Any stay at home moms or dads returning for nursing degree??

stpauligirl · Nov 11, 2005

Hi to all,
I have been a stay at home mom to four great kids for the past 13 years & started taking nursing pre-reqs last spring. I have done very well so far & have gotten A's in everything I have taken: Anatomy, Life-span Psych, Soc, & Psych. I also have an A in physiology, which I am taking currently. Intellectually, I feel like I am doing well, & I am totally enjoying classes but I'm afraid I am mentally slower this time around. (This will be my second degree. I went right after high school & got a BA in Communications.)
I feel like I study more than the other (younger) people in my classes, & when a prof asks something in class, I have to think about how I want to answer rather than just being able to blurt it out off the top of my head. Does that make sense to anyone? Has talking to kidlets for the past decade zapped my ability to make quick decisions?
Ask me something about my kids, my dogs, PTO, church committees, etc...& I am good to go, but I am afraid that when I am learning about hands on things in front of a group like blood pressures or injections, I will be slower than everyone else. Pre-kids, I used to be a social worker, so it's not like I've never worked or had to make critical decisions before. I just feel like I've lost the ability to think on my feet. Will this come back to me??? I am starting to doubt my ability to do this & I really,really want to succeed.
Where did all my confidence go & how do I get it back! :uhoh21:
Heather

Hi, I am 46, stay at home mom, raised one who is 21 and have a 7 year old in elementary school. I started prereqes towards nursing last fall. You are doing wonderful, just keep going and don't worry about speed. You'll have such a steady hand patients aren't going to feel the needle going in thanks to handling all the things with your kids for all these years :) Keep up the good work and stick with it at your pace. All the young, fast, impatient people are long gone from my class......I am currently hanging in A&P with an A, the only one.

sasparilla · Nov 11, 2005

I've also been a SAHM for a long time, about 11 years since my last work experience. I do agree that mental slowness is there, there is no doubt. But I just started nursing school this fall and I want to encourage you because I think that you will find that being slower to think about things will be more of an advantage than a drawback. Mistakes are easier to make when you're in a hurry. I've found that age also gives you an advantage just because of life experience. Some of the situations you come across you or your family may have personally experienced. You just know things that younger kids haven't had any experience with.

I'm 41 and I'm not even the oldest in my class! Also, I'm very focused. I only have a certain amount of time to study so I make the most of it. I'm pretty close to the top of my class and it's not because I'm super-smart either. I study, I have life experience and critical thinking comes easier because you do that sort of stuff (though not exactly the same of course) every day when you raise your kids.

You'll be great! There are lots of us who are starting 2nd careers, I'm sure that you will find others in your class who are "non-traditional" students.

SchoolRN,BSN · Nov 11, 2005

Thanks to both of you for your encouragement. I really appreciate it.

I do feel much better prepared than I did, say, the first time I went to college. Hence the better grades. :rolleyes:

I think it is an issue of when I am being shown how to do something or when someone is waiting for an answer from me that I get flustered. If I'm not 100% certain what I'm talking about I can't be cool & collected. I feel like I'm B.S.ing my way through it!

I just get frustrated when I know that I know what I am talking about more than the person standing beside me & I end up letting them lead because they ACT like they know what they are doing even if they haven't prepared the material. It's as though they just intuitively get the concepts and even though I am prepared, I want to make sure I understand what I am doing, so I hesitate. Are they faking, or do they really feel that confident?

Heather

Fun2, BSN, RN · Nov 11, 2005

Mental speed does slow down with age, but it hasn't stopped the thousands of 'older' students from becoming good nurses.

Many things will be done out of repetition, so it will eventually come naturally. Things that are done on the spot, such as CPR, will come from an adrenaline rush!

Don't worry about it. Who cares if an 18 year old can spout an answer in 0.2 seconds? Just because you have to think about your answer doesn't mean you will not be able to handle nursing. (It just means we have 1000X more information stored in our memory that we have to sort through in order to get the answer.) lol

Good luck, keep your chin up, and stay motivated!!!!

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Nov 11, 2005

Glad you found many in similar situations. Just want to wish you the best of luck. :)

Juststartingout · Nov 11, 2005

you all are many some very good points for me as well! thanks! :)

i've been a sahm since winter of 2000. before that i was going to college to get an aas degree as a medical office specialist( took leave at 6 months prego),so never finished.

life's lil twists n' turns.................

so,now i've decided that it it time for "mom" to beable to do something for herself ;>)....although my other half and i had spoke of me returning to scchool or work when our youngest is around 3..preschool age or so..he's 4 1/2 now so i'm behind!! oops!! such conflicting feelings when you are planning to place the youngest in daycare/preschool!

i will be taking my asset test next wednesday and then getting together with a nursing counselor to see what, if any, credits i can use toward my nursing degree (they are about 5 yrs old now). i'll be looking at some pre-reqs..a good years worth i'm sure! , maybe even an aa in liberal arts if i want to go for my bsn eventually. kinda scares me though..that's alot of math :uhoh21: maybe i'll just consider sticking to the adn...hmm, and then if i still want to i can.

so..anyway..yep..i'm returning, finally, can't wait too! just feelin' a bit jittery and excited all at once. fortunately, i have experience and 'maturity'..hehe..on my side! :sofahider

tlhubbard · Nov 11, 2005

I was a stay at home mom and finally decided on a career after marriage and children. I started nursing school with a 3 year old and an 8 month old. Talk about some distraction. I thoroughly enjoyed some "adult" conversation, and found the schooling a nice (sometimes stressful) place to get away and do something for myself.

I also had wonderful grades in the pre-reqs and that did not change in the NUR classes. We can bring experience, and wisdom that those younger students just can't have gathered up in their 18-19 years. Yea, they're quick. But we give thought to our answers which has to be given some credit. I believe the ones that memorize (and shout out answers quickly) will find it difficult to get through critical thinking pieces which is HUGE in school. Stick to your guns!!

You'll be great!!

bsngrad2be · Nov 11, 2005

I am 38 and have decided to seek a second degree in Nursing. I have three children, the youngest being 22 months. My husband is an airline pilot so he's gone ALOT. I think I've maybe lost my mind but can think of nothing else right now than how much I want to do this. I will not enter nursing school until the Fall of 07 so I have some pre-reqs to take care of. I have a BSBA and specialized Human Resources. I am hoping to take my career to the field of Nurse Educator but that's a long-term goal. Right now, I am only looking at the BSN as I don't want to get overwhelmed. I do think being older gives us the advantage of patience. We may not jump up out of the chair when the prof asks a question like we did in out 'younger' days, but that's because we know the answers aren't always black and white. That's one thing I have really grasped onto as I grow older (especially with three kids) is that most things aren't black and white-they are usually grey! I hope I do as well as I re-enter school as you all have. I am really freaked about Chemistry. I'm even having nightmares about it. But, because I'm older and wiser, I will not let it defeat me!!! :rotfl: Oh, did I mention I am seriously considering an Accelerated program? See, I told you I've lost my mind! Good luck to all you second time around'ers. Let's keep posting and become our own little support group!

dettwiller5 · Nov 11, 2005

I'm 37 and will be starting nursing school in January. I have 3 kids- 12, 5, and 4. I have a degree in Health Education and Sociology. I have been taking the 4 prereqs that I needed 1 at a time and will be going to nursing school part time evenings and weekend so that I can be at home with my 4 year old during the day. She wont begin Kindergarten for another 2 years because she will miss the cutoff next year. I am really excited to get started in January!

L&D4ME · Nov 11, 2005

I am a SAHM, also. I have a 2 year old and a 4 month old. I eventually intend to get my CRNA, but that's not for another 13 years or so. I only take one class at a time so I am taking classes for my BSN also. I enjoy the ability to get good grades while raising my kids at the same time. :)

SchoolRN,BSN · Nov 11, 2005

What a great group!

I guess with age comes wisdom, right!

It sounds like there are some excellent nurses getting ready to hit the workforce. I am very pleased to be in the company of such intelligent & caring people.

Hugs :icon_hug:

Heather