Should I do nursing or follow my dreams?

[lindseynicole12]

I decided to do nursing last year. I wanted to be a broadcast journalist or print journalist or editor. But, I decided that it was too much risk to go to school and get a degree in a field where it's difficult to find a job. (Much less a well paying one...)

I don't particularly like nursing (HATE hospitals. HATE THEM.) or science. I do really enjoy health and nutrition and psychiatry. I was really looking into PA school (Nursing seems like the most logical major to lead to PA school...) or getting a Masters and being a NP.

Nursing has many things that are important to me. Job stability, good pay, benefits. My only real concern are the 12 hour shifts or overnight shifts. I don't ever want my job to become my life. I want a family. I want to be able to travel a little. I want to be able to save money.

I also don't want to regret my decision to become a nurse. I don't want to regret not going for my dream career in journalism.

What do you think? Could someone maybe give me the pros and cons of being a nurse from a nurse's prospective?

[i♥words]

I can't offer much advice, but I will say that just your phrasing of "Should I do nursing or follow my dreams?" makes it sound like you have already made your decision. It really doesn't matter what someone else lists as pros and cons of nursing. What are your pros and cons? I made my own list over two years ago and the pros heavily outweighed the cons, but that was my process and my decision. Each person has his or her own reasons for choosing nursing, and I doubt that any of them are the same. I definitely understand choosing a career based on job availability and salary, but, if I was in a position to do so, I would rather work twice as hard to succeed in something I love than to settle for something that I only sort of like.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

Do not become a nurse. You are clearly looking for reasons to become one- and all the things you list (good pay, stability) are not there any longer. You mentioned NOTHING about wanting to help people or offer care. In my opinion, you'd be miserable.

[july06]

Isn't it kind of obvious?

[whattodo4]

If you hate hate hospitals , 12 hour shifts , science etc... Then I would strongly recommend not becoming a nurse, it's like wanting to become a teacher but hating students and the classroom atmosphere

[windsurfer8, BSN, RN]

So do you want money or to be a nurse? The only "good" things you list are pay and benefits. I suppose you will have to make a decision on what is most important to you. Anyone who uses the word "hate" when describing the place they will be working..maybe that isn't the best place to be? You will work overnights. That is part of it. Especially when you are new.

[kimmie24]

Hi --- I actually graduated with a degree in broadcast journalism... worked for about 2 and a half years and found out that this is not what i want to do for the next 30+ years of my life... to me, i find the industry to be very limiting...

you said it's difficult to find a job in journalism.... it is. but if you keep looking, you will find something (internships help a lot!). Maybe you should take a class or two in journalism (some sort of intro or ethics class) to see if you'd be interested in the field? maybe check out a tv station or newsroom?

but it seems like nursing may not be right for you...

[claritasd]

If you're interested in health and nutrition, why not look into dietician or nutritionist programs?

[queserasera, RN]

Don't become a nurse.

[ScientistSalarian]

But, I decided that it was too much risk to go to school and get a degree in a field where it's difficult to find a job.

You realize that this pretty much applies to nursing as well, right? If you poke around the boards here you'll quickly discover that in many parts of the country it is incredibly difficult for new grads to find work. You may find that the aspects of nursing that you say are important to you ("job stability, good pay, good benefits") may not materialize once you graduate.

If you know you don't like science, hospitals, or nursing in general than it doesn't seem like nursing is going to be the career for you. If you want to be a PA you definitely do not have to go through nursing school first; like someone else said, maybe you could look into getting a BS in nutrition or something. But if your "dream career" is in journalism you may never be satisfied in any health care profession. It's difficult to find a job in many fields these days, may as well pursue something you love.

[aleong29]

I don't think you should become a nurse. As someone previously stated before me, you're trying to find reasons to convince yourself to go into nursing. It's an area that you really need to be passionate about since it's not just about you, but your patients as well. In certain areas, finding your first nursing job can be very difficult. Follow your dreams, you'd be happy once you do find yourself in your career.

[dove01]

I personally wouldn't want a nurse taking care of me if I know that they don't even like their job. Someone who wants to be a nurse will not do it for the money. They will do it because they are passionate about helping people and taking care of them.

Stick to journalism.