[always2late]

Originally Posted by girllikeu2

Hey all,

I am here HEAVILY considering a mid life career change and wondering who else has been insane enough to try and pull off a career change at midlife?

I am currently a teacher and I am in the beginnings of researching Nursing schools. Just looking for a few people who have BEEN THERE or who are there NOW! (not in nursing - though if you are, I WELCOME your insight --- but in the career change club too)

Love to you!

I am currently a nurse, and was attending school to get my B.S. in nursing, however, I decided I wanted to change my career completely and changed my major to Speech-language Pathologist. May I ask why you decided to switch to nursing from teaching? As Dapper said, any career in healthcare will always be an in-demand job...however, nursing is a backbreaking, and sometimes heartbreaking, job. As a new nurse, you will probably be working every weekend, on the night shift. You will also work every holiday. I'm not sure what the climate is like where you live, but you can't call out of work for inclement weather. The last blizzard we had here, we couldn't leave when our shifts were over because no one could get in to relieve us. So we ended up working almost 24 hour shifts for 3 days. You will see people at their absolute worst...people ill or in pain. You will deal with violent patients (I've been bitten, punched, kicked, etc..). You will deal with families who are distressed, and they will take out their anxiety on you. You will deal with insurance companies and administration that has NO idea what you do every day, and who will make impossible "requests." You will be extremely overworked and totally underpaid. I'm not trying to discourage you, if this is truly what you want to do, I say go for it! But make sure you aren't wearing rose-colored glasses when you do.