Is it worth becoming a vet tech or a nurse?

[SillyChicken]

What about physical therapy or home care?

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Quote:
X2... here you will never make good money as a vet tech, no matter how much education you have. That's why I don't to it anymore. I made more money selling furniture.

 

[perolane]

If you're simply looking for high pay, just google "highest paying careers" & pick one from the list. You may not be happy, but you'll be well paid.

If you're looking for work that you'll be happy doing...then follow your heart. You may not get paid quite as much, but then you won't dread going to work everyday. There are numerous career aptitude tests online that you can take to help determine a career that you are suited for.

This decision should be yours....your DH is not the one who will have to put in the hours at a place where you'll be miserable & just waiting for the shift to end.

I work as a vet tech/animal care manager at a safari park. I am well compensated for my time. On a good day, the only people I have to deal with are the owners, which is trying at times...but I have limited interaction with the public which is fine with me! I'm there for the animals..excellant pay is a bonus to me!

 

[reveriereptile]

I've been thinking more about what I want to do and did more research the last few days. I looked around on job sites to see what types of jobs around this area were in demand that also paid well and most of them are nursing related. I talked with different relatives around here about the two and they said I would be better taking the nursing due to more jobs being available, guaranteed benefits, and retirement. I looked into the college requirements for both and I went to High School in a different state that didn't have regents which makes it hard to tell what I will need plus I've been out of HS for 8 years. I will probably have to take some classes before I can take either course. I didn't take biology in HS which I will need. I'll probably have to go to college for three years to get a two year degree. When going through the costs of going and the time it will take to get the degree I realized it would be better for me to take the nursing. I don't know if I qualify for finanical aid but to go to college for three years I would definitely want to have some good income coming in to make it worth the time spent going. With my husband also having relatives that are nurses in the family they said they would help me get a job and get accepted into the college. One thing I was wanting to know after leaning more towards nursing is what is the different between having an A.S. degree or a B.S. degree? I know usually having a higher degree helps but what other job oppertunities would I have if I get a B.S. degree? I was trying to look it up earlier but had one of those google redirect viruses that kept taking me to ad links. Took me over 2 hours to find a program to remove it and then needed my BYC fix.

 

[Mattemma]

Nursing is a great option,but if it is not what you want you should avoid it.There are positions in nursing than have less people contact.I remember nurses doing loads of paperwork in addition to patient care at nursing homes. My only issue with nursing is the mandated vaccines otherwise I would recommend it to my kids.

For vet tech check out your local hiring and see what is being offered. I have seen techs hired at posh animal daycares!

Pharmacy tech is another 2 year schooling option.

While the money is important you want to head into something that you will enjoy doing everyday.Don't have to LOVE it,but atleast enjoy it. Just remember that once you are doing your *job* there is no shame in saying you don't like it,and looking into other options. I was just telling my kids the other day that the days of staying at one job till retirement is quite rare these days.

You could get an LPN in under 2 years and give it a try.Them if you like it you can go on to get an RN.Some places allow some online schooling to get the RN.

Do you like driving? Dh says he sees a lot of young people driving truck these days.Women are getting into it!

 

[claud]

Try to be open-minded about nursing. Shyness isn't really a problem - are you a nurturing type of person? That I think is more important. If you decide it is not for you then look for something else. As a nurse you will never be without a job and should make decent money depending on what kind of nurse you are.

I'm not the nurturing type so nursing was out for me. I became a Medical Technologist(Clinical Laboratory Scientist). Lots of job security and pay is similar to an RN. Unfortunately, it is 5 years of gruelling school/clinical work. But there are MLTs(Medical Laboratory Technicians) that have Associates degrees. They make about half of what a MT makes. Are you interested in science - Biology/Chemistry? You could check into that.

Vet techs around here don't make a lot of money.

Good luck!

 

[reveriereptile]

Thanks for the information. I'll have to check out the Medical Laboratory Technician. I would like to do something that is only going to be a two year degree since it will take me 3 years to complete it due to needing other classes beforehand. I know there are other positions in certain areas like the MLT mentioned but I don't know what ones or what they are called that only need a AS degree.

 

[PineappleMama]

Research research research. Then add in your gut feeling. Do NOT let anyone else dictate, not even DH... true a lot of marriages end due to financial stress, but a lot end because people are stressed, depressed, or just plain suck at their jobs and they bring all that home. Money IS a factor, no doubt, but don't let that be the only deciding factor. Especially when you are not in any way guaranteed a job even with credentials. True, plenty of jobs in the country, but not always in your backyard. Having to drive hour+, then work 12 hours, an hour back... and doing something you don't just LOVE to bits... well you have to decide if that extra cash (that you won't have time to enjoy) is worth it.

I've never even considered being a nurse, not after seeing what they do. Like others said, it's a calling. And any who don't have that calling are only going to torture themselves, and sadly quite often the patients, coworkers, families, etc that they meet daily too. I know I don't have the patience for the red tape, the biohazard goop, the back breaking work, the sorrow... I just couldn't handle it. I know it and am not ashamed to admit it because all the good class grades in the world aren't going to help a person in pain or the one holding their hand and that's what it's about to me. If you don't have the stomach for it, 110%, then don't jump into it. But for those that do, you make an incredible contribution to the world and deserve our thanks (and better pay)!

So, again... RESEARCH and then trust your gut.

 

[Rozzie]

Another suggestion is to make an appointment with the career counselors at your local community college. They can usually administer aptitude tests to help you determine your strengths and weaknesses. People often come up with career ideas that they have never thought about before. They also sometimes find that the very field they were considering is something that tests show are completely unsuitable for them. This doesn't mean they CANNOT do it, but it means that they will have extra obstacles to overcome or that they may end up not liking that field as much as they thought that they would.

I can't tell you how many young adults I've talked to who struggle with basic math and science but want to go into nursing. I've had students who told me they HATE science but want to be a nurse. Turns out that someone ELSE really wanted them to be a nurse or it was one of only a half dozen careers they were familiar with that are stereotypically female careers. I have to remind students that moving a decimal point one place in the wrong direction can kill someone when figuring dosages and that hating science (and doing badly in it) means less of a chance of doing well in this as a career.

Many nursing programs are also VERY selective and won't even consider you without you having already completed certain coursework with a certain GPA. This is something else to consider. I've seen many a student whose GPA just didn't make the cut.

Edited to add: Radiology programs are typically EXTREMELY selective, too. Generally, MANY students apply for each open slot.

 

[Wifezilla]

Doing something that your husband tells you to do just to make money is a fast train to miserable.

You might not get rich as a vet tech, but if you dread going to work every day is that extra money worth it??

I love my hubby dearly, but if he ever told me to get a different degree to make more money, he would be sleeping out in the garage.

Do what you love. Being an $8/hour vet tech beats the pants off of an $8/hour Walmart job.