Should I stay or should I go?

[LifeIsGood76]

Hi Everyone! I'm in need of some advice. I am an older student (38) and before I decided to pursue nursing I was working in education as a school librarian. I started taking my science prerequisites in 2013, applied to my community college's RN program in March of 2014, and got accepted. In the meantime I got my CNA certification and started working as a CNA. I started what they call "pre-nursing" classes this semester (I just finished) Nursing Assessment and Pharmacology. In Fall, I will start what they call Nursing Process 1 (the first of 4 semesters). So, here is my dilemma: all of this waiting has made me lose my excitement and motivation for nursing, plus seeing how unhappy the nurses are at my job makes me question whether I want to do this or not. I recently got offered a job as a school librarian, and although the pay is nothing compared to a nurse ($15/hour, whereas RNs start around $30/hour where I live), I have weekends, holidays, and part of the summer off with my kids, plus I am off work by 2:30 every day and am able to take my children to their extra curricular activities. I would like to hear people's opinions on what I should do. I know it is ultimately my decision, but it is nice to hear what people have to say. There are many pros and cons of both things. For example, I have four kids that I need to put through college and I probably can't do that on librarian money. I also enjoy many aspects of nursing. I appreciate your advice. Thank you!

[JaaaeyRN]

You sound like me. I was a teacher and I was a librarian. I pursued nursing career when I was 32. It took me 5 years to complete ADN program because of all those pre-req. and cut off GPA. So I wasted about a year waiting to be accepted.

Well, I finishes school last December and obtained my license last month. Now I have been getting calla for interview. I know for sure money will be decent for all nurses. But follow your heart. If you want to be a nurse, be a nurse. A person experience about their job can be different. When I was a.teacher, I loved it but I couldn't deal with kids. Maybe I was too young. When I was a librarian, I didn't like the boring job cataloging and all that either. But many of my former colleagues still love their job.

So ask yourself if you want to be a nurse regardless of what other people say about their experience. You might have a great one.

[AspiringNurseMW]

I think you have to also remember that nursing is quite different in a hospital setting vs out of hospital. Perhaps see if you can shadow a nurse during the summer in different hospital positions, help remind you why you wanted this.

I have a long term goal, so for me its easier not to lose sight of why I am entering nursing school. I also like the idea of a career where there is upward mobility and TONS TONS of different paths to take once I gain some experience. If you too the librarian job where would you be in 5 years and would you be happy with that?

Then again, if you have truly lost your passion, well, this field doesnt need any more nurses who dont want to be nurses.

[llg, PhD, RN]

The types of nursing jobs that pay new nurses $30 per hour are inpatient nursing jobs -- and they are really HARD and Stressful. That's why they have to pay good salaries to get people to do that kind of work. So unless it's work that your really want to do, I wouldn't recommend it.

There are some jobs in nursing that are less stressful ... but many of them are not available for new grads ... and most of them don't pay as well. Keep that in mind as you weigh your options. You won't be making the $30 unless you agree to take a highly stressful job. It doesn't sound like you are interested in bringing that much stress into your life.

However ... if you want to do the work of nursing so much that you are willing to bring that much stress into your (and the money), then be a nurse. Just don't fool yourself into thinking that you can have a nursing job and the better salary without bringing the bad stuff into your life as well.