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from nursing to massage

by gayle reid
(portland or usa)

I decided to become a nurse on the massage table. And 21 years later, I decided to become a massage therapist on the massage table. Nursing has disappointed me greatly. I feel that all I do is throw pills at people. It's a production line type job. No interaction with pts. After I work as a nurse, I'm so burnt crispy! But being a massage therapy student, when I give a massage, I feel energized! I've suppressed my natural drive so long that I am really in a worm hole of lost feeling. But I persevere and I will graduate soon.

Comments for
from nursing to massage

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Aug 22, 2008
 And I'm tempted to go the other way
by: Joan

After 2 years out of school for massage therapy, and working as full time as I have a client base to at the moment, nursing training is starting to look quite tempting to me.

We had a cancer scare in my household, wherein the major breadwinner in the household was diagnosed and went through surgery. I had been perfectly happy with my progress in building up my practice, but when it hit me that I might become a single parent, I realized that massage just doesn't have the economic stability, at least not how I've figured out how to do it yet.

There's no health insurance, no guaranteed monthly income, no assurance that there will be enough money to pay for groceries and gas and childcare.

I agree that all the nurses I have known have been burnt crispy by the job, but it is a job where you have some chance of making $500 a week or more after withholdings are taken out. That's not an economic threshhold I have managed to hit yet in massage.
May 19, 2008
 Do both!
by: Mrs T

The reality of things is that nursing is a profession that is growing & always has need. Yes, much of it is paperwork & pill pushing, but there are many ways to branch out.
I would suggest that you get training in both areas. Do one first, & while you are working in that, you can go to school for the other. Don't rush. It will take more time.
All professions change with cultural changes. Maybe by the time you get all your training, there will be jobs that don't exist now. But the skills of nursing & massage will always be useful & you can usually make a living.
Best wishes,
Mrs T
Mar 24, 2008
 Makes me wonder...
by: Curious teen

I've read this story thinking that nursing may not be for me. I know theres many types of nursing, but if there is more interaction with people in massage it is definitly something to consider. For one, I've always enjoyed massaging myself and family sometimes.

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