So I pretty much always have nursing students with me. I have senior BSN students who are doing a critical care class (six 12 hours shifts), ADN students from 2 different programs doing their preceptorships (eight 12 hour shifts), ABSN students doing clinical (six 12 hour shifts), and direct entry MSN students who shadow me for a shift. In addition I come into contact with a variety of other students who are being taught by my RN co-workers. My hospital also has a "student nurse technician" program where they hire nursing students to do CNA type work. So I regularly talk to 5-10 nursing students a week and nearly always have a student with me each shift.
What I am so shocked about is the level of education of these students who are in nursing school. I can't even remember the last time I had a ADN student who didn't already have a bachelors degree with me. Of course the MSN and ABSN students already have bachelors degrees, but what is surprising to me is that so many are already professionals in others areas. I had a student who already has a bachelors and masters in architecture and worked for a well known local firm, I have had lawyers, police officers, scads of teachers, and a few engineers among others. Even a guy who is an MD in Russia.
Why do all of these people want to be nurses? Have any of you experienced this?
Back when I was in nursing school there were plenty of 2nd career types in my class but they tended to be factory workers, truck drivers, farmers, military vets who were moving up to become RNs. A few had bachelors degrees but not like now.
I actually find it frightening and a little sad. Frightening cause I suspect this is a symptom of a very bad economy and terrible job market. Sad cause I know so many of the will struggle to find work after making huge sacrifices to get through nursing school.
Some of them are SHOCKED when I tell them it's a tough job market out there for RNs and they will have to work hard and keep on their toes to find any job. Some simply refuse to believe me (nearly all the direct entry MSN students, ironic since they will struggle in our local market more than the others). Others already have this figured out and are already bitter about it.
PM do you ever ask why nursing? If you do, what do they say?[/quote']
Does really matter why, aside from idle curiosity? It's a boon to nursing to nursing that these people are entering the profession. We just hired a LPN to replace one of our MAs and she has a prior Masters: she's unbelievable. I bet in a year she's running part of the practice.
As one of those overschooled people who is currently in an ABSN program (mostly because ADNs don't get hired as much in my area), I had worked in finance for years and having a desk job was misery. I was a Lehman person and after everything went down and I lost my life savings, I had to get out. I had pretty much done all I could do in my last career and there was zero room for flexibility--9-5, five days a week w/ blackberry and sometimes weekends too mostly for things that honestly were not the slightest bit important. I don't doubt that nurses work very long hours, but the idea of being in a career where what I did literally did nothing but make the ultrawealthy even richer held very little appeal for me.
Not to mention...when I worked long hours as a lawyer, I got the same amount of $$$. When I work long hours as a nurse, I get paid for the hours I spend at the hospital. And nothing to take home with me, no deadlines, etc. Report off and I can forget about work till I go back there!
And my butt is a lot smaller. My "office orifice" as we called it is nearly gone.
I am really getting tired of being told that because I am not at bedside or employed by a hospital that I am "pretty much out of nursing." I work as a nurse every day. I am engaged by attorneys and others precisely because of my nursing experience and knowledge; I also write nursing life care plans using nursing diagnosis as a framework and testify why, precisely, this is valid when it's not a ::shudder, I hatehatehate this phrase:: "Doctor's order."
Don't you dare tell me I'm less of a nurse or "pretty much out of nursing." There are so many opportunities for nurses to use nursing in non-bedside situations. I hasten to add that for most, of not all, your credibility is greatly enriched by having had good bedside experience. And we are still at work as nurses every damn day. We. Work. As. Nurses. Every. Damn. Day.
Can you hear me now?
Well, I'm with you. But I have to ask you, do you think if you applied for a floor job, a hospital would look at you? Or would they consider you overqualified, or think that as soon as you found another job in your old "field" you'd just leave anyway? I'm just curious.
Well, I'm with you. But I have to ask you, do you think if you applied for a floor job, a hospital would look at you? Or would they consider you overqualified, or think that as soon as you found another job in your old "field" you'd just leave anyway? I'm just curious.
Willing to bet that 9 of 10 or more would hedge their bets and hire GrnTea.
Boston, why it matters. To be honest, when on the job, it doesn't matter. When interviewing....someone talking about their childhood dream of being a nurse and they are a second career person compared to a new grad/first career person applying for the same position; if the second career person got the job because they gave some beauty pageant answer...it matters then. Especially, longevity. Someone who truly understands what they are undertaking and realize they are choosing a career that they would probably work for 40 years or more compared to someone who just done nursing because the economy tanked, but when it gets better, they would leave or would never have done nursing...there's a difference.
I do believe the economy will eventually get better. It will take time, however. If you truly want to do nursing, go for it. If you do it because the economy tanked and you want money and you think it will be very easy to find a nursing job because after all, they need nurses and they wanted to help people, think long and hard about it before you jump in.
Boston, why it matters. To be honest, when on the job, it doesn't matter. When interviewing....someone talking about their childhood dream of being a nurse and they are a second career person compared to a new grad/first career person applying for the same position; if the second career person got the job because they gave some beauty pageant answer...it matters then. Especially, longevity. Someone who truly understands what they are undertaking and realize they are choosing a career that they would probably work for 40 years or more compared to someone who just done nursing because the economy tanked, but when it gets better, they would leave or would never have done nursing...there's a difference.
I do believe the economy will eventually get better. It will take time, however. If you truly want to do nursing, go for it. If you do it because the economy tanked and you want money and you think it will be very easy to find a nursing job because after all, they need nurses and they wanted to help people, think long and hard about it before you jump in.
Not many hiring managers are going to make their final decision on hiring a potential candidate based on a college admission question like "why do you want to be a nurse". The way you speak about people that have different experiences from you highlights the need for personal and professional growth and serves as an example of why, in my opinion, second degree students are a better hire.
Nurse_Diane, that's not what I am referring to. What I am talking about are the people that had a career, a career, in a different field such as business manager or lawyer or whatever....something that is a career in itself and then went back to school and did nursing and said that nursing was their childhood dream....not someone who for abuse reasons or homelessness or whatever circumstantial reason they couldn't do it.
I am referring to the people who went to college for a four year degree in a different field and then when the economy tanks, they just happen to chase their dream in nursing....I don't buy it. It's okay to admit the economy tanked and you needed to support your family. I just don't buy the fakeness of chasing one's dream as a second career nurse during what just happens to be a bad economy. I think it is okay to say you hated your first career choice and there was a situation that made you think of nursing.
So, no, Nurse_Diane, I am not referring to people who were in bad circumstances and didn't get a chance until later in life. Those people...hats off to them.
PMFB (original poster): I am essentially asking the "why" to your observation (the point of your thread).
Since you feel free to ask questions *in the hope that you don't ruffle feathers* I will do the same here and expect you to be able to process it in a mature fashion.
This post is reveals the crux of why the input of someone under 30 will be limited, at best, when discussing career changing -- you simply haven't been around the block enough yet to understand that interests, abilities, and financial & other needs ebb & flow over the course of the average adult's 40-year working lifetime. It is NOT a failure to "get it right the first time" ... and if you think it is ... then I say to you to be prepared to have "gotten it wrong" when you find your career, intellectual or social priorities are different 10 years from now than they are right now today.
I would want to see some "action" behind the beauty pageant answer of "I want to help people". Fact is that most professions do help people. You have to define how you want to "help" people.
I don't know if you read Commuter's article and saw llg's response about the "if you were not working/didn't have to work, what would you do with your time?" question. I mean, that's great if you volunteer and "help" people anyway; by all means, use the beauty pageant answer, but if you do not do this stuff and would not do that if you were not paid, please do not use that answer. It seems fake because you have no experience to back that claim up.
It's amazing how many people go to nursing school without any research or asking actual nurses who work the floors or other capacities other than teaching at schools and believe every word coming out of these schools mouths about how nursing is in demand and they will come out with several job offers and making $70,000 a year (in a fairly rural area). When you give them a reality check, they think you are lying.
Potential Nurses/ Nursing Students--I am just saying, do your research. Go into nursing for what it is, not what schools are telling you. Schools are a business, they do not care if you are employed or not after you graduate. They did their part in giving you the education you paid for.
Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
PM, do you ever ask why nursing? If you do, what do they say?
*** It depends. Mostly we focus on their learning goals. Sometimes the student and I become friendly, with others it's all business. Some of them have become real friends. I only ask if we become friendly and I am interested in learning about their lives. Their time with me is limited, usually just six or eight 12 hour shifts and there is a lot for them to learn. The reason given are pretty much the same as those given here by many people who have replied in this discussion, except I hear "CRNA" a lot more then we have heard here.
"It is NOT a failure to "get it right the first time" ... and if you think it is ... then I say to you to be prepared to have "gotten it wrong" when you find your career, intellectual or social priorities are different 10 years from now than they are right now today. "
Altra, that above comment was from your post. My answer to you is this--I was agreeing with you. I am saying that it is not anything bad to admit your first career choice in say law or business was not what you wanted. That your life changed and now, you want to be a nurse. Just do not say it was a "childhood dream" that you are now pursuing in your 40s. I don't buy the "childhood dream" or that someone "always wanted to be a nurse". Why the heck didn't you do it the first time around if it was a childhood dream or you always wanted to be a nurse? In saying "you", it is a general "you".
I know when I was a "child", defined as under 18 (very liberal in the age range), I sure as heck did not know I wanted to be a nurse. I switched my major three times--each change gave me another piece of the puzzle in what I like and didn't like. First, I thought pharmacy. Pharmacy people help people. Didn't want it because I wanted more hands on care. Tweek a little...think nursing. Mom talked me out of it, told me to try medical school. Got the pre reqs, did not want medical school. Again, very little time with patient and I will be honest, the debt and time dealing with medical school was not my cup of tea. Back to nursing. Gained another piece of the puzzle, realized I really love volunteering out in the community. Directed me towards Community and public health. Taking the class and clinical sealed the deal. I learned more and got clinical experience and realized prevention to me made sense and I loved, loved, loved being in the community and empowering people to help themselves. I want to be a public health nurse. That is how I want to help people--give them education and preventative care to empower them to take charge of their own health and achieve the optimal level of health and well being. Plus, there's case management involved and some traveling...I really like driving.
To me, "helping people" is very vague....I think I prefer people who are up front and sincere in their intentions rather than phoney stuff. I am actually starting to appreciate the money answer more than the "childhood dream/help people" answer. Just make sure that if it is a second career (or even a first) thoroughly research it and know what you are getting into and make sure the debt is worth the pay out..."pay out" meaning the final result--whether it be money or personal fulfillment.
Guess what, wishmeluck ... I came into nursing after a (relatively) satisfying decade in another field followed by some time out of the workforce entirely to raise my children. I had the luxury of considering what I would like to do ... and after some additional life experience and particularly after 9/11 ... chose to do something that had more meaning to me and to society. It would probably not have held the same meaning for me earlier in my life. Now there's -- to use your derisive term -- a beauty pageant answer for ya.
How boring life would be, really, if we knew all there was to know in our 20s, or our perspectives never expanded beyond what they were at that point in our lives. What would we spend our remaining 60ish years doing? Rotting?
wish_me_luck, BSN, RN
1,110 Posts
PM, do you ever ask why nursing? If you do, what do they say?