social care or psych nursing

mister_cc

Can someone please help me make up my mind I've been offered both social care and psych nursing but not sure which to accept I'd love to do the psych nursing but apparently the pay isn't great for the first few years and as a mature student of 45 and a family it really is something I have to consider. I believe the pay in social care is better but not sure if there that many interesting jobs out there. Any advice or input is welcome need to make up my mind by July 1st

monflat

mister_cc wrote: »

Can someone please help me make up my mind I've been offered both social care and psych nursing but not sure which to accept I'd love to do the psych nursing but apparently the pay isn't great for the first few years and as a mature student of 45 and a family it really is something I have to consider. I believe the pay in social care is better but not sure if there that many interesting jobs out there. Any advice or input is welcome need to make up my mind by July 1st

What are your ambitions ?
Is there a particular group you would like to work with.
Do you like the nursing / medical aspect ?
With nursing you'll get a qualification with a recognised regulating body. -NMBI

Only recently is social care being regulated

Only some employers will recruit people who have attained social care from the open training college. As you can keep working in a caring environment whilst gaining a qualification

I know lots who did social care and are not in a social care position years later.

I know some who done social care and are on 10 euro an hour.

There is still pathways to further study in nursing there is some career opportunities and there is good job satisfaction if you like that.

In regards to medications you do a hell of a lot of pharmacology in nursing

In social care you can do a sam course ( a few hours ) safe administration of drugs and your free to administer drugs.


What do you think
What reasins divide you ?

Once you qualify as a nurse there are lots of places (some nursing homes agencies etc) that will take on new graduates with good pay 16-18 euro per hour.


You neeed ti factor in how far you will travel to and from work if u were in both positions

Social care traditionally involve sleep overs nights and days nursing csn involve sone sleep overs but not always mainly straight 12 hr day and night shifts


After spending money diin a social care course you msy only get a job as a care assistant after your education.

At least with nursing you havr a professional qualification recognised regulated and ok you may not initially get a job in the area you love the most but you could work your way there.
Agency work is well paid too

mister_cc

Thanks for that I think I would really like to workwith families or young people I'm actually working with people with intellectual disabilities
At the moment and that work is very intperesting as well, but psych nursing also sound very interesting but I wouldn't want to work in a nursing home, I have ambitions to go as far as I can in the next four years then hopefully start making a decent wage

mister_cc

Thanks for that I think I would really like to workwith families or young people I'm actually working with people with intellectual disabilities
At the moment and that work is very intperesting as well, but psych nursing also sound very interesting but I wouldn't want to work in a nursing home, I have ambitions to go as far as I can in the next four years then hopefully start making a decent wage

monflat

mister_cc wrote: »

Thanks for that I think I would really like to workwith families or young people I'm actually working with people with intellectual disabilities
At the moment and that work is very intperesting as well, but psych nursing also sound very interesting but I wouldn't want to work in a nursing home, I have ambitions to go as far as I can in the next four years then hopefully start making a decent wage

Depends then on logistics is there a place neat you specialises in social care positions for young people?
Is there a local mental health service near you?



I know one person who done social care in 2001 still has not secured a job
Another paid 15000 through the open training college
Has a care assistant position . And absolutely no sign.of a well paid social care position


What is your goal ?
Would you like to be a nurse?
Because you maybe disillusioned after doing social care in college and not securing a position .

Of course if you do psy you may like to specialise in another area and change your mind after your placements

mister_cc

Have you any indication as too what a newly qualified male psych nurse might earn. I am hoping the place I'm working in now might employ me as a social care worker as all their residents will eventually be living in the community but it's not guaranteed. To be honest if I had to travel to Dublin everyday for work, that would also have to be taken into consideration. You sound very knowledgeable on the matter if you don't mind me asking what area do u work in

monflat

mister_cc wrote: »

Have you any indication as too what a newly qualified male psych nurse might earn. I am hoping the place I'm working in now might employ me as a social care worker as all their residents will eventually be living in the community but it's not guaranteed. To be honest if I had to travel to Dublin everyday for work, that would also have to be taken into consideration. You sound very knowledgeable on the matter if you don't mind me asking what area do u work in

Im a nurse working in ID setting at the moment so I have pondered over many issues over the yrs.!! Qualified 14 yrs

Ok so what you mean is if you do your social care you hope where you are working will employ you ?
Before you do any course check with hr to see what courses in social care they accept where I work they wont accept AIT social care course

Social care posts were attained in 2001 and those people who took up these posts are now on top of scale @ 26 e an hour. That is pure savage money NEVER to be seen again.

There are no more SC positions but all care assistant positions are advertised with basic requirements which specifies havin a qualification in SC as a distinct advantage. Any recentC/A. Who has been employed has a SC qualification on anything from 10-13 e ph.

A friend in wexford a nurse is on a relief panel she is on top of her nursing scale after 14 yrs and she has lost a great number of shifts to SC workers .
However these individuals are getting 10.50 an hr and getting an " allowance" for nights or sundays bringing their hourly rate on these days to close to 15 e as opposed to paying a highly qualified nurse with yrs experience .
Individual care will suffer and more will be spent on healthcare etc.



In regards to your salary there won't be any difference to a male/ female salary.
The low pay for new graduates maywell b there in 4 yrs time. But then again I see lots of recruitment agencies willing to take on new graduates 16-18 e ph.
You could be lucky n get a job.
How long would your commute be.? If you did qualify as a nurse ?

I commute 2 hrs inclusive 13 hr shift 3 times each week.
I have a 4 yr old a 22 month old and am 29 weeks on no 3 its doable !

mister_cc

Fair play to you. Thanks for all the great advice and I think I will definitely talk to HR and maybe ask them about what opportunities there might be down the line. The only reason I said I was a male is because I was told that there might plenty of work opportunities for mature male nurses. I know that where I work their community are run by social care workers and they are earning €23 ph. This decision is starting to get to me cause I want to make the right one I won't get this opportunity again and at my time in life it has to be right. Would feel 49 would be too old to start as a new psych nurse

mister_cc

Fair play to you. Thanks for all the great advice and I think I will definitely talk to HR and maybe ask them about what opportunities there might be down the line. The only reason I said I was a male is because I was told that there might plenty of work opportunities for mature male nurses. I know that where I work their community are run by social care workers and they are earning €23 ph. This decision is starting to get to me cause I want to make the right one I won't get this opportunity again and at my time in life it has to be right. Would feel 49 would be too old to start as a new psych nurse

monflat

mister_cc wrote: »

Fair play to you. Thanks for all the great advice and I think I will definitely talk to HR and maybe ask them about what opportunities there might be down the line. The only reason I said I was a male is because I was told that there might plenty of work opportunities for mature male nurses. I know that where I work their community are run by social care workers and they are earning €23 ph. This decision is starting to get to me cause I want to make the right one I won't get this opportunity again and at my time in life it has to be right. Would feel 49 would be too old to start as a new psych nurse

Have you applied this yr for nursing ? If I were you id go fown the nursing route. Traditionally there are a lot of male psy nurses out there .
If not this yr then next.

Social care posts will be ten a penny but the money will be well cut.

With nursing you can always substitute with agency days/ nights
If your worth your salt then you could build up a reputation

monflat

monflat wrote: »

Have you applied this yr for nursing ? If I were you id go fown the nursing route. Traditionally there are a lot of male psy nurses out there .
If not this yr then next.

Social care posts will be ten a penny but the money will be well cut.

With nursing you can always substitute with agency days/ nights
If your worth your salt then you could build up a reputation

Also if I were you id do one or the other.
If you don't get nursing id keep apllying for it
I presume that you are working away as a c/ a at the moment?

mister_cc

Once again really appreciate the great advice, great to get some real informed opinion. Best of luck with the baby.
Thanx

redzerdrog

There are plenty of jobs out there as social care workers and once you are good enough there are plenty of opportunities to progress in my experience