which major will be more useful?

[minkydog]

I'm having a trouble deciding what I want to be when I grow up I'm almost 50 and I have the opportunity to go back to college in the fall. I was thinking about taking Spanish, since I live in a state with a fast-growing Hispanic population. I have BS in education, an AD in nursing, and 29 yrs experience as a nurse. I *could* go for an RN-to-MSN program which would take about 3yrs and I'd end up as a Nurse Practioner. That is, if I can remain commited to the commute, etc. If I was going to be a NP I would want to work with underserved populations, in the mountains or in rural districts. The Spanish classes would probably pay off quicker because I could begin using that within a year( as soon as I get a bit fluent). Being bilingual would definitely give me an edge in this market.
My employer will pay part of my education either way.

I seem to be stuck without a clear vision of what to do...Any NPs out there with advice? Would you do it again?

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

I'm not in nursing, but I do have a very good friend who recently had to make a similar decision to yours. She went with the Spanish program, and it's been really helpful for her. She's had more job opportunities because she's now bi-lingual, and she's found it to be very helpful in many other settings as well.

Good luck in your process - I hope you have fun with your classes whichever way you decide!

Oh, and thank you for being in nursing. I really admire people who serve us all in this way. I know I can't do it, and I appreciate everyone who does!

 

[Crankyshank]

I would go for the NP and get a copy of Rosetta Stone spanish software or something similar to learn conversational Spanish on your own. I know several people who used Rosetta stone to learn a language and learned very quickly.

 

[ilovepcot]

Another RN here. You've got a wonderful background and, obviously, great experience. I say *go!* for the NP. You could really give so much to a community.

 

[PrincessKitty1]

Do you *want* to go to school for 3 years and be a Nurse Practitioner? To me, your post sounds like you'd rather just learn Spanish. I think you should do what you WANT to do (see, I'm almost 50, too! ), not what you think you SHOULD do.

 

[damom2daboyz]

Another RN here too and I have been looking into doing Legal Consulting. You must have a wealth of experience and knowledge that would be beneficial to any legal counsel.

On the flip side, I have a DF who is finishing up here NP and it has been a long road to haul for her. She had a BS in Science and Nursing and she says that the NP program, for her, has been the most consuming. She has even stated that given the opportunity she doesn't know that she would do it again.

How about a CRNA program? I realize that you would need a BS in nsg but there may be a bridge program to achieve that and then 18 months of the actual anesthesia program.

Hope this helps. Best of luck in whatever you decide, I'm sure you'll be wonderful.

Debbie

 

[onyx8]

Can you go for the NP and take some Spanish classes as electives?