a nurse

I have made this decision to go back to school. I never thought, after all the debt I incurred with my first undergrad degree that I would go back for yet another bachelors degree. Well, after almost 7 years of exploring the career of social work I have decided it is time for a change.

My first time around with school I did not know why I was going. I knew I wanted a degree, but had no idea what it should be in or what I would want to do "for the rest of my life". Yikes. This idea of doing one thing forever still scares me. So after taking class after class I decided that social work was right for me. It seemed to just fit. I got different feedback on it, one really negative from my boyfriend at the time who said, "Don't you want a more professional career? Something more respectable?" Needless to say we are not together anymore :)
I was naive. I thought that money didn't matter, and that all that was important was doing something you enjoy. Did I actually think I was going to "enjoy" social work? Wow! I guess I thought that as long as I was doing something that mattered in the world. Doing my part, or whatever.

So seven years later, I am looking back. I am grateful for my experiences. My education led me to join the Peace Corps which is something that no one can take away. It also led me to work in a homeless shelter for 2 years, and there I met some amazing friends. And now, it has led me here to working at an inner city high school with pregnant and parenting teenage girls. I am so grateful for the lessons I have learned in each of these places, and there are many. There were so many difficult things about all the jobs I have had. Much of it was how much it takes out of you, with no giving back. Employers have really bled me dry, and continue to do so. The pay is so minimal that I have nothing left for myself at the end of the day.

I have always known I wanted to continue my education, but for the last 5 years I have been trying to figure out exactly what that would mean. While in Washington I applied for an Masters in Social Work program, and thought very seriously about doing it. The more I thought about it though, I just could not justify spending another 40k plus on school, only to come out making about 5k a year more than I am currently making. I am already buried under the debt from my first time around, and as I said, am barely making enough to scrape by.

So, 5 years of trying to figure it out, and I've come to the conclusion that I am going to do another bachelors degree in nursing. I admit, that when I finished high school, this is not something I thought I could achieve or would want to. So much has changed since that time. I have had the opportunity to care for people in very delicate situations (working at the homeless shelter). There was some real gratification in just being able to help someone change a bandage that they couldn't do on their own. Getting someone cleaned up after they had a day out on the streets drinking and panhandling and pissing their pants. Seeing them come out of the shower with fresh new clothes and a smile on their face.
Nursing will be so much more than this, but I know I can do it. I know that some of the things I currently struggle with will continue to be a struggle. It will be difficult not to get wrapped up in peoples lives, and especially difficult not to take that home with me.
Major bonuses to becoming a nurse:
1. getting paid. yes i list this one first, and yes it is a factor now.
2. mobility. i can move to a new state and easily find a job.
3. flexibility. so many different options for working. and such a high need!
4. no monotony. i will not be sitting behind a desk punching numbers. i will often be on my feet moving and it will involve some physical labor!
5. doing my part. i can still help people and feel like i am doing my part for society.

If these aren't enough to convince me, well, I don't know what is. So, I've started the ball rolling. I am taking night classes in order to get in all the pre-requisites for the nursing schools I am looking at. I find that I am enjoying this new challenge. I have always focused on social sciences, and never the "other" sciences. I am learning so much, and enjoy the challenge of being back in school. I should be done with pre-requisites by the end of next spring, and ready for another bachelor's program! The advantage is there are several accelerated programs for the BSN that will only take one year. Wish me luck.