Is it the right move? (long post)

[roy_d]

Hi all, Im new here, and I wanted to get a few opinions about nursing. I was caught in the great hi-tech boot-a-thon last May, after being laid-off for the 2nd time in 3 years, and very little hope of finding a job I decided it was time for a change in careers. My girlfriend is an RN (Med\Surg), she has been in nursing for 2 years now, and hates her floor (patient ratio issues),

I talked to her about me giving nursing a shot. After reviewing the ins and outs of what my girlfriend went through when she was in school and now that shes a nurse, I decided to give it a try. So after 5 years of not being in school I signed up for what few classes I could get as a returning student at the local community college. I was really excited about the thought of a new career, until I hear ever every third person around me talking about getting their pre-reqs out of the way for nursing!

Well Im now in my 6th week of school and I keep hearing these young people talking about the nursing program ARGGHHH! I remember how much competition there was for the scant 45 slots in the program when my girlfriend was trying to get in, she almost drove herself nuts trying to get in, but it paid off. My worry is that I go through the pre-reqs (4-5 semesters worth) and dont get into the program, or worse yet get in and dont pass, or pass and fail the NCLEX, then theres the fact that nursing is predominately female. Im almost 34 years old and just afraid I guess of the whole thing, but I'm pretty sure its what I want to do, the projections for emlpoyment are great, and it is a fairly stable field to be in. Any words you all can offer would be a great help, Thanks for taking the time to read my post. --Lloyd--

[k123456]

Message deleted. No response necessary.

[colleen10]

Hi Roy_D,

It is very nice to meet you.

I too was caught up in the High Tech boom but I was in HR and Marketing.

I had thought about going into Nursing the first time I was in school but I knew at the time I did not have the emotional maturity to be a nurse at that age nor the follow through to make it through all the nursing courses and clinicals.

But now that I am a little older and wiser I am taking my pre- and co-requisites and hope to be in clinicals in Fall 2003.

I will be 30 when I hopefully graduate with my ASN.

My school actually can't get enough people into the program. I spoke with an Advisor last summer about 3 weeks before school was to start and she wanted me to jump right in and start clinicals. I declined though because I wasn't financially ready and I didn't have most of my pre-req's done.

All I can say is you never know until you try and 31 isn't old at all. Just think, you have 30 some more years of working life ahead of you

I have also found that I am often one of the younger people in my classes (which are at night).

Like you said, your girlfriend drove herself crazy trying to get into a program but it "paid off".

Good Luck,

Col