For those thinking about becoming a second career nurse

[esunada]

As someone who will be attending nursing school this fall after having completed all my prereqs over the last year, here are the questions and steps I took to ensure this was the right path for me before I quit my full time job.

1) I did informationals and researched online

2) I volunteered at a hospital

3) I took a few science prereqs before I quit my job to make sure I could handle and do well in the classes.

4) I made sure I had the financial means to go to school, handle loans, and tough out a bad economy incase I didn't find a nursing job right away out of nursing school. (No nursing shortages right now)

5) I shadowed a nurse

6) I asked myself if this is the right time in my life - no mortgage, no kids, don't want kids anytime soon, no major commitments. Different for everyone.

7) I made sure this was what I really wanted to do and wasn't a means to escape my current job or out of boredom. I made sure that I saw the good and bad of nursing.

Before nursing school started

1) I took a CNA class

2) I work as a CNA

If you don't have the financial means to be a CNA, at least take the CNA class. The clinicals were very insightful to the grunt work of nursing.

If you have done all these and still can say yes to nursing than go for it. I believe everyone should consider doing all these things before they pursue nursing as a second career! Then you can feel confident!

[dinah77, ADN]

I should also add that at my university you cannot enter the nursing program unless you are a CNA- it was a pain in the butt at the time, but I'm glad they do it.

[juliaann]

Great list - one I've done everything on as well! I'm so excited to find out if I got in to my accelerated BSN program. I *know* nursing is right for me, having spent time working in several areas of a hospital observing and talking to nurses in each department; I know I can handle the "dirty work," I know I can handle a 12-hour shift, and I have an idea of what departments I will be best suited for. Without my work experience and the confidence of a 4.0 in my pre-reqs, I would not even think about making the investment of time and money into nursing school!

[scu51lly]

I trained OR nurses for over a year and a half (using barcode scanners in the OR to track implants) during that year, I developed a deep respect for nurses, I saw their interactions with the gods...i mean surgeons and their dedication to the patients even when "business processes" seem to get in the way rather than help.

It took me 2 years to do soul searching and plenty of research to decide on switching careers.

I started taking my pre-reqs this summer and hope to be done in 1.5yrs. Then off to Nursing school God willing.

These classes make my business classes look like child's play.

Thank you for such an excellent post.

P.S. I've spent 12 years working in the healthcare industry all business related. I spent a year and a half supporting case managers (RN) in the home healthcare field. I got to see true compassion through their eyes.

[cmw6v8]

These classes make my business classes look like child's play.

You aren't kidding! My previous degree is in journalism and English...I basically sailed through undergrad with an above average GPA without doing much studying at all. Lots of papers, sure, but I can bust out a paper like it's nothing, and the subject matter of my degree came to me naturally so I never really had to work for a decent grade. And I slacked off too much because I wasn't challenged enough.

My pre-reqs, on the other hand....wow! I just hadn't had science in...well, EVER (except for general bio and a one-hour geology course, aka "rocks for jocks") so I had to really work at stuff like chemistry and physiology, etc. But I love it, and it's been so refreshing to be challenged and to broaden my mind for once.

Nice to hear from other second-career students. Best of luck!