knowing what you know now would you choose the same career path?

[Spinneret]

yes for myself

 

[TippyThomas]

My options were pretty limited so, yes, I would.

 

[tvguy]

I married a co-worker so my career path and personal life are joined at the hip. So yes.

 

[leebee]

Nope. I should have been a doctor or a nurse. I let my mother talk me out of pre-med and when I was in college, a LOT of nursing was bedpans and back rubs. If nurses did then what they do now, I definitely would have gone into nursing.

 

[MamaMermaid]

Ehh... undecided. I like my schedule with teaching but the stress can be just too much some days.

Is it possible to be born a trust fund baby instead?

 

[starry_solo]

yes

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

NO.
I should have chose designing whether interior or landscaping or corporate design. I definetly missed a calling!
That being said, retirement is awesome. I haven't worked in over 3.5 yrs and I love the freedom.

 

[luvnwdwgal]

I wish I had had a chance to choose a career path. I got married at 19 and pregnant 4 months later and then my life was pretty much written out for me. Not what I had expected at all.

 

[Boopuff]

No. no. Teaching has been such a roller coaster. Covid really put the nail in the coffin for me. District didn't appreciate what we were doing with online classes, then expecting on line/in person at the same time... and don't get me started with testing and common core. I think if I did it over, I'd be a travel agent.

 

[ronandannette]

I didn't choose this one; it kind of just evolved around me. If I had it to do all over again (which at my age, I don't), there's NO WAY in h-e-double hockeysticks I'd be in the same career.

 

[CdnCarrie]

Absolutely! Love my profession and job!

 

[NannyBeBe]

No. I would have chosen my own path in life (working with dogs and cats), instead of allowing my mother to choose my career, which I never enjoyed even though I was good at it.

 

[Praying Colonel]

Yes, except I would've stayed in the military instead of leaving active duty and returning as a GS civilian. I could've retired from the military 15 years ago and be working on retirement #2.

 

[footballmouse]

No, I would have chosen something that pays better.

 

[sky13]

I don't really know, to be honest. Leaning towards yes - I enjoy my job (most of the time!) and can see myself doing this for a while.

But there is occasionally a bit of a sense of "what might have been" - in that I think my life would have turned out very differently if I had chose another career path. Could have been for the better, or for the worse, but different for sure!

 

[wvjules]

Yes, but I would have started earlier.

 

[dizneegirl]

Yup.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Yes

Nope. I should have been a doctor or a nurse. I let my mother talk me out of pre-med and when I was in college, a LOT of nursing was bedpans and back rubs. If nurses did then what they do now, I definitely would have gone into nursing.

Interesting observation. That’s not all of what professional nursing was about back then, either, but I guess that was the public’s perception, as it still may be now. I will share a story with you. I was visiting a US Navy boat one day and saw a display of nurse’s uniforms from WWII. I get emotional about WWII anyway, as my father was a veteran with lifelong PTSD from that war. But all I could do was stand there with tears streaming down my face, knowing how tough the nurses who wore those uniforms’ jobs were, and understanding the kinship in that we all still do some of the same things today - the same things that nurses have ALWAYS done, from the time of Florence Nightingale, which is to care for the whole person! Does that include bedpans and back rubs? Sure it does, if that’s what’s necessary to care for someone. But there are so many other facets to care. Patients need skill, advocacy, teaching, compassion, hope, and understanding, and all those things that each nurse has to figure out specific to each patient. It’s a big challenge. But if you enjoy working with and helping people, it’s always been a great field to go into. Tough, but great. Not everyone can deal with all the difficulties that come along with it, and those people probably shouldn’t do it. But there is really so much more.

A wise older nurse once told me that saying all nurses do is empty bedpans is like saying all a mother does is change diapers. If one opens their eyes and their hearts to it, it’s actually endless. That’s sometimes hard to put your finger on (though nurses know it as the Nursing Process), and the rewards can definitely be great - and I am not talking just pay (which traditionally was horrible). It really is about helping and caring for others and the rewards that come with that.

 

[leebee]

Yes


Interesting observation. That’s not all of what professional nursing was about back then, either, but I guess that was the public’s perception, as it still may be now. I will share a story with you. I was visiting a US Navy boat one day and saw a display of nurse’s uniforms from WWII. I get emotional about WWII anyway, as my father was a veteran with lifelong PTSD from that war. But all I could do was stand there with tears streaming down my face, knowing how tough the nurses who wore those uniforms’ jobs were, and understanding the kinship in that we all still do some of the same things today - the same things that nurses have ALWAYS done, from the time of Florence Nightingale, which is to care for the whole person! Does that include bedpans and back rubs? Sure it does, if that’s what’s necessary to care for someone. But there are so many other facets to care. Patients need skill, advocacy, teaching, compassion, hope, and understanding, and all those things that each nurse has to figure out specific to each patient. It’s a big challenge. But if you enjoy working with and helping people, it’s always been a great field to go into. Tough, but great. Not everyone can deal with all the difficulties that come along with it, and those people probably shouldn’t do it. But there is really so much more.

A wise older nurse once told me that saying all nurses do is empty bedpans is like saying all a mother does is change diapers. If one opens their eyes and their hearts to it, it’s actually endless. That’s sometimes hard to put your finger on (though nurses know it as the Nursing Process), and the rewards can definitely be great - and I am not talking just pay (which traditionally was horrible). It really is about helping and caring for others and the rewards that come with that.

I am sorry as I realize how demeaning I sounded- and I didn't mean to be, that was actually a phrase used by a nurse-friend that has stuck with me. My grandfather was a GP and he was the one providing a lot of insight and counsel at the time. I am in awe of the nurses of today. They are the front line of medical care and literally and figuratively kept us both alive when DH was drastically ill. I find the scientific/technical aspects of the job fascinating, and would love to be able to do that. None of that was part of nursing in the early 70s, as far as I could see, even after shadowing several nurses my grandfather knew. What I saw at the time was a job that was mostly care and comfort; nursing is so much more than that, now- at least what I've seen from several hospitalizations, some quite complicated and extended, in the past 10 years. Today I am in awe of nurses, their depth of knowledge, their responsibility, and, yes, their compassion.

 

[WDWEPCOT]

A thousand times over NO - things happened in my life and I didn’t get a choice I know someone will say you always have a choice but no I didn’t I wish I had to do all over again I would’ve made other decisions before the events happened and had a totally different life But it is what it is - it took me over 35 years to find what I have now and at times it’s frustrating is all get out but the other side of it provides so many freedoms and I get to work from home and not be micro managed- my boss can be the most generous person on the planet and at other times the most evil person you’ll ever meet in your life it’s crazy I’m just counting down till retirement got a few more years to go !!