After 13 years as a programmer, I'm about to start classes to become a nurse. There's just too many good reasons as to why this is what I want to do (more time with family, getting to help people on a daily basis...). Only negative is salary (my pay will get cut about 50% at the beginning), but my wife plans to join me in this, so that covers that.
My decision's made up, so don't mind answering, but let me ask you a question: For anyone who made a career change like this, was it worth it to you? Is there anything you would have done differently?
Looking forward to getting started - I haven't had drive like this in a long time.
Good luck, I went from Broadcast Journalism to Nursing and have loved it. Don't be discouraged when you get done if you take a job and it does not seem like it is correct for you. Do not think twice about it, Do not think it is just nursing in general, there are many different areas of nursing you can work in, and not just in the hospital. You can always find the right fit for you in nursing.
After 9 years of practicing law I finally made a clean break from the rat race and took a job in education. It was during this much slower-paced time that I realized my calling to the nursing profession. I knew from a young age that I wanted to pursue something in health care, but I just was not sure what. I did not do well in science my freshman year so I quickly switched majors from pre-med to psychology. In hindsight, it was a hasty decision but life is supposed to work out in its own mysterious ways. Sometimes I wonder why I ended up going to law school but I can say that the coursework served to enhance my analytical skills more than prepare me to be a good attorney. I never had the spark to be a lawyer, I went through the motions (no pun intended) just because I had to to make a living. Now that I am pursuing my prereqs I can clearly see how important it is to love what you do. I've since retaken those science classes I barely passed and now have A's. Life is too short to stay complacent in a profession that is sucking the life out of you. I'm in hopes that by this time in 2011 I will have my BSN and will be on my way to earning my RN.
I graduated three years ago with an Environmental Studies degree. Worked for two years for State government and wasn't happy. I've been an EMT for a hobby for 6 years and figured why not pursue healthcare a few steps farther? I'm now in an accelerated 11 month BSN program and hope to have my RN by April 2010. Hope to one obtain my PHRN after the program and after some ICU and ER experience hopefully become a flight nurse.
I haven't read all 6 pages of posts to the original IT career so I don't know if the subject was touched upon so I'll say it again. . .right now I'm taking a mandatory class that is now considered a nursing speciality--Nursing Informatics. If you still want computers plus nursing, it would be a perfect mix.
"Life is too short to stay complacent in a profession that is sucking the life out of you."
I to was working in an industry that Sucked the life out of me. I have been an RN for 2 years, at the end of the day I leave my job feeling good about what I did for the day.
rtrescuit
7 Posts
Good luck, I went from Broadcast Journalism to Nursing and have loved it. Don't be discouraged when you get done if you take a job and it does not seem like it is correct for you. Do not think twice about it, Do not think it is just nursing in general, there are many different areas of nursing you can work in, and not just in the hospital. You can always find the right fit for you in nursing.