my dream job seems impossible to get

allnurses Guide · Jul 18, 2011

i keep telling myself that you have to try in order to fail and who knows, success may be waiting..
absolutely! this attitude, more often than not, has gotten me what i want.
if i did not achieve something, then at least i knew i fought until i knew, for a fact, my goals had to change.
but you have to fight the fight, first.
the failures? some quite painful, but my conscience was clear because i knew that i gave it everything i had.
so why not go for it?
"why not?", is right!
i did not figure this out until i was 38 years-old.
glad i know this now!
it's just hard to keep my chin up these days.
you will find that once you really start getting the ball in motion, you will feel better.
i know you want to take great big huge giant steps, but sometimes you must take little baby steps, too. frustrating, yes, but-- as long as you are moving forward-- you are fine!!

and i just needed to tell myself all this too!!

lol

cheers!

PediNurse3 · Jul 18, 2011

Keep your eye on the prize but worry about one goal at a time! In order to even get into NP school you have to get into and out of nursing school.

I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY wanted to be a PNP when I went into nursing school. My plan was to graduate, get a couple years experience, and jump back into school, full force. I got acute care in a level I trauma center and then spent some time in the PICU...

Fast forward to today- my plans have drastically changed. It's not that I CAN'T go back to school, I just don't want to. Things change, people change, life situations change. One thing at a time. :)

love7777 · Jul 18, 2011

hi guys I am new to the site how is everyone

PediNurse3 · Jul 18, 2011

As you go through life, you will find there are a lot of people with big dreams, but few people with the stamina, guts or courage to see them through.
NP is hard. That alone tells you that not everyone who wants to is going to, either through inability, life getting in the way, lack of opportunity, expense of it and a billion other reasons.
If you let what others might or might not do with their lives influence what you do with your own, you will indeed be anxious and unhappy. Just because someone else wants the same thing you do does not take away your right to want it, pursue it or have it.

So true! I can't tell you how many people I went to nursing school with who decalared that they were going to be a NP or CRNA. The percentage who follow through- for whatever reason that they don't, be it a change of heart, finances, family or job situations, everything that's really nobody's business- is actually pretty small.

trauma_lama, BSN · Jul 18, 2011

I am 26. I just finished my prereqs and start the clinical portion of my ADN this fall. I will have my ADN in May 2013 and *hopefully* pass boards right away. Then as an RN I plan on working and attending an RN to MSN program (if accepted, but I'm trying to keep my grades up to make sure that happens) at a nearby university (should take about 2 - 2.5 years pt, I'll be about 30). Then I plan on getting a 1-2 years experience as an RN, MSN (I'll be 32/33) on some type of ICU and then I will apply to a CRNA program at another nearby university (another 2ish years to finish that program). Bottom line- my end goal at this point is to be a CRNA and I am willing to do whatever/move wherever I might need to in order to make this happen. I will be 35ish when I finish, because I didn't realize that nursing is where God wants me to be until I was 24 and didn't start school for it til i was 25. And who knows? I might not get a job in an ICU right away (required for CRNA program) so I might not even get to start learning CRNA stuff til i'm 35, 36?!

Bottom line: A) if you REALLY want it like you say you do, don't complain about lack of resources/programs nearby; move yourself to where the programs/resources are available.

B) do your research on what programs are out there and how long they take. with an existing undergrad degree, you could probably get through prereqs and an ADN program in about 2-3 years and then immediately pursue an RN to MSN program which might take another 2-3 years depending on how full/part time you do your courses.

If you REALLY want do do this, the fact that it will be hard should not deter you from actively pursuing it. Who cares if there will be 900lady/baby NPs per square mile when you come out of it? If you are committed to being great and flexible enough to go where you are needed, it WILL happen for you.

Attitude determines everything, I'm sure you can and will be great. But before you are great, you have to DECIDE to be great. If you want it, forget about the rest, do what you have to do to make it happen. YOU CAN DO IT! :anpom:

brandy1017, ASN, RN · Jul 18, 2011

You should be able to do a direct entry masters for NP. Check it out!

I wish I had that option, but they don't seem to have anything for ADN nurses and the time and money to first get a BSN and then a DNP doesn't seem feasible given my age and financial circumstances. But your young and you have your whole life ahead of you and if that's what you want you should pursue it.

NewTexasRN · Jul 18, 2011

Don't give up. I know how you feel. I've been trying to change my specialty and just about every door has been closed to me. I pray a million times about it and all I can do is wait. It will happen for you. Just try to keep a positive attitude. I know it can be so hard sometimes.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Jul 18, 2011

you're gonna be 35 anyway. do you want to be 35 having done what you needed to do to get where you wanted to be, or not?

Student2014 · Jul 18, 2011

you're gonna be 35 anyway. do you want to be 35 having done what you needed to do to get where you wanted to be, or not?

i love that. i am 36 whether i like it or not. i can be 40 and maybe be an rn or i can just be 40. i would rather have a career by the time i am 40 than the job i have now. :nurse:

such_sweet_sorrow · Jul 19, 2011

Thank ya'll! I read through everyone's posts and I would totally respond to each if I knew a reasonable way to do so. I want to be able to see women throughout their reproductive years and beyond, and I want to be able to do it all. After thinking a long while, I decided to just breathe through this anxiety and go for it. I have other goals in there too, and now I'm just ready to start taking action!

Thanks, ya'll!!

sandi1743 · Jul 20, 2011

Hi all who will listen!
I have literally made myself sick with anxiety over this. After graduating with a non-nursing degree, I worked for a year and realized that what I really want is to work with women, babies, and children. I want to be a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner and Midwife. I am already almost 24 years old and by the time I reached this goal, I would be what - 35? If that young, indeed. But that's not really what concerns me. It seems that everyone I talk to about nursing is wanting to be a NP, so would that mean that by the time I'm done - we'll all have NPs and be staff nurses anyway? Isn't this a valid concern. I want to reach my goal so badly, but it all seems so impossible.

A few things to consider:

1. do you want to be a CPM or a CNM? as they are different routes Also - many CNM's see women in their reproductive years when not pregnant just for their well women care - but to be an actual Women's Health NP is a different degree than a Midwifery degree.

2. 35 is not old at all - if it is i should just stop my BSN program now as that is how old I'll be when i finish that and I do plan to apply back to become a CNM.

3. many people do not become NP's - they become master levels, but not NP's.

4. if you are willing to give up so easily than maybe this is not really your heart's desire? There are many ways to work with women, babies and children w/o being a midwife.

joanna73, BSN, RN · Jul 20, 2011

Wow you're old at 24, lol.

I graduated last year from my BSN. I'll be 38 in the fall. You have LOTS of time to accomplish your goals.