shannab

Katie Thanks for your encouragement and well wishes. I wish you the same as you make your decision. I've applied for a 2 yr program which would start in the FAll. I will know if I am accepted by Mar. There are around 120 applicants but only 30 spots so the odds are high. Keep your fingers crossed!!! It would be a big pay cut - but even if I don't make the program this year, I'm not going to teach another year. I thought I'd try to get work at a hospital in the meantime. Thanks to all the nurses who shared +'s and -'s here! I think it is good to know what -'s to expect. I recently had surgery and (like Katie) asked nearly every nurse I met questions about their jobs. Most were quite positive. Surprisingly - the only negative comments came from my doctor. He said he felt like nursing was extremely hard - emotionally and physically. He admitted that he did not think he'd be able to work such hours! He's a cool doc - don't ya think!

From the frying pan into the fire? Goldilocksrn expressed concern about the exodus from teacher to RN and vice versa. I've wondered about it too. Someone else earlier talked about how our country seemed to place such low value on the "noble" professions while sports figures/hollywood types got such huge rewards. I've thought that too for years. Katie made another good point: materials. I'm assuming that once I'm a nurse and I'm told to start an IV, that I'll actually be provided with the equipment I'll need? If starting IV's were part of a teacher's job, that teacher would be expected to supply the needles and lines out of her own pocket! Hahn - I do hope you find contentment in nursing. At least with nursing I feel that we will have so many options of what/where to work. So if you get out there and really dislike your job - do it for awhile - and look elsewhere. The possibilities are endless. Especially with the nursing shortage - we do have choices!

Realnurse Your comments touched my soul. The powers that be realized some years ago that patients recovered better when they were allowed more support from their family. But what of recovery rates when patients were allowed more support- TLC - from their nursing caregivers? And what about the patients that have little or no family to come to the hospital? Who is able to lend them emotional support now? Most likely no one. It's truly sad that invaluable "emotional care" has been devalued due to the time pressures, personnel shortages, and the big $$ crunch in general.

GLW I'm a little late, but that I'd go ahead and offer what little info I have.... My husband and a close friend graduated from a 2 yr program in nursing and then immediately went into psych positions. Both had backgrounds in psych, so it was in their "comfort zone." After 3-4 years, my friend wanted to change specialies. Mental burnout. He lived in Alaska at the time and he had difficulty getting a position. My husband has remained in psych, and says that even if he wanted to change, he'd be scared to do it because he feels like he has forgotten way to much to work on a med/surg floor ---given it would be his first time. I think if he'd done at least 1 yr of med/surg he would feel more capable of doing it. He too is a bit burnout, but doesn't feel like he should make a switch at this point. Good luck to you and congratulations!

Good evening folks: Truly nursing and teaching are frighteningly similar to each other. I've had 2 different teaching positions that have literally caused me to be vomit I was so stressed out. Katie's list of teaching expectations was right on the nose. I guess the straw for me is that I just can't take the hypocrisy of it anymore. It's like that story of the Emperor with no clothes - remember, everyone knew he was naked but no one fessed up. All teachers and administrators know that what we're expected to do is impossible. Surely no one really thinks we can do all those things? But we "play" along. In Ky, ALL - not most - but ALL students are expected to be in the top categ of Distinquished by I think 2012. Each year's new class is expected to do better than last year's class. Come on - - who are these people who make these rules??? It's mathematically impossible. It cannot be done - just like I can't grow wings and fly myself to the moon. I'm tired of pretending. Get this - if a school does not continue to improve each and every year - the school gets put on probation. A state expert comes in and even has the power to fire people. Excuse me - but I've been doing my job. I cannot absolutely guarantee that my students will do better and better each and every year. Not to mention that my county only has about 23 different languages in the school system! (Sorry, just call me "teacherdude!" I'll try to shut up! Feel free to e-mail me if anyone wants to cont a discussion on teaching) JenMarie - are you still in New Zealand? I'd love to hear how nursing and teaching compare there to here. Also, what made you go the opposite direction as Katie and myself. What I'd like to know about nursing is ...was it Reg?...mentioned the vomiting over stress. Give me specifics. What's your major stress point. I'm used to not being paid much or not at all for my services. Good grief, but I'm used to excessive paperwork. I'm used to not being able to go to the bathroom. I'm used to gripey people - those over me, co-worker, or patient. I don't mind the pressure of time. I just want to feel legitimate - like I'm actually doing what I'm being paid to do. How do you nurses feel in the way of being legitimate?

Katie When I read your post I thought for a moment I'd written part of it myself. You see, I am also a teacher who has recently decided to leave teaching in order to become a nurse. I was thrilled to see so many positive replies in answer to your question: Would you do it again? I've been scanning this site for awhile now - and have read a good many more negative comments about nursing than positive ones it seems. But I'm glad to know the cons going in. I've been searching for the equivalent teachers.com site where we can gripe about our current profession but haven't found it as yet. Yes as a teacher we have great office hours with weekends and summers off, but there is a rather dramatic shortage of teachers now - just like in nursing. And if current teachers are leaving (when they have such great hours and holidays ) doesn't that make you think the apple is rotten inside. We're told to never say that we went into teaching for the hours. I didn't, but if I stay that will be the reason why. That's not right. Many of the long terms teachers I've worked with are just marking time. I don't want to become like that. You spoke of money. I found a site that compared salaries. I compared teaching to nursing in my area. I will actually take a slight pay cut as a nurse. You mentioned the prof. development cost surrounding teaching. I believe most states require nurses to continue their educ. as well. My husband is an RN. His annual license and the cost of his CEU's are much more in the long run than my required Master's degree was for teaching. Money is not why I'm making a switch. Due to your son I don't think yours is really money either. If you're like me, you feel a bit defensive as to why you would make such a major life change - so you try to come up with as many reasons as possible. I don't think nursing will be the end all. I know there are pros and cons to every career choice. The bottom line for me is I absolutely cannot stand the thought of being a teacher for 20 more years. Every now and then I get a glimmer of what I do like about teaching, but most of the time I simply feel as if I'm engaged in a losing battle - against students, parents, and administration. Have you seen the new show - Boston Public? I hate it. I'm really excited about my decision to become a nurse. It's what I almost did in the first place. Good luck to you. And best wishes to your son in his recovery.