What Is The Deal With All The Highly Educated & Professionals Becoming RNs?

[PMFB-RN]

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.

[BostonFNP, APRN]

BostonFNP increasing the base level of education did not slow down the number of nurses entering new practice in Canada. During the past 15 years, Canadian provinces changed their entry to practce requirements. A BScN is required to enter registered nursing and a 2 year diploma to enter practical nursing. When the education changed, the nursing schools did not shut down or decrease their number of seats, they increased them. We have a surplus of new grads similar to the US.[/quote']

I would think that the numbers would stay the same, however, there would be a two year lag from the ADNs where the numbers entering the workforce would be just under half the previous years; theoretically this would eliminate the shortage. On paper it seems to work, it just might not in the real world!

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

It's pretty darn close.

There are some people that I roll my eyes at who say "I've wanted to be a nurse since I was an infant", but it has nothing to do with their age or their past career choices. It has to do with the lack of effort I see them putting into pursuing their lifelong dream (either applicants to the program or current students).

Some people are not in a position to put their hopes and dreams first. And if, for some reason (no money for college, no family support, had kids young, need to take care of sick/elderly relatives), they couldn't do it, it becomes about 10 times harder to do it later in life.

I was fortunate enough to have family support, not have to work, and didn't have family members that depended on me. But as a professor, I see many students who are not as fortunate.

Or, there are students who are not supported (by their parents or spouses/SOs in their pursuit to become a nurse. In some families or cultures, nursing is not an acceptable career. I know many students whose parents had higher aspirations for them. So, they were forced into a less rewarding profession and needed to wait until they could do it on their own.

My point was if one goes around telling people (I was thinking interviews in particular) that they're a nurse because it's their calling and they only do it because they're such caring, giving individuals, the people they're telling this to won't take them seriously.

The poster who said such comments are "beauty-pangentesque" was apt. It sounds like Miss America blithely saying " I just want to help all the starving children in Africa." Really? Then why didn't you join the Peace Corps? Cause from where I'm standing, it seems like what you really want is to be the most pretty-pretty princess at the princess contest.

When people go around stressing that they're only a nurse because of some sacred motivation within them to help people there's built in passive aggressiveness. There's an implication that anyone whose motivation isn't as pure is less of a nurse.

What's more, people saying such things don't even realize how narcissistic comments like that are. When you say "I'm a nurse because all I want to do is help people" you're making it all about you and your special, special heart.

Yes, the satisfaction of giving good care to the sick is part of being a nurse. Even for those of us who are just "in it for the money". But, reality check, we are all nurses because we needed a job and the paycheck that comes with it and nursing was an option that fit that bill. Anyone whose calling is really as pure some make it out to be ought to be dishing some soup out in the streets of Calcutta, right?

[anotherone, BSN, RN]

I don 't think everyone questions why second career people chose nursing to make sure you are in it to "help people" etc.... maybe they want to know about other fields and why people leave them. Jobs are scarce even for those highly educated in some areas. In some places nursing pays a lot more than fields that require the same level of education. Where I work I do not know any second career highly educated nurses. Of the second career types 4 worked in factories and a few did clerical work..... I don't work with any nurses or have met any that were/ are lawyers, social workers, teachers, engineers, etc....aybe it is geographical . there aren't even many of those in my area either.

[anotherone, BSN, RN]

*** I know. My wife is a social worker for the county. I once (very unwisely) pointed out that if I work an OT weekend 12 hour night shift I will make more in the one shift than she does in two 40+ hour weeks.

Even though she has a very responsible position, her job doesn't compair to mine as transport and RRT nurse for level of responsibiliety and accountabliety.

lol. No wonder all those lawyers and chiropractors are jumping ship. My hospital is the one that pays the most money in about a 5 hr radius and we do not get more for weekends or nights. and if a young person wants to get a good paying job and stay in the area the best choice is nursing or pt/ot or pharmacy.

[netglow, ASN, RN]

Anything "healthcare" is a hot career change for many years now. I've met dental people who are 2nds in engineering, biochem, business, just about anything. Actually Hygiene has a huge glut as well now. And it's a lot easier of a run than nursing, associates degrees are not looked down upon at all. Problem there is if you get along with a dentist, you can have that job as long as you want it. That means job opportunities can be scarce quickly just due to the long term nature that is possible at a practice.

Really as long as you have a firm connection somewhere, that one is a lot of an easier road and job as well. Sure all patient care jobs are a pita, but, you have no life literally in your hands. Once you get your day down it becomes pretty predictable and you can easily leave "it" at work.

[PMFB-RN, RN]

I don't see why people can't get an ADN - start working - and then while they are working get into an online school and earn the BSN. That way they can pay as they go, and be gaining clinical knowledge to go with the book learning. They could make an agreement with their employer to earn the BSN within a specified period of time.

*** I agree, however there are quite a large number of people working hard to eliminate that path into nursing.

As for the hospitals that refuse to hire ADNs. Please, please remember exactly who they are in case one day it is very difficult for them to hire nurses (a REAL nursing shortage). We can say turn about if fair play. You refuse to hire ADNs when you could be picky, we can refuse to work for you when it's OUR turn to be picky.

[BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN]

Prof I clarified that I am speaking about the people who had past professional careers that go back to school for nursing and say "I am doing what I really wanted to do to begin with." Not the stay at home moms or people who for whatever circumstantial reason they couldn't.[/quote']

No need to clarify or defend yourself. I was generalizing, and my post (intentionally) went way beyond what you stated.

[BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN]

I don't see why people can't get an ADN - start working - and then while they are working get into an online school and earn the BSN. That way they can pay as they go, and be gaining clinical knowledge to go with the book learning. They could make an agreement with their employer to earn the BSN within a specified period of time.

That is, IF the hospital is willing to take them on without the BSN. not all institutions are anymore.

[BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN]

My point was if one goes around telling people (I was thinking interviews in particular) that they're a nurse because it's their calling and they only do it because they're such caring, giving individuals, the people they're telling this to won't take them seriously.

I understood your point completely. And I wasn't arguing it. Just adding more perspective.

Edited to add: I'm a big believer in needing more than a big heart. You can have all the passion in the world to want to help people and be a nurse, and you just may not have what it takes. I was reminded of this when I saw Monsters University. I don't want to give it away, but for those who have seen it, you'll know what I mean

[netglow, ASN, RN]

Just met a solidly experienced nurse who had been laid-off and couldn't catch an interview for over a year. Just got a job, albeit no where near what was had before. Now the spouse who is a nurse just got canned. Different hospital employers. It's not 2007, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 ... it's 2013 and the future was supposed to be looking brighter.

Careful kiddos. If nursing is all you got on your resume, finding a job will be dicey if nursing isn't cutting it. People don't want nurses in anything but nursing and when that's not there, things get really scary for nurses.

[BlueDevil,DNP, DNP, RN]

I haven't read all 22 pages of this. I think the original point, the transition of more highly educated professionals into Nursing, is good for Nursing. I'm pleased to see the trend and I hope it continues. In the long run I think it will help coax Nursing, culturally speaking, into the white collar world. Look at it from the perspective of who socializes with whom outside of the workplace. Nursing does not socialize with providers very often and I think since a lot of power is derived from non-workplace relationships, Nursing has suffered for that. As the average nurse becomes more educated, with backgrounds such as described in the beginnings of this thread, those individuals are more likely to find themselves in social situations with administrators, their physician colleagues, persons on the board of directors, philanthropists in the community, etc. As those relationships are strenghtened, Nursing will gradually gain more parity within the group. It presents interesting opportunities.

[VANurse2010]

What you're describing will also simply increase costs on an already severely overburdened system.