Scared I won't like nursing! Wondering if I should be a teacher instead.

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I just got into a very competitive Nursing Program (University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio) Its a great school and I will be graduating with a BSN. I decided to take the nursing route because I am a very nurturing and compassionate person. I have a knack for working with children. Every job that I have had has been either at a preschool, day care, or substitute positions. I really enjoy teaching elementary and I am thinking about changing my major but if I do I will have 40 hours of 82 that will not transfer and my husband is in the military (with his job that he has will not move much) but we both don't want to stay in San Antonio and I know that teacher licenses do not transfer easily sometimes. I was attracted to the nursing profession because of the diversity of the field and there are always jobs but I am worried that I might be making a mistake. I am so great with kids and I love the school environment I can't say the same about hospitals. I feel discouraged from reading some of these threads and speaking to other nurses. It almost seems like more nurses are unhappy with their jobs than are happy and I have been hearing awful things about working in hospitals. I keep hearing that people are really mean in hospitals and its common to be short staffed. I also worry that I would make a mistake that would hurt a patient. I hear a lot of private offices just hire MAs. I know that there would be other places for me to work besides hospitals but I don't know how hard it is to get into a position like that. If I pursue Nursing my goal would be to go into school nursing, but that also is very hard to get into. I feel like if I major in education I would be limited because I could only teach whereas with nursing I can always switch specialties and whatnot. I just want a career that I will be happy with what I am doing. Sometimes I don't handle stress very well and I know that nursing and teaching are both very stressful jobs, so I really just don't know what to do. As far as the pay is concerned teachers in SA start out at 38,000 whereas new nurses start out around 35,000 (and they work a lot more!) Any feedback would be so much appreciated!!

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Specializes in med-surg, step-down, ICU/CCU, ED.

OMG you're overthinking this and making it harder than it really is!!!! Relax for a minute!!

Get the nursing degree/license. Don't go by anecdotals, as there are horror stories for every profession out there. If you don't like bedside nursing, become a school nurse, et voila! Best of both worlds (nsg and education)!!!!

Good luck. Stop worrying and enjoy the journey to nursing. :)

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Find a teachers' thread and you will probably read many of the same complaints. There is a reason these are called "work" and "jobs".

Probably nursing does offer the best opportunity for mobility, and if you need to juggle child care there is shift work and weekends that a teacher would not have. Both jobs go through cycles of shortages and hiring, so I'm not sure there is much advantage long term either way. My personal prejudice is towards nursing - for its diversity of opportunities.

Good luck to you and your husband.

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

Well, either way you decide to go you'll be overworked, underpaid, and unappreciated.

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Specializes in Med-surg, OB, school nursing.

There are no perfect jobs so no matter what you pick you're always going to wonder if the other would've been a better choice! I've been a sub teacher and a nurse and even a school nurse. They all have their different challenges but what will make you enjoy your profession the most is where your heart is. Do you prefer medical or educational things? You can be a nurse educator or a school nurse so if you love the medical aspect of things I would definately go that way since you could combine your love of both. However, I'd rather waste a few credits than half my life doing a profession I didn't love. You say you liked the diversity of nursing but if you became a school nurse, like a teacher, that's all you can do in the school. There's really no mobility at all in that particular position. A teacher can become an assistant principal, principal, coach, tutor, professor, etc. and it usually is a pretty supportive environment. The teaching degree is also much easier school-wise. Teaching is stressful as well but in most cases no one's life is on the line. There are not always nursing jobs, just look at the boards and see all the new grads that can't find a job, so don't base your decision on that. Nursing can be tough but very rewarding. Having done both I'd much rather be a nurse but that's just me! Follow your own heart and good luck!

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I am a high school math teacher and I have been thinking about going into Nursing. During the school year you will easily work 60 hours a week, and you won't have a choice about doing it or not.Also you will not be paid any extra.

Let's not forget test score, last year I was assigned to teach all the students in the school who had failed math in addition to students who spoke zero English. The test scores are seperated by teacher and if your scores are bad you will be labeled a bad teacher.

In high school, if a student does not want to learn, there is very little that you can do to make them. You can try to make them, but you will be beating your head against a wall.

I teach high school Algebra and even if your try to relate it to something the students are interested in, very few students are interested in Algebra. As soon as you throw algebra in, they turn off.

I don't know how much longer that I will be able to take it. I feel like I am pushed to the breaking point. I was a nursing major before I switched to a math teacher. I am thinking that I may like nursing more. I wanted to get CNA certification during the summer and work as a CNA to see if I like that.

If I like it, then I may go into nursing as an RN.

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Specializes in psych, general, emerg, mash.

poor baby! you think too much! there will always be a need for teachers and nurses. Since Us old farts are getting older, and some of us will actually start to take better care of ourselves, therefore not needing hospitals or nurses.

For those that dont, need nurses.

Up here, schools are closing, people are not making babies fast enough. so dont get on the cross just yet.

For nurses not happy with their jobs, its like that anywhere honey! Get used to it. it called POLITICS.

You may find it better to become a teacher or nurse, then practise overseas.

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OMG you're overthinking this and making it harder than it really is!!!! Relax for a minute!!

Get the nursing degree/license. Don't go by anecdotals, as there are horror stories for every profession out there. If you don't like bedside nursing, become a school nurse, et voila! Best of both worlds (nsg and education)!!!!

Good luck. Stop worrying and enjoy the journey to nursing. :)

I agree. The internet magnifies and skews things. I recently had the opportunity to be in the thick of a situation and watch pros (nurses) do their thing. It was very impressive and I'll admit the thought came to me - this is nothing like it sounded on all nurses. You can learn a lot from discussion forums but don't mix them up with real time existence.

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I think whether teacher certification transfers easily depends greatly on where you get your education (or maybe certification). A Michigan teacher has an advantage in every state, a Mississippi teacher is much more likely to have problems going to a different state. I don't know about Texas teachers.

If you can move relatively easily, it is still a disadvantage to move around because so many aspects are tied to seniority within a district...like pay and placement choices. Tenure doesn't transfer. This isn't so much a deal-breaker in and of itself, as it is something to factor in. Like, when a nurse moves to a new city, sometimes nights or weekends are what is available.

Personally, I put a lot of weight on liking what I do, it makes life sooooo much better in soooo many ways.

If you really know you hate nursing, and that this isn't a reaction to the stress of a bad semester then I recommend finishing the semester but seriously looking into teaching. If you love substituting, and you've done much of it, that says a lot. You could talk to several teachers about what is behind the scenes.

If it is just hospitals you know you don't like, then shadow nurses in other settings and research.

If you don't really hate nursing but just wonder if teaching would be better.

Then, if I were you, I would finish the nursing and work for a few years before deciding if I wanted to switch. I'd rather pay for the remaining 40 or so credits than lose the 40 I've already gained. And have the option of nursing.

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I just started nursing school and everyone at my hospital are really nice and joke around with each other. its a great place to be. the nurses are busy yes but they are helpful. I know you mentioned the salary in your area is in the 30 k range. so i know you arent talking about RN school. I would say most of the people saying its high stress are RNs. they have the most responsibilty and they are managing pca, lpn, cna people as well. If you really want to be in a field where you are caring for people the other stuff like wont be as hard to handle. But if stress is a major concern perhaps an lpn or cna is the best role. however, school nurses are RNs to my understanding. Nursing school teaches you how to handle stress. they try to give you extra stress at least my school lol. they need to weed out the people who arent cut out to be RNs. However, if its meant to be you will adapt and get through it better prepared and well rounded

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I came from a teaching background (taught for 12 years), and I can honestly say that if you want to have flexibility to do different jobs, nursing is the better way to go. In education you have two choices: Teach subjects or be administration. In nursing you can be a nurse in NICU, Peds, Geriatric, Psych, OR....the choices are endless. The only real down side is that the schedule stinks as there is very little vacation time in nursing. There are a lot of jobs where you will be underpaid and unappreciated, but it's more likely you'll find a good place to be in nursing. Teachers are responsible for so many things they have no control over. You can find a place in nursing where that's not the case.

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Specializes in LDRP.

i find it hard to believe that a BSN educated nurse is only making 35K a year.

anyway, either way you will be working hard. i say just do whichever one you feel most passionate about.

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