Teacher-to-Nurse: How to Tell You're Ready to Make the Switch
Sometimes you find yourself in a field that doesn’t seem to resonate with your passion and self-fulfillment. That is a scenario for teachers across the globe. The expectations and reality in the teaching profession can be at odds, or maybe your goals change over the years. If you’re contemplating switching fields, nursing could be a great option. Moreover, you could still get the opportunity to educate and make a difference in the lives of patients.
So, why is a switch to nursing a great option for teachers? Here are the reasons:
Nursing and Teaching Require Similar Skills
Nursing and teaching professions have many similarities in terms of soft skills. Both fields require patience, compassion, and problem-solving skills. And to be successful in teaching, you need the ability to communicate and educate effectively.
Similarly, nurses must be able to educate patients and their family members about their diagnosis/condition, medication, overall health, and prescribed lifestyle changes. In a country where only 12 percent of adults have proficiency in health literacy, nurses with great education backgrounds are valuable assets.
Working with Children
If interacting with students is what attracted you to the teaching profession, becoming a nurse can still open doors for you to work with children. You could pursue a nursing position with a pediatric or obstetric specialty and work in an educational environment. Moreover, you could still work as a school nurse.
Quick Transition
As a teacher, you most likely have a bachelor’s degree already or at least 65 college credits. As long as you meet the admission requirements, you could be eligible to enroll for an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program. That means that you can earn your BSN in just about 12 months.
Valuable Experiences that Make Teachers Great Nurses
Practicing teachers already have valuable experiences that translate to the nursing profession. They include:
Stress and Emotions Management
Teachers often face stressful and emotional situations every day. Stress and emotion management skills become very useful when working in an emergency room as a nurse. Handling patient in serious pain and emotional family members require special skills to effectively redirect emotional energy and become more effective.
Mentoring and Teaching
The nursing field demands an attitude of life-long learning. Teachers are trained to pick up new skills and share it with peers, and this skill can help build your cohort while practicing as a nurse. However, if your desire to teach and mentor others heightens, you have the option to advance your education and become a nursing instructor. BSN graduates have the opportunity to pursue master's programs to return to teaching in the nursing field.
A Generous Heart
Perhaps the most important character trait a nurse should have is a generous heart and spirit. We know that practicing teachers have a heart for work and service. They go the extra mile to attend to students through mental attentiveness and giving. Former teachers can make great nurses since they have the ability to sense the needs of patients before they communicate.
How to Earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
Practicing teachers who wish to make the switch to nursing don’t have to endure four more years in college. If you already have a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) or a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree, you could earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in as little as 12 months through an accelerated nursing program.
Get a New Start with a BS to BSN
After graduating from your Bachelor's to BSN program, you should be well prepared to take an NCLEX-RN examination and earn the privilege of calling yourself a registered nurse. This could give you a head start since many health care institutions prefer nurses with bachelor's degrees.
Are you a teacher interested in becoming a nurse? If you already hold a bachelor's degree and want to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree, ECPI University offers the transitional program that could help you make the switch. For more information about this exciting opportunity, connect with a friendly admissions advisor today.
It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
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