Are these good fields to go in to?

Question

I've been considering going into either massage therapy or nursing when I graduate from high school, but I've heard some negatives for both jobs. For example, massage therapy can be physically demanding and can cause carpotunnel.

But with nursing, the hours are hard, and its physically and mentally exhausting.

What to people who have, or experienced, these carreers think about them?

Answer 1

The answers above are basically all coreect except that they seem to stress the BSN nursing program. There is also an associates degree nursing program. Though technically possible to complete in 2 years, as most programs are very competitive they are usually asking for the prerequsities to be taken before the course, instead of during, which used to be common. Due to this most associates degree programs take 3 years.

As far as working, many nurses work an 8 hour shift, this is no different than most other jobs, some work 12 hour shifts but also get more days off. Where you usually see the people complaining is when they work the 12 hour shifts at one facility, and then pick up a couple of additional shifts at other places to make more money. You may end up working 11p - 7a but some people like that shift, because the patients are generally asleep and the work is mostly administrative where the 7a-3p and 3p-11p shifts have more technical work added to the admin work.

Many nurses go on for additional degrees and become nurse anesthetist or nurse practitioners. A nurse practitioner sees patients in a medical clinic for their day and goes home (much like you see with your family doctor)

Massage therapy has a much less intensive schooling process, it can be very repetitive, and as you mentioned there are issues with repetitive stress injuries (such as carpal tunnel syndrome)

I have been in nursing in one form or another for over 30 years, and have never been bored, I have never had any problem seeking employment or paying my bills. My wife is an RN an with just the basic BSN she makes almost $70,000 a year working mostly 40 hour weeks.

As a note, I know a lady here in town, who is a CMT, she is also an RN. She tried to make a living as a CMT only but now works full time as an RN and only does occasional massages because she could not make enough as a CMT.

Answer 2

I'm not a nurse, but my wife is a nurse with a masters degree in nursing. In addition I worked at a university hospital for over twenty years. So I have some ideas about a nursing career.

Advantages of a nursing career:

1) you can get a four-year nursing degree. After that you'll make $50 or $60 thousand per year with benefits with a little overtime. That is unheard of with most other four year degrees.

2) with a nursing degree there are many different specialties you can go into -- hospital nursing, both adult and pediatric, operating room, clinic, public health, long term care, and so on. The career variety available to nurses is impressive.

3) at first, nursing jobs are physically demanding, but as you develop in your career you can go into management, medical sales, teaching, and so on. Or, you can specialize in wound care, research, oncology, etc. In other words, the nursing career path is extremely flexible, and offers many opportunities.

4) nurses are in demand around the country. Wherever you go, nurses are in demand.

5) a nursing career offers a great deal of flexibility. You can work part time or full time. You can have a couple of kids and drop back in to the workforce. Not many careers offer that kind of flexibility.

In summary, if you want a career that is in demand, has good compensation, is flexible, and interesting, nursing is a good way to go.

Best wishes.

Answer 3

Nursing vs. massage therapy??? Those are two completly different things!!! Massage therapy is like a two day degree, nursing school is four years. It's impossible to say which is "better". It depends on you. Massage therapy requires that you build your own practice, you are your own boss. Nursing you will most likely be at a hospital (or doctors office) and you will be working for somebody else who will be making your hours. It is pretty much apples and oranges.

Good luck!

Answer 4

Apparently everyone who has answered knows much more about nursing than massage.

Massage and Nursing are related in that they are both 'helping' professions.

Both of these types of careers focus around touching people in some way to have them feel better.

Nursing often happens in the hospital or doctor's offices. You are on your feet a lot. You are around sick/ill people often.

Massage, you can either work for a doctor, spa, health center, or be your own boss.

It's always nice to be your own boss of course because you can set your own hours, etc.

There are many different styles of massage to choose from as well. The poster above who said that massage school is repetitive either never went or went 30 years ago.

There is SO MUCH to learn about the body as a massage therapist!

And Carpal Tunnel isn't a worry AT ALL if you know the right exercises and stretches to perform on yourself daily/weekly...

You tend to earn more money if you work for yourself.

Spas don't pay a lot of money, however a cushy gig with a doctor could get you some very nice income.

I'd much rather go to massage therapy school for 10 - 18 months and earn $60,000 than attend a 4 year program and struggle for the same.

As a massage therapist, you also don't have to have a doctor ordering you around to be his personal lackey.

You actually get to assist someone in healing naturally, without any drugs.

Also with massage, you're not around so many sick people.

You are around people who want to feel better, around people who are already wisely conscious about their health and bodies.

Totally different environment. :-)

All depends on what your motives and missions are for either career.

They both sound great, really. I'm not dissin Nursing at all.

Just showing you that there are more than just one side. :-)

Answer 5

I'm a retired RN. I loved being a nurse. I never had any trouble finding a job, and the pay is much better than you would ever achieve as a massage therapist. It's a lot of hard work, and it wasn't easy getting my BS. But it was all worth it.

Answer 6

Nursing is definitely the way to go. There are so very many things that you can do with nursing credentials that you can use to help someone else. You'll never want to do anything else.

Answer 7

Go for nursing...