Should I Change Careers to Become a Nurse?

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I am 34 years old and have worked in Financial Services for most of my career. I don't make huge money but I make a very decent living. Ever since my sister died cancer 4 years ago I have considered becoming a nurse. I was an English major in college (and ended up in finance! Don't ask!) so I had to take all of my science pre-requisites. I have one more left but have been taking time off in between, mostly because I'm not 100% sure and am scared to death. I know that I want to have a career that involved helping people. I am a very empathetic person and being in finance this has never been an asset. I have no problems with blood, but more basic human elements (feces and mucous) turn my stomach. ANYWAY, if I don't enter a nursing program by Fall 09 I will have to retake A&P 1&2 because it's been almost 5 years since I took them. I would have to take off of work to complete the accellerated BSN, spend all of my life savings to get by and then take out loans for tuition and I'll be making less money than I do now when I start off. I'm soooooooooooooo nervous about making the final step. I did vounteer at a hospital for a semester to try and get an idea if this 100% for me but honestly, filling water cups and folding linens did not give me the answers I needed. Can anyone give me any advice so I can move forward or just give up what might be a pipedream?

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Welcome! I'm 34 as well and nursing is my 2nd (well 5th actually, LOL) career.

I'm sure you are going to hear this from a lot of people.... you are the only one that can decide what you want to do with the rest of your life. If you are unhappy with what you are doing now, and nursing is something you've always considered... I say go for it. Check around at all of the schools in your area... some of the requirments for course expiration might be different. Here at the UofM, it is 10 yrs for A&P and other science courses. Also, you may be able to file a petition and they would accept your course even if it has expired.

I've learned A LOT on this website. Nursing isn't what I thought it was all cracked up to be.... (cute scrubs, nice patients, nice doctors, lots of money) well, okay... I didn't really think that... but I've learned a lot about what nursing is really about here and what nurses really go through (both good and bad).

So keep reading as much as you can, check out some books at the library about the field, there are some good "survival" books about starting nursing school, and I know you said your volunteering experience wasn't very educational, but you may want to try that again.

I've been volunteering for over 2 yrs at our local hospital, and while I didn't get a lot of patient contact, I got a lot of info/help/respect for the nurses on the floor. I learned a lot just from listening to them and talking with them... once they find out you are interested in nursing, a lot of them really open up a lot). I also was just transferred to the NICU where I will get a lot more patient interaction, plus more experience as this is where I'd like to be once I'm done with school. So there are other opportunities out there... (other volunteer position/tech job/CNA etc)

Good luck to you with whatever you decide. Just remember it has to be YOUR decision and one that you feel good about!

Take care,

Jennifer

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Specializes in ICU, ER, EP,.

hmn, no one has responded yet. Well I've never shared this, but it was my father passing of cancer when I was 16 that left my mark. it took 5 more years for me to straiten myself out and want to be part of this crazy, thankless, aggrevating to no end profession. You treat people at their worst, carry more than you can handle, can't get through to the non compliant frequent fliers, function as a maid, butt wiper, vampire, seer of doctors thoughts...but the human contact, I swear, holding a hand, talking when you don't have time to blink and you spend 30 minutes, not peeing, eating... teaching and turning a dying patient for the 3rd time in one hour because no matter how many times you do it they won't be comfortable... talking end of life (you maybe can't let go, but mom wrote her wishes to tell you to do so), birthing a baby, giving a negative or positive on a cancer screen....

Finding community resources for med financing, monitoring kids in school for abuse and having a teen pressure talk with them, doing environmental screening for employers, working a prison, doing home health and keeping people either in or facilitating them back in to the system... working people up with complaints in the ER and learning how to figure out what's wrong......

To be a nurse and find your spot in life is precious, the money is well worth what you give up short term... I've done it myself... 10 years of loans.

The point is that loans and finances aside, it is a very difficult, thankless profession that you find a love for that carries you through and makes it worth while. While I make $>30 per hour I'm never compensated, it's the money and not the money at the same time.

I am 34 years old and have worked in Financial Services for most of my career. I don't make huge money but I make a very decent living. Ever since my sister died cancer 4 years ago I have considered becoming a nurse. I was an English major in college (and ended up in finance! Don't ask!) so I had to take all of my science pre-requisites. I have one more left but have been taking time off in between, mostly because I'm not 100% sure and am scared to death. I know that I want to have a career that involved helping people. I am a very empathetic person and being in finance this has never been an asset. I have no problems with blood, but more basic human elements (feces and mucous) turn my stomach. ANYWAY, if I don't enter a nursing program by Fall 09 I will have to retake A&P 1&2 because it's been almost 5 years since I took them. I would have to take off of work to complete the accellerated BSN, spend all of my life savings to get by and then take out loans for tuition and I'll be making less money than I do now when I start off. I'm soooooooooooooo nervous about making the final step. I did vounteer at a hospital for a semester to try and get an idea if this 100% for me but honestly, filling water cups and folding linens did not give me the answers I needed. Can anyone give me any advice so I can move forward or just give up what might be a pipedream?
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Specializes in ICU, ER, EP,.

sry for the post again, but wanted to add that I make >75k per year with over 10 years, and I could easily break 100k with OT if I wanted. I promise you that the $$ is only worth what you can cope with on a day to day basis, it's tough and thankless to nurse. It really is the "hardest job you've ever done". and you go home exhausted, having nothing left for your family. And miraculously, there are days that make you whole and you carry on. your family unit needs to be strong to support you. death and dying takes on a whole new meaning while you code, or allow to die... I could go on and on..... but, nursing school didn't prepare me, and I enjoy the chance of making a mark in peoples lives and bringing them through crisis.

BUT it does take a tole on me and DOES affect me and yep, even scars me where I can't forget certain people. You either need to have a strong will and will flourish in this challenge or it can affect you negatively if you choose wrong.. and you'll know it early on... and then you can move in nursing to something that suits you better. It's a wonderful profession that is challenging to exist in....

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

I would suggest maybe getting a job as a nursing assistant or volunteering at a hospital that way you can really see what nurses do. I don't suggest going into nursing for the money. Yeah, it's great if you work a bunch of overtime but you really have got to want to be a nurse. You are gonna see things that you've never seen before.

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Just to share my story with you. I have recently decided to venture into nursing. Now I am taking my pre-reqs to get into a nursing school. I share some of your reservations and fears.

It is not easy, especially after years of being in a managerial position in HR, finance and admin. Starting from the basics needs alot of courage and perseverance. I admit that I have learnt to adapt during my CNA classes and training at the nursing homes. The hardest part was hvg to put thru racial, age and social group discrimination of a few classmates.:coollook:

I have fear of blood, injuries, wounds and alot of others. I also am not used to handle faeces and urine. Yet I know that I want to be in this field so bad, I would not let these pose any hinderance in my path to become a nurse. I will face any challenge as it comes.

Maybe I am a "tough cookie" and hv always adopted a positive attitude of "nothing is impossible" if I put my heart and soul into it. :yeah:

My best wishes to you.

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Specializes in Telemetry, Med-Surg.
I am 34 years old and have worked in Financial Services for most of my career. I don't make huge money but I make a very decent living. Ever since my sister died cancer 4 years ago I have considered becoming a nurse. I was an English major in college (and ended up in finance! Don't ask!) so I had to take all of my science pre-requisites. I have one more left but have been taking time off in between, mostly because I'm not 100% sure and am scared to death. I know that I want to have a career that involved helping people. I am a very empathetic person and being in finance this has never been an asset. I have no problems with blood, but more basic human elements (feces and mucous) turn my stomach. ANYWAY, if I don't enter a nursing program by Fall 09 I will have to retake A&P 1&2 because it's been almost 5 years since I took them. I would have to take off of work to complete the accellerated BSN, spend all of my life savings to get by and then take out loans for tuition and I'll be making less money than I do now when I start off. I'm soooooooooooooo nervous about making the final step. I did vounteer at a hospital for a semester to try and get an idea if this 100% for me but honestly, filling water cups and folding linens did not give me the answers I needed. Can anyone give me any advice so I can move forward or just give up what might be a pipedream?

I am a couple of years younger than you, and also transitioning into a career in Nursing from Financial Services. I begin my program this August as a matter of fact. I have a bachelors in Communication Studies. I too will be making less money when I start out, and I will be using much of my savings to support myself and my son while I'm in school. However, I have not been satisfied with the direction my career was taking for quite some time, and I look forward to the challenge of being an RN. I did a lot of research and shadowed nurses before I made my decision. This website, as another poster stated, gives sooooo much information about the good and bad of being in the field. Definitely review as many threads as you can, you can even look up threads that pertain to nurses within your state (possibly near the area that you live in). See if you can shadow a few nurses in your area, and if you can, maybe see if you can work part time as a tech. Don't make the move for the money. If you are unsatisfied in your current career and can see yourself as a nurse, with all of the challenges that will come, then make the move. If you are satisfied with your current career and just want to make a difference in someone's life, then volunteer with organizations that will put you contact with people who genuinely need your help. I'm sure there are tons of organizations in your area that would be happy to have you. Good luck with your decision making, and remember, praying about it never hurts!:nuke:

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