jess91877

i am currently considering a career change into the field of nursing. the reason: i feel i am being called by god to do so (who commands us to care for the sick and weak). also, i feel no personal satisfaction from the work i am doing now, and have even gotten to the point i come home from my job crying. my background consists of a degree in chemstry and a minor in marketing. orginally, i wanted to be in business, maybe pharmaceutical sales, chemical information, etc. when i graduated, i ended up working in a production lab due to my lack of experience, where i would analyze and help operations fix equipment. actually, i loved the job for many years. i was on nights (which i actually liked), but felt if i stayed there i would never reach my goal to work in business. fast forward a few years later, and i have a job in chemical information systems, and guess what...i am not happy at all. i felt like all these years my goal was based on this ideal of making good money, exceling in business, etc. i feel as though my goals were in vain, and now i want to selflishlessly reach out and help people, and do something that would fulfill my purpose in this life, regardless of money. also, i think sitting in front of a computer all day is as boring as a profession as humanly possible (i'd love to get up and walk around more). after much prayer, thoughs of working in healthcare and helping patients have surfaced, and i am thinking of following through on these feelings. first, i am considering applying to a local community college to get an adn/rn degree in the evening and weekends (since i don't want to quit my job, and want to pay for my schooling as i go). school take 3 years while i am working. so, all this being said, i have a few questions: 1.) has anyone else ever felt "called" to this profession? or, am i crazy? 2.) does anyone else here have a science degree, and went back for nursing? did having a science degree help your marketablitity when finding a job, or no? 3.) longterm, i figured i would go to community college to get an adn, then a bsn later on? is this an advisable route for part-time learners? 4.) i am a reserved person, but have a very caring side to me which yearns to come out (can't in the business world, i would be eaten alive). i'm a good listener, and like to let others do most of the talking. also, i like to do work quickly and accurately, and don't like to make people wait. according to myers-brigg, i am an istj. would these personality traits be beneficial to the profession, or would my quiet nature hinder me? 5.) worried about jobs when i finish the program...is there a good amount of jobs in nursing (i live in pa), and would most hospitals or home health agencies take someone with an adn and a bs in something else? also, my husband is going back to school as well to become a minister. there is a good possibility that i may have to relocate for him to find a church, maybe to another state. can i basically get a nursing job anywhere in the us, as long as i get certified for that state? 6.) do most people start their nursing career at hospitals, and if so, what area's of the hospital and which shifts. like i said, i love 3rd and 1st, and even heard there is a demand to work the graveyard??? 7.) should i join a local ambulance or volunteer at a local hospital to observe, and see if this is what i'd like to do and gain hand-on skills before i start clinical. also, i am still a bit sensitive to needles and large amounts of blood, how does one desensitize themselves. i am guessing exposure, but i'd like some advice on this. for example, i rent an apartment inside a funeral home, so i am exposed to the dead all the time. the longer i lived there, the more i am used to it and it doesn't even phase me. having a dead person in my home became enjoyable...better than having a noisy neighbor blasting a radio afterall :-) any advice or pointers are greatly appreciated...i am talking to a admissions counselor at the local community college tommorrow, so i should get more information off her. thank you in advance, jessica :)