Having children is something that some people want more than anything, and once they achieve their goal, they are happy to be a parent and take care of those children until such time as they move out on their own. However, in some cases, this might not be possible, or it might not actually be what the parent wants in the end. In some cases, they may need to go back to work or want to go back to work, as well as take care of their kids. Or perhaps they are content to be stay at home parents, but when the children grow up, they realize they will need to do something more to keep them occupied and give their life meaning once more.
No matter what reason you choose to work after having children or at what stage of their childhood – or adulthood – you decide it’s time to do it, there are a variety of different options open to you. It might even be hard to determine exactly what the right choice is.
In this case, why not consider nursing? Nursing is a hugely rewarding career, and a parent will already have many of the skills needed to be an excellent nurse. If you think this might be a good fit for you, keep reading; here are some great reasons to become a nurse after having children.
Nursing Is Open To All
Not all careers are quite as welcoming as nursing, but this sector is open to many different people from all kinds of backgrounds and educational standpoints. This can make it an ideal choice if you’re unsure of what you could be doing but know that you want to do something.
It all starts with the qualifications. You can choose to attend a physical college, but nursing qualifications are also available online. This means you can fit your studies around any other responsibilities you might have to deal with (which could be many if your children are still young) and still obtain the degree you need to move forward and start working in the field of nursing. In some cases, you can even apply for a fast-track course to do your training very quickly. However, you can also spread your learning out over a number of years if need be, allowing you every opportunity to get where you want to go, even if it takes a long time.
However, it should be noted that although anyone can apply to be a nurse, it may not be a career that actually suits everyone, so you’ll need to be aware of this. You’ll have to do a lot of hard work and be a generally caring person who wants to help others. You’ll also have to work shifts and be a good communicator. If you can do all of this, then nursing is something you could enjoy very much.
So Much Choice
Did you know that rather than just one type of nurse, there are many different options when it comes to having a nursing career? You might assume that the word nurse refers to an RN (registered nurse) who will do a little bit of everything that’s needed when it comes to patient care. However, specialist nurses also work in specific departments and do a much more narrow set of tasks.
This is one of the many wonderful things about nursing; there are so many options. Once you obtain your initial degree in nursing, allowing you to work as an RN, you can then decide to specialize once you have gained the relevant experience. You may need to take additional qualifications such as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner program, but again, this can be done at your own pace if need be, so don’t let this put you off achieving the goals you set yourself.
It’s also important to know that there is a lot of potential career progression in nursing if that’s something that appeals. We’ve already mentioned that you can move sideways and become a specialist, but you can also move up. It’s all about the hard work, experience, and study you put in, but you could become a nurse leader or manager over time if that is what you want to do – there really is nothing stopping you.
It’s A Calling
For some, it’s not even really a question of whether or not they should become a nurse after they have had children; it’s something they know for sure. That’s because, for some people, nursing is what is known as a calling. This just means that the person in question feels drawn to nursing and knows it’s the right thing for them to do. This won’t be the case for every nurse, but it will be for some – they will be absolutely sure that nursing is the correct route for them.
If you are someone who has this calling, whether it’s something you have known about since you were a child or it’s a more recent realization, there will be nothing else you can see yourself doing in your working life. The good news is, there are many different avenues to get into nursing and many other options once you have qualified, so no matter whether you need to work part-time at first or you want to be in a particular department such as the ER or a children’s department, you can do it. Your calling can be met, and you can enjoy your work.
You’ll Have Plenty Of Support
If you feel that becoming a nurse a little – or a lot – later on in life is something you want to do, you might be worried that there won’t be very much support for you. This could even put you off the idea altogether since you’ll also be doing plenty of other things, and if you don’t have any support, you might worry that you just won’t be able to add nursing to the list.
The truth is that you won’t ever be left alone to struggle as a nurse or nursing student. There will always be someone there for you to help, someone to ask questions of, someone to guide you in the right direction and offer plenty of advice. You won’t ever have to be concerned that you’re doing the wrong thing because there will be mentors and helpers to keep you on the right track.
These helpers come from a variety of different sources. Some will be family and friends, and these are ideal as they will continue to motivate you and boost you up. Others will be fellow students. Still, more will be tutors and mentors. You can find them in your house, on your course, and even online as total strangers in groups and forums. Help is everywhere, and if you need it, ask for it; it will make you a better nurse in the end.
Every Day Is Different
When your work – or even your life – is the same every day with absolutely no variation, or at least not enough to make much of a difference, you will become bored. Even if you love routine, you will still become bored. Some people are able to combat this will hobbies and taking part in events and so on, but if you are unable to do this because you are taking care of children, then you will need a job that challenges you and that, ideally, is different every day.
Nursing fits the bill. Nursing is different every day. Even when you take care of the same patients, their needs will change, and the things you’ll be tasked with will change. Plus, you never know which patients are going to need what, and you’ll never know what’s around the corner – new patients will arrive all the time, and you’ll need to take care of them too.
Plus, the fact that you will work shifts will make things different too. A day shift is likely to be quite different from a night shift, for example. A weekend could be different from a weekday. This makes nursing an exciting job that offers you plenty of chances to think on your feet and be challenged. When you get home, you can fall into a routine with your children and partner and use this time to relax, ensuring you are ready to start again the next time you are working. You’ll certainly never get bored as a nurse.
You Will Make A Difference
There is one important thing that you must not forget when you’re a nurse; you will make a difference, and you will do so every single day. The patients you are taking care of will be hurt, unwell, and scared a lot of the time. Without compassionate nurses to help them, they will stay like that, and potentially this will mean they are sicker for longer since being mentally well has a significant bearing on physical health too.
Not only this, but you will make a difference to yourself as well. You’ll become something you have always wanted to be, you’ll be helping others, and you’ll be able to do something just for you, which is not something parents find easy a lot of the time.
|
