Thinking of becoming a nurse...please comment

[apappala]

I have a BA degree and was a technical writer for many years (in software) before most hi tech jobs were outsourced overseas. I have been raising my kids and unemployed (because of the outsourcing) for three years. I need to start over because my profession has virtually disappeared. I am thinking of becoming a nurse because I know that it will not be a profession that will disappear, as mine did. However, I have never really been interested in nursing. I have to be honest and say that this would be strictly a "smart" choice made with my head and not a decision made from the heart. I have met a nurse that became one strictly for job security and he liked it once he became one. I am wondering if this would be a mistake if I really have never had an interest. Either way, my options are LPN at a tech school (I am starting to decide against this...don't want to work in a nursing home...only other option seems to be a state group home)...or RN Associates' (somewhat affordable for unemployed me). I will be able to skip some classes with the Associate's because I have my BA already...will have to do some science lab pre-reqs. You seem to have more options as an RN with a BSN though...How would a person go from having a BA to BSN via the Associate's RN program and what do you think about a person going for an RN who never really thought about doing it before and is purely interested because of the flexibility in job choices as you age and for job security reasons???

[nursinghumor]

I'd think that you were considering nursing for the wrong reasons, it's a mistake you'll regret.

Nursing like Plumbing, is a profession where you work for your money putting in long and often stressful, physically demanding and uncomfortable hours.

Going into it strictly for job security, will be setting yourself up for a job you'll probably hate and be miserable at.

Better to go into a field that you like and can get some personal satisfaction with. I'd suggest reading what a few nurses have said about their jobs.

Nurses Views of The Nursing Profession
http://www.nursefriendly.com/views

They'll give you a glimpse of what you can expect working as a nurse.

You do have many more options as an RN career-wise.

For a BSN you'll need to enroll in a four year program. Most of your associates degree classes might transfer to the four year program.

Sincerely,

Andrew Lopez, RN
http://www.4nursing.com

[Dreamer]

I strongly want to discourage you from going into nursing if it's not from the heart. I have been a nurse for 12 years and wouldn't want to do anything else. However, I've always known I wanted to be a nurse. I have a friend also that went into nursing for the job securtiy he is MISERABLE! Nursing is hard work for the money! It isn't a fluff job!

[Faizi]

I have been a LPN since 1983. I think that the hardest lesson in nursing is complete sublimation of the self. Nursing is not about "me." It is about service; advocation of both medical science and the patient.

Nursing is a tough "profession" because your employer will never recognize your value. That is a given. In fact, it is true that the more that you do for people, the more you are likely to get written up for something or other.

I have always found that putting myself out for my employer results in something detrimental. I am discouraged from taking time off even though I have earned it.

Just not good working conditions. You are always made to feel worthless.

Nursing is kind of a masochistic situation.

I have been at it long enough now that I have gotten beyond that. I give one hundred percent because it is my job to give one hundred percent. It's expected. I don't do it for expectation of reward. I do it because it is expected that I will do it.

No matter that I put forth one hundred percent effort, I am always subject to reprimand and, when I am reprimanded, I am expected to take it on the chin and smile.

Nursing is a very tough job because there is no reward. You do it because you give a da** about providing quality service. In my experience, you are kind of brow-beaten into providing quality service. You become concerned ethically. You insist on the best because you are expected to provide the best.

Nursing is a kind of slavery.

My daughter wants to be a nurse. Nursing will probably be a good thing for her because she is not going to do anything in business or academics.

Would I advise anyone to become a nurse?

No.

It is a very tough profession.

Don't do it for the money or the desire to help people.

If you do, you will fail.

Do it because there is nothing else for you to do.

Faizi

[kellyrehabRN]

I agree with the other posters. Fleixabilty and pay are perks but once you're in it you realize that there is more to it. Sometimes I couldn't are less how much I am paid or how felixble it is..It can be very stressful on you at work as well as personally(as much as we'd all like to think we don't take our work home with us..we do sometimes)
I enjoy my job but I have crappy and overwhelming days and they are tough so I think if you aren't doing this because you want to be a nurse but becuase you get good pay then you might find that you went to school and did a lot of harad work when you didn't go in it for the right reasons.
with that said. I have an ADN from a 2 year college and I make no less than another new girl I work with who has a 4 year. she gets nothing extra for it. I make no more than the girl who only has a diploma..it's your wish for how long you go(some states and facilities may offer different pay/perks for different levels but around here they don't..well, I'll step off my soapbox and let someone else post
~kelly

[nursinghumor]

Nursing is highly stressfull and physically demanding. If you're thinking soley about the income, try working as a CNA in a hospital for a few months. That will tell you real quickly if you've got the temperment it takes to become a nurse.

Andrew Lopez, RN
http://www.nursinga2z.com

[angeeRN]

Nursing is certainly hard work. And sometimes at the end of the day you're left wondering what you've accomplished that day. Many times you will leave feeling under appreciated and beat down. That's when you know if you're in it for the right reasons because the next day you get up and do it all over again all because it's in your heart to. These Johnson and Johnson commercials glorify nursing and really don't show the grunt work that goes into it. They sort of don't show the nurse being yelled at by doctors and families! Ha,ha!
You're right, you'll never have to wonder about job security, you'll always have it. But if your heart is not in it, I mean really in it, you'll absolutely hate the profession.
Most ppl don't realize that when you enter into nursing, it's a lifelong thing. You're always in school, work some horribly long hours, come home emotionally and physically exhausted and seldom hear a thank you for all your hard work.
Think long and hard about it. I totally don't regret being a nurse, it's me. But it's not something you should do "just because".
angeeRN

[BSN]

More education the better. An A.S. is ok if you are just looking for a job not a career. For nursing to be truly respected we must all try to get a BSN. A four year degree is the minumum to truly say you are educated. Also you can always go on to get an MSN in nursing which gives you many wonderful opportunities and a much better job description.

[capermom]

i have to disagree with the above comment
more education does not necessarily make u a better nurse
compassion and caring does and that comes straight from the heart and can not be learned from any book
we all need to remember in this great debate that we are nurses to care for real live patients and if we get hung up on who is so called better then we are truely losing our focus and that is a sad day indeed

[BSN]

The above statment is true, nursing is truly about caring. I just mean that the media and doctors do not always respect nursing and it often turns away many good students from becoming nurses. Us nurses must learn to respect education and respect the extra education our nurse leaders have. Many people don't even know what an ARNP is which is sad. Many nurses respect MDs but not the higher educated nurses (don't understand we are all nurses and if we don't respect eachother who will). But you are right, nursing is hard and every nurse LPN, RN, MSN, PHd needs to be respected and looked up to. And you are right we need to stick together becasue in the end we are all nurses and with out caring there is no nursing.