I just finished an accelerated nursing program last December. I went to school with 40+ others who all had previous degrees/careers and found it interesting how everyone got into nursing and how their previous lives related to nursing. I was just wondering what everyone did before nursing?
I worked as a Medical Technologist in a hospital lab and ran all the tests. I also was a Mom before nursing. The lab part provided me with the knowledge and appreciation for lab tests. I've learned to really appreciate all of the allied health professionals, not just the lab. The Mom part has helped me (I think) in the "motherly" aspects of nursing, caring for patients, cleaning up and tolerating bodily fluids and such. Anyway, nursing has turned out to be a great fit for me and I'm so glad I did it!
Specializes in Infection Preventionist/ Occ Health.
I also worked as a medical technologist before becoming a nurse. I appreciate my knowledge of hematology because I work with children with hematologic diseases. I also have a good working knowledge of lab tests. My background in micro will help me when I start my new job in infection control.
I killed people and trained others to kill people. Really. Literally... Somehow though I don't see how it realted to nursing. It has helped me maintain discipline to work thru anyproblem though and to keep my calm when those around me are losing theirs.
I've had several jobs and done much involving business, but my first "career" was in swimming pool/spa repair and remodeling business. To make some cash, I started a small pool route in the late '80s when I was in college the first time around. As I went through school to get my degree in Computer Science, the business grew to fairly decent size. After I graduated, I didn't see the need to rush out and get a "job" when the pool business was paying better than most computer positions.
Over time and growing weary of the seasonality of swimming pools, my brother-in-law and I started a small Internet Service Provider (ISP) in the mid '90s. As that grew into a regional operation, I sold the pool business. The ISP bidness was solid and paying well, but it was also very dog-eat-dog. As a mid-sized operation in a pond with some REALLY big fish, we were constantly having to evolve to keep from being swallowed up. The stress got old. I woke up one morning and said, "no more." Turns out that the rest of the mgt team had been thinking the same way. We broke up the firm into several pieces and sold the bulk of it before the dot com bubble burst. My wife still runs a part of it, she specializes in software and Internet application development.
I got scuba certified when I was in the pool business. I eventually got my instructor's card and worked as a rescue diver/dive medical technician after the ISP was gone. I also became a Motorcycle Safety Instructor with the MSF. I worked in diving and motorcycle safety for a few years until I got tired of being away every weekend. Dabbled in flipping homes for awhile also.
While diving, I met some flight nurses who are still friends today. Picking up on my love of flying, they said that I wouldn't have any problems finding flight work with my background. So I went back to school to get my RN degree and the rest is history.
Nursing will be my last "career," but I'll always do other stuff.
My background is in public health, and at the risk of being severely flamed I am going to say that it showed me that most of my patients have caused their own problems and health issues. Not all, but most.
This has contributed to my career greatly. I do a TON of patient and family teaching. I never pass up a chance to impart knowledge. Knowledge is our patients' most powerful tool to help take care of themselves and their loved ones.
I was in the military (USN) and then worked in the civilian sector in public affairs/journalism. Did this for 10 years before becoming a nurse. Taught me discipline and the ability to stick with my decisions.
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I was a factory worker at a tissue paper/paper towel plant for 3 years. My experiences at the factory contributed to my current career pathway by emphasizing the importance of workplace hierarchies and sociological implications.
There were 2 classes of workers at the factory: engineers and technicians. The engineers were all college-educated, considered managers by virtue of posessing their college degrees, treated with more respect, and earned higher salaries. The technicians (I was included in this group) were all high school grads, considered general laborers, often disrespected or viewed as invisible, and earned less money.
I learned that management typically receives recognition for the things being done by the 'common workers.' I also learned that the more one knows, the more value he/she has to the organization. Finally, I learned that people with less educational attainment tend to be looked upon as easily replaceable.
Specializes in long term care Alzheimers Patients.
I worked at a LTC for 10 years as a CNA then went to work at a Level IV retirement home for elderly ladies worked in the capacity as R.P. (responsible person) Due to the nature of the facility I attended to the residents ADLs Administered Meds perfomed narcotic ctys implemented MD orders labs etc I was there for 17yrs the last 4.5 I was the administrator . when the place closed I went to work at an assisted living as an LNA worked there while I went to school to get my LPN all my experience has helped me tremendously, I also was busy raising 2 daughters .
WOW... I almost feel bad for posting this after reading the other post. But I was a high school drop out, a single mother, a clerk at the local quick stop, a photographer at the local K Mart, a barmaid, a girl everything at peditrians office, and schedualled appointment at an out pt facility. So I'm living proof even when you really don't think or believe (and no one else does either) your dreams can come true.
I am currently a student, but have worked in administration and trained and worked as an actress. Surprisingly it is my work as an actress that has been most useful so far at nursing school.
The things that have been beneficial are the listening and speaking skills I learnt, but even more so the level of comfort I have with my own and other bodies. In some of my classes I was surprised to see the negative reactions fellow students had to touching another persons body or having somebody touch theirs (even when fully clothed). A lot of my acting training involved touching other people or in some cases getting changed in front of other people - you were expected to feel comfortable even if people were nude. To go from that to nursing school and have people say "Eww! You mean I have to touch their body" was a huge shock.
Specializes in Women's Specialty, Post-Part, Scrub(cs).
I am a Jack of all Trades, Master of None as my father so endearingly named me. At the age of 8, I began to cook and make up my own recipes. At 17, I started working at Arby's. Upon graduation from high school, I was offered a managment position in another well-know fast food resteraunt. I, also, had 2 scholarships to college. I was to double major in Food Service Admin and Dietics, Minor in Marketing and had my goal set to work for the FDA. Then my strict upbringing discovered Frat parties, boys, & Beer. Blew off school, lost my scholarships, got pregnant and started on a successive string of jobs. Always falling back on resteraunt management to pay the bills. I have worked as a receptionist, factory worker: sewing, insulation of transformers, packing plastic utensils, packing clothes, lamp assembler; a retail optical store manager, a bartender, a waitress, a Hickory Farms holiday employee, arts and crafts at a flea market, babysitting, Wal-mart Christmas employee (NEVER EVER again even if I am starving) housecleaning, tutoring, billing & bookkeeping clerk, and I am sure there are things that I have forgotten. When my son was 3, I came to believe that I wanted to be a nurse (like the ones on ER). I went back to school, but ended up quitting because I still had to work full-time and I NEVER saw my baby. This is when I settled into more "receptionist/office work" I just held 2nd and 3rd jobs to pay the bills. I never forgot that I thought nursing would be a great career. As things would have it....When my son turned 13, I was given the chance to go back to school. I took it and went for the LPN program. Finished 1 1/2 years ago. I have never been happier. As for what does all these jobs do for my current career? Anyone who can run a fast food resteraunt can do ANYTHING they set their mind to. It is as hard and demanding as nursing. Full of disgruntled clients...often downright rude..they think they are better than the employee since they don't work there. They lie to get free food, Make horrible messes (I would hate to see some of their homes). Employees are often teenagers that couldn't care less they are suppossed to be at work when that party rolls around on Sat nite. Most jobs I have had involved customer service or detailed attention or both. Both serve me well in the nursing field. I have learned how to smooth ruffled feathers of family members and keep them out of ADMIN offices. I am detailed oriented to the point of being anal. I don't lose my cool as easily as some. I can still move very fast when I need to. HAHAHA...I think everything I have done has made me a good nurse. :typing:beer::smiletea::prdnrs:
ICRN2008, BSN, RN
897 Posts
I also worked as a medical technologist before becoming a nurse. I appreciate my knowledge of hematology because I work with children with hematologic diseases. I also have a good working knowledge of lab tests. My background in micro will help me when I start my new job in infection control.