Please help me decide ! ?

Question

Right now I am a first year nursing major. My intentions were to become a labor and delivery nurse, and eventually a nurse midwife. But, I've learned that in nursing school you need to do a few semesters in the surgery unit and things like that..which I really want nothing to do with. I don't think I could handle seeing that..you also have to spend time bathing and helpinf the elderly use the bathroom. This is just not something I want to do.

I have always had two other options that I was very interested in.

1. Marriage/Family Counselor

2. Genetic Counselor

Does anyone have any opinions on which would be the best career between a nurse, a marriage counselor, or a genetic counselor? Do you need a PhD for the counselors..or is a Masters okay? Please help me! I really need to decide.

Answer 1

I am a retired nurse.  First of all if you are bothered by a semester (not several) in the OR, you won't be ready for midwifery.  Birthing a baby is a bloody, sloppy thing.  I don't know any nursing school that requires any thing more than observing by students in the OR or labor and delivery, for that matter.

If you cannot handle helping elderly with their daily care, why are you bothering with nursing at all?

I started out as a psychiatric nurse right after I got my degree.  (3 year diploma nurses are having a hard time moving up the ladder.  You need a BS or BSN degree.)

Psychiatry is really very interesting and the patients take care of their own hygiene which must be pushed, at times.  But there are risks.  You never know when a patient will start to act out.  That type of behavior is so disturbing to other patients that some of THEM start acting out too.

I would say forget the nursing all together.

In my state, WI, a marriage of family counselor CAN practice with a minimum of a master's degree in psychology.  Some states require a PhD.

Genetic counseling is even more complicated.  It depends what you want to practice within your group.  I would bet that a master's degree would be necessary also.

Try psychology itself.  Keep going on to a master's and then lots of doors will open for you.

Good luck.

Answer 2

you need to be licensed by the state to practice MFT most people I know who are genetic couselors have a Ph.D. or almost done with their program...