wait a minute, stop the presses

I have posted many times that my 30 year old daughter has never had any interest in nursing. She has a degree in Communication, a degree in Information Technology and will shortly have her MBA. All of a sudden she wishes she were a nurse and is showing interest in these one year program for people who already have degrees. What could cause this about face? Is it that I seem happy in my job for the first time in years? Is it new motherhood with all it's attendant nurturing urges? Is it the fact that IT jobs are sort of shaky all over the place? Do the flexible schedules of the nursing profession all of a sudden seem attractive now that she is new mom? She is a Pitt Grad at least in one of her degrees. She probably could get first pick in Pitts new one year program. Don't worry, I have warned her that I have some big reservations about how much clinical experience you could get in one year.(I do not know enough to pass judgement, I just have reservations) If that is not a lesson in NEVER say NEVER.

[agent]

I'm in an IT job wanting to go nursing now.. at first the technology was interesting but now I would like to do something more meaningful.

I also have always been interested in med.

[oramar]

One of nursing good points is that you almost never get that "I am not doing anything meaningful" feeling. You get overworked, exhausted, depressed, angry and stressed but their are always meaningful, satisfying experiences.

[agent]

I REALLY have the i'm definitely not doing anything meaningful right now and the stress and pressure is just as much.

I can't wait to start clinicals and start interacting with ppl. I just hope being a guy I have a positive experience and are not receieved negatively.

[SirJohnny]

Oramar:

- I hold B.S. 2 degrees from the University of Pittsburgh.

- I like programming -- but hate corporate America. Am tired of being stuck in a bloody cubicle the size of a hamster cage for 10 hours a day.

- I got into programming with the eventual goal of doing contract work.

- Unfortunately, most (new) contract work is going overseas. I am fortunate that I have a full-time programming job. However, it is in the middle of nowhere (Evansville, Indiana).

- I started my 2nd A&P course last night (8/26), and start ASN program in June 2004. Can't wait to get out.

- I want to do the travel nurse thing. At the very least, get the hell out of Indiana and move to a state with a few trout streams and some mountains/hills. We don't even have cows where I live because half the county floods out (Ohio River) every year.

- For me, it's more of a quality of life issue than a $$ issue.

- Also, more opportunities to advance in nursing that in comp science.

John Coxey

[pickledpepperRN]

Wonderful!

I have precepted students in the accelerated BSN for college graduates at Mount St. Marys in LA. They are the most delightful students (as a whole I have worked with. The pregram is grueling. I would say she should NOT try to work and mother a child when doing it.

Graduates are without exception (in my limited experience) very fine nurses.

Good for her.

You must be proud as well as surprised!

[colleen10]

Hi Oramar,

Did you happen to see the article in the employment section of the Post this past Sunday, regarding "On second though, I think I'll be a Nurse" or titled something like that.

It was basically an article discussing this very same phenomena. I didn't know Pitt had a one year program, I know that Duquesne has a 1 year program to the tune of $27,000.00.

Wish I could tell you for sure what it is but I am in the same boat and there are a ton of good reasons to make the switch to nursing. For me, having worked in IT, I just realized that I was spending 10-12 hour days not making much of a difference to anyone except maybe the owner of the company by making him some money. When I look back at all the "Paper Pushing" I did, it just seemed dumb to spend a life doing that.

Also, now that I have grown as a woman my eyes have been opened up to what a raw deal women in business get in Pittsburgh. I always say women+college degree @ Pittsburgh = secretary. There just are not enough jobs in this town for people with degrees and there is an outdated 50's mentality that women should be bare foot and pregnant, so good luck finding a decent job or progressing in your career. I realized that people we're always telling me that I didn't have to stick with the careers typically meant for women like nursing and education, so I kept getting deterred and pushed into other area's where women are the minority. Well, you know what? Just because there are women in those fields doesn't mean you get treated well and I realized I was actually interested in all those fields that my counselors, peers and family told me I didn't have to go into just because I am a woman.

Also, the flexibility of the nursing schedule (if you can find somewhere without mandatory OT) is a huge benefit in my eyes.

I'm expected to work and raise a family yet not let either of those two things conflict. Nursing gives a person the flexibility to try to make it work.

[agent]

Originally posted by colleen10

For me, having worked in IT, I just realized that I was spending 10-12 hour days not making much of a difference to anyone except maybe the owner of the company by making him some money. When I look back at all the "Paper Pushing" I did, it just seemed dumb to spend a life doing that.

OMG yes!

This is exactly me.

[Crystal J]

Just my opinion, but sounds as though your daughter has had a calling for nursing. I never thought I could be a nurse until I had my son. Every since all I can talk about is nursing. I am like the others that has posted here - tired of paper pushing. Tired of being in a cubicle. My husband is in IT and with all his certificates and Bachelors, he can't change jobs even if he wanted to. There are so many IT jobs closed now.

The best thing to do is to have her shadow a nurse for a day - that will give her a taste of it - I am shadowing this weekend and I am so excited! I should begin nursing school Fall of 2004 if accepted.

Goodluck!!

[PJMommy]

I'm with the other former IT-ers on the board. I could have written the same posts they have. I'd also add that I kept thinking that a super salary would make everything right with the world and IT can provide that. Money wasn't the key to all happiness so I did soul-searching and realized nursing was where I wanted to be.

I'm also a mother - of four children ages ranging 2 to 10. It can be done! I'm in a one-month accelerated program with four months left and a 4.0 gpa. Yes, it's hard. But it is the most rewarding thing I've ever done in my life. No, I may not have the same amount of clinical experience as some other programs but I spend three full days every week in clinicals so I certainly won't be hitting a job totally green.

PM me if you want more info or if your daughter wants the perspective of another mother in an accelerated program.

[SmilingBluEyes]

SO cool. Happy for ya, Oramar! and for her.

[Going80INA55]

I must admit I do feel like I accomplish things in my job....I just wish I was paid more. Nursing salaries are very flat.

At my facility we do have a few nurses who came from IT back grounds...they dont seem to miss the IT world or that income at all.