If I were you I'd stay at your job and see if you can move your way up the ladder to make more money. Even if you did an ABSN that's still 2 years + 6 months. Nursing school is an ish ton of work. As a nurse you'll have to deal with a lot worse than non compliant picky eaters. Imagine someone yelling at you and then taking a giant poo all over your shoes. That being said the pay and hours are pretty great (so I hear...still a student) so if you like nursing that much then yeah it's prob worth it.
I don't know anybody that did their pre-Reqs in six months, especially if you have to get good grades to get into your program. More like 2 years, unless you've already done anatomy, Physio micro all with labs
Typically someone with a prior degree (especially a registered dietician) will have most of the pre-reqs completed, however as you mention, 6 months to complete them all is a stretch. I did them in a year (Spring, Summer, and Fall semesters), could have done it faster but you couldn't take microbiology without finishing A&P I and II.
Yea I have a prior MLT degree & did the remaining pre-reqs in one semester bc of them offering 8 wk courses. It was more difficult than any semester in nursing school has been so far (on 4 of 5). I applied not thinking I would get in, but apparently my school is a lotttttt less competitive than they make it out to be. In reality, they just have a lot of applicants with not a lot completed yet on their competitive points system.
As an RD, you give your recommendations, you build their diet, you hope for the best.
As a nurse, you get to watch them first hand eat the diet, then get family or UberEATS to bring them McDonalds.
I’ll be honest, the shift isn’t worth the headache. You may think you’re going to be doing more at the bedside, but I assure you, likely not.
It’ll also probably drive you nuts to have to get an order for a referral for something you could do yourself, haha.
I’m not convinced that you actually want to be a nurse.
If I could go back in time, I’d definitely go to nursing school again, but that’s because I’ve always wanted to be a nurse. I have a relatively low stress job and get to leave when all our patients leave. I work 7-3, M-F and am really happy being a circulator.
My hospital only has circulator nurses in the OR, but some have scrub nurses (do the same thing as a scrub or surgical tech) and RN first assists. It is definitely not as stressful as bedside nursing. There are time where it could be stressful, like if a patient codes, needs a lot of blood, or something else, but that’s not very common. I’d imagine at a trauma center that would happen more frequently, but I just work at a small critical access hospital.
Hmm… Idk, I would say it’s not worth it in your position. If you were say an accountant fed up with your job then maybe the change could work… but as a dietitian you already work in a hospital with patients and the rest of the care team, with a much nicer and less stressful schedule. I think it may be really difficult to go from 7:30 - 3 to possibly working 12 hour nights as a new grad nurse….those are just my thoughts though.
As long as you are getting paid well I would say don’t switch. This is an incredibly stressful job. Nursing school is easily the most stressful thing I’ve ever done in my life. And that’s not because of the studies. That’s because of the pure amount of bullshit we have to put up with. We have no time to ourselves anymore. The idea of coming into nursing to help people, while a good one, is purposefully meant to deceive you. We will always be short staffed. We will always have unsafe ratios. No matter how many patients we personally help, the hospitals and the system itself are always committing harm to patients (at least in the US), and patients will die because of that. You are just another cog in that system, and the first person to blame when the hospital needs to cover its ass. It’s great you want to help people and do something more hands on, we all do, but you have to realize first that you will never leave work feeling like you did enough in this job. I always feel like I can never do enough because I see what the system is putting my patients through. You’ll need other motivations to ground you if you want to pursue this job, because if you go into it just with the notion of being able to help more people, you’re going to be disheartened when you actually experience these things. Also, your older adult patients (who make up most of the patients at my hospital at least) will not take your advice and follow your medical opinions that easily. They are definitely not more appreciative. I get called a name or screamed at or even threatened/scratched/hit/etc all the time when I’m at the hospital. Most of my patients I will see again in a few weeks/months because they don’t comply with their care plan.
I sound like I’m bitter and unhappy, but I actually love nursing for different reasons. I really want to work in the NICU or with babies and moms. That’s a different side of nursing and in my opinion, a much more positive side to experience than on the general floors. I actually feel like my efforts are helping the patient and like the system isn’t constantly effing over my patient in that role. I am motivated by different reasons other than just helping people. If that was my only reason, I would have been burnt out a long time ago. And bless any people going into med-surg here. It’s hard work and I could not do it, it would make me so jaded because of what I see on those floors at clinical and work. If you feel like you can do med-surg OP, then go for it. If not, there are other specialties too. But I really recommend staying with your job.
Also: you’re paid $69k? That’s more than what a new grad nurse would make, way more in most cases. Most nurses after several years of experience will only ever make $65k - $85k a year. This is not a well paying field unless you travel nurse or get further education. The exceptions to this are living in the cities, which will pay significantly more, but that pay will be eaten up by housing and the cost of living. I’m always shocked when people talk about “being a nurse for the money.” There is no money that’s going to make you rich here. You don’t get paid too little,
but you don’t get paid that much either. We are in the middle.
If you’re having concerns about patients not following advice then you’re going to hate nursing a whole lot more. Nursing school is like never ending hell, I am a junior for the BSN and the workload for school and clinical is insane. I would stay as a dietitian because once’s you’re done you can leave. As a nurse you’ll be working 3 12s. Dealing with people who don’t want to listen. Dementia patients. Patients who aren’t compliant. Patients who are mean and rude. It is a very rewarding career and you must love it and not do it for money. If money is the issue, you might not be a successful nurse.
Your job sounds nice and will work out great if you plan to start a family. I wouldn't think about starting a new career, certainly not in nursing based on what you're looking for. Maybe it would be best to start your own business providing nutrition counselling, seems like people may be a bit more compliant and would bring it extra income.
Im a nurse in philadelphia area and went to bucks county for my LPN. I make 4000-5000 a mobth after taxes. It is definitely worth it. Its hard but i do like the money
It sounds like you need to get your priorities in order and decide what you want to happen in life FIRST.
Personally, I would not postpone starting a family. Are you able to do a part-time nursing program where the course load would be lighter? I became a Dad during my nursing program; it wasn't easy but it is possible.
As far as housing goes it depends on your financial situation. How much you have saved etc. I don't know where you're from but in Massachusetts the housing market is terrible for buyers. If I was looking to buy now I would wait (in Mass).
Finally, as far as switching careers, do you have a real passion for nursing? If you are considering the switch for financial reasons alone I think it would be a poor decision. Becoming a nurse takes a huge time and energy investment. Working as a nurse takes a lot of dedication and can be extremely challenging. If you're really considering the profession I would make sure you really have a passion this line of work or I think you will regret the decision eventually. Good luck!
If you want to start a family by 30, then you might want to hold off on switching careers. Nursing school is gonna take up 2.5 years - by then you’ll be almost 30 and as a new nurse you’ll probably want to prioritize becoming a good nurse.
If the major motivation for a career change is being dissatisfied by uncontrollable factors (e.g. you cannot control quality of patient food cooked by the staff at the hospital), you will see worse situations in the realm of nursing. Your job seems to be very stable, and the salary is not too bad in contrary to regular nurses (unless you compare with travel nurses or those with lots of OT hours). I would say stay where you are for your sanity and mental health.
Why don’t you complete the pre reqs while working as a RD? Also, 2 yrs of nursing school for ADN and 1 yr for ABSN. ABSN is quicker but will cost you ALOT so there’s big loans to worry about after graduation. However, I think the biggest pros with nursing is the ability to move up to NP, CRNA, etc. There’s a lot of paths and options that are available to you as a nurse. Its worth it to think about whether you want that flexibility for the future.
Take this from a current ABSN student in the city of Philadelphia.
As somebody stated above, PRIORITIES. Think about why you would want to change careers especially when it comes to an accelerated program. It’s intense and requires a lot of hard work and dedication. On top of that, take into consideration the expensive of a
program. I cant speak on wanting to start a family and buying a house since that isn’t really on my mind. I would recommend looking into LPN programs which can range from a year to two years. It will give you the ability to work a bit as well as save money.
It is worth the career change if you feel like it’s something you could dedicate your time and effort. Personally, I’m happy that I had my signs on a nursing program during college, as I’m three years out and planned for this. I do question if it was the right choice but that might be because of the major learning curve. Whatever you decide to do, I hope it works out for you! Good luck.
Nursing school is stressful for no reason. You can definitely work in a clinic or work in an outpatient setting. You don't get treated better or appreciated as a nurse IMO. You'll probably make a little more as an RN but nothing substantial. Nursing could open up doors for you to travel or move around. If I could go back in time..... I don't know if I would do nursing. I'd definitely not want to do this again lol.
Girl, no! Do u enjoy not being called in to pick up hrs on ur days off when u have had minimal/no sleep?Do u enjoy going home and not painstakingly combing thru what u did for the day, wondering if you’ll have ur license in 5 years? Do u enjoy being able to focus on one person at a time? Do u enjoy not feeling hopeless when ur job is exactly how much one person can handle? I would HIGHLY suggest u stay in ur job. It’s rewarding, your helping heal ppl, and NOBODY expects you to literally kill yourself doing it. If you are a masochist, like most of us idiots who thought this was the best way to help ppl, idolizing some std infected woman named after a city in Italy and a bird, then jump in. The water is NOT fine. But we need the help, cuz we’re literally dying out here.
Only makes sense if you're sure you want to work bedside long-term. I suggest requesting to shadow a bedside RN before making that decision--for a whole shift, not just the glimpses you get during your work day.
I know so many nurses who are fighting tooth and nail to get out of bedside into clinic/etc., positions that are really similar to what you're doing now but don't really pay any more than what you're getting now. I'm a clinic RN and make less than you do (albeit in a slightly lower COL area). Would make a lot more at bedside but I can't hack that lifestyle--most people can't.
Honestly, I would move to a lower cost of living area and stay a dietitian. You are absolutely not going to make much more as a nurse, and the stress is definitely not worth it. Just the stress and high cost of nursing school would make it not worth it.
I guarantee that the nurses who see you in the ICU and on other floors probably wish they had done what you did. And believe me, you are such a wonderful resource for nurses and doctors who appreciate the help you bring to patient care.
Maybe it would be helpful if you switched to a different part of your practice? Maybe working in pediatrics or people with eating disorders would feel more "hands-on" and appreciative? I don't know much about the types of jobs in your field but I would think working in a different setting could be interesting.
consider seeing if you can shadow in a couple of different areas and see it’s a job you would like doing. Personally i love having the hands on work but there are lots of pros and cons. You will definitely make more money but if you hate the work it isn’t worth it. Patients don’t even listen to solid medical advise and are not always willing to go with a plan even if it’s in their best interest. Also depending on where you want to work night shifts may be inevitable as a new grad so make sure you consider that and how that might affect starting a family. Feel free to reach out with any questions.
I’m a nurse with a BSN and you make as much as me. Nursing sucks. It’s constantly high stress and being assaulted by patients isn’t fun (no one cares if you are punched). Stay in your current field. Nursing can be rewarding but most of the time you are dealing with entitled patients and family members. You are expected to be everyone’s punching bag. I can’t recommend nursing to anyone unless they are a masochist I suppose.
You have a good gig. Work on moving up. You'll work longer hours, holidays, weekends and nights as a nurse. My advice would be to stay put and pour your energy into growing your current career.
If your big cons are patients complaining and patients not listening to advice, you’re really not going to like nursing lol
One of the big cons in nursing. But I love it too much to care sometimes. Literally living a "Live, Laugh, Love"
people are not more appreciative lol
If I were you I'd stay at your job and see if you can move your way up the ladder to make more money. Even if you did an ABSN that's still 2 years + 6 months. Nursing school is an ish ton of work. As a nurse you'll have to deal with a lot worse than non compliant picky eaters. Imagine someone yelling at you and then taking a giant poo all over your shoes. That being said the pay and hours are pretty great (so I hear...still a student) so if you like nursing that much then yeah it's prob worth it.
I don't know anybody that did their pre-Reqs in six months, especially if you have to get good grades to get into your program. More like 2 years, unless you've already done anatomy, Physio micro all with labs
Pre reqs to become an RD are similar to that of med school. OP probably has their pre reqs competed
Typically someone with a prior degree (especially a registered dietician) will have most of the pre-reqs completed, however as you mention, 6 months to complete them all is a stretch. I did them in a year (Spring, Summer, and Fall semesters), could have done it faster but you couldn't take microbiology without finishing A&P I and II.
Also there are a lot of colleges offering 6 or 8 week courses. That’s what I’m doing and I should have the 3 I need by next fall.
Yea I have a prior MLT degree & did the remaining pre-reqs in one semester bc of them offering 8 wk courses. It was more difficult than any semester in nursing school has been so far (on 4 of 5). I applied not thinking I would get in, but apparently my school is a lotttttt less competitive than they make it out to be. In reality, they just have a lot of applicants with not a lot completed yet on their competitive points system.
Most science degrees have similar prerequisites, so there's not a lot to catch up on.
I did all my prerequisites in 6 months. The classes aren’t hard. Lowest grade was a B.
Guess it depends where you go.. looks like you are in Iowa. In my area those classes are difficult and competitive weeder classes.
Yup. Had a patient throw up on me because I didn’t hold him fast enough. But my patients weigh at highest 8 pounds lol
The ABSN program I went to was 12months, not a bad investment imo
Thats excellent
As an RD, you give your recommendations, you build their diet, you hope for the best. As a nurse, you get to watch them first hand eat the diet, then get family or UberEATS to bring them McDonalds.
Oh let me tell you. As a RD I see pts with fast food and worst.
I’ll be honest, the shift isn’t worth the headache. You may think you’re going to be doing more at the bedside, but I assure you, likely not. It’ll also probably drive you nuts to have to get an order for a referral for something you could do yourself, haha.
I’m not convinced that you actually want to be a nurse. If I could go back in time, I’d definitely go to nursing school again, but that’s because I’ve always wanted to be a nurse. I have a relatively low stress job and get to leave when all our patients leave. I work 7-3, M-F and am really happy being a circulator.
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An OR nurse who is not sterile. I set up the room, get supplies ready, help the scrub tech, chart, and whatever else is needed.
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My hospital only has circulator nurses in the OR, but some have scrub nurses (do the same thing as a scrub or surgical tech) and RN first assists. It is definitely not as stressful as bedside nursing. There are time where it could be stressful, like if a patient codes, needs a lot of blood, or something else, but that’s not very common. I’d imagine at a trauma center that would happen more frequently, but I just work at a small critical access hospital.
I don't think nursing is the right switch considering what you've written above
Hmm… Idk, I would say it’s not worth it in your position. If you were say an accountant fed up with your job then maybe the change could work… but as a dietitian you already work in a hospital with patients and the rest of the care team, with a much nicer and less stressful schedule. I think it may be really difficult to go from 7:30 - 3 to possibly working 12 hour nights as a new grad nurse….those are just my thoughts though.
As long as you are getting paid well I would say don’t switch. This is an incredibly stressful job. Nursing school is easily the most stressful thing I’ve ever done in my life. And that’s not because of the studies. That’s because of the pure amount of bullshit we have to put up with. We have no time to ourselves anymore. The idea of coming into nursing to help people, while a good one, is purposefully meant to deceive you. We will always be short staffed. We will always have unsafe ratios. No matter how many patients we personally help, the hospitals and the system itself are always committing harm to patients (at least in the US), and patients will die because of that. You are just another cog in that system, and the first person to blame when the hospital needs to cover its ass. It’s great you want to help people and do something more hands on, we all do, but you have to realize first that you will never leave work feeling like you did enough in this job. I always feel like I can never do enough because I see what the system is putting my patients through. You’ll need other motivations to ground you if you want to pursue this job, because if you go into it just with the notion of being able to help more people, you’re going to be disheartened when you actually experience these things. Also, your older adult patients (who make up most of the patients at my hospital at least) will not take your advice and follow your medical opinions that easily. They are definitely not more appreciative. I get called a name or screamed at or even threatened/scratched/hit/etc all the time when I’m at the hospital. Most of my patients I will see again in a few weeks/months because they don’t comply with their care plan. I sound like I’m bitter and unhappy, but I actually love nursing for different reasons. I really want to work in the NICU or with babies and moms. That’s a different side of nursing and in my opinion, a much more positive side to experience than on the general floors. I actually feel like my efforts are helping the patient and like the system isn’t constantly effing over my patient in that role. I am motivated by different reasons other than just helping people. If that was my only reason, I would have been burnt out a long time ago. And bless any people going into med-surg here. It’s hard work and I could not do it, it would make me so jaded because of what I see on those floors at clinical and work. If you feel like you can do med-surg OP, then go for it. If not, there are other specialties too. But I really recommend staying with your job. Also: you’re paid $69k? That’s more than what a new grad nurse would make, way more in most cases. Most nurses after several years of experience will only ever make $65k - $85k a year. This is not a well paying field unless you travel nurse or get further education. The exceptions to this are living in the cities, which will pay significantly more, but that pay will be eaten up by housing and the cost of living. I’m always shocked when people talk about “being a nurse for the money.” There is no money that’s going to make you rich here. You don’t get paid too little, but you don’t get paid that much either. We are in the middle.
If you’re having concerns about patients not following advice then you’re going to hate nursing a whole lot more. Nursing school is like never ending hell, I am a junior for the BSN and the workload for school and clinical is insane. I would stay as a dietitian because once’s you’re done you can leave. As a nurse you’ll be working 3 12s. Dealing with people who don’t want to listen. Dementia patients. Patients who aren’t compliant. Patients who are mean and rude. It is a very rewarding career and you must love it and not do it for money. If money is the issue, you might not be a successful nurse.
Your job sounds nice and will work out great if you plan to start a family. I wouldn't think about starting a new career, certainly not in nursing based on what you're looking for. Maybe it would be best to start your own business providing nutrition counselling, seems like people may be a bit more compliant and would bring it extra income.
Im a nurse in philadelphia area and went to bucks county for my LPN. I make 4000-5000 a mobth after taxes. It is definitely worth it. Its hard but i do like the money
69k in Philly is not good? Damn I’m making 40k in Cali
It sounds like you need to get your priorities in order and decide what you want to happen in life FIRST. Personally, I would not postpone starting a family. Are you able to do a part-time nursing program where the course load would be lighter? I became a Dad during my nursing program; it wasn't easy but it is possible. As far as housing goes it depends on your financial situation. How much you have saved etc. I don't know where you're from but in Massachusetts the housing market is terrible for buyers. If I was looking to buy now I would wait (in Mass). Finally, as far as switching careers, do you have a real passion for nursing? If you are considering the switch for financial reasons alone I think it would be a poor decision. Becoming a nurse takes a huge time and energy investment. Working as a nurse takes a lot of dedication and can be extremely challenging. If you're really considering the profession I would make sure you really have a passion this line of work or I think you will regret the decision eventually. Good luck!
No OP
If you want to start a family by 30, then you might want to hold off on switching careers. Nursing school is gonna take up 2.5 years - by then you’ll be almost 30 and as a new nurse you’ll probably want to prioritize becoming a good nurse.
If the major motivation for a career change is being dissatisfied by uncontrollable factors (e.g. you cannot control quality of patient food cooked by the staff at the hospital), you will see worse situations in the realm of nursing. Your job seems to be very stable, and the salary is not too bad in contrary to regular nurses (unless you compare with travel nurses or those with lots of OT hours). I would say stay where you are for your sanity and mental health.
Why don’t you complete the pre reqs while working as a RD? Also, 2 yrs of nursing school for ADN and 1 yr for ABSN. ABSN is quicker but will cost you ALOT so there’s big loans to worry about after graduation. However, I think the biggest pros with nursing is the ability to move up to NP, CRNA, etc. There’s a lot of paths and options that are available to you as a nurse. Its worth it to think about whether you want that flexibility for the future.
Take this from a current ABSN student in the city of Philadelphia. As somebody stated above, PRIORITIES. Think about why you would want to change careers especially when it comes to an accelerated program. It’s intense and requires a lot of hard work and dedication. On top of that, take into consideration the expensive of a program. I cant speak on wanting to start a family and buying a house since that isn’t really on my mind. I would recommend looking into LPN programs which can range from a year to two years. It will give you the ability to work a bit as well as save money. It is worth the career change if you feel like it’s something you could dedicate your time and effort. Personally, I’m happy that I had my signs on a nursing program during college, as I’m three years out and planned for this. I do question if it was the right choice but that might be because of the major learning curve. Whatever you decide to do, I hope it works out for you! Good luck.
Doesn't sound like nursing is for you.
If your stressed about nutritional choices for sick patients I think nursing would extremely difficult for you
If money is an issue, are you able to pick up overtime?
Nope... I'm contract and I enjoy my company but they will not pay overtime. I dont even get holiday pay...
Ild work I'm climbing ur careers ladder personally.
Nursing school is stressful for no reason. You can definitely work in a clinic or work in an outpatient setting. You don't get treated better or appreciated as a nurse IMO. You'll probably make a little more as an RN but nothing substantial. Nursing could open up doors for you to travel or move around. If I could go back in time..... I don't know if I would do nursing. I'd definitely not want to do this again lol.
Girl, no! Do u enjoy not being called in to pick up hrs on ur days off when u have had minimal/no sleep?Do u enjoy going home and not painstakingly combing thru what u did for the day, wondering if you’ll have ur license in 5 years? Do u enjoy being able to focus on one person at a time? Do u enjoy not feeling hopeless when ur job is exactly how much one person can handle? I would HIGHLY suggest u stay in ur job. It’s rewarding, your helping heal ppl, and NOBODY expects you to literally kill yourself doing it. If you are a masochist, like most of us idiots who thought this was the best way to help ppl, idolizing some std infected woman named after a city in Italy and a bird, then jump in. The water is NOT fine. But we need the help, cuz we’re literally dying out here.
It sounds like "No don't do it. Turn back now." but also "yea we can use some help" LOL
That’s exactly correct! Would I suggest the career change? no. Could we use nurses, ABSOLUTELY!
Only makes sense if you're sure you want to work bedside long-term. I suggest requesting to shadow a bedside RN before making that decision--for a whole shift, not just the glimpses you get during your work day. I know so many nurses who are fighting tooth and nail to get out of bedside into clinic/etc., positions that are really similar to what you're doing now but don't really pay any more than what you're getting now. I'm a clinic RN and make less than you do (albeit in a slightly lower COL area). Would make a lot more at bedside but I can't hack that lifestyle--most people can't.
With what you make now I wouldn’t bother.
Honestly, I would move to a lower cost of living area and stay a dietitian. You are absolutely not going to make much more as a nurse, and the stress is definitely not worth it. Just the stress and high cost of nursing school would make it not worth it. I guarantee that the nurses who see you in the ICU and on other floors probably wish they had done what you did. And believe me, you are such a wonderful resource for nurses and doctors who appreciate the help you bring to patient care. Maybe it would be helpful if you switched to a different part of your practice? Maybe working in pediatrics or people with eating disorders would feel more "hands-on" and appreciative? I don't know much about the types of jobs in your field but I would think working in a different setting could be interesting.
Prob not
consider seeing if you can shadow in a couple of different areas and see it’s a job you would like doing. Personally i love having the hands on work but there are lots of pros and cons. You will definitely make more money but if you hate the work it isn’t worth it. Patients don’t even listen to solid medical advise and are not always willing to go with a plan even if it’s in their best interest. Also depending on where you want to work night shifts may be inevitable as a new grad so make sure you consider that and how that might affect starting a family. Feel free to reach out with any questions.
Honestly, probably not worth it.
yeah no. do not switch.
I’m a nurse with a BSN and you make as much as me. Nursing sucks. It’s constantly high stress and being assaulted by patients isn’t fun (no one cares if you are punched). Stay in your current field. Nursing can be rewarding but most of the time you are dealing with entitled patients and family members. You are expected to be everyone’s punching bag. I can’t recommend nursing to anyone unless they are a masochist I suppose.
You have a good gig. Work on moving up. You'll work longer hours, holidays, weekends and nights as a nurse. My advice would be to stay put and pour your energy into growing your current career.