Question for people who made career change into nursing?

[gcc8]

For those who have changed careers and became a nurse:

What was your previous career?

What is your current position?

How has your overall experience been as a nurse?

Do you have any regrets?

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

What was your previous career? Call Center Representative

What is your current position? Private Duty RN

How has your overall experience been as a nurse? Fair to middling. I graduated in May 2008, just before the economy collapsed. I do LPN-level work for CNA-level wages. I'm making more than I did at the call center, but not much more. My benefits are very expensive. Sometimes I wonder why I bothered getting my RN.

Do you have any regrets? I wish I'd figured out how to become a CNA before I graduated. I wish I'd had the opportunity to work in a hospital.

[sbostonRN]

Medical Technologist (worked in a hospital lab running clinical tests, but with no face-to-face patient experience)

Med/Surg RN

Overall it's been challenging getting where I want to be. I had to take several pay cuts in addition to adding to my student loan debt with nursing school. I have been told that I'm a very good nurse (given my experience level) but I don't always love it or even like it.

Some days I regret it. I had no passion for my previous career which is why I made the change. But it would have been so much easier to continue with the Mon-Fri 8-5 job with great pay and great benefits. I wish I had explored it more before I made the switch to nursing.

[anon456, BSN, RN]

What was your previous career? Semiconductor industry

What is your current position? Peds stepdown ICU

How has your overall experience been as a nurse? The hardest thing I've ever done-- mentally challenging, scary, heartbreaking. But also extremely rewarding, love working as part of a great team on my unit, love making a difference with the patients, and I know I have the privilege of working with and knowing some very special needs kids that most of society never sets eyes on or thinks about.

[cjdmomma]

What was your previous career? Business Owner, day care provider

What is your current position? Oncology RN

How has your overall experience been as a nurse? I will let you know, when I actually start! :)

Do you have any regrets? Not a single one. I was able to stay at home with my children until they went to school full time, then I went back. I have been able to follow my dreams, and I wouldn't trade any of it for anything. I am seriously panicking about my new position, but so excited to get moving.