<p>Hey everyone,</p>
<p>Been a long time roamer here at CC but it's about time that I post, since I'm in a serious quandary.</p>
<p>Basically, I've just finished my 3rd year at UC Riverside as a Business Admin Major with a specific concentration in accounting. Yet, while I do enjoy accounting, I've been pondering about nursing for a long time now and I'm at the point where I'm thinking about making a completely drastic change in my life and go looking into nursing. I've always loved helping people out and I love interaction with people. While numbers crunching is perfectly fine with me, I've just felt that maybe nursing would be a better fit for me and my personality.</p>
<p>Obviously, with my studies focusing on accounting, I've got very little background in the scientific field. I do have a 3.45 GPA with my current major, but since I don't have much science classes (I took botany as my science req all the way back my first quarter of freshman yr so I don't even have the general bio class), would my current GPA that I have with accounting mean anything when I look into programs for nursing?</p>
<p>My main question is, being so far into my accounting, would it be absolutely stupid to just suddenly focus on the science classes required to get into nursing schools while dropping all my business related studies? For example, drop my accounting classes/business ethics classes that I still need to take to finish my business degree for anatomy/chem/sociology etc.
Or should I maybe just finish my Business Admin degree with a concentration in Accounting and then look into one of those Second Degree BSN programs or Accelerated BSN programs?</p>
<p>UCR doesn't have a nursing program, but a lot of students here do come here for the first two years to take the required courses needed to get into nursing schools before transferring. But with me, being so close to graduating with my Bus Admin degree, it feels kinda dumb to switch right now. Basically, this is the quandary I'm in and quite frankly, I don't know what to do. </p>
<p>One other note: Would a possibility of maybe working as an accountant during the day, and then taking nursing classes at night be a possible option? I'll be honest. I've done a little research but I'm far from understanding the intricacies of getting into a nursing program. </p>
<p>Thanks for the help.</p>
<p>Finish your accounting degree and then apply to ABSN (accelerated BSN) programs.</p>
<p>I agree ^^^ and you could also squeeze in any nursing pre-req courses that you can fit in next year, or over the summer.</p>
<p>Yea that would be a good idea. I’ll definitely try and get some science courses in. I was about to finish a quarter early so I’ll try and fill things out with my psych/soc/bio/anatomy etc. </p>
<p>I love accounting but I’ve just been thinking for so long whether I would enjoy that for 30 years. I might love it for a couple of years but I just get the sense that life would suck if I did accounting all my life. With nursing, there’s just so many variables that’ll make life enjoyable and ultimately, I just want what we all want: an enjoyable career, one that you could get up every day and be excited for.</p>
<p>Have you had a chance to volunteer in a hospital at all? Or at least shadow a nurse to see what the work day looks like? I suggest doing this before taking further action. I think it’s a natural thing to question your major at the point you are at - just remember that you can do a variety of things with any major and that the grass always looks greener elsewhere.</p>
<p>Actually, I do have volunteering experience at a hospital, back when I was in high school, so it’s been a few years now. Did some basic clerical work and then some basic housekeeping things at a local hospital, but I’m aware of the general day’s work that a nurse goes through. </p>
<p>Pretty much in my free time these days, I’m volunteering at local non-profit orgs as well as retirement homes, which made me realize that nursing is an ideal choice for me. I originally wanted to go into sports medicine or physical therapy but certain factors–mainly location of schools–played a role into me going to a school where they don’t have anything related to those fields. Nursing just fits. I can’t quite explain it but I truly believe this is a field for me. I’ve thought this over for a year so this isn’t a rushed decision. I’ve contemplated numerous angles in the past year and I just think it makes too much sense for me to head this route. </p>
<p>I’ll be honest. Back when I was in high school and trying to decide what I wanted to do, nursing, although I did enjoy my days volunteering at a hospital, never crossed my mind because I perceived it to be for females only and that any man going into nursing wouldn’t be “masculine”, if you will. Obviously, that was just straight up stupid and ignorant thinking back then but now that I’m a little older, that kinda thinking doesn’t cross into my mind.</p>
Did you end up switching? I am currently going through the EXACT same situation but I am about to complete my first semester of Junior year and looking to switch over to Nutrition (possibly get a RD degree). I’m not sure if it is worth dropping all my business classes to switch and start taking the science courses now or continue with the accounting degree and take night classes to get a Master in Public Health in Nutrition while working full-time as an accountant? It feels dumb to switch now and don’t know what to do. Please, anyone help! Thank you in advance
FYI - for anyone responding to the INITIAL POST, it is 5 years old. The post above is new.
Another option is to look at health care administration as a major.