Am I making the right decision???

Nurses Career Support

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Hello! I'm new here and looking for advice...

I don't know if I'm making the right decision to go back to school.

I am currently enrolled in the Fall for the nursing program. I have worked for the last 25 yrs in an office making little to nothing and decided I needed to do something more. I've always been interested in the nursing field but didn't know if I could do it.

My husband and I have 5 kids. This means he will be the only one supporting all of us for the next 2 years. We don't qualify for financial aid so the cost will be 100% out of pocket. The school that I will be attending normally starts the program with 50+ students. By the end of the 2 years they only graduate about 6 to 8. Thats a scarry thought. I hate to think of starting this and can't finish. My family has a lot riding on it.

I have my pre-reqs done except for the CNA which will be this Spring.

As I said, I have no medical background. For those with nursing experience, I would appreciate any advice. Thanks!!

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

I wish there was some kind of answer I or someone else here could give you, but your going to have to do a lot of soul searching to find the answers. Nursing is a very rewarding, but difficult, career. The education they cram into two years is emmense, and is going to take a lot more than salary away from your children. Your time with them and your husband will be limited while you are in school. It may very well be a sarifice worth making, it is for many people.

The best advise I can give is that I really feel strongly no one should start nursing education without some form of exposure to nursing. If you possibly can, get into some sort of part time nursing aide position, or just see if you can shadow a nurse. Just something to let you see what is going on out there. At least 30% of our starting class dropped out because it wasn't what they expected.

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Specializes in Acute Care Cardiac, Education, Prof Practice.
I wish there was some kind of answer I or someone else here could give you, but your going to have to do a lot of soul searching to find the answers. Nursing is a very rewarding, but difficult, career. The education they cram into two years is emmense, and is going to take a lot more than salary away from your children. Your time with them and your husband will be limited while you are in school. It may very well be a sarifice worth making, it is for many people.

The best advise I can give is that I really feel strongly no one should start nursing education without some form of exposure to nursing. If you possibly can, get into some sort of part time nursing aide position, or just see if you can shadow a nurse. Just something to let you see what is going on out there. At least 30% of our starting class dropped out because it wasn't what they expected.

:yeahthat:

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Hi and welcome,

I'd say if you think you might want to do it and you have been accepted into a program, go for it! If you did well with your pre-reqs as I would imagine you did or you wouldn't have gotten in you should be fine. It is harder and different but just stay on top of your studies and plow through. You will get a taste of what its about when you get your CNA and if you can deal with that I'd think you will really enjoy nursing.

Its a very short time in the big picture. I know kids are only little once but the income, future security and positive role modeling will last a lifetime. Best of luck to you!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Are you 100% of those stats or is it just a rumor. A school that starts with 50 but graduates only 6 to 8 would loose any accrediation they might have and they should be shut down. It's not a school I would consider going to. Schools typically loose quite a bit of students but that's crazy.

But if it's true, there's no reason with willpower and determination you won't be one of them. Good luck!

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I had no medical background and quit my business job, took out loans, and went to nursing school. I live in a major city, by myself, so my loans totalled $20k, and my rent was $10K! The coursework is unrelenting, combined with clinicals, I can't believe I did it. I have a good job as an RN now, but I also have debt to pay for two more years. And, this is stressful work, you will be stressed during school and then stressed again as a new grad. If there is a way to go to community college (cheaper), do this! It would have saved me thousands of dollars. I have a prior BA in marketing, and this RN degree was much, much more difficult. Nursing school is archaic compared to other majors- at my school, I felt like administrators piled on unneccessary coursework- 20 page APA style papers, research and statistic courses- none of which I am using now. Community college is just the bare bones- no extra courses. If you can find a short cut, take it! Not sure it is worth going into so much debt for- since the starting pay is a little low- unless you really believe you will love it. Sorry I can't be more uplifting. Take a job as a CNA first- part time, just to see what your day to day would be like.....

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