I am a 4th year nursing student, I want to learn coding and maybe become a software engineer, is it still doable in 2026?

Posted by SettingSingle8135@reddit | learnprogramming | View on Reddit | 20 comments

So I am a Filipino-American, 23M, I am almost done with my nursing course (studied here in Philippines to avoid tution fee cost, got delayed 2 years due to I got sick with COVID and other stuff), since the pandemic I want to learn how to code, but I am dumb and kept delaying and trapped with this "analysis-paralysis" loop end-- up not doing or progressing on anything.

Either way I feel like nursing is just not for me but I will still take the job and pass the NCLEX and work in Chicago because most of my relatives are nurses, and they said that nursing has good security (Filipinos tend to be nurses lol) but I hate the job, I want to do the CRNA route but idk, I want a remote work someday and make tons of money without dealing with hospital bullshit beauracracy and toxicity, plus patients that can be unbearable.

Either way, Idk, I want to pursue social media also and travel but I want a job that is like remote eventually. I am willing to spend years studying this with my nursing degree as a fall back.

IDK where to start, can I get advice also if this is a good idea especially now with the AI hype and me learning a lot of people are having a hard time to get jobs and getting laid off? I mean yeah I have nursing as a fallback but I want to create something also like apps and stuff or maybe get into game development. I just don't see myself doing nursing long term I am just doing it for the money plus security I guess.

Thanks.

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azian0713@reddit

I was 22 when I started to learn how to code. 100% self taught except for a single C++ intro class in college. I used coursera to teach myself python.

I got my first coding real coding job (not excel, VBA, or some other bs) developing and managing full stack solutions when I was 28. It’s possible but really hard and requires a lot of time and dedication.

It also doesn’t help that the opportunities for coding are dwindling fast.

un-hot@reddit

Really depends on when you were 28. I got a job fresh out of uni with a music degree and one half-baked project - Guess which side of 2022 that was.

BimblyByte@reddit

You're basically saying you want to transfer from one of the only growing fields of employment to the fastest shrinking field of employment.

-CJF-@reddit

I don't think Software Engineering is the fastest shrinking field of employment, but I do agree it's probably better to stick with nursing at the moment.

hooli-ceo@reddit

You can either wipe patients’ asses, or you can wipe AI’s ass. Up to you…

N7Valor@reddit

I feel like wiping the ass of a bot is still a rung up from wiping the asses of people who ruined the country.

MajinAsh@reddit

Shrinking is wrong, I think they might mean "oversaturated" which from a getting a job standpoint is similar to shrinking.

Yes I meant the number of opportunities are shrinking not that the field is dying

mynewworkthrowaway@reddit

Take your NCLEX, see how you like nursing and in your spare time try learning to code. But don't give up on nursing! You said you like traveling, have you ever thought about travel nursing?

PianoConcertoNo2@reddit

I did this switch from nursing to software development.

I worked as a nurse nights/ weekends while going to school for CS part time.

Expect it to suck, take years, and be iffy if there will even be a payoff.

The other option is nursing informatics. It’s more an IT/trainer type of position. But you’ll likely need your masters degree in it, and years of hospital experience, and then luck with networking with your works IT people and trying to find an “in.”

ImprovementLoose9423@reddit

I would say that even if you don't make money with programming, it is still a good skill to have since it helps you understand computers way better which is important since computers are everywhere these days. Also, coding can also foster the growth of important areas of intelligence such as logical and critical thinking.

While you don't have a guarantee of making money from coding, it is still a useful skill to have because of the "passive" benefits it brings in addition to a surplus of money.

xhoodeez@reddit

My sis is a nurse somewhere in cali and working at home

sarevok9@reddit

I'm a hiring manager in tech, strong advise against.

Right now is not the time to pivot into tech. The new AI tooling (Claude Code, Codex 5.5) more or less makes it impossible to get hired as a junior. I saw some articles stating that new grads with CS degrees have a higher unemployment rate than Art History majors.

I have 15+ years experience with 7 in people management and I'm pretty concerned about my own career.

tgxxnitro@reddit

Ngl probably not worth trying anymore. Remote work is dead, so you can forget about that. Without a relevant degree your chances of being hired are pretty low nowadays, and when you consider the workload of being a nurse you'll probably be too tired to study anyways. Add AI and layoff pressures on top.

SettingSingle8135@reddit (OP)

Yeah fuck this economy I guess thanks.