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Original poster

Nursing to Teaching

64 replies

Doobydoo · 27/12/2020 13:41

Heloo. Just after some insider info. Been looking at teaching courses and just wondered if a Diploma in Nursing ( I am a Paediatric Nurse) and NVQ 5 in Leadership and Management is enough to enable me to train as a teacher ( prob 4-7 year olds)

OP posts:

AnneTwackie · 27/12/2020 21:04

I’ve worked in 4 primary schools and in my experience no one takes sick leave unless a limb is falling off, you only have to do the marking and teaching you missed when you get back, there’s a general feeling that you’re putting on your colleagues to pick up the slack and with the ‘holidays’ you get it’s just seen as unreasonable by everyone.
You may not feel responsible in a life or death way but you are solely responsible for the welfare of your own class and often another 15 if you mix classes for maths and English. I’ve never had a class with less than 3 children with SEN, several at some risk at home and a few gifted and talented all relying on you to meet their needs constantly. The planning and evaluation is endless, the job is never done and when you think it is the leadership will give you something new to focus on or aim for. I’m not saying don’t do it, it’s very rewarding for the right person, but the reasons you are not enjoying nursing are the reasons many do not enjoy teaching. The age group is irrelevant, the pressure is still the same. If you are really serious about it talk to teachers in the ‘staff room’ section of Mumsnet chat or get some work experience before signing up for training.

lovelemoncurd · 27/12/2020 21:07

In nursing I used to work long shifts and as a ward sister have a lot of responsibility. In teaching I work late into the night planning and marking ( of which I'm not paid for those hrs but all teachers do). If you're someone who may feel resentful about working weekends and late at night for no pay at all- don't be a teacher.

It's not just the stress it's the expectations of workload. I work less like that now I'm in HE but I've studied at postgraduate level for a number of years to be able to do that.

Littleyell · 27/12/2020 21:13

@AnneTwackie I doubt nursing and teaching is the same level of pressure. Nurses are notoriously known for working and risking their pin. Nursing is physically draining as well as emotional.

The accountability factor is the main difference for me. If you forget to mark something nobody is looking over your shoulder the way they are as a nurse. Nurses have to constantly document things and they are accountable for lives.

When a patient complains... it can cause uproar.

If a parent complains unless the teacher is accused of something serious all will be fine.

lovelemoncurd · 27/12/2020 21:15

@Littleyell have you worked as a teacher? You've obviously never felt the burden of an OFSTED inspection. I would rather run a ward full of patients on CPAP machines than face the stress of OFSTED and I've done both!!

Fedup21 · 27/12/2020 21:16

Nursing is physically draining as well as emotional

Let’s not turn this into a competition.

NerrSnerr · 27/12/2020 21:23

Different pressures isn't it? I'm a nurse and it's bloody knackering but there seems to be an immense pressure on teachers- and many seem to work long hours. I occasionally have to do a few hours on top (I work in the community) but it certainly isn't every week.

Horses for courses isn't it? The pressure is immense in my area of nursing right now but I wouldn't change it for anything. I would find teaching much harder. If the OP feels teaching is for her she should go for it. If she's looking for an easier job I suspect teaching isn't it.

Original poster

Doobydoo · 27/12/2020 21:25

I don't want it to be a competition. Was just trying to explain my reasons(well some of them). Thank you for your responses. I will think!

OP posts:

Littleyell · 27/12/2020 21:36

@Fedup21 I have left one comment on the thread. Why are you @ me but not anybody else?!

Littleyell · 27/12/2020 21:38

[quote lovelemoncurd]@Littleyell have you worked as a teacher? You've obviously never felt the burden of an OFSTED inspection. I would rather run a ward full of patients on CPAP machines than face the stress of OFSTED and I've done both!![/quote]
You wouldn’t have a ward full of CPAP it’s not allowed. OFSTED/CQC it’s similar right.

I’ve literally heard a dramatic patient pretending to phone the BBC..... and filed a huge complaint over nothing.

I suppose it’s like when you order opposite food to a friend and you want what they have.

MeowPurrGrr · 27/12/2020 21:42

I’m just curious why as a paediatric trained nurse you’re working in elderly care? Could you look at moving back to the NHS in an area you’re interested in? Forgive me if you’re just sick of nursing and want out, it was a suggestion.
I’m a nurse too (adult trained) and have thought a lot about re-training, just no idea what I’d do instead! NHS also pays full sick pay.

Fedup21 · 27/12/2020 21:47

[quote Littleyell]@Fedup21 I have left one comment on the thread. Why are you @ me but not anybody else?![/quote]
Because you are the only poster on the whole thread who is stating that nursing is harder and more pressured than teaching.

parsnipsnotsprouts · 27/12/2020 21:52

The teaching profession is not one i would wish on my worst enemy. Also there's not that many jobs in primary. Most who train for primary end up on supply which is very poorly paid and inconsistent work

clareykb · 27/12/2020 22:34

Its not the same in the sort of sense that the people you work with now have certain very needs I get that but you will get the child who makes a disclosure of abuse, or the child whose drunk and alcoholic parents come to pick them up from school in the car, the child you have to organise breakfast and school uniform, or the SEN child whose parents are massively stressed and you have to organise support for etc. You might also get an aggressive parent come in and threaten you or have a child who loses a parent or sibling etc so it is a different type of stress and vulnerable people...All of these things are not even slightly rare and have happened in my career in my class, sometimes several rimes. You can specialise in an age group but your qualification would just be QTS so you could teach anywhere, I did 7-11 as a specialism but I have taught in foundation and KS1 so you can be a bit flexible. You do get decent sick pay in teaching but you wouldn't if you were on a supply contract so in that way I guess it is similar to nursing vs bank/locum etc. I don't think it would nesc be harder, you would have lots of transferable skills, just don't think it would really be less stressful... just differently stressful, if that makes sense.

clareykb · 27/12/2020 22:34

Sorry should be certain very urgent medical needs.. can't type on phone!

Toddlerteaplease · 27/12/2020 22:39

Paediatric nursing is the best job in the world. Why on Earth would you want to leave!

Toddlerteaplease · 27/12/2020 22:42

I'm
Also wondering how you've ended up in a nursing home. For every single paediatric nurse I've ever met working in adult land would be our worst nightmare!

CrazylazyJane · 27/12/2020 23:00

@daisypond

You can certainly teach 4-7. Pre prep schools are this age range and so are infant schools. You can apply where you like.

Well, yes, you can apply, but you can’t do a teaching qualification in just that age range. And I’m not aware that infant schools are still a thing. There’s none where I live. There’s primary schools only. Pre-preps are a law unto themselves.

@daisypond You most certainly can train specifically in ages 4-7. Rather than having a subject specialism, your specialism is in 'Early Years Education'. I did my PHCE IN EYFS / KS1

SchrodingersUnicorn · 27/12/2020 23:14

My former colleague (nurse trained and kept up her registration by picking up bank in school holidays) moved to teaching. She lasted 2 years and has quit and gone back to nursing.
She says teaching was far more hours, never off duty, more pressure and responsibility (and she was a senior nurse as well) and generally far more stressful.
A lot of that is probably to do with the specific roles she was in than saying teaching is more stressful than nursing generally - but it isn't less stressful.
Based on what you say, I think you really wouldn't like teaching tbh.
Could you look at different nurse specialisms?

Littleyell · 28/12/2020 00:37

@Fedup21 you don’t get to dictate my opinion.

MoreHairyThanScary · 28/12/2020 08:49

What about nursing research, out patient clinics, school nursing.

Personally I would try a move within nursing.

CaptainMyCaptain · 28/12/2020 08:59

You can certainly teach 4-7. Pre prep schools are this age range and so are infant schools. You can apply where you like.
But once you are in the job the Head Teacher can move you anywhere. Some Heads like to move people around every year to give them wider experience. Having said that, I specialised in 3 - 8 years old in my training and managed to stay in Early Years for 30 years.

CaptainMyCaptain · 28/12/2020 09:03

@daisypond You most certainly can train specifically in ages 4-7. Rather than having a subject specialism, your specialism is in 'Early Years Education'. I did my PHCE IN EYFS / KS1

So did I (3-8) but people do change age ranges during their career. It is generally thought to be easier to go up the age range rather than down as understanding the thought processes of younger children is a specialism in itself. I found that KS2 teachers often found Reception children completely 'off the wall' but have known Secondary trained teachers move to KS1 and enjoy it.

Soontobe60 · 28/12/2020 09:11

@Doobydoo

Thanks for replies. I have been thinking for a while re changing jobs. Ideally I would either work for National Trust or with Books but trying to be grownup re options. I shall probably be stuck with Nursing..12.5 hour shifts,no pay if off sick..unless ssp.and beaurocracy ++ ...I know many jobs are like this but I want one where I am not responsible for 40 residents and then the staff and all the pressure......

Teaching can be 12 hour days and very stressful. Before you commit try to get some experience in a local school. In fact, in order to get onto many of the routes into teaching you need to have some school experience too.

opalescent · 28/12/2020 09:16

School nursing might be worth considering? I'm a paeds nurse, have worked in School nursing for 12 years. It's definitely a vastly different pace to clinical roles, although there is a huge child protection component to the role, which can be stressful.

converseandjeans · 28/12/2020 09:30

This is why teachers get a hard time on here - the OP came on to ask about whether her qualification would enable her to do a PGCE & it's turned into loads of people moaning about teaching & trying to say it's harder than nursing.

In teaching you would get decent school holidays which you won't get in nursing. So while the hours are long it's for 8 weeks but then you get at least a week off.

You would also get sick pay (unless you're supply).

Pay starts off rubbish but does improve gradually.

You can apply for a job in age range you want - e.g. advert will be for teacher of year 1 (age 5-6). I think most heads would keep you in infants or juniors.

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