From Bedside to Bytecode: A Nurse‘s Journey into Software Engineering
The transition from healthcare to tech is becoming an increasingly popular career path, especially for burnt out nurses seeking more flexibility and creativity in their work. Victoria LeBel, a registered nurse, successfully made this leap by attending a coding bootcamp and landing a fulfilling software engineering job. Her story offers valuable insights and inspiration for other healthcare professionals considering a pivot into tech.
The Allure of Tech for Healthcare Workers
Working in healthcare, particularly nursing, can be an immensely rewarding but also grueling career. Long hours, high stress, lack of work-life balance, and limited opportunities for creativity or autonomy lead to staggering burnout rates.
Consider these statistics:
| Metric | Data |
|---|---|
| % of nurses feeling burnout | 43% |
| % of nurses considering leaving job | 34% |
| Nurse turnover rate | 27% |
| Cost to replace one RN | $40,038 |
| Projected RN shortage by 2030 | 1.1 million |
Source: Incredible Health, NSI Nursing Solutions, US HRSA
Meanwhile, the tech sector continues to boom, with high demand for skilled software engineers. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 25% growth in software engineering jobs from 2021 to 2031, with a median annual wage of $120,730 as of May 2021.
| Metric | Data |
|---|---|
| Projected growth in software engineering jobs (2021-2031) | 25% |
| Median annual software engineer wage (May 2021) | $120,730 |
| Size of US tech industry (2022) | $1.8 trillion |
| Tech job postings (2022) | 3.23 million |
For nurses like Victoria who enjoy analytical thinking and problem-solving, transitioning into software engineering can offer an attractive combination of mental stimulation, flexibility, and financial opportunity. Many programming skills align well with strengths nurses already have – like being detail-oriented, working collaboratively, and thinking creatively to solve complex problems.
Leveraging Coding Bootcamps to Break In
One increasingly popular pathway from nursing into tech is through coding bootcamps – short-term, intensive programs designed to quickly build in-demand programming skills. Course Report‘s 2022 market analysis found 28,000 graduates from over 500 US bootcamp programs.
Among the most well-known is Programming School, where Victoria completed their full-time Software Engineering program. Flatiron regularly reports strong job outcomes for grads:
| Metric | Data |
|---|---|
| Employment rate within 1 year of graduating | 86% |
| Average starting salary | $75,000 |
| Students with no tech experience before enrolling | 82% |
Source: Programming School
As a full-stack development bootcamp, Flatiron teaches both front-end and back-end programming skills in high-demand languages and frameworks like:
- JavaScript
- React
- Ruby
- Rails
- SQL
- HTML/CSS
- Git/GitHub
This broad technical foundation prepares grads like Victoria to hit the ground running in a variety of potential software engineer roles, from web development to mobile apps to data engineering.
Beyond hard tech skills, Flatiron and similar bootcamps also emphasize career coaching and job search support – critical for career changers coming from non-traditional backgrounds. Victoria credits her career coach with helping translate her unique nursing experience into a compelling story for tech employers.
While bootcamps can be an effective launchpad, they‘re not the only path into software engineering. Some aspiring engineers opt for traditional 2 or 4-year computer science degrees. Others are entirely self-taught, leveraging free online resources.
Bootcamps tend to be the fastest option, with typical program lengths of 3-9 months. However, they can also be quite expensive, with average tuition around $13,000. Scholarships, income share agreements, and deferred tuition models help increase access.
| Pathway | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Bootcamps | Fastest, intensive, strong job support | Expensive, varying quality |
| CS Degrees | Depth, prestige, alumni network | Longest, less hands-on coding |
| Self-Teaching | Free, flexible pace | Requires discipline, less structure |
Ultimately, the right path depends on individual learning needs, time constraints, and financial situation. The rise of remote/hybrid options in both bootcamps and degree programs offers key flexibility for working professionals.
Charting a Successful Software Engineering Career
Once nurses like Victoria gain foundational coding skills from bootcamp or elsewhere, the next challenge becomes landing that first software engineering job. Competition can be stiff, with applicants from both traditional CS and nontraditional backgrounds.
However, a nursing background can actually be an asset in the job hunt. Healthcare experience cultivates many soft skills employers value in engineers, like communicating with stakeholders, working under pressure, and collaborating cross-functionally. Nurses‘ patient advocacy and empathy skills also transfer well to user-centric design and development.
Victoria and other successful nurse-turned-coders recommend these job search strategies:
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Develop a strong portfolio of coding projects that showcase your skills and potential, deployed on GitHub. Include a detailed README for each.
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Contribute to open source projects to gain practical experience, make industry connections, and demonstrate initiative.
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Network actively by attending tech meetups/conferences, participating in online forums, and conducting informational interviews. Build genuine relationships.
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Tailor your resume and online presence to highlight transferable skills from nursing. Use metrics and outcomes to underscore your impact.
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Practice common technical interview concepts like algorithms, data structures, and system design. Do mock interviews to build confidence.
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Consider temporary or freelance engineering roles to gain experience while continuing your search. Clarify that you‘re ultimately seeking full-time work.
Once hired, many nurses find the supportive, collaborative culture of engineering teams to be a refreshing change. Tech companies increasingly prioritize things like:
- Flexible, hybrid work options
- Generous parental leave
- Comprehensive health benefits
- Wellness and mental health support
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives
- Learning and development budgets
Of course, the tech industry still has significant room for improvement in areas like diversity and inclusion. Recent data shows only about 28% of computing jobs are held by women, and less than 10% by Blacks and Hispanics.
| Demographic | % of Computing Workforce |
|---|---|
| Women | 28.1% |
| Black | 8.9% |
| Hispanic | 8.1% |
| Asian | 25.8% |
Source: National Center for Women & Information Technology
Nurse-turned-coders from underrepresented groups may face additional barriers and biases. However, their presence is badly needed to build more inclusive, representative technical solutions.
With hard work, continuous learning, and patience, software engineering can be a highly fulfilling second chapter for former nurses. Advancement opportunities are ample, with potential career paths like:
- Senior Software Engineer
- Tech Lead
- Engineering Manager
- Staff Engineer
- Principal Engineer
- Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
| Job Title | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Junior Software Engineer | $76,825 |
| Senior Software Engineer | $125,069 |
| Software Engineering Manager | $159,983 |
| Staff Software Engineer | $191,865 |
| Principal Software Engineer | $202,353 |
Source: Built In
The wide range of industries and specialties in tech also allows for finding the perfect niche aligning with your interests and strengths. Whether you‘re passionate about healthcare tech, education, environmental causes, or creative arts, software engineering skills are needed everywhere.
Blazing a Trail from Nurse to Engineer
Victoria LeBel‘s transformation from burned out nurse to thriving software engineer is an inspiring tale of grit, reinvention, and chasing fulfillment. She knew something needed to change when the stress of bedside nursing left her feeling drained and stifled. Through hard work and smart leveraging of resources like coding bootcamps, she made her bold leap into tech a reality.
Her advice to other nurses considering a similar pivot:
- Believe in your ability to learn and grow, no matter your background. Coding is a learnable skill.
- Take advantage of the wealth of training options, from bootcamps to online courses to degree programs. Find what fits your learning style and constraints.
- Lean on support systems, whether that‘s your bootcamp cohort, online forums, or a mentor. Embrace teamwork and collaboration; you don‘t have to struggle alone.
- Translate your unique healthcare skills and experiences into compelling stories for employers. Emphasize your growth mindset and commitment to learning.
- Remember it‘s a marathon, not a sprint. Pace yourself, practice self-care, and be kind to yourself through the lows and highs.
Nurse-turned-coders like Victoria bring immense value to technical teams through their maturity, diverse perspectives, and passion for making a positive impact. They‘re living proof that it‘s never too late to pivot into more fulfilling, sustaining work.
Ready to start your own exciting career change into software engineering? Check out these resources to begin your self-discovery and planning:
- Programming School Free Coding Bootcamp Prep
- freeCodeCamp‘s Coding Courses and Certifications
- Codecademy‘s Career Paths
- List of Computer Science Degree Programs
You too can leverage your unique background and strengths to launch a rewarding second act in tech, just like Victoria LeBel. The first steps start now. Happy coding!
