Rethinking pursuing current degree instead of Nursing

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Life was a LOT simpler when I thought about doing Nursing.

I took a few pre reqs at a community college in hopes of going to nursing school. Life took a huge turn during my first semester and was forced to drop half of them. I then moved to a different city and scored a great job working closely with state government and politics. I "realized" that perhaps I would enjoy working in this arena more and decided to change my degree to History. I love the courses and school itself, especially the topic, but I am now becoming more worried about moving up in that arena. History is a very broad degree that gives you excellent writing skills but I am having doubts about enjoying such a stressful life in politics and am now losing interest. I was also thinking about law school -- but that is also becoming a distant idea. They are definitely not as in demand and it requires almost real estate agent type behavior to make yourself stand out which is a turnoff. My opinion is that I have only succeeded at sales and my current job because I was thrown in it and adapted. My family has always stressed hard work and it always seems everyone around you gets complacent.

The idea of Nursing is coming back because like I said, life was a lot simpler. It solves every job issue I have. I can travel or get licensing in another state and have a guaranteed job. Having a lot of connections in one area with the broad degree compared to a license that makes you qualified across the country (assuming you pass the tests) seems like a no brainer for me. The work schedule itself is something I prefer.

I am still only afraid of possessing the analytical qualities that lead me to loving history coming into a conflict of the nursing profession. I feel that I might get bored easily

Where I am at now: I am still pursuing my AA so I am actually not that far into my History degree, just an AA. How many here have been in a similar position and just went to Nursing? I am talking to people who were lawyers or people who made career changes and how they feel now.

Any honest or brutal advice would be appreciated. Thank you for reading.

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bump. :)

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If you want brutal honesty, I'll tell you that there aren't a lot of jobs for history majors, especially now. Law school is an option, but it's expensive, time consuming, and even lawyers aren't getting jobs these days. Health care is a huge field, and is going to continue to grow. I'm about to finish up my B.A. in psychology, I already have a A.A. in early childhood ed., and I'm going back for my RN because I want to be able to pay my bills (among other reasons).

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Specializes in Critical Care, Postpartum.

Hi. Sometimes in this particular section, you may not get a quick response. I find the General nursing sections gets quicker responses.

I'm a career changer. I'm still young, only 27, and have a Bachelors degree in Information Technology & Informatics. I was sitting at my desk one day at work and said "God, there's got to be better for me." I was laid off a few months later (the economy finally hit my company). After drying my tears, I took me being laid off as a sign to go back to what I wanted to do since I was in high school--that is to go into the Health care profession.

Regardless of seeing some depressing threads about how hard new grads are finding jobs, I look at this as a second chance and work towards my goal. I get more and more excited the closer I am in finishing my prerequisites. I actually will complete them this May and will be applying to an Accelerated BSN program during that time for the Fall semester.

I am a firm believer that you must have some passion for your field. Don't chose nursing to solve financial problems. Do you have a passion to help and save lives? Do you have a desire to educate them? To be honest you sound like how I was when I first entered college after high school. I couldn't make up my mind which career to choose, which is why it took me 5 1/2 years to graduate and then 4 years later I go back to pursue the thing I should have stuck with in the beginning. I get mad at myself every time I think about those wasted years going in circles.

You must have a plan and stick with it. Quit starting and stopping. First find that passion and when you do, you wouldn't have a desire to quit. Passion is what drives you...that's what's driving me.

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Specializes in Home Care.

I'm 48 and will give you a totally different perspective.

Trying to decide what you want to do in college and for a career can be difficult if not impossible. I know I had many interests throughout my life and I still do. I'm sure that if I had the money to go to school forever taking whatever subject suited me that I'd do it.

From what you wrote in your first post it sounds like you are enjoying the job you are currently in.

Stick with the job and see where it takes you. You can take a couple of years off college to get yourself some life experience and focus on what type of career really suits you.

In the end, do what makes you happy.

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Specializes in pandemic, public health, disasters.

My undergrad degree is in History (Florida State University, c/o 2002/2005). TRUST ME, it's absolutely USELESS. I worked for state government for years and most of the jobs don't even require a degree. You might think about, instead, a degree in business, communications, or marketing. At least change to Political Science, it's better than history in terms of "eye catching" on your resume.

But like mzchaz said, I completed my degree in history because I had jumped around majors so many times during undergrad, the history degree was the easiest to say, "ok, let's just go ahead and get this college nonsense done with and graduate." If it takes majoring in history to get you through being done with a degree, then settle for it and finish.

After my degree in history proved not to get me a single job, I went for my Master's degree (Public Administration). It's definitely more useful for government work!

Just keep in mind that if you ever change your mind and want to go to nursing school, that history degree won't get you anywhere (in terms of your pre-reqs needed in science, because those courses aren't required for a BA) and you might find yourself back in the boat you started in.

I'm planning to start nursing school this year (as an LPN). I would love to apply for an RN program, seeing as how I've already got some degrees. But I can't because I never took A&P or the biology courses requiring to apply. I guess the best advice is: if you love history and you're motivated to finish a degree in history, then do it; but take the nursing pre-reqs "just in case" you want to go back to the nursing later on.

GOOD LUCK.

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Nursing is only a bit more "recession proof" than any other job. Don't do it just to have a guaranteed job.

The hours might sound nice at first (3 12s) but think about things like working nights, weekends, and at least half of the holidays. Plus, you have to realize it's not like a normal hourly job--if your patient starts crashing 5 minutes before the end of your shift, you can't ignore them and leave them for the next shift.

You seem to be more of the humanities type person. How do you feel about science? You'll have to take several challenging science classes as pre-reqs, which will continue to be important as a nurse.

If you have a passion for history and politics, go for it. Like others have said, it can be tough to find a job but it's not impossible. One of my friends graduated with a degree in government and he's now working as an accountant at a real estate company (which he loves). A humanities type degree offers you a lot of flexibility.

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Go with your gut

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If you are having great misgivings at this point, why not take some time off, concentrate on your job, do some introspection. Resume your education when you have a clear goal.

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