School Nurse wants to be a Teacher...how?

mustlovepoodles, RN · Nov 13, 2008

Yes, I've heard of that. One of my friends went all the way through nursing school to graduate with her BSN only to find out she hated working with sick people. Really? *shakes head* You didn't know you didn't like sick people 2 years ago?

Okay, here's what you do (actually, I also have a BS in elementary ed, so there you go.) Contact your local school system and find out if there is any kind of bridge program in your state. Some states (like Georgia) will allow people with degrees in other fields to teach after a short course to bring them up to speed. Or you could contact your local college that has education degrees and talk to the dean of Education to find out how long it would take you to finish up a degree in elementary ed. There is a huge demand nation-wide for special ed, math, and science teachers.

Oooorrrr...you could invest in some counseling to find out what you really want to do with your life so you don't waste more time and money pursuing something that you also may not like. I think it's a huge red flag that you graduated less than a year ago and you already want to change careers. Maybe you just like being in school.:wink2: Not making any judgement, but it's not uncommon when you graduate to feel at loose ends and miss the dynamic energy of being in college. You need to figure out what exactly you don't like about nursing--is it just hospital work, patients, weekend work, night shift, what? Is any of that fixable? Or is nursing just not palatable at all? You local community or technical college probably has some testing available that could help you figure out what you want to do.

Incidently, I did teach in private school for 3 years and I homeschooled my kids for a total of 12 years. I believe education is never wasted. While I do not prefer to teach now, I do love being in an educational environment. That's why I'm a school nurse. :nurse:

cyfan · Nov 14, 2008

Thanks so much for your honest response to my post! I probably should've explained myself a little more....

I began my undergraduate education at a university with an "Undecided" major. I never knew what I wanted to do...and by the middle of my sophomore year (when you need to start declaring a major) I STILL didn't know what I wanted to do. This was largely my fault due to the fact that I didn't seek help with career counseling back then. I decided to choose nursing because "you can get a job anywhere" and "there are so many options, you'll find something you like!".

From my very first nursing courses with clinical components, I didn't like it at all. I have lots of relatives who are nurses, and they encouraged me to stick with it becuase "nobody likes clinical...you'll like it when you're on your own". I knew that I didn't feel passionate about the profession, but I didn't want to change my major again, and of course at the time I thought that getting out of school in four years was important! :icon_roll

I talked often with nursing professors and my academic advisor about my feelings about not really feeling that nursing "fit" me and what I wanted to do with my life.

As someone who wants to be passionate about their profession and have a long career, I feel like I need to be in a career that I love. I guess that I am considering going back to school so soon because the way I see it...I am only 23 right now and I have a LOT of years of work ahead of me!! If I had been in the profession for a long time and was close to retirement, I would consider sticking it out. I also just feel like I found my niche in a round about way.

I would appreciate hearing your thoughts on my situation after hearing more of the story. What other thoughts do you have? PLEASE SHARE!!! I would love to hear them!!!:wink2:

mustlovepoodles, RN · Nov 14, 2008

Well, you're 23--time to figure out what you're going to do next! And this time, get the career counseling. Truly, I think you do need to talk to someone so you can find your passion and avoid a costly mistake. :redlight:I know you're young, but you need to figure out why you chose to stay in a program you didn't like for four years. Otherwise, you're just going to keep repeating this.

I disagree with the advice you were given. I think most nurses fall in love with nursing during nursing school, IN SPITE of clinicals. If I never had to do another care plan in my life it would be just fine with me. It's no shame to admit you don't like it. You just don't.

My sister was in pre-med, top of her class. She spent one summer working at my hospital as a unit clerk. One day she blurted out, "You can't imagine the stuff these people have!" Hmmm, lessee...I'm an OB nurse(at that time). I bet I can imagine. I had to force her to admit that she did not like to be around sick people. No shame in that. Once she said the words, it opened up some space for her to explore what she *did* like to do--play music. I thought her college advisor was going to have a stroke when she told him she was dropping out of pre-med to be an elementary music teacher. And you know, it made total sense. She plays several instruments. My sister never went a day in her life that she didn't make music. She has been teaching kids to play and sing for the past 25 years.

:twocents: No one can tell you what to do, but you need to give yourself permission to find out why you don't want to be a nurse before you move on to something else. Nursing isn't for everyone and it requires a lot of sacrifice. You have to LOVE it, all of it. So before you go off getting any more degrees that you may or may not really want, you owe it to yourself to dig a little deeper and get to know yourself more. It will be worth whatever it costs. :up:

Aneroo, LPN · Nov 14, 2008

Just an idea- what about health occupations? It's an older crowd (high school), but then you get to use nursing and education!

jjjoy, LPN · Nov 14, 2008

I'm with the others that you might want to do a bit more exploring of your preferences before starting to work towards a teaching credential. For myself, career counseling wasn't very helpful because I didn't really know what I did and didn't like. I like the idea of many jobs out there. And some jobs I do enjoy for short periods of time. But what kind of job will work for me day in and day out year after year? I had no idea for a long time. I needed first hand experience doing different things over time to get a better idea of my preferences.

I now realize that I don't enjoy the constant need to reprioritize and juggle several different patients in acute nursing care. Without the experience, I would've thought that would be a stimulating challenge. And it can be. I made it through nursing school without problem, but we moved onto a new unit every 5 weeks. Working full-time, I discovered floor nursing wears me down such that I dread going to work.

The same goes for teaching. I've enjoyed teaching in many capacities such as tutoring and part-time ESL. But when I had the opportunity to teach full-time, Mon-Fri, the same students every day, the work became incredibly draining instead of an interesting challenge.

So with those experiences under my belt, I was better able to evaluate what type of work I could handle and enjoy as a full-time pursuit. And for me, it wasn't nursing or teaching. So, I applied to a bunch of different positions. Was told I was overqualified for many positions. Didn't hear back on many more positions. Was offered a few positions that upon consideration didn't suit me. And finally accepted an offer for a position that felt like something I'd be okay with doing forty-plus hours a week... it was reviewing articles for a health information company. One of the many jobs out there that people just "fall into" and that have no clear educational requirements or certifications to qualify for.

I was VERY tempted to go back to school for something else. I took the GRE and the CBEST (for teaching in California) in preparation to either go to grad school and/or get a teaching credential. But since I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted to do, didn't want another degree I didn't directly use and had a perfectly good bachelor's degree already, I decided against going back to school. For me, it's worked out well so far.

jk82 · Nov 17, 2008

Hi, I too am a nurse considering Secondary education certification. Here is my story. I graduated from nursing school with my BSN in 2005. While in college I considered switching my major to education and possible getting a dance major as well, but everyone in my family told me to stick it out in the nursing program. I struggled through some nursing classes and many times asked myself if I was making the right career choice.

I have now jumped around in my nursing career trying to find satisfaction. I have worked in pediatric cardiology, a doctors office, management, labor and delivery, and now back in a pediatric ER, all within the last 4 years. I also started working on my MSN, and realized I don't know why I'm doing this, I don't like nursing enough to get an MSN. I think all of my jumping around is a big red flag to myself that I am not satisfied in my career. When I think about what I like about my job, it is working the kids and developing relationships with them.

I also used to teach dance to kids and loved it, and still help out with teaching choreography here and there for different productions. I have realized that I love working with kids and dancing. So now I'm stuck with where do I go from here....do I pursue a teaching career, do I get a dance degree and pursue my dream of opening a performing arts center..... I don't know. I think I could handle nursing as a contingent career, but I can't do it as a full time career for the rest of my life.

Do you think its possible to have a full time career outside of nursing and keep nursing as a contingent job?

Aimee03, BSN, RN · Nov 19, 2008

Finally, someone else thinks the same way I do. I am also 23. I've been a nurse 1.5 years now. Tried OB, med-surg, and now work at a ped. office. The thing I love are the kids. I like a normal business hours type job. I have been thinking for a while about going back and getting my elem. education degree. That was my orginial major in college. I hated nursing school and hate nursing most days. I do have fun, but parents can be so RUDE. I have feeling too.

Keepstanding, ASN, RN · Nov 19, 2008

finally, someone else thinks the same way i do. i am also 23. i've been a nurse 1.5 years now. tried ob, med-surg, and now work at a ped. office. the thing i love are the kids. i like a normal business hours type job. i have been thinking for a while about going back and getting my elem. education degree. that was my orginial major in college. i hated nursing school and hate nursing most days. i do have fun, but parents can be so rude. i have feeling too.

why not try to get into school nursing. you will get to be with kids and still utilize your nursing skills. plus the hours are great !

praiser :heartbeat

jk82 · Nov 19, 2008

I don't know where you live, but I live in Michigan and School Nurses are Rare in Michigan, it is not required that every school or school district has a nurse. Yes, it is a job I would absolutely love to have, but I don't think it is a strong possibility living in the state of Michigan.??

gotigersgo · Dec 14, 2008

Hi all... found this interesting b/c I am actually an elem school teacher wanting to become a nurse....go figure. I am hoping that nursing is the fit I have been looking for, but if not I am going to get out of it ASAP! Being a teacher I highly suggest you try to do some subbing or if you have a friend that is a teacher spend some time in their classroom. Not to be discouraging, but I had NO clue what life in the classroom would really be like. I was thinking I love kids, summers off, etc. It is extremely challenging, low pay, and full of drama. You have to keep in mind that you can't please everyone....there is usually always a couple of parents and kids that are challenging, to put it nicely! :chuckle Be prepared to work far more than 40 hours a week... a teacher's job is never over at the end of the day. Unless you are in a private school, be prepared for exhausting demands from NCLB and other similar things. I think you have to truly be passionate about the field to really be content with it. I just feel very bored with it and cannot imagine doing this for the next 30 years! Do you guys feel the same about nursing? I just hope I find something I truly love!

mustlovepoodles, RN · Dec 14, 2008

Hi all... found this interesting b/c I am actually an elem school teacher wanting to become a nurse....go figure. I am hoping that nursing is the fit I have been looking for, but if not I am going to get out of it ASAP! Being a teacher I highly suggest you try to do some subbing or if you have a friend that is a teacher spend some time in their classroom. Not to be discouraging, but I had NO clue what life in the classroom would really be like. I was thinking I love kids, summers off, etc. It is extremely challenging, low pay, and full of drama. You have to keep in mind that you can't please everyone....there is usually always a couple of parents and kids that are challenging, to put it nicely! :chuckle Be prepared to work far more than 40 hours a week... a teacher's job is never over at the end of the day. Unless you are in a private school, be prepared for exhausting demands from NCLB and other similar things. I think you have to truly be passionate about the field to really be content with it. I just feel very bored with it and cannot imagine doing this for the next 30 years! Do you guys feel the same about nursing? I just hope I find something I truly love!

No, I have not felt that way about nursing. There are some kinds of nursing I prefer over others, but I guess since I stuck it out for 31 years, nursing is in my blood.

I have a degree in elementary ed and I taught 3rd grade for 3yrs in a private school. I know what you mean by challenging parents. :banghead: You can't please all the people all the time and sometimes you can't please anybody. I rarely get that in nursing. Of course, it's unlikely that you might make an error so bad that it would kill anybody in the classroom. So I guess there are trade-offs.

Nursing is very hard, sometimes back-breaking work. The reason you don't see a lot of older nurses working in hospitals is their feet and backs give out. I used to work NICU and PICU--no way could I go at that pace for 12 hours at a crack. My hat's off to the older nurses who do it, but I can't keep up. I'll never go back to hospital nursing. If I ever leave school nursing I'll probably do private care or hospice. I just can't take the stress of those high-adrenaline environments.