How do I know if a career in nursing is right for me?

I have been thinking about a career in nursing or physical therapy, but I'm not entirely certain whether or not I would be well suited for the job. I would prefer to be a teacher, but they just don't get paid as much as they deserve. Serious answers only please.

If you really like to teach, physical therapy might suit you well. We are constantly teaching our patients how they can better their health. Educating the patient is about 50% of my job.

It might also help you to take the Meyers-briggs personality inventory (your guidance counselor probably offers it)...it does a good job of highlighting how you learn, how you thrive, etc.

...as a note...many PTs fall in the category of "the teacher" when taking the Meyers-Briggs...myself included.

Happiness should be more important than money. Wouldn't you'd rather go to school to be a teacher and truly enjoy your career and look forward to getting up each day as opposed to going to school and becoming a nurse and doing something that you don't enjoy just because the paycheck is more? I mean, you're going to be working for the next say 40 years. You might as well be doing something you enjoy. Money isn't everything....as long as you can pay your bills and have a little extra. You spend so much of your life working.

One thing you could do though is volunteer in a hospital and you'll get some experience in working in a hospital.

I work in the health care field. I am not a nurse, but at times I work with nurses, and they have to put up with a lot of crap. If you want to be a nurse you have to be able to work well with people and work in a lot of icky situations. If you are really serious you should volunteer at your local hospital or continuing care center to get a feel for nursing and to see what kind of things they go through.(Sorry, don't know much about physical therapists.)
Don't pick nursing just because it makes money. If you really want to be a teacher and that is where your heart lies than I say go for it. You will be much happier if you choose something that you like to do.

you have to have the I want to really really help people kind of personality. I know I sure and the heck think Nurses are underpaid for most of the stuff they deal with. I used to work in a hospital and I loved taking to others in the medical professtion but I found there is a ton of other things that pay just as good with less school to do. Like X-Ray Techs. They make just as much get just as many if more hours and well most chances are you get a hire on pay that is well over the 10 grand amount. Then there is Sleep lab you make well over the other professions and you just have to study the books find a place that will hire you on as a learning tech (yes its a paid learning job) and then you have so much time to take the state test so you can be paid even more as well as accredited in your job market. I know so many other professions that that is better pay and little college as well as Hospitals that will help you pay for school heck some hospitals help you become a CNA and then pay 80% of your college to become a Nurse without having to pay back ANYTHING....SO look into everything and ask others that work in that field abou thow pay is and what it takes to get into that field.


I want to go back to school So I can be a CT Tech (Four year College). The human body is so wonderful in ways that most people just have no clue about.

Sleep Lab Tech--around 4 grand a month (learn on the job)

Nurse--about 28 an hour amount per month depends on hours per week(4 year Degree)

X-Ray Tech--Around 3 grand a month (2 year degree)

CT Tech--Around 4 grand sometimes more (4 year degree)

CNA--Around 2 grand a month (6-9 months of training)

Pharm Tech--around 2 grand a month (on the job training) This job is a fun job to have.

Transcriptionist--around 3 grand a month (2 year Degree)


I know more but I think that is enough for you to look up and learn more about.

There are so many types of jobs in the medical profession that is great for many types of people and most just dont take the time to see that.

You might want to do volunteer work at a local hospital. Both are admirable professions. Nurses do a lot of patient and family teaching too.

I'm a nurse and I love it. I however would have never become a nurse without teachers!! I agree with the people who say go with what you truly want to do. It's better to make less money and be happy than to make more money and dread going to work every day. You could however, become a nurse and then teach nursing :)