Thanks for your responses John, (and others).

The funny thing here is that I'm currently working in Data Security
for a firm that does EOL IT management. I got into IT in the late
1990s, not with any degrees or formal education, I just clawed my way
into it with determination and talent. I also have a background in
electronics. Obviously none of this makes me a rock star but in my
travels throughout the IT world, I'd say I do pretty good for someone
with just a HS diploma.

Except now I'm kinda burned out. My interest is waning, and I know
that my motivation to stay on top of all the new technology (or old
technologies with new names) will start to erode. It's time for a
change. Also, as I've gotten older, I've developed a desire to want to
help people instead of machines. In my early 20s I thought of trying
to get to medical school to become a doctor, but a lack of self-
confidence talked me out of it. Now that it's too late in the game
for that much schooling, i'm smacking myself.

Regarding the nursing shortage, I've always been skeptical. I
remember all too much the "CS Degree Shortage in IT" stuff from before
the turn of the century, and how the job market saturated around
2002. Fortunately in that field, there were enough people who could
shake out the real geeks from the goldminers, so I was lucky enough to
be able to stay employed. Most of what I dig up about it makes the
'shortage' seem like hype and b.s.. There are thousands of new
nursing grads that complain about being unable to find a job. I hear
it and read about it all the time, but I try to qualify it with the
fact that I don't know how many of them are unwilling to relocate.
The other thing that affects them is that every opening demands 3-5
years experience. You know- "can't get a job without experience,
can't get experience without a job". Also, I suspect that most of
them feel like they'll go straight from school into a fictitious sit-
com hospital like on the show [scrubs], so they thumb their noses at
nursing homes. I think this is a HUGE mistake. See above chicken/egg
problem.

Regarding specialization, when I envision myself as a nurse, I'm
pretty much a dead ringer for a psych nurse in a mental health
facility, or some combination of nursing and psychiatric care in a VA
Hospital. This isn't a monetary choice, it's what I think I'll
naturally gravitate towards and do the most good as.

I'm willing to relocate when the time comes, but I also understand if
someone wants to stay in the place they grew up.

Interestingly, I wouldn't doubt if after awhile I don't end up
crossbreeding the careers down the line- i.e., developing software or
hardware for the medical industry. But that's a ways off. After some
experience I'd also like to be a travel nurse, but I'm not 100% sure
how the licensing works for that.

Meanwhile, back to studying..

Thanks

-ph

On Oct 29, 9:57*pm, phaeton > wrote:
> Thanks for your responses John, (and others).
>
> The funny thing here is that I'm currently working in Data Security
> for a firm that does EOL IT management. *I got into IT in the late
> 1990s, not with any degrees or formal education, I just clawed my way
> into it with determination and talent. *I also have a background in
> electronics. *Obviously none of this makes me a rock star but in my
> travels throughout the IT world, I'd say I do pretty good for someone
> with just a HS diploma.
>
> Except now I'm kinda burned out. * My interest is waning, and I know
> that my motivation to stay on top of all the new technology (or old
> technologies with new names) will start to erode. *It's time for a
> change. Also, as I've gotten older, I've developed a desire to want to
> help people instead of machines. *In my early 20s I thought of trying
> to get to medical school to become a doctor, but a lack of self-
> confidence talked me out of it. *Now that it's too late in the game
> for that much schooling, i'm smacking myself.
>
> Regarding the nursing shortage, I've always been skeptical. *I
> remember all too much the "CS Degree Shortage in IT" stuff from before
> the turn of the century, and how the job market saturated around
> 2002. *Fortunately in that field, there were enough people who could
> shake out the real geeks from the goldminers, so I was lucky enough to
> be able to stay employed. *Most of what I dig up about it makes the
> 'shortage' seem like hype and b.s.. *There are thousands of new
> nursing grads that complain about being unable to find a job. *I hear
> it and read about it all the time, but I try to qualify it with the
> fact that I don't know how many of them are unwilling to relocate.
> The other thing that affects them is that every opening demands 3-5
> years experience. *You know- "can't get a job without experience,
> can't get experience without a job". *Also, I suspect that most of
> them feel like they'll go straight from school into a fictitious sit-
> com hospital like on the show [scrubs], so they thumb their noses at
> nursing homes. *I think this is a HUGE mistake. *See above chicken/egg
> problem.
>
> Regarding specialization, when I envision myself as a nurse, I'm
> pretty much a dead ringer for a psych nurse in a mental health
> facility, or some combination of nursing and psychiatric care in a VA
> Hospital. *This isn't a monetary choice, it's what I think I'll
> naturally gravitate towards and do the most good as.
>
> I'm willing to relocate when the time comes, but I also understand if
> someone wants to stay in the place they grew up.
>
> Interestingly, I wouldn't doubt if after awhile I don't end up
> crossbreeding the careers down the line- i.e., developing software or
> hardware for the medical industry. *But that's a ways off. *After some
> experience I'd also like to be a travel nurse, but I'm not 100% sure
> how the licensing works for that.
>
> Meanwhile, back to studying..
>
> Thanks
>
> -ph

Cool story, brah.

On 10/29/2011 9:57 PM, phaeton wrote:

> Except now I'm kinda burned out. My interest is waning, and I know
> that my motivation to stay on top of all the new technology (or old
> technologies with new names) will start to erode. It's time for a
> change. Also, as I've gotten older, I've developed a desire to want to
> help people instead of machines. In my early 20s I thought of trying
> to get to medical school to become a doctor, but a lack of self-
> confidence talked me out of it. Now that it's too late in the game
> for that much schooling, i'm smacking myself.

How old are you? I went back to school at 45 and am now just about 49
and still working toward my bachelors in information technology. I too
have been in IT since the late 80s without a college degree and want to
stay in the field so it's time to get that degree. It isn't easy, but
it does challenge me and that's good as you get older.

John,

Sorry if I've started a thread in your name that has turned you into a
lightning rod.

-J

On Oct 30, 11:41*pm, phaeton > wrote:
> John,
>
> Sorry if I've started a thread in your name that has turned you into a
> lightning rod.
>
> -J

No worries J, it's all good.

John Kuthe...

On 31/10/2011 3:16 AM, Cheryl wrote:
> On 10/29/2011 9:57 PM, phaeton wrote:
>
>> Except now I'm kinda burned out. My interest is waning, and I know
>> that my motivation to stay on top of all the new technology (or old
>> technologies with new names) will start to erode. It's time for a
>> change. Also, as I've gotten older, I've developed a desire to want to
>> help people instead of machines. In my early 20s I thought of trying
>> to get to medical school to become a doctor, but a lack of self-
>> confidence talked me out of it. Now that it's too late in the game
>> for that much schooling, i'm smacking myself.
>
> How old are you? I went back to school at 45 and am now just about 49
> and still working toward my bachelors in information technology. I too
> have been in IT since the late 80s without a college degree and want to
> stay in the field so it's time to get that degree. It isn't easy, but it
> does challenge me and that's good as you get older.
>
You are fortunate in that your degree will be in an area in which you
already have a lot of expertise and experience. It would be an entirely
different matter if you went from, say, nursing to IT. Job prospects
would be severely limited in that case.

--

Krypsis

On Sat, 29 Oct 2011 18:57:11 -0700 (PDT), phaeton >
wrote:

>....In my early 20s I thought of trying
>to get to medical school to become a doctor, but a lack of self-
>confidence talked me out of it. Now that it's too late in the game
>for that much schooling, i'm smacking myself.

Have you considered a Physician Assistant (PA) program (www.aapa.org)? With
BS/BA in hand, this can easily be done in two years. Being a PA trained in the
medical model would seem more focussed and up your alley than becoming an RN or
NP (under the nursing model).

I know many ex-military and people with training in other scientific areas,
including CS, who have done this successfully.

-- Larry

On Mon, 31 Oct 2011 10:58:17 -0400, wrote:

> On Sat, 29 Oct 2011 18:57:11 -0700 (PDT), phaeton >
> wrote:
>
> >....In my early 20s I thought of trying
> >to get to medical school to become a doctor, but a lack of self-
> >confidence talked me out of it. Now that it's too late in the game
> >for that much schooling, i'm smacking myself.
>
> Have you considered a Physician Assistant (PA) program (www.aapa.org)? With
> BS/BA in hand, this can easily be done in two years. Being a PA trained in the
> medical model would seem more focussed and up your alley than becoming an RN or
> NP (under the nursing model).
>
> I know many ex-military and people with training in other scientific areas,
> including CS, who have done this successfully.
>
That's a new one on me. Haven't come across Physician Assistants, but
I know about Nurse Practitioners.

--
All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.