Nursing Vs Truck Driving

Continued

The point in all of this is that it is a job/career. You do what you can to do your best most of the time. Nobody goes to work to do a lousy job, though burn-out can set in and this affects one’s attitude, and thus performance. Nursing is a high burn-out career due in large part to the lack of support for nurses. A study was done that indicated a nurse has upwards of 1000 momentum interruptions per shift. If you are the type that likes interruptions, great. If not, this may not me a good fit. But there are many factors that go into making a decision for a career.

As for trucking, I am considering going back to it; OTR. The kids are grown, and I always enjoyed the generally peaceful aspect and fairly low stress. On the other hand, living in a truck is less than an ideal way to live. Also, with new safety regs and point system, DOT has made it difficult to make a long-term job out of this industry that once was very lucrative. Right or wrong, good or bad, it is how I see it.

Here is the thing: we all want to improve our circumstances and eagerly seek that path that seems a good way to make it happen. However, we never know without getting there and seeing for ourselves. Too many times, people rely on perception to make a choice rather than facts, because the former is readily available and the latter, rarely.

I have worked at both ends of the stress continuum. There are ups and downs to all jobs, as you know. Most will not make any of us rich. They are a means to an end and we make a living. However, some have the illusion of security, satisfaction, high pay and so forth, but will slowly suck the very soul right out of you.

For many of us, a job is a job is a job. Some are better for a while because it is fresh and exciting, but generally become routine and we can get complacent. I question phrases like “the best” of anything, though Nursing does have more options than trucking, in IMO. When one is struggling with whether to seek something else, then the question has already been answered. Seek it. The realities of life can be prohibitive in actually perusing it, however. I went into nursing with the understanding that I would continue for as long as it made sense. It no longer does for me and I’ve got another 12 years to your 65 mark.

In regard to your asthma, there are cleaning chemicals used in the hospital that can exacerbate. And your being an introvert? Nursing will change you in so many ways you necessity.

Hope this helps. PM me if you want. I’d be happy to discuss it further. If you decide to get into nursing, I’d be happy to answer any questions.

Good Luck.

Daniel H makes some great points. Why put off what one enjoys until retirement; it may not come to you.

Brett writes to lifestyle. Another excellent point. What one is willing to put up with in their 30s-40s is entirely different than in 50s. I mentioned travel nursing earlier. This can be a good alternative providing the freedom to change your locale after each contract and you are able experience other parts of the county. However, the market is not in demand like it used to be, and many of the travel/high paying jobs are in places that can’t maintain personnel. There is a reason for that. If the attitude is to just go in and do your job the best you can as a means to enjoying the traveling aspect then it could be good. A word of caution though. Many of these jobs require night shifts and mandatory OT. This can be good for the checking acct but how much are you going to be able to do in your off time besides sleep and recover from the week.

Starcar suggests the 2nd year is mostly OJT. That was not the case for me. The clinicals are more intense and you are left on your own to handle things. A very sketchy feeling. Kinda like OK, you’ve seen a truck and read the manual, now take this load to Manhattan, though not in the snow. Additionally, this with the increased level of studies. The whole program is intense. And if you concurrently work, it is almost unmanageable. And mentorship? There was a saying the nurses eat their own, though some are very good. The dichotomy of patient safety and reality never ceases to amaze.

Neil R what do you mean by heaps of money? Am I in the wrong place? Areas like NY and CA do make more for the exact same job, I have considered licensing in CA. They are Union and not part of the Compact states, unfortunately. I hear you on having to suck it up, though. Ummm, “raping elderly women”?

Suffice it to say, if you're going to get into trucking or nursing you have to realize it takes a ton of dedication and sacrifice. It also means putting up with a lot of challenges every day of your life. If you're not into it or not really up for the challenge, you're not going to last long.

In reply to all here. I have my BSN. Nothing more is paid for this. I really love helping people. I have saved a lot of lives. I have comforted family of the dying. I have helped the addict who chose to get clean through some bad withdrawals. I have comforted the parents of a dead child. I have rejoiced with the young couple who find out they are pregnant. I have reminisced with the WWII veteran. I have listened while the Vietnam veteran have told me their harrowing tales of survival. I have medicated those guys returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. I have listened to the many tales of the elderly and all they have contributed to our great nation. I have dressed the wounds of the beaten wife. I have driven patients home because they couldn't afford a taxi. I have the reassured the abused teenager they don't have to be beaten and sexually abused by the people that brought them into this world any more. I have held the hand of the dying till they passed so they wouldn't be alone at the moment of their death. And I have laughed alot.

Dedication....I think I have that. Now it's time to look at the window and take each sunset, sunrise, snow storm, torrential rain, hurricane winds (driven through them), in stride. Focus on the good and hope the bullish*t passes in a timely manner. And laugh a lot. My 6 cents.

The song of the unsung hero. Neil, you are.

Welcome aboard Fuzzy!

My God what a mountain of awesome information and insights into the choice of careers! I'm just blown away by that - thanks a ton for taking the time to share all that!

Too many times, people rely on perception to make a choice rather than facts, because the former is readily available and the latter, rarely

Very well said. I know in trucking the biggest misconception we are always fighting to clear up is the idea that trucking companies and schools are all lousy. Unfortunately any knucklehead can get online and post anything they like without any facts or the other side of the argument to temper their opinions. So 95% of everything you'll find on the Internet about trucking is negative. A ton of people make the decision to go with a particular school or company based on the idea that they're finding fewer negative opinions about those schools or companies. That's the worst possible way to decide where to go to school or who to work for. So indeed people rarely make decisions based on the proper facts.

Thanks again for sharing that information. Great stuff!

Great views given...