non psych nurses. On the other hand, I hear a large variety of things about OT from it being a "fluffy" career to it being one of the best healthcare careers. The things I want in a career are a good sense of fulfillment, decent pay, and flexible schedule. Also I am wanting something in large demand that would be fairly easy to take a few years off and go back to work when I want to or work just 1 day a week (few years off maybe to have kids). Any insight is appreciated. I realize these are totally different fields, but I really feel torn. I have shadowed OT, and have enjoyed some shadows and others not so much. Psych NP shadowing seems to be impossible, so I am hoping some people have advice or insight on this.