OT: Nurses--would you recommend the career? Trying to decide what to be when I grow up!

Sorry for the delay in my response--I was trying to find where I'd seen the 3 year reference.  Found it right on the website's FAQ (not to be confused with FDQ, but I digress). It said that students attending full time can complete the general study and nursing program requirements to be eligible for an Associates in Nursing and eligible to test for the RN in 3 years. Therefore, I'd have to assume that a Bachelors would take longer than the usual 4 years. The only shortfall I can see to not having a Bachelors is that you are not able to go into management. The pay is virtually the same, so that is not a factor in considering the Bachelors. Perhaps others know better than I and I would certainly welcome the input since this is all just based on what research I've done. My back is a concern, but I am relatively painfree most of the time except for that "time of the month". I think I'd LOVE being a surgical nurse. That or I'd puke and pass out. Not sure yet. I've thought of trying to become a personal trainer, but thinking that I'd likely have to wait until after my plastics to start working as a trainer. I'd also thought of teaching, but kids now are often such disrespectful little creeps and I'm surrounded by a lot of unsavory areas in which I'd have to teach. My husband wants me to sell real estate. He says I could sell snow to an Eskimo. I'm not a fan of the nights/weekends aspect of that. Lastly, I've considered going to work for the government. Something about long-term security, great growth potential, and awesome benefits that appeals to me. I have some folks in my life that work for the government and let me tell you, between the personal phone calls, emails, and texts they send all day, I'm not sure how they get anything done, but they get their paychecks every week, so there must be something to it!  My friend's husband said if I tack down 60 science credits he can get me in with the FDA. So we'll see.

I agree it is not best to rush. I'm just going to start by getting my transcripts from the few courses I've taken and start knocking out some of the general courses that I'd need for most any degree. Thanks for encouraging me to think it through. There is surely lots of thinking to do. Hoping the career counselor I'm planning to see at the college can lend a hand. I'm also going to be taking a few days to go away alone at the beginning of next month to collect my thoughts and try to figure out what I'm going to do with this life of mine. Like I said, nothing but time...

Thanks!
Denise

I've got all the time in the world--at least according to everyone I talk to. Hopefully the fates agree!

I also graduated nursing in 1987, have worked at the same hospital since then...still love it!! My best advice would be while you are in nursing school, pay attention to where your heart leads. It could be an office, nursing home, hospital, surgery center, birthing center..etc....all great places. I found my niche in critical care thanks to a great nurse manager early in my career. There are more devices in place, ergonomics studied, so that the risk to your back is much less than it was when I started out at a nursing home at age 17...all I had was my back strenght, and a transfer belt!! Nurses can also make a decent livable wage compared to other careers.

I figure with the nursing shortage, the last thing hospitals want are injured nurses, so they probably do a very good job of trying to keep everyone safe in that regard. Nursing home--not sure my heart will lead me there!

Thanks for your advice!

Denise

I'm a med student not a nurse and the one piece of advice I can give you is try it before you buy into it. I got certified as an EMT in my undergrad years and worked as an ER Tech for a year after graduation before even taking the MCAT. It really exposed me to the reality of the medical profession as a whole and the massive variation in the careers and expectations of each position. It confirmed for me that an MD program was my ultimate goal and the place I would be the happiest long term. If you are interested in diet and exercise have you considered physical therapy, dietician, kinesiology, or nutrition programs as well? Observation only, I think nurses have really tough jobs. They end up dealing with the attitudes of just about everyone and typically smile through it. They get the brunt of patient complaints and ordeals and are on the receiving end of every doctors irritated moment. I would find out about shadowing, working as a tech or even just volunteering before you commit to a program. Regardless, good luck with whatever educational avenue you choose!

I think it is scary to think about heading into any career path to be honest. I think most of us spend more time shopping for groceries than we do deciding what we'll be when we grow up and then delving head first into years of school and many thousands of dollars of expense. I will look into dietician and nutritional programs. Physical therapy doesn't appeal to me at this point. I do agree it can be a thankless job, but hopefully the few lives you really do touch more than make up for that.

Thanks for your suggestions!!

Denise

Hey there.  I am not a Nurse, but all the women in my family are Nurses.  As a kid I watched them all go to work and come home.  My mom especially.  Fast forward, I grow up and go into the Navy where I spend 5 yrs as a Corpsman.  I worked in clinics, dental, physical therapy and regular hospital wards.  I decided I did not want to be a nurse.  I attempted Physical Therapy Assistant school.  No go.  Kenetics scared me to death.  I ended up seeking out RESPIRATORY THERAPY.  I LOVE IT.  As a nurse you are usually contained to one area, until you decide to go work in another area.  However as an RT, I get to go all over the facility, my work load is not nearly as demanding as nursing and the pay is probabky only 5% lowever.  And in some cases I make more than the RN's.  I know all the nurses will have something good/bad to say about this but this was just my 2 cents.  Good luck to you.

They are always hiring RT's as well. I love RT's. Can't work without them! I think the pay is quite similiar. I think the  big difference here might be unions. The nursing union gets us a pretty good contract. I think there are few extra benefits.
Some nights I envy that the RT gets to walk away from the room!

Unfortunately, I watched my mom suffocate to death in the hospital and I don't think I could handle being involved with it all the time, day in and day out. Sputum is just not my thing! LOL! I mentioned in another post my SIL is an RT and loves it. Great pay too.

Thanks for sharing though!