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Should You Choose Nursing as a Second Career?

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Written by Marie Hasty, BSN, RN Content Writer, IntelyCare

A nurse explains to a patient how they pursued nursing as a second career.

It’s not too late to pursue new goals. Nursing as a second career choice can offer fulfillment, stability, and new skills. Plus, nursing professionals are in demand across specialties and work settings, and your non-nursing degree may help you get started faster. If you’re considering becoming a nurse as a second career, let’s go over what to know about your options and whether this path is right for you.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the need for nurses is expected to increase over the next several years — 3% growth is projected for licensed practical nurses, 6% for registered nurses, and a whopping 40% for advanced practice nurses. There’s also a shortage of nurses, so much so that the International Council of Nurses (ICN) has called this issue a global health emergency. By becoming a nurse, you could help patients access essential care while entering an in-demand profession.

Know Your Options: Types of Nursing Professionals

There’s more than one way to be — and become — a nurse. Depending on the type of role you want to have and the degree you choose, your second career in nursing could be as little as a few years away. See our professional breakdown below:

Licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPNs and LVNs): Provide basic nursing care under the supervision of RNs or physicians, often in long-term care or outpatient settings. This role requires completing a state-approved practical nursing program (usually 1 year long) and passing the NCLEX-PN to become licensed. (LPNs are referred to as LVNs in California and Texas.)
Registered nurses (RNs): Assess patient health problems, administer medications, coordinate care, and educate patients and families. RNs must earn either a 2-year associate’s degree (ADN) or a 4-year bachelor’s degree (BSN) in nursing and pass the NCLEX-RN exam for licensure. Learn more about comparing ADN vs. BSN degrees.
Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs): Give high-level care as a nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, nurse anesthetist, or other roles. Work in a range of specialties, sometimes serving as a patient’s primary provider. These RNs hold a master’s or doctoral degree and have advanced clinical training in a specialized area of practice.

The Pros and Cons of Nursing as a Second Career

If you’re considering a career change, you probably want some assurance that you’ll be better off as a nurse than you are in your current role. Every job has good days and bad days, but in general, what benefits and drawbacks can you expect from day to day?

Advantages of nursing as a second career:

Job stability: Nursing is known as a recession-proof career because even when the job market falls, people need nurses. Even with innovations around AI in healthcare, patients still need human nurses for care.
Fulfillment: If you’ve been feeling like you’re not making a difference in your current role, you might be drawn to nursing for the personal satisfaction of helping others. This is called beneficence, and it’s a core ethical principle in nursing.
Schedule: Depending on the work setting, nurses can have a range of schedules, working three days a week, variable shifts, weekends, or even as needed (PRN). Once you’re a nurse, you’ll have the power to choose the right schedule for you.
Skill growth: Nursing skills are valuable across industries. Whether you imagine yourself working with patients in a hospital, seeing them at home, or not working with patients at all, your expertise as a nurse can take you far.
Flexibility: Feeling bored in your current role and not sure how to switch things up? Nurses can change specialties, try working with new populations, or pursue a certification for a career boost. There are many ways to excel in a career as a nurse.

Disadvantages of nursing as a second career:

Schooling commitment and cost: Unfortunately, becoming a nurse isn’t typically fast, easy, or cheap. It requires a serious commitment in terms of tuition and time. Learn whether nursing school is worth it for you.
Physical and mental load: Depending on the work setting, being a nurse can be demanding on your body and mind. You’re constantly making decisions that impact other people, and this can be stressful. If you’re considering a 2nd career, nursing specialties like outpatient medicine, community health, and case management may be less physically demanding.
Staffing issues: As the nursing shortage continues, the strain on working nurses remains. This may mean nurses are caring for more patients and doing more tasks, with less access to resources. These staffing issues can contribute to burnout.

How to Become a Nurse as a Second Career: 5 Steps

Step 1: Choose a Practice Level

Start by deciding what kind of nurse you want to be. LPNs and RNs have different levels of education and different scopes of practice. If you’re interested in advanced roles like nurse practitioner or nurse midwife, you’ll need to become an RN and pursue graduate school.

As you’re investigating your options, you might want to explore clinical settings to see which role is the best fit for you. Did you know you can work as a nursing assistant in many facilities with a high school diploma and a BLS certification? Explore the latest CNA jobs that can help you test whether healthcare might be the right fit for you.

Step 2: Research Degree and Training Programs

Once you’ve chosen a path to nursing as a second career, research accredited programs that fit your goals, timeline, and budget. Nursing programs are structured in a few different ways:

Full-time/part-time: Full-time programs allow you to complete your degree faster, while part-time options offer flexibility if you’re working or managing other responsibilities.
Online/in-person/hybrid: While it’s possible to take nursing classes online, you’ll still need to complete clinical requirements in person. Check out our guide to earning a nursing degree online to learn more.
Accelerated nursing programs: Fast-track programs are designed for students who already hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree and want to earn a BSN or an advanced practice degree in a shorter time frame.
Direct-entry programs: Similar to accelerated degrees, these programs use your previous non-nursing credits towards a bachelor’s or master’s.

Step 3: Complete Application Requirements

Depending on the school, there’s generally a two-step process for getting into nursing school — gaining entry to the main college or university and then getting into the nursing school itself. If your credits are too old to transfer or you need to complete additional credits, you may need to take courses before you can apply.

Each program has its own admissions process, but most will ask for transcripts, prerequisite courses (like anatomy or microbiology), letters of recommendation, and a personal statement. Some schools require entrance exams like the TEAS or HESI. Make a checklist and give yourself enough time to track down documents, schedule exams, and build a strong application.

Step 4: Apply and Enroll in Nursing School

After submitting your applications, review your acceptance offers carefully, and if you don’t get in the first time, don’t give up. Nursing school is notoriously competitive, and just because you got rejected doesn’t mean you won’t be a great nurse someday.

As you’re evaluating options, consider tuition costs and scholarship options, the school’s location, NCLEX pass rates, and support services when making your final decision. Once you’ve chosen a school, complete the enrollment steps to secure your spot.

Step 5: Graduate and Pass the Licensure Exam

After completing your program, the last major step is passing the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX). LPNs take the NCLEX-PN and RNs take the NCLEX-RN. Many schools help students prepare through review sessions or test prep resources. Once you pass and meet your state’s licensing requirements, you’re ready to begin practicing as a nurse.

Nursing as a Second Career: Salary and Jobs

Becoming a nurse could mean a major income boost. See average salaries for different types of nursing professionals and check out open positions in some of the states where each role has the highest salaries:

Average LPN salary: $64,150 per year

Average RN salary: $98,430 per year

Average CNM salary: $128,110 per year

Average NP salary: $132,000 per year

Average CRNA salary: $231,700 per year

Nursing as a Second Career: FAQ

What specialty can I work in as a nurse in a second career?

That depends on what your goals are. Nurses can work in a range of specialties and settings, and you generally don’t need additional education or training to try a new focus area. Check out the nursing career profiles below:

What other jobs can nurses do besides nursing?

Nurses work in many nonclinical roles, also known as non-bedside roles, such as the ones below:

Find Roles for Second-Career Nurses

If you’re choosing nursing as a second career, you might be curious about open roles in your area. IntelyCare’s personalized job notifications will send you alerts when new opportunities arise. Learn more today.