I just joined here b/c I'm confused with all the nursing degree lingo and where I would begin.

I just recently lost my 8 year old daughter to Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma. I am thinking about becoming a nurse. My entire life, since a pre teen, has been spent caring for different family members until their death. Unfortunately, that included my daughter. It was never a decision I made per say, to spend my life this way, but it turned out that way. And I'm good at it.

I have a BS in Bio and Literature already. I was a drug rep for a few years out of school as well. I spent the last 3 years in and out of hospitals on the eastern sea board with my daughter. I do not want to start a square one as I am a "returning" student, which is a nice way of saying I'm 40. I would like to get my RN with an MS along the way. Is that possible? Are these online nursing programs really any good? Will it take me years to do that because my first BS is in a basic science? I would like to think then I would only need to take relevant nursing courses and not micro, organic chem, etc. again. I dont' have time for that. I am also now a single parent, as I have a 4 year old little boy. I have to get to the business of supporting us as my ex is useless and does not contribute in any way. (Don't get me started).

So I would be happy to hear any suggestions that you all might have. Any programs in particular or schools, etc. Any info would be just great!

Thanks a bunch!

pickwick

pickwick, I am so sorry to hear about your daughter.

You will not be able to become a nurse online without at least one license in health care, most usefully LPN.

Do you want to take care of people? Needy, demanding, sick people? What is impelling you towards nursing as a possibility?

:)

I'm very sorry for your loss.

I would encourage you to not make any life-changing decisions in the immediate aftermath of such a devastating loss. Providing this kind of care to your own loved ones is v. different from providing it to strangers for a living. I encourage you to explore this further/deeper after you feel like you've recovered some degree of equilibrium in your own life.

As Suesquatch noted, the few on-line basic nursing programs are for people who are already in some kind of healthcare occupation (typically, LPNs or EMTs). Also, I guess you're probably aware that most colleges & unis have "expiration dates" (typically, 5 years) on previous science courses that they will accept for transfer. If your courses are older than that (at the time you want to enter a program), you may have to retake some of the science prerequisites.

There are now lots of "accelerated BSN" and "direct-entry" MSN programs, both designed for people who already have a BA/BS in another field and now want to enter nursing. You may want to look for either of those type of programs in your area. There are also lots of threads on this site discussing those types of programs and folks' experiences with and opinions about them.

Best wishes for your journey! :redpinkhe

I'm very sorry for your loss.

I would encourage you to not make any life-changing decisions in the immediate aftermath of such a devastating loss. Providing this kind of care to your own loved ones is v. different from providing it to strangers for a living. I encourage you to explore this further/deeper after you feel like you've recovered some degree of equilibrium in your own life.

As Suesquatch noted, the few on-line basic nursing programs are for people who are already in some kind of healthcare occupation (typically, LPNs or EMTs). Also, I guess you're probably aware that most colleges & unis have "expiration dates" (typically, 5 years) on previous science courses that they will accept for transfer. If your courses are older than that (at the time you want to enter a program), you may have to retake some of the science prerequisites.

There are now lots of "accelerated BSN" and "direct-entry" MSN programs, both designed for people who already have a BA/BS in another field and now want to enter nursing. You may want to look for either of those type of programs in your area. There are also lots of threads on this site discussing those types of programs and folks' experiences with and opinions about them.

Best wishes for your journey! :redpinkhe

I appreciate your response. It's been 7 months and I have to do something. There are many different jobs in nursing as a whole, many avenues to explore. I want to do something in healthcare. I want to make a difference somehow. And I know a lot more going into this than most. I've lived it.

I have to make a career choice and get a job. While I work doing whatever to make money, I would like to be working towards something, like this. I don't have the time for medical school so I thought nursing. I dont' want to do social work. Have no interest in that angle. So I was thinking of nursing. Not necessarily in a hospital but I dont' know. it's something I'm looking into which is why I reached out here.

Whether I'm ready or not to make life altering decisions, I have too. Without getting into more specific details, I have had to and will continue to do so, emotionally ready or not.

I would appreciate any info you could offer.

Thanks

Well, if your grades were good you have a very good shot at getting into a community college or state university associate's program. They're pretty reasonably priced for residents.

Understand up front that nursing school is NEVER part time or evenings, and is incredibly demanding. I swear it's more a hazing than an education.

And hang around here.

:)

Oh I know that it's not a "night job". That's not what I'm looking for. And there are part time gigs, although you're always there longer than planned I know. I've seen and lived with oncology nurses for 3 years in 4 states. Really. I know the hours you all put in, especially some. I know about the nonsense and paperwork too. What do you mean by hazing though?

For what it's worth:

I just graduated from a nursing program at a community college (with an associate's degree - RN) and the program lasted two academic years, which I think is pretty standard. There were quite a few prerequisites to complete before entering (or even applying, in some cases) the nursing program. Unfortunately, if your former degree is more than 5 years old when you reenter school, you will most likely have to retake all science classes! I have a bachelor's degree from 2002 and just squeaked in under the 5 year mark so didn't have to retake anything.

I found nursing school to be very demanding (and at times humiliating), but I definitely feel that it was worth the investment. I hope you can find a program that will work for you!