Nursing vs. X-ray Tech, which is a better field?

[LuvingLife]

I am a having a little bit of a dilema here trying to decide whether or not I should go into the nursing field or the X-ray tech field. When I have my own kids I would like to homeschool them, (kind of like what Stephanie has posted about), so I don't want to deal with a lot of schooling or anything like that. I would like to work in the NICU, become a Midwife, or and X-ray Tech because these do not require a lot of schooling and I can work part time for some extra income while homeschooling my kids. Then once my kids are done homeschooling I would like to go back to work full time and save and travel across the US in a motor home:D.

 

Now I don't know what the future holds for me concerning homeschooling my kids or anything, but I do know I want to go into the medical field and not have to worry about huge debts or anything like that. I like neonatal nursing because I just love helping take care of little babies and trying to help them recover. And I like midwifery because I just love helping bring a beautiful new child into the world. Then there is X-ray Tech and I would enjoy that kind of work as well. Which one sounds like a good field to choose, I like them all, but I am a little unsure of which would be the field for me.

 

TIA!:)

[wapiti]

You know, I think I misunderstood your post. I apologize. (It wasn't clear to me whether you're trying to avoid the debt of a BA/BS or avoid the debt of grad school).

Edited August 15, 2011 by wapiti

[Deniseibase]

Obviously you have to take a lot of factors into account, but one thing you might want to consider is scheduling.

 

If you become a midwife, you are ALWAYS on call. That could make homeschooling your own kids pretty difficult, especially in the early years before they are able to work in any sort of independent way.

If you become an X-ray tech or a nurse, you can have a regular schedule, and those night and weekend shifts that are so undesirable to everyone else can look pretty good when you are trying to maximize your time home with kids during the week! :) My sister is a NICU nurse, she works three weekend overnights every week and makes as much money as she would working five daytime during the week shifts. Of course she is very tired on Mondays! :)

 

Another thing to remember, I don't know about X-ray tech, but nurse & midwife dovetail very nicely. You can start as a nurse when your kids are little and you want a set schedule, and then train to become a certified nurse-midwife when they are a little older, especially if you can get some nursery or maternity nursing experience while you are nursing.

 

One other thing to keep in mind - neonatal nursing is definitely NOT just about helping babies recover. Sometimes there is nothing you can do but make them comfortable and watch them die, or watch them recover just enough to live, but still be facing life with horrible handicaps or in pain. The turnover in that field is extremely high for that reason. Midwifery, too, carries a certain risk of witnessing traumatic events, although fortunately not as much. X-ray techs generally do not have to deal with much of that, unless you work in an ER, you are not likely to be called in just in time to watch someone die. So consider your own emotional resilience in making this decision. It is MUCH better for you and your future patients if you know what you can and can't handle BEFORE you commit yourself.

[LuvingLife]

Obviously you have to take a lot of factors into account, but one thing you might want to consider is scheduling.

 

If you become a midwife, you are ALWAYS on call. That could make homeschooling your own kids pretty difficult, especially in the early years before they are able to work in any sort of independent way.

If you become an X-ray tech or a nurse, you can have a regular schedule, and those night and weekend shifts that are so undesirable to everyone else can look pretty good when you are trying to maximize your time home with kids during the week! :) My sister is a NICU nurse, she works three weekend overnights every week and makes as much money as she would working five daytime during the week shifts. Of course she is very tired on Mondays! :)

 

Another thing to remember, I don't know about X-ray tech, but nurse & midwife dovetail very nicely. You can start as a nurse when your kids are little and you want a set schedule, and then train to become a certified nurse-midwife when they are a little older, especially if you can get some nursery or maternity nursing experience while you are nursing.

 

One other thing to keep in mind - neonatal nursing is definitely NOT just about helping babies recover. Sometimes there is nothing you can do but make them comfortable and watch them die, or watch them recover just enough to live, but still be facing life with horrible handicaps or in pain. The turnover in that field is extremely high for that reason. Midwifery, too, carries a certain risk of witnessing traumatic events, although fortunately not as much. X-ray techs generally do not have to deal with much of that, unless you work in an ER, you are not likely to be called in just in time to watch someone die. So consider your own emotional resilience in making this decision. It is MUCH better for you and your future patients if you know what you can and can't handle BEFORE you commit yourself.

 

You make a lot of very good points, and I know now what I can and can't do with my children when they are younger and older and I am thankful for that information! I know that not all of the babies survive in the NICU, and it is something hard to deal with, but I would like to help them be comfortable before the Lord takes them home. I am good at doing this, I cannot work in the ER, like you said I know my limits, and this is one of them. So if I am to become a nurse or X-ray Tech, no ER work for me! I can't handle this at all. I believe NICU nursing is for me, but I will fall back on X-ray Tech just in case things don't work out.

 

Thank you so much!:)

[LanaTron]

Are you considering work as a non-nurse midwife, or a certified nurse-midwife? I ask, because the training and work conditions can be very different.

 

Non-nurse midwives usually have less "school" involved, so a shorter time of training, and less expense. They only attend out-of-hospital births, and are on call all the time. Some states do not allow non-nurse midwives to practice legally. Non-nurse midwives don't make as much money as their CNM counterparts, especially when it's broken down by hours spent working vs. pay.

 

Certified Nurse-Midwives are master's degree trained, so 6 or more years of school at university--and all the expenses that goes with that. Many CNM programs want you to have worked as a nurse first for at least a few years. They practice legally in all 50 states, but because they are required to have a physician act in a supervisory manner, many only practice in a hospital, as they cannot find a physician willing to act as "back-up" for out-of-hospital births. OTOH, CNMS often work in a practice group with other CNMs or with OB/GYNs, and so have scheduled, rotating call time instead of being on call all the time. CNMs can make very nice salaries.

 

And maybe you already know all that, but it wasn't clear in your OP which route you were considering.

 

FWIW: My step-sister's ex started as an x-ray tech back in the early 90s. He continued to take trainings and earn certifications, eventually getting certified in nuclear medicine. By the early 2000s he was earning a six-figure income. ;)

[lisak]

Another thought to consider, an x-ray tech often works with ER patients. Sometimes they come to the patient in the ER. They have done that with me and other times they have taken me to the x-ray dept. So, if ER makes your stomach flip, you might need to really specialize so it will not be an ER related x-ray.

[LuvingLife]

You know, I think I misunderstood your post. I apologize. (It wasn't clear to me whether you're trying to avoid the debt of a BA/BS or avoid the debt of grad school).

 

That's ok! I have a headache today so my writing might not be as clear as it should be, I am trying to avoid the debt of grad school because I just don't have that kind of money (yet) to pay for it. So I need a job that only requires a maximum of 5 years (AS, or BA).

 

Are you considering work as a non-nurse midwife, or a certified nurse-midwife? I ask, because the training and work conditions can be very different.

 

Non-nurse midwives usually have less "school" involved, so a shorter time of training, and less expense. They only attend out-of-hospital births, and are on call all the time. Some states do not allow non-nurse midwives to practice legally. Non-nurse midwives don't make as much money as their CNM counterparts, especially when it's broken down by hours spent working vs. pay.

 

Certified Nurse-Midwives are master's degree trained, so 6 or more years of school at university--and all the expenses that goes with that. Many CNM programs want you to have worked as a nurse first for at least a few years. They practice legally in all 50 states, but because they are required to have a physician act in a supervisory manner, many only practice in a hospital, as they cannot find a physician willing to act as "back-up" for out-of-hospital births. OTOH, CNMS often work in a practice group with other CNMs or with OB/GYNs, and so have scheduled, rotating call time instead of being on call all the time. CNMs can make very nice salaries.

 

And maybe you already know all that, but it wasn't clear in your OP which route you were considering.

 

FWIW: My step-sister's ex started as an x-ray tech back in the early 90s. He continued to take trainings and earn certifications, eventually getting certified in nuclear medicine. By the early 2000s he was earning a six-figure income. ;)

 

I am considering the CNM route, since non-nurse midwives are pratically illegal, like you stated in your post. I do like the idea of becoming an X-ray Tech and then working my way up into a higher paying field, it isn't as much work as an RN, but I do like both fields, so I will have to see when I start applying to colleges.

 

Another thought to consider, an x-ray tech often works with ER patients. Sometimes they come to the patient in the ER. They have done that with me and other times they have taken me to the x-ray dept. So, if ER makes your stomach flip, you might need to really specialize so it will not be an ER related x-ray.

 

Yes I will be specializing to make sure I don't work in an ER, I can't do it, I just can't!!:tongue_smilie: