Should I do it?

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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I got a call yesterday from the nursing school letting me know that my wait on the "alternate status" list was over- I'm in for Fall '06. If I had received this news months ago there would have been no question- I would be going to nursing school this fall. I guess I should explain a bit...You see, I currently work as an Acupuncturist and my career goal has always been to specialize in the treatment of children. I thought going to nursing school and obtaining my R.N. would be the best path to follow and be a shoe in. However, since being placed on the "alternate list" I decided to pursue my career goal aggresively and see what would happen. The result: my determination has gotten the attention of a pediatrician and now I have an interview with a pediatric office this week to discuss integrating Traditional Chinese Medicine into their practice. I just knew this would happen! In fact I actually said, "I know what will happen, I will land a job doing peds and get accepted into the nursing program-- then I will be faced with decisions of all decisions."

I have been visiting this website since I embarked on this journey toward nursing school and have received some very helpful feedback. So I am asking for your input- what to do???

P.S.

I should also mention that I am the mommy to two young daughters.

Thank you!!!

JP

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Specializes in LDRP.
I got a call yesterday from the nursing school letting me know that my wait on the "alternate status" list was over- I'm in for Fall '06. If I had received this news months ago there would have been no question- I would be going to nursing school this fall. I guess I should explain a bit...You see, I currently work as an Acupuncturist and my career goal has always been to specialize in the treatment of children. I thought going to nursing school and obtaining my R.N. would be the best path to follow and be a shoe in. However, since being placed on the "alternate list" I decided to pursue my career goal aggresively and see what would happen. The result: my determination has gotten the attention of a pediatrician and now I have an interview with a pediatric office this week to discuss integrating Traditional Chinese Medicine into their practice. I just knew this would happen! In fact I actually said, "I know what will happen, I will land a job doing peds and get accepted into the nursing program-- then I will be faced with decisions of all decisions."

I have been visiting this website since I embarked on this journey toward nursing school and have received some very helpful feedback. So I am asking for your input- what to do???

P.S.

I should also mention that I am the mommy to two young daughters.

Thank you!!!

JP

Jobs come and go--slots in nursing school are hard to come by!! Do you want to be a nurse? If the answer is yes, then this is your time. If you love what you are doing then stick with it.

Also, is the peds office a sure thing? I NOW always go for sure things where my future is concerned. I have hedged my bets on "maybes" too many times and it has gotten me into trouble. (Like I moved cross country thinking I could jump right back into nursing school--then had to move BACK to finish after I couldnt get a spot--long story but a valuable lesson in what NOT to do.)

GL! :)

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Im glad that you got accepted , cant help you with the choice you gotta make though, good luck

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I would do school (if it wouldn't jepoardize your finances right now in caring for your children).

Nursing would give you more options, more job opportunities, whereas you may be limited as an accupuncturist. You can always find a job in nursing where you enjoy working with children even if it is not in an accupuncture capacity. You must decide for yourself, best wishes to you.

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Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.

The only thing I would say you need to consider is how hard it is to get a slot in nursing school, and you got in.

So the next question is do you want to be an RN and would that be helpful to you in the long run with your goals?

But don't you love it that you at least have choices like this to make?! LOL Congrats, either way, on getting accepted and good luck with your decision.

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After reading your post again i thought about it. I to was taken from the alternate list this year and accepted for fall. i think that you should take the spot. With how much of a chance you ( and I ) might not of got in i think its a sign that this is your time. I know that is how i look at it from my angle. I say be done with it, if you wan to pursue your other career someday then you can still do it and have nursing knowledge to boot.

Andy

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Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.

I agree with the others but I am a little bias. From my experience working in health care I have come to realize that there are many good jobs out there. The problem? There are very few good careers! And you cannot have a successful full-filling career in health care without the paper work to back you up.

Right now the j-o-b you seek may be a dream. However, one day you may get a new boss and your job function changes. Your new boss no longer wants you to learn and grow on the job. And since you have no paper work (a degree or license in that particular field) you may not be able to do the things you wish to do any more. You get relegated to do menial tasks you did when you first started. Now what?

I know this sounds oddly like a fictional story but it is what happened to me. Given the opportunity to finish up co-reqs (my pre-reqs were done), I choose to enjoy my dream job under my dream boss. Nurses around me asked me why I was not trying to go to Nursing School and I told them, that I will go later.. right now I love my career.

Well it turns out it was just a j-o-b and not a career. After my former wonderful supervisor moved, I gained a former co-worker who was not interested in seeing subordinates progress. We lost everything that made our positions worth while and became hired servants! We moved stuff and fetched stuff and typed stuff up that was unrelated to our job descriptions! :madface:

We were not allowed to think on the job too. We had to ask permission to make a decision that was related to our job functions if my new supervisor did not write it down for us. Can you say micro manager? :angryfire By the way, we were not dealing with patients or services involving treatment plans so it was not called for! ;)

I was angry. But not with my new supervisor. I was angry with myself for foolishly thinking that I was safe in my dream job! I had mistakenly thought that I could possibly pull off my dream career without being a licensed health care professional (I have two degrees one in health care but it is not licensed). :uhoh3:

Maybe you can pull off a satisfying career without becoming a Registered Nurse? I do not know anything about a career in acupuncture. However, like the others said, you might be passing up something better if you do not become a Registered Nurse.

Registered Nurses have a lot of career options that other health care careers lack. Whatever you decide, good luck to you.

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Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.
Also, is the peds office a sure thing? I NOW always go for sure things where my future is concerned. I have hedged my bets on "maybes" too many times and it has gotten me into trouble. (Like I moved cross country thinking I could jump right back into nursing school--then had to move BACK to finish after I couldnt get a spot--long story but a valuable lesson in what NOT to do.)

GL! :)

WOAH!! I recall reading the post where you said you were upset for moving across country and thinking that you could enter another program to find out it was not to be. Then I recall you wrote that you had contacted your former nursing school and the person on the phone said you had a spot!!!! Now you say you did not get in!??!? What happened? I know this is off topic but I remember your post. Thanks. ;)

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You are thinking of someone else, the post you just described is not me.

Thanks for your thoughts on the matter though.

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Specializes in Ortho/Neurosurgical.
You are thinking of someone else, the post you just described is not me.

Thanks for your thoughts on the matter though.

jp

she was quoting someone else. re-read her question...it was to allthingsbright. Anyhow, it sounds like quite the conundrum. I would keep following up with school and really panic after the pediatrician offers you a job. ultimately you need to decide if you want to be a nurse or a acupuncturist? It sounds like the latter. I think you have a great opportunity but I will also say the MD hasnt offered you a position yet. So keep moving forward with both and then figure it out.

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First of all, congratulations on getting in :)

Second of all, I do not envy your situation. Doesn't life seem to give you hard options like that? I'm compelled to favor what others have said and advise you to go to nursing school--there are opportunities galore once you graduate and become licensed...not to mention, hundreds, maybe thousands of people are aggressively fighting for a small number of nursing seats each semester or year. If you were to give up your spot, there's no telling when you would be re-admitted.

However, you're in a situation that I and some others are not in--you have young kids. Maybe there's no way you can't work.

Is it possible to take a part-time position if you get hired? Maybe you can make the best of both situations that way.

I would go the nursing route if I was in your position--if I could live off the loans for the duration of school. But you control your own destiny--and I'm sure you'll make the best decision :) Best of luck!

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Specializes in Critical Care, Psych, Transport.

gratz on getting accepted. my advice is simple.3 words.

follow your heart!

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