Reply With QuoteThere will always be a need for nurses. Plus, so many different jobs to choose from......heck, you can still use your Computer knowledge!
'Cat'
I graduated three years ago with a degree in Computer Science. I was extremely dissapointed with the starting pay and the difficulty landing an entry level IT position; 50 applicants for 1 opening is typical. I had to beg and repeatedly call these companies to even get a phone interview. Failing to land an IT job, I was stuck working low paying $7-9/hour jobs.
I landed a job working at a hospital as an assistant for $12 hour. I was able to observe various health professions and see what their job was like. I talked to many techs and nurses. Many tech's didn't go into nursing because of the working conditions. Some of the tech's were nurses and then changed over to tech's. I really didn't like X-ray, most of the tech's seemed lazy and would sit around gossiping all day.
Nursing I think is better for me for a number of reasons. First the pay in nursing is very attractive compared to other jobs. I know the working conditions, hours, and stress is difficult, however at the hospital I worked at Nurses got paid $30/hour. For 30/hour hour you can kick me, call me names, scream at me, spit on me, work me to death, bite my ear off, I don't care. I would be tickled pink to be making that kind of money no matter what the working conditions were.
I see homeless people on the street, housekeepers making next to nothing, walmart greeters and I fear this is where I am going to end up if I don't do something. I wouldn't of invested four years into college if I knew I would be working at the poverty level. I need to go back to school and get another degree in something that will land me a better job, nursing or special education are the two areas I am thinking of. Nurses get paid way better then special education teachers so I am learning more toward nursing. Teaching Special education doesn't require as much cognitive ability as nursing, according to the Bell Curve, and the job is a slower pace job.
The two things I like about nursing, their jobs are safe from outsourcing and they have a union to protect their job. I know people in the IT industry who bounce from job to job because of either being fired, their job being elimated, or the company they work for goes bust; no thanks!
There will always be a need for nurses. Plus, so many different jobs to choose from......heck, you can still use your Computer knowledge!
'Cat'
I graduated three years ago with a degree in Computer Science. I was extremely dissapointed with the starting pay and the difficulty landing an entry level IT position; 50 applicants for 1 opening is typical. I had to beg and repeatedly call these companies to even get a phone interview. Failing to land an IT job, I was stuck working low paying $7-9/hour jobs.
Congrats! Obtaining any type of degree can be a challenge. It appears many IT jobs are sent out of country, too bad for those in America.
I landed a job working at a hospital as an assistant for $12 hour. I was able to observe various health professions and see what their job was like. I talked to many techs and nurses. Many tech's didn't go into nursing because of the working conditions. Some of the tech's were nurses and then changed over to tech's. I really didn't like X-ray, most of the tech's seemed lazy and would sit around gossiping all day.
As an assistant, I assume you mean a CNA? 12 years ago I made minium wage as a CNA in Dallas. Tsk tsk the work was hard and the pay low.
Nursing I think is better for me for a number of reasons. First the pay in nursing is very attractive compared to other jobs. I know the working conditions, hours, and stress is difficult, however at the hospital I worked at Nurses got paid $30/hour. For 30/hour hour you can kick me, call me names, scream at me, spit on me, work me to death, bite my ear off, I don't care. I would be tickled pink to be making that kind of money no matter what the working conditions were.
What pay is attractive to one person may not be to another. I've worked as a traveler since 1998 and for the last 5 years I have not had any increases in pay. I remember working for a hospital for 6 yrs and having no raises for 4 straight yrs in the 90s. Right now as a traveler in northern CA, I make $35-40/hr plus the bennies. And no, I would never tolerate anyone abusing me verbally or physically for any amount of money. I work med/surg and have patients kick, hit, slug, spit, throw stools, urine etc at me and other nurses. It is not worth any amount of money. I am discouraged and discusted that wages seem to be stagnant. It shows to me, that agencies/hospitals do not value the nursing staff.
I see homeless people on the street, housekeepers making next to nothing, walmart greeters and I fear this is where I am going to end up if I don't do something. I wouldn't of invested four years into college if I knew I would be working at the poverty level. I need to go back to school and get another degree in something that will land me a better job, nursing or special education are the two areas I am thinking of. Nurses get paid way better then special education teachers so I am learning more toward nursing. Teaching Special education doesn't require as much cognitive ability as nursing, according to the Bell Curve, and the job is a slower pace job.
I am not up on teacher's pay, I think it may depend on where you are. I've tried teaching many cognitively impaired people (patients) along with the supposed "normal" people and it can be quite the challenge. If nurses were paid so well, then there would be an obundance of them. I forget the numbers, but a large amount of licensed US nurses just pian refuse to work in hospitals for various reasons, amoung them are the low pay, poor/unsafe working conditions, etc. you can be a "2" year RN and make about the ame as a 4 yr RN, A 4 yr RN may in a few places make $1-3 more per hour than a 2 yr RN. Granted a 4 yr RN has more options for various employment in some places.
The two things I like about nursing, their jobs are safe from outsourcing and they have a union to protect their job. I know people in the IT industry who bounce from job to job because of either being fired, their job being elimated, or the company they work for goes bust; no thanks!
Safe from outsourcing? To a large extent, yes. I just read the other day about some companies sending thier employees to India for surgeries as it is so much cheaper there. And they are importing nurses and that in itself can be quite contriversal (sp) I have been downsized (layed off) had contracts cancelled because of low staffing levels, when I worked at the hospital in Dallas for 6 years they closed the ortho floor I was on for 9 straight days. We had to use our vacation time for those days. Not everyone had vacation days and those that did not, did not get paid. you weren't laid off so you didn't qualify for unemployment. 2004 in northern CA many nurses were laid off and this is supposed to be a nursing shortage? LOL no job is for certain.
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