Published Mar 28, 2010
ris_03tdgz
38 Posts
Anyone??? I'm an RN with about 6 months of experience and wanting to go back to school to study computer science. The stress is sucking the life out of me and I feel like I've become an emotional wreck. I do not want to have to deal with these emotions for the rest of my career. Anyone else considered/considering the same route? Any thoughts will be much appreciated, thanks! Only constructive opinions please.
caliotter3
38,333 Posts
Just another profession to be unemployed in. There are several nurses who post here, myself included, that moved from the computer industry to nursing, partly to escape unemployment.
HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD
9,051 Posts
I would suggest that you check out the field of Healthcare Informatics first. Your background as a nurse is a real asset in this field. There are certifications you can obtain if you don't want to jump right in to another degree right away. There is a lot of info on this website https://www.amia.org/.
Most large healthcare organizations employ nurse informaticists these days. In addition, all of the healthcare-oriented software companies also have jobs for clinical informaticists.
Good luck!
Dreamer-RN
170 Posts
Assuming you are trying to break into the Health Informatics field, this has been my experience thus far...I have a B.S. in C.S. and a BSN. I also have a strong IT background in software programming & management in addition to some clinical nursing experience. I believe all these factors were significant contributors to generating interests from potential employers.
I think simply getting a C.S. degree isn't the only solution to breaking into the Health Informatics field. However, having a combination of experience and education will make you very marketable. As the previous poster mentioned, you can obtain certifications in lieu of getting another degree.
Is your primary reason for thinking about obtaining a C.S. degree is to break into the Health Informatics field? If so, I think researching the roles that interest you will help you to determine whether a C.S. degree is necessary.
Best wishes!