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?

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

It's not true across the board that Nursing offers job stability, good pay and benefits. In many areas of the country, new grad RNs cannot find jobs. Hospitals have been cutting benefits left and right. I saw the cost of my health insurance more than double while coverage was slashed over a period of 2 years while working in the hospital...

Don't be a nurse. And don't do it as a stepping stone to PA school. I personally don't find nursing to be all that logical of a step towards becoming a PA.

[stewartfamily2010]

Your career choice should be about what's in your heart. Follow that.

[RNperdiem, RN]

What about a third option? You seem to realize how few jobs are available in journalism and how it is not an expanding field.

It is probably time to stop right now and do some career exploration. There are lots of other jobs beside nursing.

If you need to talk yourself into nursing, then it is not the job for you.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

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.

^This...

Please don't talk yourself into becoming a nurse, if that is NOT want you want.

Of the things you listed, shadow a PA, print, radio, and TV journalists, as well as look into shadowing a dietitian. Then write down the pros and cons, etc. and then make your choice...it will be up to you in the end. Best wishes. :)

[kittycat123]

If you want to do it for the money, you might last a year or two. It's tough being a nurse. I've seen people how clearly shouldn't be nurses but feel like it's the only job that is stable for them. But guess what?...The patients and hospital suffer.

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

I want to point out that there's many places a nurse can work that are not a hospital. Students and pre-students think all nurses work in a hospital for some reason.

You say you're interested in nutrition and mental health. There's lots of nursing jobs in those fields.

If you really don't like the idea of being a nurse, then it's rather obvious you shouldn't be one. But I question if you understand what a nurse really does.

Not liking something and not being passionate about something are two different things. I like being a nurse, but it's not passion. It's not "in my heart" (whatever that means). To say you have to be passionate about nursing in order to be a good nurse is false. Of course I do it for the money. I provide a skilled service in exchange for appropriate compensation. That's what a nurse does. Let's not get too mushy here.

[lefrench123]

Broadcast journalism remains my dream job, but I was not supported in this and was pushed into nursing. Fortunately, I love being a nurse and I am continuing to advance my career. I care deeply for my patients, enjoy the professional aspects of nursing, and am financially stable. My advice, however, is to go for your dreams. I lucked out that I enjoy nursing, because it is not an easy career to remain in if you don't love it, despite all the perks. If I had it to do over, I would probably have pursued my dreams, because I know I will always wonder what I would be doing now if I had went for it.

[phuretrotr]

I want to point out that there's many places a nurse can work that are not a hospital. Students and pre-students think all nurses work in a hospital for some reason.

You say you're interested in nutrition and mental health. There's lots of nursing jobs in those fields.

If you really don't like the idea of being a nurse, then it's rather obvious you shouldn't be one. But I question if you understand what a nurse really does.

Not liking something and not being passionate about something are two different things. I like being a nurse, but it's not passion. It's not "in my heart" (whatever that means). To say you have to be passionate about nursing in order to be a good nurse is false. Of course I do it for the money. I provide a skilled service in exchange for appropriate compensation. That's what a nurse does. Let's not get too mushy here.

He is right. You can do public health, get into research, which could fulfill some journalism aspects...

[dove01]

I agree with you.

[dove01]

I want to point out that there's many places a nurse can work that are not a hospital. Students and pre-students think all nurses work in a hospital for some reason.

You say you're interested in nutrition and mental health. There's lots of nursing jobs in those fields.

If you really don't like the idea of being a nurse, then it's rather obvious you shouldn't be one. But I question if you understand what a nurse really does.

Not liking something and not being passionate about something are two different things. I like being a nurse, but it's not passion. It's not "in my heart" (whatever that means). To say you have to be passionate about nursing in order to be a good nurse is false. Of course I do it for the money. I provide a skilled service in exchange for appropriate compensation. That's what a nurse does. Let's not get too mushy here.

A nurse is suppose to care about his/her patients. of course it's good pay, but helping others is also important.

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

A nurse is suppose to care about his/her patients. of course it's good pay, but helping others is also important.

Right, because it's only the nurses who had a dream/calling/passion/angelic visitation from Florence Nightingale who're the ones that care about their patients and provide good care. Got it.

[Idiosyncratic, BSN, RN]

I think you already know. Nursing doesn't seem to be for you.