I recently had a change of heart about the career path I should take. My grandma was the administrative assistant at Memorial Medical Center. I grew up in a hospital; I knew the employees and they knew me, I knew the different specialties in the medical field, and I learned about all the hidden jobs in hospitals. Being in that environment taught me that I wanted, needed to work in a hospital. The question was where? I spent years fighting obstacles, slaving over textbooks trying to get A's, and working Certified Nursing and Resident Assistant jobs because I thought I wanted to be a nurse. I am no longer pursuing this option.
I got older. I fell in love, moved in, broke-up, and moved out just to move back into the same apartment after he left. You ask why this is important in terms of my career path? I will tell you. I learned things about myself and what I want in life through my relationship. I learned I want to get married, have children, and maybe even a couple puppies! Nine to five started to become more appealing. To be a trauma nurse I would have to live in a hospital for years. That was no longer an option for where I wanted to go in my life.
You may say I could have both. Yes, I could. However, I didn't want my life to be structured that way. I want to watch my kids get on the bus. I want to be the one to pick them up at the day care at five o'clock. I want to have weekends off and go to the farmers market, with a warm latte in my hand and a scarf on to keep warm on cool September mornings. These are all things that seemed unrealistic or at the very least would only happen every so often if I continued on my path to be a nurse.
I started to explore my options. I love people, the medical field, and I now love the idea of nine to five. I chose to create my own major. I designed a major through University of Wisconsin-Superior's interdisciplinary studies program titled Health and Human Resources. I took a combination of science, psychology, and business classes to help me transition from nursing to the behind the scenes office setting in a hospital. I hope to go into Marketing, Human Resources, or Public Relations in a hospital. My ultimate goal is to become the director of one of those three specialties or the president of a hospital.
Wow Marketing, Human Resources, and Public Relations in a hospital would all be great careers! You seem very driven and passionate so I am very confident that you can achieve your goal! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteYou have some pretty amazing aspirations! I too am entering the field of human resources, but on a different level. I plan to work for a corporation, hopefully the one I'm currently employed at. I would like to be a recruiter or area trainer someday. I love the people aspect of HR and I don't mind the paperwork. I enjoy helping people develop and achieve their goals and I like giving people the proper training they need to be as successful as they want to be. Good luck in your ventures and let's hope the HR field, in all aspects, is everything we're hoping for and more!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful set of goals! I had a change of career paths as well. I was sick of working the horrible hours of retail (nights, weekends, holidays), so I stepped down from my management position and went back to school. I too am searching for that 9-5 position so I can be with my family more. Good luck in your journeys and your future career.
ReplyDeleteAspiring to have a 9 to 5 job, or 8 to 4, is normal. Especially if you want a family!
ReplyDeleteMy mother was a CNA when I was young, and she had to be to work at 6am. She'd wake me up at 5 to 5:30am, and I'd go with my aunt to the day care she worked at until it was time for me to go to school. As I got older my mom went to school to become an RN, and while I was in high school she worked the overnight shift. I'd say the overnight shift was worse, as I'd never see my mom. She would sleep up until around 8-9pm, get ready for work, and then leave.
I imagine my mom waited to switch to the night shift, where she could make more money and it was a little bit less stressful since most of the residents were sleeping, until I was old enough to fend for myself. It isn't fun being a nurse and trying to raise children, for the parent or the child. It can be especially stressful if you get mandated and are forced to work a double shift. Who is able to watch your child for you in this case? Do you have a husband who is home, or is he at work too, or are you a single working parent? Do you have a friend who could babysit, or relatives? Would you have to be paying whoever ended up watching your kid(s)?
I will admit I am a bit jealous of the variety of experiences you have had to narrow down what you truly want to do and what will make you happy in a career! Experience in todays work force can be just as important as a degree! I hope everything works out for you!
ReplyDeleteI think that it is admirable that you want to work in hospital despite the fact that nursing is not the best option for you. Though I have considered nursing a few times I have always decided against it for the same reasons as you. I have always dreamed of being a stay-at-home mom. And though that will probably never happen I have decided that I will run my future business out of my home so that I can still be home for my children.
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