Am I right for nursing?

[Mommy2010]

Hello everyone. I am 27 years old, have 3 kids (4, 2 and 10 months) and been married 7 years. I am just trying to figure out if I am right to go into the nursing field. Here is why. I worked at desk jobs for 8 years. Although I did not mind it, I didn't want to particularly sit down at a job forever. So, unfortunately, my hours were reduced down from 24 to 16 and since I travel about 10-15 miles (I know it isn't far), the gas I would pay and the daycare/sitter fees I would actually be paying more money going to work. I am now a SAHM. So, I decided that I need to go back to college. I have already been accepted to a school and I can be in clinicals as early as spring semester 2014. Obviously this is great and it looks like I could graduate in as early as 3 years. I just do not know if nursing is a field that would suit me. I took one of those career tests and it said my areas that suit me best are psychology, management, education and medical. This doesn't really help me though. I would love a management position, but I want to work in the medical field. I always wanted to either work in L&D or in a doctor's office (but as a NP). I have always pondered if nursing was the right field for me. A lot that has me second guessing is because I love my kids and I hate to spend time away from them. Now I know it isn't much time away during pre req's and my oldest won't be starting school until fall 2013, but I just worry so much because my husband has a very stressful and demanding job. Plus he farms land on the side at his parent's house which is like 40 miles from us. My husband said he will support me, but that he doesn't want to stress about the money nor does he want to stress that I am making school the most important thing. Basically, if he has to farm or he needs to work overtime, he doesn't want me saying, "Hey I need you to watch the children." He is a great guy so don't think that he is this awful husband and father. He spends a lot of time with us all, but when you combine farming and his job, he isn't going to be able to just leave everything else on the backburner. I do not have any family members close to us that can help either. My husband has to work to support us and sometimes overtime is required. Our finances are ok. We aren't bankrupt and we have saved a lot over the years. The biggest problem is finding a sitter (and a good one) that isn't far from where we are located and finding one that doesn't charge and arm and a leg. On top of this, most of the people I find on sittercity.com want something full time. Plus, I don't know how much we can afford each week for a sitter. I have done our charges per month and we are barely going to be able to afford one. So I am trying to figure out with the stress of everyday life and nursing, if it is a good field for me. I have also pondered if I should go into more of a management position (bachelors of healthcare administration) which is offered at an online school that is pretty decent priced, but from what I understand of this degree, you can't really get a great job that pays well. Nursing seemed to fit because I love helping people and sometimes all you have to do is work 2-3 days per week and you are done. Now, whether or not my body could do this, I am unsure of. I am also unsure of if I will be able to find a job after I graduate. I know nursing is a demanding field but around here, I sometimes see jobs but they are not posted more than 1 week and they are filled. I think that is mostly because they are trying to hire internally first. Management is harder than hell to find too.

I was a CNA in 2003 but I honestly didn't like what I did. Plus I had some really b****y nurses I worked with. It honestly was the place I worked with. I had thought about being a CNA again and working for a little bit, but my hubby works 3rd shift and I would have to work a 1st shift job, which there is no way to find. I know nursing you would work a crappy shift too, but by the time I graduated, my oldest would be 7, my middle would be 5 and my youngest 3. This is by the time I would graduate if I go full time at 12-14 credit hours per semester. I was planning to go this summer, but the summer (which is only going to be this summer b/c the college just transitioned to semesters this fall) is only 7 weeks and it is a very accelerated course so I didn't want to over do it. It just started this week so I cannot opt back in. Plus my middle child just got sick with a UTI pretty bad so right now just wasn't the time.

I know this is long and I apologize. I just want to see what you people think. Do you think nursing is right for me? Or do I need to find something else where I work in an office? Please help.

[Bojamashell]

Hi there. Honestly, I don't think anyone can answer that for me. I've been in your shoes and wanted someone to help me decide. But I just had to think it over and talk with my husband and decide for myself. I feel it is my calling. I've tried to major in other things and I've had a good job for almost 7 years. It's a good job (meaning pay and benefits and schedule), but it's not where my heart is.

I have 3 children also and have been married for nearly a decade. I work full time and will continue to do so throughout nursing school. It will be quite a challenge and I've already been presented with challenges and opposition. We don't have any family around and can't afford a sitter either, so my husband is sacrificing to stay home with them while I finish this. When you're a wife and mother, well...we have more things to consider than someone without those type of commitments. It makes nursing school a family decision because everyone will sacrifice something. I've been in school part time for quite some time getting pre-reqs done. Through that, we've had pregnancies, ill children (oldest has ADHD, middle has epilepsy and has overcome developmental delay, and youngest has bladder reflux disease), car accidents, taking classes I was told I needed only for them to become obsolete before applying to the program, etc., It isn't easy, but the reason my husband and I are so willing to go through it is because I will be fulfilling my purpose.

Every occupation has it's pros and cons. But that's when you need to look at each and decide how much they weigh. For me, nursing is right. Yes, I do love helping people, educating people, and the medical field intrigues me. Everytime someone asks me what I'm going to school for and I tell them nursing, they usually say "Oh they make good money" if they don't know me that well. Nurses earn every penny they make, but that should never be the driving force behind a career decision as important as taking care of others' lives. It takes a certain type of person with a passion for it to be happy with it and good at it.

If you're not sure about the job itself, ask to shadow a nurse at your local hospital L&D or in a nearby doctor's office. Maybe you'd get a better feel about whether or not you want to do nursing. Regardless of what you and your family decide, good luck and I wish you success!

[♑ Capricorn ♑]

I couldn't really say, honestly. Its really a personal decision. Our input is only opinion, and yet, you want us to influence your decision. Think long and hard about what you want and weigh the pros' to the cons'. Not only will you be asking yourself this question now, but all through out school and possibly into your first nursing job. I agree with Bojamashell on many points. Whatever you decide, good luck to you.