Teacher turned Nurse

Nursing and Teaching are alike, and not alike. I miss teaching. I miss summer vacation. Christmas vacation, Easter break, President's day. I miss the bell that says "go home", or the one that signals the end of a horrible class. I miss teenagers, the chatter, the hang-dog looks, the laughter, the tons of long healthy hair.

Even cafeteria duty which used to be a punishment. Listening in on pre-pubescent conversations to get a hint of what the next generation is thinking. Standing in the corner looking bored so they don't know I'm taking it all in.

I miss teaching. Seeing that light bulb go on, hearing myself explain something I really know and looking into young eager eyes that want the information. Priceless. The feeling that something good and real and valuable has happened here today. Sitting quietly with a 14 year old whose friends have decided to 'hate' her today. I miss it.

And yet--nursing the elderly has it's moments too.

No doubt it's worthwhile.

I still get to intimately connect with other human beings. Only this time it feels like most of the learning is on my part. I've been a teenager, I know what they feel, how they think. But old is something yet to be for me. I can only imagine how old feels.

I love hearing the stories when they can tell one and when I have the time. The "good-old-days" when there were no TV's computers or pollution. When people connected in ways we nostalgically wonder about. When Sunday was a day of rest and that meant sitting in the parlor talking. Think about that for a minute.

Looking into old eyes I see the child, the teen, the young man or woman. The lights are still on and someone is in there. They look to me for care, understanding and sustenance. They shake their heads sadly when I just don't get it and I'm frustrated. I can ease their aches for awhile, give them the gift of my time, or a magazine, some cream on their feet. I can try to listen and empathize. They need me, well maybe not me exactly but they need the connection with a younger generation just as we all need connections with people older and younger than ourselves. We are all teachers and we are all students learning how to live how to-be.

So yes I miss teaching and school, but the world is school and learning never ends. Sometimes though I just wish the bell would ring.

i want know about medicat of serum why when gauges smal the measure be big

What are you talking about? Can you rephrase this? Are you talking about needle gauges? Such as a large needle like an 18 being a smaller number than a smaller needle like a 24? If so, I don't know why, just the way it was set up. Maybe a 24 is 24 times smaller than a 1. This is a very old system of measurement so they designed it in their own way back then.

You made some good points. As a teacher, you have a certain responsibility to be a role model for students, and

they watch your behavior for any inconsistencies, etc. It's like you are a parent to each class or your group of students if your

elementary. I don't think nursing will be easier, it seems more grueling overall, but your job is more straightforward.

Hi

I am also a teacher who wishes to change carrier to nursing. I read the comments and all I want to say is that after 4 years of teaching my nerves could not take it any more. I was a tough person and I became a vegetable from all that stress. Dealing with the behavior problems and bad system (the No Child Left Behind ) made me a person with no values because I always had to be flexible and give students chances over chances so that everybody can be happy except me.

Now I would like to consider nursing but I am afraid that I will be in the same situation as in teaching and I do not want to invest money and years in a carrier that will not give me the satisfaction I expect from a carrier. And what I expect is hard work for limited hours, good pay and respect. I do not want to come home and start working again like I did during teaching. I have kids and I would like to spend time with them while I am not too stressed out.

I also would like to know what is the best way to become an RN. I was suggested to do a CNA training and start working and then start the nursing program. I checked and I need the prerequisite courses. If somebody could guide me it would be great. I still plan to do some more research but I need your view on this too.

Thank you all.

Ibi

Well some jobs in nursing are 50 or more hours a week. I often brought home work from my home health and hospice jobs, and did lots of work at home in my case management job. No weekends off, holidays or summer breaks either and the days are at a minimum 8.5 hours long- usually more. You have to compromise your values constantly because there is never enough time to do the job the way you were trained. Any job working with people is stressful- nursing and teaching both have this factor. Management in nursing does not support or pamper you like the principal does in the school. They prefer to write you up or look for what you have done wrong.

On the plus side, there are many days and experiences that are rewarding. You help someone, and you get a great feeling from it. Part of why I stay in health care is that addictive feeling that you get from making a difference to someone. You also can have friendships and relationships at work that are closer than those that teachers seem to have. Teachers are more isolated. There are still many hoops to jump through, the same government rules and nonsense that regulate schools is in health care.

I think trying a CNA course would give you a taste and minimize your risk, but realize that you will never have the security and stability in nursing that you have in teaching. And, you will still have massive stress, so know that going in. But in turn you will have some flexibility to move around, change fields, find your niche.

I was not pampered by my principal, and I DID NOT have job security. Every June of my 5 years teaching I wasn't sure if I was coming back.

On the other hand, I took a CNA class last summer to see if I wanted to work in health care, and the nurse that taught the class was always working on paperwork for her home health patients, 50 pages for a new intake!

I simply will like the idea of being able to look for a job year-round and not have to start in August, and, yes, teachers are often isolated. I also like the idea of having a defined skill set. I was an art teacher and at my school the arts weren't as important because so much emphasis was placed on our students improving their test scores and art was not part of this preparation as much as math, science, and English.

Teaching and nursing.... both difficult careers. Nurses will say being a teacher would be easier, and teachers say the same of nursing. I think there is a big misconception about teachers and the support they have whether it be from administration, parents, fellow co-workers, unions, etc. People tend to think that teachers are supported by all these people when they really aren't in many situations. In most situations, (like myself) they have unsupportive parents who are on your case all day and don't want to put any effort towards their child's education and lazy administration who watches you like a hawk an is just waiting for the moment when you goof up. There are however, many teachers who do have support from all those people and that is such a blessing.

Im not leaving teaching because I think nursing will be easier or there will be more job security (heaven knows they have always said teachers will always be able to find a job and we know that isn't true right now (I was laid off after 2 years!)). I am interested in nursing because like summr said, you can begin anytime of year and also there are so many more things you can do with a nursing degree. I think we could argue about which is a more difficult career until we are all blue in the face. In the end, some people are more suited for nursing and some are more suited for teaching.We might just have to try both to figure it out!:)

I have a degree in PE teaching K-12 and am a substitute teacher for K-12 as well. Also I am an ICU nurse....nursing has SO many more opportunities and earning opportunities....with the same amount of appreciation/learning....granted they are difficult like the article says.........you don't have to "give up" teaching....one day a week of those little buggers will get you your fix!...trust me.

GO FOR IT!!!!! YOU HAVE A DEGREE...SO go to an accelerated nursing program....they are not as bad as people say they are...i hope you aren't easily intimidated. you will NEVER regret going into nursing...if you dont like an area/hospital you can switch in a heartbeat! When I substitute teach (having a degree in PE teaching) sometimes I just want to snap. Kidz are nasty little things these days with hardly any respect...period. Substitute on your days off in the grades you like...and go for the nursing. It is a nice balance to actually have days off and often times make your own schedule. Nursing has more job security FYI than teaching...the old ladies and gentlemen nurses are retiring soon!....get goin!

Specializes in Correctional Nursing, Orthopediacs.
I miss teaching as well, especially the bell, the vacations, the lightbulb moments, and getting home every day in time for Oprah!!

Yes me too. Hours were great but nursing is better.

Thanks for the reply but for me nursing is the best . I love nursing and cant go for nothing less than NURSING

Thank you all for your replies.

Ibi

A former Teach for America Corp member. Taught students of all ages and abilities. Still in contact with many. The way I used to teach, when the bell rang, I still had more to do. Nursing is actually a natural bridge from education. I live caring for a patient and teCh Teiresias loved ones how to have a greater role in their care. I still do a lot of teaching. They may or may not take heed to my lessons, not unlike the classroom. I make more in a day than what I did teaching for a week. There's a lot of off the click time that went along with thY teachers salary.