SLP or NP?

[mint86]

I feel I am in a crossroad. I am currently in a RN program. I'm almost done with my first year, but I have come to realize that the health care field isn't what I pictured it to be. I always thought that the majority of nurses and other health care workers were compassionate and kind individuals, but I am just learning the opposite. It's very disappointing because all my life I've always wanted to work in health care and help patients.

Anyway, I have a BA in another field. I have heard about speech language pathologist for some time, and I feel it would be a less stressful career than nursing. If I become an RN....I would only want to work with babies like a nursery RN and maybe Peds. I am not interested in other nursing specialties other than that. So it would still be limited in my case since I am not interested in becoming an ER, ICU, or Med Surge nurse.

Anyway, the reason why I would like to become a NP is because I really like learning about diseases, learning how to diagnose, and educate others about taking good care of themselves or preventing illnesses. I really love the whole lecture part of nursing school. I don't know if Nurse practitioners are less stress than RN or if they are equally stress. I have been around RNs lately and most of them just look burnt out and frustrated. I would not like to work in that type of negative environment. I would like to hear from any NP's out there about your current experiences working as a nurse practitioner and the level of stress there is in that position.

Right now I am leaning a bit towards SLP than nursing because of my observations and experiences I am getting from nursing school.

I would appreciate others feedback about either position...RN, SLP, or NPs.