Tired Plumbing Apprentice

[icecreaman]

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Hello all!!!.. If I posted this in the wrong section of the board, i apologize.. I am currently a 4th year apprentice in a 5yr program at the local 5 trade school.. I have the rest of this year and next before i complete the jorneymans program.. I make $28 dollars an hour and I get paid every week but theres a problem.. After seven years of constuction i just dont have the desire to be in this industry anymore.. The wear and tear on my body has become evident.. I had hernia sugery last month and have had a lot of time to put things in perspective.. I just cant see myself beating my body up for the next 20yrs no matter how good the pay is.. It stinks because it has taken me 7yrs to realize that i dont want to be a plumber(smh).. However, after talking with my mother who is a RN, i was thinking about going into the medical field, prefurably the scrub tech program.. Which would mean quitting the plumbing program and start saving up to go back to school.. I wonder if this is a good decision considering i have a felony on my record(mail theft).. I dont want to go through scrub tech certification and have issues finding a job because of my record.. I guess my question is, has anyone seen a person in my situation before??? How did it work out??? Any and all insight is welcome.. Thanks to those who respond in advance.

 

[Instatewaiter]

I think finding a lawyer and running it by them would be a good idea. There are many lawyers familiar with the law regarding medical licensure. See if you can find one and run your situation by them.

If they say it won't be a problem, then you have a decision to make. It sounds to me that you are a bit burnt out. Perhaps a break would be a good idea.

 

[fab4fan]

Are surgical techs licensed? I thought it was a certificate program.

Where you may run into difficulty is with potential employers who may be apprehensive to hire someone with a felony on their record.

 

[Cloud 9]

I think you need to finish the program. You said you have this year and next year left right? 28/hour is really good pay, and I know you said you want an easier line of work, but I'm sure finishing the plumbing program will enable you to save up a lot easier for scrub tech. Plus, it can never hurt to have two job possibilities in the future. Let's say you don't like scrub tech for whatever reason in the future, at least you can switch over to plumbing to get the bills paid. You've put in so much work already, why not just finish it and have it as a good paying backup?

 

[Shinken]

Are surgical techs licensed? I thought it was a certificate program.

Where you may run into difficulty is with potential employers who may be apprehensive to hire someone with a felony on their record.

I agree. As far as I know (at least here in Ohio), surgical techs do not require any sort of licensure. The only concern would be the background check that most hospitals do on potential employees, particularly those that will have patient contact or have access to patient's confidential health information (such as surgical techs). Finding a job as a surgical tech with a felony would most likely be very difficult.

 

[zenman]

With your experience in plumbing have you thought about being a urological tech?

 

[icecreaman]

I think finding a lawyer and running it by them would be a good idea. There are many lawyers familiar with the law regarding medical licensure. See if you can find one and run your situation by them.

If they say it won't be a problem, then you have a decision to make. It sounds to me that you are a bit burnt out. Perhaps a break would be a good idea.

Didnt think about that.. Thats something that ill have to look into.

Are surgical techs licensed? I thought it was a certificate program.

Where you may run into difficulty is with potential employers who may be apprehensive to hire someone with a felony on their record.

This is what worries me the most but there isnt anything I can do about my record now.. I just have to hope for the best.

I think you need to finish the program. You said you have this year and next year left right? 28/hour is really good pay, and I know you said you want an easier line of work, but I'm sure finishing the plumbing program will enable you to save up a lot easier for scrub tech. Plus, it can never hurt to have two job possibilities in the future. Let's say you don't like scrub tech for whatever reason in the future, at least you can switch over to plumbing to get the bills paid. You've put in so much work already, why not just finish it and have it as a good paying backup?

I thought about all those things as well.. Im 31, and i feel that 2 more years in a field i dont want to be in is a waste of time.. I feel like the quicker i make the transition into the medical field the better.. I had my surgery on the 12th of August and have been eligble to go back to work since the 12th of this month(Sept) and because im an apprentice, I have to wait for the local 5 hall to place me back out into the field.. I call the hall everyday and all they tell me is that the list is long for apprentices on the bench.. Which means, they could put me back to work next week or a month from now, theres no telling.. Also, considering that im a 4th year apprentice making $28 an hour, its harder for the hall to put me back to work because a lot of these contractors would rather hire a 2nd or 3rd year apprentice to do the work because of the lower cost.. Which is another reason why i want to leave, its not a stable field.. I feel like im being punished because i had to have surgery.

I agree. As far as I know (at least here in Ohio), surgical techs do not require any sort of licensure. The only concern would be the background check that most hospitals do on potential employees, particularly those that will have patient contact or have access to patient's confidential health information (such as surgical techs). Finding a job as a surgical tech with a felony would most likely be very difficult.

I was contvicted in 09 on a mail theft charge.. Before I got into construcion full time, I worked at a dvd distributing company.. Because of the amount of dvd's i stole(which i gave back btw) the prosecution pressed for a felony theft charge.. Went to court with a public defender(big mistake) and got 6 months house arrest and 3yrs probation and I probably got that because I didnt have any priors.. Its not something Im proud of considering it might be the deal breaker in me wanting to change fields.. Only way to know for sure is to try.

With your experience in plumbing have you thought about being a urological tech?

No, Ill have to look it up.

 

[plauto]

I think he was kidding about the urological tech thing....

I would call potential employers and check with them before you embark in this adventure. I think you will not get hired in anything that involves any kind of patient contact due to your priors, but my word is worth nothing. Scrub tech is not a dream career anyway.

 

[fab4fan]

I think he was kidding about the urological tech thing....

I would call potential employers and check with them before you embark in this adventure. I think you will not get hired in anything that involves any kind of patient contact due to your priors, but my word is worth nothing. Scrub tech is not a dream career anyway.

Maybe not for you. Surgeons find them useful in the OR.

 

[icecreaman]

I guess I have some things to think about.. Thanks to those that responded.

 

[plauto]

Maybe not for you. Surgeons find them useful in the OR.

I guess you are right. I just don't see how you can stand doing it every day of your life with the same instruments and the same people. At least as an OR nurse you can do other things and have more variety.

 

[fab4fan]

I guess you are right. I just don't see how you can stand doing it every day of your life with the same instruments and the same people. At least as an OR nurse you can do other things and have more variety.

Depends on where you work and who you work with.

 

[NoRNshortage]

Perhaps you can tell us where you are doing the plumbing program? Which state? Then someone could point you in the right direction in regards to if you could get hired with sanctions or something like that.

Surgical techs can upgrade themselves with a 1 year internship to surgical assistant I believe, which bumps up the salary and job outlook. Anybody feel free to correct me.

I agree with the others though, you should complete that plumbing program so you have fallback. 28 bones an hour is more than most first year RNs make in my area. You most likely won't be making that as a surgical tech your first year. I don't know how much patient lifting techs do, but consider that when you're talking about the impact on your body. The only way you can avoid lots of lifting and moving patients is if you are an MD.

 

[zenman]

I think he was kidding about the urological tech thing....

Yep, it's no fun when they don't get it.

 

[SFO-IST]

I know a med student who used to be a plumber. Regarding the felony, I'd go straight to the employers and ask them first. Then I'd ask the schools. And don't just ask one, ask like 5 - 10 regardless of their answer. I sincerely hope that you'll figure out the best thing for yourself. You only get one life, and you're not defined by what happened before - you learn from it and it makes you better!