Any other "second career" students out there?

dettwiller5 · Oct 7, 2005

Hi-

I'm a 37 year old mom of 3 kids ages 11, 5, and 3. I was a part time middle school health teacher until June of 2004 when I decided to go back to school for nursing. I only needed a few prereqs (4 to be exact) but have been taking them one at a time sice last summer. I am now in Microbiology and will begin a part time 3 year ADN program in January. Since I have a BS already in another field, after I finish the ADN program I plan to apply for a program in my area designed for RNs who have a BS in another field to recieve a Masters Degree. There are a lot of us here in your situation!

Spatialized · Oct 8, 2005

I'm pretty much in the same boat. 29, with 1 1/2 semesters left (May 12th! :yeah: ).

First change was when I realized in college that I no longer wanted to be a teacher. Finished a liberal arts degree and joined the airline industry. Spent 5 years loading cargo planes, all the way from grunt on the ground to the manager of my station. Post-9/11 came to see that my job was no longer as good as it might have been and decided to make the switch. So 2 years later, 2000 miles away I'm where I am, ready to finish school and get going.

Good luck to all of you, it will happen!

Tom

RDH-NrsgStudent · Oct 8, 2005

I'm also a second career student. :specs: I'm a dental hygienist (have been for 11 yrs. now) and have become VERY burned out on the monotony of teeth! I'm 35 yrs. old, married, and have two sons (ages 6 and 9).

Even though I have lots less study time now than I did the first time I was in college, I'm finding I'm doing LOTS better in school. As corny as it sounds, I'm finding that "life experience" and maturity really have influenced the way I've been learning and studying. I've got a 4.0 so far (***crossed fingers***).

CAN'T WAIT to become an RN (I'll be 40 by the time I finish pre-req's, get off the waiting list and finish nursing school, but I'm excited nonetheless! LOL)

Angel

Staric · Oct 8, 2005

HI...

I am 34 and have been a juvenile probationer officer for 9 years.. I have two kids under the age of 5. I have a B.S and although I like my job, I am really burned out...I only needed a few pre-req's and I decided to take them one at a time. My big challenges so far are studying in between work, kids and husband ...And the finances.. Not sure to quit my job entirely or do a part time Nursing program while working...There are wait list's out here where I live in ALL the programs and although I was hoping to apply after I get my 10 year Vesting on my retirement plan (next May) - The wait is seeming to be LONG- I am excited to get started and get going...I am not sure how old I will be when I am done, but right now, I don't care, as long as I am good at what I do and take care of myself...It is exciting to see I won't be the only older person in my classes, as it seems there is a trend of people returning to work or starting a second career... Good Luck to Everyone :) staric

S.N. Visit, BSN, RN · Oct 8, 2005

I'm a licensed cosmetologist and have been a stay at home mom of 3, for a little over 10 years.

selaz · Oct 9, 2005

Hi ---I am 33 and have been working in the pet products industry since I finished my B.S. (Biology). Currently, I work in marketing as a product manager. It really is a lot of fun sometimes ( I love dogs and cats), but that passion for learning about marketing just isn't there. I took the GMAT (for business school) and did really well....but the thought of going to b-school did nothing for me. I realized that I am just not motivated by money. I always wanted to be in healthcare...but the time/money to go back to school wasn't there. While in college, I wanted to be a pharmacist, hence the Bio degree --but I volunteered in a hospital and hated it. I need a more hands-on role. Nursing occurred to me...plus my mother is a nurse.

robmom1 · Oct 9, 2005

Hi ---I am 33 and have been working in the pet products industry since I finished my B.S. (Biology). Currently, I work in marketing as a product manager. It really is a lot of fun sometimes ( I love dogs and cats), but that passion for learning about marketing just isn't there. I took the GMAT (for business school) and did really well....but the thought of going to b-school did nothing for me. I realized that I am just not motivated by money. I always wanted to be in healthcare...but the time/money to go back to school wasn't there. While in college, I wanted to be a pharmacist, hence the Bio degree --but I volunteered in a hospital and hated it. I need a more hands-on role. Nursing occurred to me...plus my mother is a nurse.

I'm right there with you guys. Stay-at-home mom of two little ones with a BS in Psychology and several years of HR Management before children. I am taking one pre-req a semester and hope to apply to nursing school when my youngest starts school. I want to do something that matters when I return to work, not just push paper! Good luck to everyone.

Sarah Bellum · Oct 9, 2005

Count me in this group too! I'm 36 and for 20 years I have worked in customer service in one capacity or another, never as a "career" though I have a degree in music education. I'm currently working part time in a call center for a shipping company.

I just started taking prereqs and will be going to a 14 month accelerated RN program (BSN) once I finish the 6 classes I need to be accepted. I have an almost 8 year old autistic son and just found out I'm pregnant again (finally!) and due in June, just in time for summer break! So with just normal life I'm pretty busy. It will probably take me 2 years to finish prereqs so i expect I'll enter the program in the summer of 2007 or 8, depending on how it all works out.

I'm totally looking forward to having an actual career though after I'm done with orientation to my first job (hopefully NICU) I plan to cut back my hours to part time. I still think it will be very fulfilling and I can't wait to get there!

catwoman2 · Oct 10, 2005

I'm a licensed cosmetologist and have been a stay at home mom of 3, for a little over 10 years.

Nice to see another Iowan on this site. I am starting the nursing program fall of 2006.Could have started this coming March but need the extra money that my job brings in so working as much as possible now to help out with the income loss while I am in school. Will work partitime on the graveyard shift(4 hours a night only) plus the company pays $2,000 dollars yearly towards school on this shift.

Have all pre-req. done except A&P which I will take in the spring.Just got home from an overseas deployment so I am still winding down a little. It takes alot out of a person. Still have to attend MOS course this year for combat medic. Want to make this change happen soon.

Take care ans stay in touch,

catwoman2

missninaRN · Oct 10, 2005

I'm 42, and have worked a variety of jobs. I've been a pre-school teacher, substitute teacher at the elementary level, and a school cook. I also worked in retail sales and customer care for several years, and most recently, I was a phlebotomist.

Up until now, I have worked only when I had to, and then it was just a matter of finding a place that would hire me with my limited education. (dropped out of college at the age of 19 to get married.) The phlebotomy job was the most interesting, and they did give me wonderful on-the-job training, but I still felt like I wasn't realizing my potential.

I had not considered goingback to college because it just wasn't possible til now. None of my credits from 23 years ago would transfer, so here I am a college freshman going to school with kids who were in my son's high school class. I'm loving it and have found that I am an even better student now than I was way back when.

Stephanie C · Oct 11, 2005

Great to see all the other 2nd degree students out there!

I am 32 and currently taking pre-reqs for nursing school. I actually have a degree in Sports Medicine, and have had many of the pre-reqs previously. The problem is that all my classes are more than 10 years old. At all the universities I have researched, this means that they are no longer eligible. It is a good refresher, but I wish I could get to nursing school faster!

After my first degree, I worked in Physical Therapy for a while, and decided I couldn't go back to school right away. I got a job in coporate america. It was good for a while, but I can't do the politics, etc. that go along with corporate.

I am berating myself for not discovering sooner that this was the path for me. While I worked PT in a hospital, I always thought that nurses were amazing. They worked so hard, knew so much, and made patients feel good.

Getting on this site has strengthened my feelings about the good that nurses do. I can't wait to get back to school full time!

Fergfrog · Oct 11, 2005

Hi, I'm 45 and in my first semester (of 4) of an ADN program. Prior to this, I worked in H.R. for about 20 years, and left my full-time job of nine years just this past August right before school started. I have always wanted to go into nursing, but up until now could not afford to go to school full-time. I worked on my pre-req's for 3 years part-time while I was working.

Lisa in TN