You can't go wrong with a nursing degree. I've had a BSN for 18 years now and it has always opened up doors, inside and outside of nursing. There are so many different avenues to pursue, its nearly unlimited.
A BSN is nothing like a computer science degree so its ridiculous to compare, you will always have a job if you want one as long as you have your license to practice. LVNs/LPNs and RNs w/ associate degrees & diplomas will be phased out well before BSNs. But even that is highly unlikely. Although, you see "BSN preferred" a lot more these days. Used to, you never saw that except for management positions.
Yes, its rewarding. Compared to serving drinks for a living? A person who has been a nurse for awhile may not see it that way b/c we have a tendency to become jaded due to a lot of reasons. But send that nurse to serve drinks for a living for awhile and I guarantee you they will have a new found appreciation. Trust me, I lost my license for a period and had to do menial shit like personal train. Whole new appreciation.
You have to have a bachelors in something, so it may as well be worthwhile and stable, as you've learned the hard way by getting a general studies degree. This nurse said he probably wouldn't do it again and mentioned being an attorney. Well, you have to have a bachelors degree to get into law school, might as well be one where you actually learn how to do something and one you can actually make money off of. Versus a history or political science degree. At least you could pick up a few shifts in law school to have some spending cash. No other degree can you do that with. I know of at least 4 BSNs who went to law school and have successful practices, so nothing is stopping him from changing his career path if he regrets his choices.
No, you won't get rich as a regular nurse, but then again there many options. I was a CCRN (ICU) for 6 years, loved it at it first, was totally burnt on it after 6 years. Saw enough death to last a lifetime. Tried nursing management, which I absolutely hated. Managing a bunch of neurotic bitches is not fun or rewarding. Owned my own physical rehab clinic for awhile, sold it, went into pharmaceutical sales for awhile. Which my nursing degree gave me an edge up on others applying. Sales was good money, but very unrewarding otherwise. Lost my license, long story, had to do menial shit like I said. Very hard to get lesser jobs with a BSN b/c they know something is wrong with you otherwise you wouldn't be coming to them for a job. Got my license back, had a whole new appreciation for my profession. Got my MBA during that time, started in pharmaceutical research. Became certified in research (CCRA). Learned the business, partnered with a doctor and started my own business conducting clinical drug trials on contract from major pharmaceutical companies. Last year I made 4 times what a typical RN makes, twice as much as most CRNAs. Except for my fuck ups, nothing I have done would have been possible without having a BSN. Not saying this to boast b/c trust me I gained a lot of humility when I fucked up and lost my license, but to make the point, like most things in life, it is what you make of it.
Sure you could sit in a hospital your whole life, working 12s, wiping shit as more and more tech jobs are cut, getting paid by the hour dealing with all the bullshit that is nursing and you will more than likely end up completely miserable. Or, you could use your education and hospital experience as a stepping stone and pursue any number of nearly endless possibilities.
Travel nursing is dying as we speak, nothing like it used to be and its only going to get worse for travelers, trust me those days are about to be over for good. Starting salaries others have stated are correct. Radiology techs, respiratory techs, are lesser jobs and extremely boring, with almost no options outside of your specific training. PharmD is a good option as others have mentioned, with options outside of filling pill bottles for living, with a starting salary over 100k filling pill bottles for a living (boring!). But you'll have organic chem, calculus, etc., much more difficult pre-reqs than nursing. And you'll need a much higher GPA to get into a pharm program vs. nursing. And its a 6 year program now.
All that being said, nursing is definitely not for everyone. But, if after 30 years of life you don't know yourself well enough to assess whether it fits your personality, then certainly no one else will be able to guide you with that part of your decision.
Rex.
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