Thinking about Nursing as my second Bachelor degree... yay or nay?

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I'm currently a studio art major, I have one year left till I get my degree... but recently I have found that I am less and less becoming interested in making ART a career. I love art, I really do, but as far as a career, I think that is too much. I am young, this is my first degree, and I think it may have been a bad choice... maybe... not sure. I am thinking that after I am done with this degree, I will skip out on getting my masters and instead go into nursing. It seems so much more safe than Art. Plus, going for nursing will not require me to move away from my hometown, while going for my masters will. I hate to make my art degree useless though ya know? I don't want to make a bad choice.

I didn't know where to ask this, so I figured those in the actual degree of nursing can tell me whether nursing is a good choice for some one who was originally an art student.

I'm just looking for some more info so I can make a better choice. Thanks.

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well lets start with where you are located. if you live in california (or other desirable states to live in ) and are under the assumption you will be able to get a job out of the gate you have been mislead. there are thousands of us (new graduate RN's) not to mention many of us have two degrees (I have BA in anthro and BSN in nursing) who are desperately searching for a job.

I don't write to discourage you but to tell you the truth. I imagine you could do something fabulous with the combined education and everyone says the field will open up (WHEN! we all ask). What about some type of art therapy, have you looked into becoming a LMFT?

I am jadded, sorry. I hope this helps somehow.

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p.s. you will want to find an accelerated bachelors of science in nursing ABSN. Some are as little as 12 months. start taking pre-reqs now (i.e. anatomy, physiology, chemistry,etc.)

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I'm currently enrolled an accelerated nursing program where I will receive my second bachelor's degree (BSN) plus a generalized master's degree in nursing in only 18 months. This program was a better option for me because of financing. For a second bachelor's degree, you won't get much aid if any at all. This program, because it's a graduate program, opens up a whole new area of financing which I desperately needed. Plus, for just an extra 6 months, I'll receive my MSN. It's generalized, but it also shaves 6 months off if I go back to get a specialized master's degree later.

For pre-reqs we needed: A bachelor's degree in anything, A&P I and II, inorganic and organic chem, microbiology, intro to psych, stats, child development, and nutrition.

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I think I'm in a pretty similar situation as you, except I went ahead and finished my degree.

I have a bachelor's in art and have never used it. I could've moved to the west coast and maybe found something, but I didn't have the money. I couldn't get a job in my home state because I never did an internship anywhere. The only jobs that were even being offered were all graphic design related, and I had gone to school to become an animator.. I had no interest in graphic design. I could have gone on to get my master's and probably had better luck, but that's even more money for something that really didn't seem like it would be worth it in the end.

Really, by that point, I had completely lost interest in making art a career. So here I am, back in school finishing up my science pre-reqs so I can start nursing in the fall. I don't completely regret my choice to do art because, if I'd never done it, I would never have met most of my friends or my SO.. so I at least got something worthwhile out of it, even if it wasn't a job. I don't mind being back in school and I actually really enjoy it.. Every day I go and we talk about something that's really cool, it makes me excited for my future. It's a feeling I rarely got when I was doing art.

I think it's really up to you.. You should do what you think you'll be most happy with. If you want to make art a career, stick with it..but definitely, definitely try to get an internship somewhere if you can. That can make all the difference when you graduate and begin looking for work. If you feel like you're already starting to lose interest in art, then you could look into switching majors now.

Of course, if you get your art degree and then change your mind.. there's nothing wrong with that either. You won't be the first and definitely won't be the last to have a change of heart later on. Like I said, just do what you think you'll enjoy. Good luck!

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the question to ask yourself is.... why do you want to become a nurse? to truly help others or for the stable job & salary? If you're going for the latter, you'll be miserable. Not to discourage you but it's very hard for new grads to get a job nowadays. Media always say theres a nursing shortage but it's really for experienced nurses. Also, nursing is not easy... if you lack the passion, you'll hate the job when you find one.

Anyway, I had a classmate who had an art degree with no prior science background... and because she was determined, she survived the Accelerated 12-month program. It is definitely do-able if you put your heart to it. If you're really interested, try volunteering at hospitals and take your pre-reqs. Since you will have a degree already, a good fast track would be the accelerated nursing programs. If you feel thats too intense, go for the traditional 2 yr prog.

Good Luck!! :)

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completing prereqs doesnt guarantee admission these days too...you have to really want it just to get into an accelerated BSN. They are competitive. Good news is BSNs hold a (slight) edge in hiring, but I know many BSN new grads who are unemployed.

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If I were you and you are serious about becoming a nurse you should switch majors now because as others have pointed out you will get less financial aid if you already have a bachelors. People change their majors all the time:).

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Specializes in critical care, PACU.

dont do nursing for the stability of a career. Its not stable like it once was and you might end up jobless and with twice the debt of your original degree.

make your decision based on something you can live with but also be practical and heavily research your options.

good luck

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Wow thanks for all that info everyone, it seems I got everything I needed. I had no idea about graduates having a hard time finding jobs, I actually thought that since people say hospitals have nursing shortages that jobs were easy to find. I also didn't know that you get very little financial aid for a 2nd bachelors... I am going to have to speak to the fin aid about that to make sure. I am pretty much broke, and grants are basically what is getting me through college. With out them I wouldn't even be here! But thing is, I don't know if I want to switch right now, since I am soooo close to graduating. After this semester, I will have one more left then I am done, which is why I have been thinking about this. Also, I am currently in the process of trying to get an internship teaching art to children, I am actually waiting for info from my professor on that right now, but more than likely I will get something. If I can't get a job teaching art though, thing is, I don't see any reason to be an artist who makes money off their art... it's just NOT stable.

Oh, if it makes any difference, I live in Florida and I go to USF. They seem to have a pretty good nursing program, they even have their own hospital on campus. I will be attending an info session for nursing and I will ask questions about all of this.

As far as doing nursing for a stable career and salary... I honestly don't know how I would handle nursing, as I know very little about what nurses really do (but I have been reading some posts on this site a bit to get an idea). I will hopefully be given enough info on it at my schools info session, but I am trying not to be discouraged just yet. Who knows, it may actually be something I enjoy. But then again, this will all depend on how much I enjoy being an "artist" and how appealing nursing is to me once I find out what it is really about.

Anyway, thanks again to everyone for all the info.

(btw litchi, it is so odd how similar our situation is!)

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If you like teaching, most states don't require you to graduate with an education degree in order to teach. My boyfriend graduated with PR & Advertising degrees and taught. He just had to attend a teacher certification class during his first few months and pass a standardized exam.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

just a quick question ?? why do you say that nursing is "safer" than art ??

praiser :heartbeat

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