What did you do before nursing?

Published

I've met more than a few people that have made or are pursuing nursing as a second career. What did you do before? What are the ups and downs in comparison?

I'm not a nurse yet, but since I'm the OP, I'll go first. After being a fast food worker, a pizza cook, and a warehouse worker for Best Buy, I was an intel analyst in the Army, serving everywhere from infantry battalions all the way up to division headquarters. Later, I was a targeting analyst for an established defense firm, and later still for a an upstart company that took the contract from my original bosses. 10 years down the road and seven countries later, I'm knocking out the rest of my pre-reqs before I begin nursing school in January.

But no camming?

Tch, Here.I.Stand

Camming is SO May/June!

It's p4p now (or whatever NOADLS said that one time.)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CVICU.

I worked at a small Italian restaurant chain restaurant. Experience working in a restaurant is surprisingly applicable to nursing, especially when it comes to talking to irate patients/family members.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Voc Rehab Caseworker

Assisted Living Administrator for a developmental disabilities agency

State Nursing Home and ALF Surveyor

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardiology, Cardiothoracic Surgical.

I did molecular biology at a large Research I institution for most of my 20s fresh out of college. Loved the academic lifestyle (worked 10a-6p, my ideal schedule ever) but then decided I was not into getting a PhD School for 8 more years? Are you kidding?

Did some thinking, decided nursing was a career I could have a variety of adventures in. Here I am 2 years in, about to settle down into the hospital again and also do some home care/clinical trials stuff per diem. What other career do you know of that allows that diverse of options?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardiology.

I was a bartender and a dance teacher. My first Bachelor's degree is in Dance :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

In high school, I worked at Goldblatt's department store. I sold bras.

Fun fact: Goldblatt's is the real store depicted as Higbee's in A Christmas Story.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care.

I was a theater/event technician - mostly lighting and staging, but also worked sound sometimes, as well as a tech coordinator for conferences.

Oh and before that I delivered meal trays in the hospital to patients (in high school:dummy1: )

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I was in accounting in my native homeland for ten years, always wondered if I could work in healthcare. The chance came when I moved to USA. Became a CNA in 2005, LPN in 2006, and a BSN in May, 2013. Now 53, pursuing my MSN in nursing education. Everybody can do it if I can.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Addictions, psych, corrections, transfers.

I was a supervisor at a pizza place. I had worked there for 7 years. My father in-law got his LPN and encouraged me to do it too. I didn't think I could but I'm now a RN and very happy with my choice.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care.

Second career nurse. I worked in housing, mostly finance/closing-related jobs. Started taking pre-reqs when the market was trending towards the big crash in '07. Officially left when I graduated in '12, having managed to stay employed (and make pretty much the same money as I do as an RN) throughout. Sometimes I feel like a sucker--I incurred debt and am still incurring debt for this gig--but then I remember real estate "emergencies" 😏, never really taking a vacation because clients were always calling me, and working 10 hours/5 days a week...and I relax.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I remember real estate "emergencies"

I had a professional career prior to nursing, and this was one of my motivations for becoming a nurse. I felt as though if I were going to be dealing with emergencies, I'd rather have them be actual, real life and death emergencies, not perceived, irrelevant, pseudo-emergencies that have no bearing on anyone's quality of life.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care.
I had a professional career prior to nursing, and this was one of my motivations for becoming a nurse. I felt as though if I were going to be dealing with emergencies, I'd rather have them be actual, real life and death emergencies, not perceived, irrelevant, pseudo-emergencies that have no bearing on anyone's quality of life.

Absolutely. I remember the stark contrast of being in NS clinicals, caring for a homeless pt my own age who was dying of cirrhosis, then checking my voice mail afterwards to find all the petty "issues" which arose while I was out for the day.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion