Gettin out of nursing

RE: Gettin out of nursing

SmegSlayer — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 13:26:19 GMT

[quote user="nightowl"]

Hiya, I was thinking of that ,but the cost put me off. how did you find it and did you get financial help towards it. Been Nursing 26 yrs now and just want to move on now. this would be Ideal. forward me any Info relevant so I can look it up.

Good luck and well done to you . I admire you.

[/quote]

Hi Nightowl

My undergraduate was 4 years as I needed to do a Foundation year first. The alternative to this would be to do an access course.

I decided to go for it before the fees went up. As I stared before the rise, my fees stayed at the 3500 level for the whole 4 years. I had to pay my first years tuition fees myself as I had already had a student loan from doing my vet nursing HND. The 3 remaining years were covered by student loans. The biggest issue I had was I was in Cambridge and accommodation was very expensive, private or student rental. Fortunately my family were extremely supportive and were able to help me out financially. I tried to do part time work as a locum but practices only wanted someone who could do 40h/wk. I thought about working in a supermarket, but just as I was about to I acquired a long term health problem so it was as much as I could do to cope with my uni work.

I've just started at Dundee in September and I love it. Dundee is the best in Europe for my subject and one of the best in the world for it. Unfortunately this means that this degree is expensive (nearly £16k for the year) and postgraduate loans are quite difficult to get, have high interest and you start paying it back once you've finished your degree unlike the undergrad student loan where you have to earn above £21k/annum.

I did have an alternative at Lincoln- it wouldn't have been 2nd best really as the 2nd best forensic anthropologist in this country runs it but it is very new and hasn't yet been accredited. This one was about £7-8K for the year.

There were pro's and cons to both but I decided to go with accreditation, facilities and the fact that getting a degree in this subject from Dundee will carry me around the world. If I'm in the States or Australia and tell someone I have a Masters degree in Forensic Anthropology from the University of Dundee, they will know what I am talking about and what it means.

RE: Gettin out of nursing

Sophie Millar — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 08:47:44 GMT

With regards to teaching it's fairly easy to get into. I for example am recruiting for VN lecturers at a college down south so I can share what I know about that.

The criteria says obviously you have to be an RVN and have excellent communiation skills. Teaching experience is not essential but obviously gives an advantage - but the interview is quite a lengthy process where you have to prepare a 6 minute presentation / exercise that you would use in class.

Anyway top and bottom of it is if you an RVN and have patience and can communicate, you'd get into it just fine!

RE: Gettin out of nursing

nightowl — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 08:42:49 GMT

The above post was for SmegSlayer.

RE: Gettin out of nursing

nightowl — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 08:39:33 GMT

Good luck and well done to you . I admire you.

RE: Gettin out of nursing

oconnoan — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 16:18:44 GMT

I've spent nearly 9 years in college doing different degrees and a masters, and now am due to qualify as a veterinary nurse next year. Worried sick about how I'll cope with such a low wage as a VN. Thinking might try to get into teaching after a few years of experience - does anyone know how to go about this? I'd also love to work in research using my VN degree, but I dont know if there are many opportunities out there for this?

RE: Gettin out of nursing

gemma83 — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 16:05:05 GMT

I too am going through this been nursing 12 years have done locuming and referral work (either for me). I think am needing to change career rather than job, as I started a new job in June everyones great its a lovely place but don't think its for me anymore. Trouble is I don't know where/what to do at the moment considering whether to do dog walking/pet sitting.

Need to do some thinking

RE: Gettin out of nursing

Stella Skelton RVN — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 15:37:58 GMT

I'm also thinking of leaving nursing - but I'm looking into becoming a sales rep. Although only on the side of increased animal welfare (nutraceuticals etc). I'm in a new place, having relocated & turned my life around recently, I'm not happy in my current job, there's not a lot going on where I live compared to where I was before & I'm also so so so sick of constantly being poor, in debt, & living on the breadline. So I feel I'm ready to leave nursing for the first time and see how it goes. Just gotta get a new job now ha! Good luck :)

RE: Gettin out of nursing

SmegSlayer — Sat, 19 Sep 2015 18:14:57 GMT

I quit to do degree in Forensic Science. I'd always wanted to go into the field but my school told me I wasn't clever enough *waves 1st class honours degree in Forensic Science*.

Now I'm doing a Masters in Forensic Anthropology at University of Dundee

RE: Gettin out of nursing

Jo Hare — Sat, 19 Sep 2015 09:10:54 GMT

I have just handed my notice in at my permanent job and have decided to go locuming. Have found a position 10 mins away 3 days a week so fits in with family life perfectly! Worried Im leaving a stable job, nice practice, but I just want to be valued and be paid appropriately. I have been nursing for 20 years, so being paid just over minimum wage is a bit demeaning! I am frustrated where I currently work. Hoping Ive made the right choice. I am lucky enough to have a very supportive family.

RE: Gettin out of nursing

Diane Westwood — Thu, 12 Feb 2015 22:26:47 GMT

I was seriously bullied by a vet I worked with. Lost my confidence totally and went to work as a receptionist. I loved it. I was away from things that made me stressed. Sadly I know I could never go back to vet nursing. On reception I could do over the phone triage. I am very confident with that.

RE: Gettin out of nursing

Nikki Armstrong — Wed, 04 Feb 2015 16:36:42 GMT

I gave up nursing, but not entirely - went locumming as I was not happy at my practice either.. had some great jobs locumming and learned and did more than I had been doing in permanent staff roles.. working at RSPCA was the best locum job.. but I went back to art college and locummed in the holidays.. then drifted into working more in th ecreative arts freelance.. also not very well paid, but locumming also sometimes on the side at vets.. after i had my child i wanted to return to nursing but my confidene was low, knowledge dated and there didnt seem to be a 'returning nurses' programme really, so i struggled to find anythnig - there were a couple of ' almosts' but the hours were not family friendly for a single parent at all - have totally given up any notion of returning to nursisng now as im 44, but i still like to read this website, and volunteer with animla sanctuaries sometimes.. hoping to start at a local pets corner with the goats and rabbits one afternoon a week soon! And Im now a mobile hairdresser! qualified last year - really family friendly hours !! and i work part time at a museum.. surrounded by stuffed animals not live ones! so you dont have to stick to nursing ... you can go in any direction!! Its never too late x

RE: Gettin out of nursing

FINNIGAN — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 20:52:56 GMT

Thanks sal. That's an idea I hadn't thout of thanks everyone

RE: Gettin out of nursing

Sal the 1st — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 17:23:24 GMT

single, sole income too - yes its scary but it paid off for me - see if you can build a bit of a buffer up money wise in the next few months. How much notice do you have to give? Yes there were lean times and there still are but I get by. Back as an employed rather than self employed now but it worked for me. how about taking a weeks holiday and doing a locum to get a taste?

RE: Gettin out of nursing

Julie-Anne Wilson — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 14:32:06 GMT

I was unhappy at my last place of employment so handed in my notice with nothing lined up. Decided to try my hand at locumming as I couldn't find a suitable permanent placement near enough to me.

I'm also the bread winner in my household but when I discussed it with my husband, he said he could see I was unhappy so encouraged me to leave. I thought we might have to struggle some but that was December 2013 and I only struggled for 2 weeks at the beginning because I'd bee getting paid weekly and had to work a couple weeks before getting my first pay as a locum.

RE: Gettin out of nursing

FINNIGAN — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 13:57:14 GMT

Thanks guys, bit difficult to do some locuming without actually leaving as I am head nurse and I also work full time etc, I'm also single and sole bread winner and just down to me to pay my bills an rent so if leaving goes wrong I could be in trouble!

RE: Gettin out of nursing

Sal the 1st — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 13:29:55 GMT

locuming was the best thing I ever did at the time - at least I was able to find that not all practices are the same and find ones that were good to work in. I do a number of things outside of nursing (mostly therapy based) - but not so much these days as the nursing keeps me busy. When I get too old for this job the plan is to gradually let the therapy take up more time

RE: Gettin out of nursing

Jacqueline Gallacher — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 20:34:22 GMT

It's really hard to make a change and scary too, why not try a bit of locum work and you can then compare it to where you are working now, you might be off like a shot or decide it's not so bad after all.

RE: Gettin out of nursing

FINNIGAN — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 15:16:04 GMT

Hi guys,, not really sure,, just feel in a bit of a rut,, life plodding a bit, not really appreciated where I am etc, just feeling. Bit worthless, I know a change of practise may b wars needed but I'm 51 so scared at my age its a big risk, just seeing wats out there I guess,,

RE: Gettin out of nursing

bongo — Fri, 09 Jan 2015 14:19:17 GMT

Are you thinking of leaving yourself? What sort of practice are you in? Have you considered just a change of direction or a new challenge within nursing? Referrals? Insurance? Rep? Teaching?

RE: Gettin out of nursing

Jacqueline Gallacher — Fri, 09 Jan 2015 12:47:05 GMT

Hi Fiinnagan, I have been Vet Nursing for 28 years and I have seen nurses leave the job, most went onto human nursing and they stayed there, some others went into lecturing for VN's, some joined the police as you get paid as you train. A couple of others went into Radiography,Hope that helps.

RE: Gettin out of nursing

Mac Feather — Fri, 09 Jan 2015 11:42:05 GMT

I am now working as a nursery assistant..........and they say never work with animals and children!

RE: Gettin out of nursing

Mark Hedberg — Fri, 09 Jan 2015 10:44:10 GMT

If you mean 'giving up clinical work', then there are still quite a few forumites here who aren't in clinical work, but very much still in nursing. :)

RE: Gettin out of nursing

sananbaz — Thu, 08 Jan 2015 20:51:53 GMT

Hi, I'm guessing anyone who has truly given up nursing will no longer be on this forum! I've 'left' several times - drug company, teaching, motherhood, pre school practitioner, and now find myself frequenting this site, hoping for a return to practice that fits with my commitments. Not found it yet! I have found jobs that pay more, have better hours, more responsibility, fits better with family life, and better respected by society - but I've come to the conclusion that there isn't anything that can compare to working in a decent practice, with decent clients and supportive colleagues. I guess it depends on what is most important to you when deciding how far you can distance yourself from nursing. Do have any career options in mind? I might be able to comment on specifics if it's something I've done. Most important to consider is whether it's the nursing you want to leave or the practice you're working in - only you can answer that. Good luck x