Switching from arts to nursing?

rebeccaj313

I am currently in first year arts doing English and French in Maynooth University. I have always been torn between teaching and nursing and everyone says I'd excel at either, but that's just people being nice. However, I could see myself in either profession; a nurse or a secondary school teacher. I have come to realise that my subjects are nothing like I thought they would be, and the french and English department I find very patronising. That's not why I'm having doubts. My number one reason is how specific of a job as an english and french teacher is, and there is loads of people doing the same as me. I think it would be far more difficult to get a full time job as a teacher, and I had to sit down and ask myself; did I really just spend 14 years of my life in school and another 5 in the future of uni just to go right back to where I was, in a school. I know I would be in a different position but the thought makes me hesitate. As for nursing, I've always been a very caring person who wants to make a difference in peoples' lives. I know it would be hard work but I think I would be happy as nurse/midwife. I have two options, well a third being to drop out altogether and do nothing with my life. My first is to stick out the next 2 years, get a BA in eng and fre, do a 2 year postgrad and become a teacher then struggle to find a job. The second is to drop out and work for a year and go to nursing school in september 2018 and do without susi for a year, then get a nursing degree and do a postgrad in either pediatrics or midwifery. Any opinions on what I should do? Genuine advice please I'm so confused and have two weeks to decide.

Airyfairy12

From your post it seems like your heart is in nursing and you'd get a job as theyre crying out for nurses as so many people have either left the profession or moved abroad for better work standards but keep in mind nurses are very underpaid and over worked, id consider myself a very caring person too but would not be able to handle a nurses job, it takes a strong person that can keep calm and handle very difficult situations and work very long hours.

Teaching is almost impossible to get into, its also underpaid and not very dependable, that being said with a teaching degree youre not limited to secondary schools you can work in FE sectors and youthreach.

Another option, after you do your english and french course you could do a PME in primary education, youd walk into a job no problem but you'll need have fluency in Irish, youd have loads of time to brush up on it if you wanted to.

Ferrier

Hi there, I'm coming at Arts in Maynooth from the opposite side, having worked as a nurse for several years. Don't be discouraged by first year English, it is so much more interesting in 2nd year and any tendency to patronise first years is gone. It certainly sounds like you have a vocation for nursing - yes, it is a vocation! But it is also very tough at present, a lot tougher than when I was nursing. You are welcome to p.m. me if you want to meet me for a cuppa on campus and ask me anything. All the best!

rebeccaj313

rebeccaj313 wrote: »

I am currently in first year arts doing English and French in Maynooth University. I have always been torn between teaching and nursing and everyone says I'd excel at either, but that's just people being nice. However, I could see myself in either profession; a nurse or a secondary school teacher. I have come to realise that my subjects are nothing like I thought they would be, and the french and English department I find very patronising. That's not why I'm having doubts. My number one reason is how specific of a job as an english and french teacher is, and there is loads of people doing the same as me. I think it would be far more difficult to get a full time job as a teacher, and I had to sit down and ask myself; did I really just spend 14 years of my life in school and another 5 in the future of uni just to go right back to where I was, in a school. I know I would be in a different position but the thought makes me hesitate. As for nursing, I've always been a very caring person who wants to make a difference in peoples' lives. I know it would be hard work but I think I would be happy as nurse/midwife. I have two options, well a third being to drop out altogether and do nothing with my life. My first is to stick out the next 2 years, get a BA in eng and fre, do a 2 year postgrad and become a teacher then struggle to find a job. The second is to drop out and work for a year and go to nursing school in september 2018 and do without susi for a year, then get a nursing degree and do a postgrad in either pediatrics or midwifery. Any opinions on what I should do? Genuine advice please I'm so confused and have two weeks to decide.

I would consider lifestyle carefully. As a teacher you would have good hours and much better pay (per hour) than nurses with great holidays. You could also give grinds to supplement income. It would however be difficult to find a job. With nursing your lifestyle would be much worse but you would be guaranteed a job pretty much. College often does not give you a taste for career if you could shadow secondary teacher and nurse that would give you the best idea or even to find mutual friends in those careers and talk to them.