Career Change to Nursing

It might help you to search this site for threads on "career change RNs"/"Accelerated programs". It is a very common topic here.

I'm a career changer/accelerated grad with 22 years in as an RN. I have no regrets. There were things I didn't anticipate. Mostly it was very hard for me to start over as a newbie after having achieved a measure of respect in my prior career. You really get no credit for time served in a prior field.

There are a ton of opportunities. A license is portable. Those are huge advantages.

Hospital work includes weird hours holidays, vacation backouts and for me, very physically demanding work. The first time I was told I'd never(ever) be able to take a December vacation was quite a shock. I did eventually find a job that allowed me vacation time at will. However, 10 years not being able to take a day off when I wanted to was hard. I missed weddings and lots of family events.

Look at your transcripts and contact schools of nursing for what additional courses you'll need. That was a big surprise to me. I needed 60 additional credits to be acceptable to an accelerated program. And I already had 2+ degrees.

Also, not a lot of financial aid for career changers. Be aware of that in your planning.

Good luck to you!

One good thing about nursing, if you get bored with what you are doing, there are so many different areas of nursing that you are sure to find one that won't bore you...

There are certain pre requisite classes that are pretty standard for most programs-even accelerated BSN. They consist of Anatomy and Physiology 1&2, Chemistry, Microbiology, sometimes Developmental Psych.

I would suggest signing up to take some of these classes. These classes will help clarify if this is the field for you. Once I got into them, I realized how much I loved the material and it reinforced my decisions to start again. I have also met people who did this and realized that they absolutely hated it and decided they weren't cut out for it after all.

This is something that you can do in the evenings, while still working, and mulling over your options. There are so many opportunities for school and practice.

Best wishes!

Just wanted to wish you the BEST of EVERYTHING in your new quest.

SweetPea,

I LOVE Nursing! I'm a nurse educator but spent 10+ years in critical care nursing practice in the 'early years'.

It's not easy to become a nurse but there are a ton of second-career people who will attest to the fact that it was the best option for them. Those thatt have a science-oriented degree have a much easier time.

WARNING WARNING : Although our education is considered by many to be the "liberal arts" of health science (because we also require psych, sociology, etc), it is chockablock with really tough courses. If your previous education did not require you to confront atomic weights, calculate osmolarity, recall the Krebs cycle, identify bacilli under a microscope or memorize Latin names - you will have some new experiences to look forward to. And be forwarned -- I think our textbooks sell by the ounce. It's not unusual to pay >$100 for one of our (really big and very heavy) required texts.

Clinical nursing is regimented. Say goodbye to long lunches, traditional weekends and flexible schedules. We're in a 24X7 business - and newbies always start on the least desired shifts. Long after you pass boards & hang the "RN" after your name, you will still be studying and learning -- just to stay current.

But then one day -- after battling with the grim reaper for 12 hours to save a patient's life - you'll drag yourself out the door knowing that YOU made the difference. And that's when you'll really know that all your effort was worth it. GO FOR IT!!!

I love what I do (ER). I have closer relationships with my coworkers than in other fields. I love my paycheck. Sometimes I hate the hours-when a 12 hour shift turns into 14 hours of craziness. I miss some family events , but I am also able to go to weekday events which many 9-5r's can't. The variety of things you can do is incredible - both inside and outside the hospital.

The rewards of nursing are tremendous. There is no greater task human beings can do than to help one another.