Who else has expired pre-reqs and is torn or over it?

mangopeach · Apr 9, 2011

Question? Do you just want a career in the health care field or is your passion for nursing? Asking because you mentioned that the dental hygiene field has been hit hard. But you could say the same for nursing. Let me preempt what I'm about to say by first saying this. I hate it when people start threads about don't go into nursing because its hard to find a job blah blah blah. Ugh!

The reality is this economy has hit every field and those threads fail to mention that and send people spinning and into a panic when I don't think anyone needs to go into a panic. The economy sucks and the reality is some of us may take a bit longer than we would like, to find a job as new grads. Almost every field you can think of is having that problem right now. Also depends on your location. I would not hesitate to pack up and move somewhere else if the job market was overly tough in my area. Survival of the fittest. Its what our ancestors have always done. When the land dried up and food couldn't grow, they looked for greener pastures. Nothing has really changed eh?

At the risk of getting stoned, I can't say that nursing is my passion. I have a general interest in the health care field. Thats what really pulled me to nursing, its such an interesting field that you can take your career in so many different directions. While I do plan to work as a bedside nurse after I graduate. I don't anticipate doing that my entire career. I have my eyes set on other things and a nursing degree and experience will take me there. I'm saying all that to say that if you have a spot awaiting in dental hygiene, then maybe you should go for it if you just have a general interest in healthcare. Don't let the economy stop you.

On the other hand, if nursing is your passion and you don't want to wait for the waitlist, then how about applying to schools outside of your state that do not keep a waitlist? Is moving an option that is feasible for your family?

J*Mart · Apr 9, 2011

Hi Mangopeach!

Thanks for the feedback. I'm really torn to be quite honest. At varying times I have had an inkling towards both fields but I think my passion is just patient care and health education in general. I am both an RDA (registered dental asst.) and a CNA and have volunteered in both dental clinics and hospitals. I am genuinely interested in both fields and have varying likes and dislikes for both. But just like you said I too have more often than not leaned towards nursing because simply there are more options for me in the long run.

I have a mending back injury which hygiene may exacerbate. For profit hygiene schools have been over saturating the market, their is a huge lack of benefits because most RDHs are not full time, and the combo of the economy/DDS's making pay cuts/new grads taking ridiculously low pay has drastically lowered the earning potential of hygienists. Also, career options are limited. Of course with my degrees I could leave clinical behind for teaching or research but it is not like I can go back to school and become the dental equivalent of an NP for example.

It just seemed that nursing could better provide more lateral and upward movement for me. Plus I could get benefits and have more long term earning potential. But, there are just so many varying factors that go into the good and bad of both fields and the route it is going to take to get there. All this soul searching has really left me feeling drained and apathetic to a point.

Unfortunately, moving is not an option. My husband is in the middle of ADN school and while I am ok with being apart for a bit he is not. This is something he will not bend on.

Mentalageis16 · Apr 10, 2011

I was just offered a spot in Dental Hygiene school, which I was waitlisted for in 2007, before I decided to pursue nursing. It is just so tempting to give up on nursing just so I can have a career in something so that my husband and I can finally start a family. However, the hygiene field has been hit hard with the economy as well so I may be just setting myself up for more failure.
How do you all find the strength to keep on going and when do you know it is time to throw in the towel? Who else is dealing with expired pre-reqs?

I feel your pain when the dream clashes with reality (nursing school vs. taking care of family)

but you know what, it's better to keep yourself up because the economy will eventually get better!

don't give up :up: I think nursing will offer a better future for you and your husband.

mangopeach · Apr 10, 2011

Oh OK. Well then as much as it sucks, to have to do them over, I'd keep my pre-reqs current and continue to apply to schools in state without waiting lists. Do you know what they are looking for? What the GPA cut off is? Test scores? Anything that you can do to make yourself more competitive for those programs?

I hope it all works out. BTW, back injuries are a problem in nursing. Our instructors are always telling us to protect our backs. I have 1 instructor, still a practicing RN that just had her 2nd back surgery - another instructor retired due to back injuries. I sometimes forget to raise my patient's bed in clinicals and my clinical instructor is always on my case about it, but I know she's right. My back feels it when I get home. Yesterday in clinicals, I had a morbidly obese patient, sweet lady and I enjoyed caring for her but it was tough providing care and trying to protect my back. I had a tech help me with some things, but other things that I had to do on my own was murder on my back.

Take care.