<p>Hey guys, I just wanted some opinions. With the economy the way it is, and my own cautious nature, I've decided to major in Nursing despite the fact that it isn't my first choice for a career. Don't get me wrong, I am a caring person and definitely not grossed out by most bodily functions or blood(The job security and salary are also appealing)...but I have always seen myself working in an office; Public Relations, maybe? I don't know. I am interested in being a Nurse, but I also know there is a part of me that is interested in careers that are completely unrelated to healthcare. I want to have options. But anyway, I was just wondering if anyone knows how easy it is to change careers from Nursing to something else? It seems disadvantageous to have a BSN because it is so confined to the healthcare field. I have also toyed with the idea of double majoring in Communications and Nursing, but I don't want to waste my time pursuing a BA in Communications if I don't really have to. Does anyone have any insight?</p>
<p>You could probably get a job in hospital administration.</p>
<p>I think there are too many nurses who got into it for job security.</p>
<p>Why communications? If you are interested in communications and nursing you might want to check out speech pathology. It is a more office oriented job, good pay, and you still get to help people. The OOH says job prospects are excellent for speech pathologists. [Speech-Language</a> Pathologists](<a href=“http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos099.htm]Speech-Language”>http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos099.htm)</p>
<p>Nursing and office work are about as far apart as you could get! Nurses can go into healthcare administration, but they usually do so after working as a nurse for a period of time and then getting an advanced degree. </p>
<p>Let me share with you that I also wanted to pursue a career with dismal job prospects when I was beginning college. I chose something else, and it is okay, but I have often wished that I went with my heart. Now maybe it is easier to say that from a point of financial security, but I think that if I had to do it over, I would have been less practical.</p>
<p>Just FYI, you can become a registered nurse without having a bachelors degree in it. If you go with your public relations major (or w/e) and later want to do nursing, you can get your RN in a two-year program offered at hospitals.</p>
<p>I think that if your heart is not in nursing you should not do a nursing major. First, you would probably do poorly because you are not that interested in it. Next, it is not an easy major for something you don’t even want to do . Also, no offense, but there are already a ton of nurses dragging down the profession because they hate it.</p>
<p>If you want to work in pr then get a communications degree. You could always take a few science classes for if you change your mind later, and do an accelerated BSN or masters program.</p>
<p>“Just FYI, you can become a registered nurse without having a bachelors degree in it. If you go with your public relations major (or w/e) and later want to do nursing, you can get your RN in a two-year program offered at hospitals.”</p>
<p>Actually, hospitals do not offer a two-year degree. An ASN (associate of science in nursing) is offered at community colleges. That allows grads to take the exam to become licensed as RNs.</p>
<p>Many hospital used to offer a 3-year nursing diploma program that allowed graduates to take the exam to become registered nurses, but those programs have pretty much disappeared.</p>
<p>There are also 18-month programs at community colleges and tech schools for licensed practical nurses, but LPNs are restricted in the practice of nursing and many hospitals will not hire them.</p>
<p>Most LPNs work in nursing homes or doctor’s offices and have to work under supervision of an RN or MD</p>
<p>Here are examples of two hospital-based programs where you can get your nursing degree in less than two years. These can’t be the only two programs in existance:<br>
[Programs</a> & Courses ? UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA, USA](<a href=“http://www.upmc.com/HealthcareProfessionals/Nurses/shadyside-nursing/programs/Pages/default.aspx]Programs”>http://www.upmc.com/HealthcareProfessionals/Nurses/shadyside-nursing/programs/Pages/default.aspx)
[School</a> of Nursing ? UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA, USA](<a href=“UPMC Hospitals”>UPMC Hospitals)
You get your diploma in nursing and then have to sit for your RN licensure exam, just as the grads of a BSN program do.</p>
<p>I’m an RN with my BSN. I went into nursing for all the wrong reasons, and now I feel trapped. Do something you enjoy because you’ll burnout fast otherwise. I want to go back to school this fall for something unrelated to healthcare.</p>