How do I make such a difficult decision?

[daylightdaylight]

I'm really struggling between two different careers, with offers to study both at university. I'm in my late 20s and want a career change. I feel like I've never had to make a big life decision like this before, and I've just fallen into where I am without much thought. I don't know how you make such a big decision, and am considering flipping a coin to help me decide which I know is silly!

I've wanted to work for the NHS in healthcare for years, since I was a teenager. I decided against medicine as I didn't want the level of leadership and decision making that a doctor has. I've been drawn to both children's nursing and speech and language therapy, which are quite different but with some similarities.

I'm considering paediatric nursing as I like the routine of being a nurse in a ward (the routine of the handover, medicine rounds, observations, notes etc), interjected with the unexpected and thinking on your feet. I also really like the teamwork aspect, as I find it really rewarding working in a team with a common goal.

I'm also considering Speech and Language Therapy as it's also in healthcare and the swallowing and communication side of things interests me. I like that there's a lot of anatomy and physiology involved, and that I can have the choice of working in an acute stroke ward for example, or out in the community visiting nurseries and schools and helping children learn to communicate.

I'm really not sure which to go with despite doing a lot of research and talking to nurses and SLTs. When I think about myself being a nurse I feel more excited and proud of myself, but I think there's a level of romanticism and naivety with that too. I'm autistic with ADHD too, for context, so I'm not sure if I would get burnt out as a nurse in a ward due to the social pressures, or if my ADHD would thrive and I'd enjoy the busyness of it.

Does anyone have any advice or words of wisdom please?

Everyone starts off wanting to have a career in the field that most appeals to them.

After a few years the reality of finances and career advancement kicks in.

Which career path will eventually lead to the most opportunities and pay increases?

Would work life balance be better with Speech and Language therapy?

I’d say the paed nursing. Lots of ways to go with it, you can go in the community too.

Lots of options with Speech and Language too…

I think progression is likely to lead to better progression opportunities, it also has the advantage of being able to work 9-5 rather than shift work. There are less SALT jobs than nursing jobs though.

I have ADHD, and I'm an transplant nurse. Nursing is really hard and absolutely horrid sometimes, but there a lot of career opportunities. I just want to let you know that children's nursing is often over subscribed, but now you can be a children's nurse with an adult nursing degree, but you can't do adult nursing with just children's nursing. Does that make sense?

SLT is a really rewarding job, more opportunity to work 9-5 and work one on one with patients and less emotionally and physically demanding.

Just know that evolution and change are always possible. Anything you choose will wind up teaching you extremely valuable things about yourself -

I know this is vague and unhelpful, but one chooses sometimes by simply choosing.

i am on my second career now, with all kinds of other work and study in between careers, and ALL of it was useful , and all of it brought me to where I am now.

@QuinnofHearts Yes that makes sense! I think I'm leaning towards SALT, as I think it would be the 'healthier' option for me, even though I have always wanted to be a nurse I think I've romanticised it

@Newnamehiwhodis Thank you so much for posting this, your comment really helped ease the stress and anxiety I feel about making a wrong decision.

If I could do it all over again, I would have become a social worker! I love being a nurse, I'm so happy, but the hours and lack of a normal family life kills me. Nursing does have a tendency to be romanticised!