The path you chose at the beginning of your career may not make sense forever. Your goals may have changed, or you may want to do work that feels more meaningful. At the same time, you may wonder how to switch careers without starting over completely. If you feel called to the nursing profession, your past experience and education may offer a new path forward.
How Can You Make a Career Switch Without Starting From Scratch?
Deciding to make a career change can feel like a big leap, especially if you’ve spent years building experience in your current job or industry. It’s important to remember that making a career switch doesn’t necessarily mean starting over from the beginning. Before you make a career change, keep these factors in mind.
Consider Your Strengths
Everyone has unique strengths they can bring to another career, even if you’ve learned those skills doing another job. The key is knowing how your skills can transfer into a new role.
For example, if you’re currently a teacher, you know how to explain complex information in a way people can understand. You can use this transferable skill in a second career as a nurse, where you may educate patients about treatment plans or ongoing care.
Explore Related Careers
Sometimes, moving into a meaningful career doesn’t need to be a drastic change. There may be opportunities within your current role or industry that allow you to stretch your capabilities and feel more fulfilled. A related career in the same industry or with a different company may give you the opportunity to use your talents in a new and exciting way.
Know What Meaningful Work Means to You
Purposeful work means something different for everyone. You may want to serve your community, or you may want a job that provides a healthy work-life balance. Knowing what matters to you can go a long way in helping you choose a meaningful career that makes you excited to wake up and go to work each day.
Why Make a Career Change to Nursing?
For many people, finding a meaningful career means having an opportunity to help others. If this is your goal, nursing may be the right fit for your next career step. People go into nursing as a second career for many reasons, including these:
- To make a difference in people’s lives: Nurses provide direct, hands-on care to patients. They often provide emotional support to patients and families, including those going through difficult diagnoses or stressful treatments.
- To give back: Some people transition into nursing because of their personal experiences with healthcare. Becoming a nurse offers a way to give back and show the same compassion to others.
- To keep learning and growing: Like other healthcare careers, nursing requires continuing education to stay up-to-date on patient care. The field also offers opportunities to grow through clinical specializations, such as pediatrics or oncology nursing.
How Can You Move Into Nursing Without Starting Over?
While nursing does require education and training, it’s possible to move into this field without starting from scratch. If you have a non-nursing degree, you can look into accelerated programs that allow you to train for this career more quickly.
Bachelor’s Path: BSN
An accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is an option for those who already hold a non-nursing degree. Completing an ABSN program takes anywhere from 11 to 18 months. It can help you prepare to become a registered nurse (RN) and pursue entry-level nursing jobs.
Master’s Path: DEMSN
If you want a graduate-level path to nursing, a direct-entry Master of Science in Nursing (DEMSN) may be right for you. Like a ABSN program, a DEMSN can help you work toward RN licensure. The difference is that a DEMSN also includes graduate-level coursework and training, which can be beneficial if you want to enter the field with a master’s degree and explore specialized roles in the future.
Most DEMSN programs take up to 36 months to complete, but some can be done even sooner. West Coast University’s Direct-Entry Master of Science in Nursing program in Miami can be done in approximately 2 years upon completing the required prerequisites.
Earning a nursing degree is a serious commitment that involves time and effort, but for many, the payoff can be worth it. WCU graduate Jordyn S trusted the journey she was on to pursue a career in healthcare. For her, it felt like a worthwhile investment in a career that has brought her purpose and fulfillment.
“Knowing that I’m going to get to pursue a career doing something that I’m extremely passionate about — that is the thing that reminds me it’s worth it.”
Tips for Making a Career Change to Nursing
If you’re considering a career change to nursing, keep these tips in mind:
- Research educational options. If you have a non-nursing degree, you may be eligible for accelerated nursing pathways, such as a DEMSN program. Research the different options available to you and how long each one would take you to complete.
- Find a program that fits your life. Some nursing programs offer blended learning formats, which combine online coursework with in-person labs and clinicals. These programs may offer the flexibility you need to pursue nursing as a second career.
- Check for prerequisite requirements. Some accelerated programs have required prerequisites, such as anatomy, physiology, and microbiology. Review those requirements before applying and make plans to complete those courses, if you haven’t taken them previously.
- Prepare for an intensive pace. If you enroll in a DEMSN program, you can expect it to move at an accelerated pace. Make sure you’re ready to devote your focus and energy to the program.
Take the Next Step Toward a Nursing Career With WCU
You can make a career change to nursing without starting over from scratch. Even if you don’t have a nursing degree, programs exist to help you make this transition by building on your previous education and experience. A DEMSN program may be the right path to help you train for a nursing career without going back to square one.
At WCU-Miami our Direct-Entry Master of Science in Nursing program is designed for career changers who are ready to transition into this field. The program, available to those with a non-nursing degree, offers a blended format with online coursework and supervised clinical experience, and it can be completed in approximately 2 years.
Are you ready to explore a meaningful career change to nursing? Reach out to schedule an information session today!
WCU provides career guidance and assistance but cannot guarantee employment. The views and opinions expressed are those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or position of the school or of any instructor or student.
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