Are you where you thought you'd be?

I am not where I thought I would be. I thought I would already be well on my way to my BSN working in the hospital as an LPN. I do like my job, but it doesn't offer the ability to go to nursing school, plus I don't find my job as exciting as I would like. I am just greatful at this point to have a job.

I did not START my ADN program till I was 45. I worked full time and went to school for BSN then MSN, with employers paying most of tuition. I may not be where I planned but I am where I PREPARED.

I am gearing up for MAJOR schooling. Since I can't focus on ONE specialty, I've surmised that getting all the ones I want and love is going to have to do...

So

How many went to school to be a CRNA, NNP, and adult ARNP and became certified/schooled in all three? Particularly CRNA and NNP.

Would love some advice....

I'm not at all where I thought I'd be. I thought I'd be a good way through an FNP or CRNA program. But alas, I graduated with a BSN, got pregnant, had a divorce, now I've been a nurse for two years and I'm just barely able to work the two days a week that I work. I feel so terrible for single parents who work 5 days a week. This is really all I can do. School seems more and more distant but at the same time I feel such stasis in my current professional life. For this reason, I recommend to new nurses coming up, go to school now if that's your goal. I know it seems like school was so much on you, but take a light semester, or put it off but go ahead and get the admission ball rolling. Be doing something towards your goal because you could end up like me (and many others I've talked to and read on here)

I am where I thought I would be or at least where I aimed to be, although I will say I didn't really have a plan but recently realized I reached my goal. I graduated from nursing school at age 37. Prior to starting nursing school I applied for a scholarship program through the hospital I worked for (doing medical transcription) and I had to write a goals statement. In my statement I said I wanted to be the sort of nurse who could float all over the hospital and fill in where needed. As it turns out, less than 3 years after graduating, that is exactly what I do. Incidentally, I didn't get the scholarship because the committee said they didn't think I would follow through--I still don't know what they meant but I guess I proved them wrong. I already had a bachelor's in business so about a year ago I applied for and was accepted to an RN to MSN program. I took one quarter and quit--just didn't like it, was disillusioned with the courses not teaching me what I wanted to learn and decided to take a different route toward increasing my income, which is one of the reasons I took a per diem position. I thought I wanted to get a master's but I like where I am now and I continually try to think of ways to increase my employability--I obtained a critical care certification and I'm looking into language courses--I know being bilingual is a bonus in some areas.

I am 45 and have been a nurse for a little over a year now. I work 3 nites a week on a med surge floor. It is not where I want to be forever it is OK. I also tried LTC as a floor nurse and a Supervisor that is not for me either. I am now training as a peds Home Health nurse with Bayada. I will try to do a shift a week with them to see if that feels right. I am hoping to find my passion. I don't hate my job but it is hard on me with 2 school aged kids and getting up in age my body is feeling the nite shift. I would not want to be on first shift in the hosp too crazy for me. Hoping Home Health is where I want to be.

Good luck

How about job shadowing with a couple of different people in specailities you are interested in? I was accepted into a NP program and did a job shadow before class started. I did not pursue my NP based on interviews with several PA's, NP's and some MSN educators and my job shadow.

Good luck

Stillearnin, I'm curious. What did you do before nursing?

Am I where I thought I'd be? Nah. It's even better than I imagined. I have been an RN (BSN) working in the ER for the past 7 years. I started in Florida, then, thanks to nursing, was able to take a travel job to Hawaii. I absolutely fell in love with Hawaii and lived there for 3.5 yrs. I met the man of my dreams and am now moving to Germany (He is military). Although I am thankful for nursing, I am burned out already and looking for a career change.

So, stillearnin. I feel your aprehension about taking that next step! Much luck to you.

ALOHA!

Thank you all very much for your replies! You have answered many questions and raised others for me to ponder. Unlike most, I have LOVED nursing school, it has challenged my mind like nothing else I've ever done. Now that the implementation of the info is almost here, it's a little scarey! To answer your ?, I have done many things. My first time thru college I cleaned houses for gas money, then got married-kids-aging parents---worked as a legal secretary for awhile, owned a business for 9 years, was never afraid to jump in and give anything a shot. But lives weren't in my hands then either! I feel like I'm running out of time and need to figure out what I want to be when I grow up...NP, Administration, ICU, like one of the previous posters mentioned, floor nursing may be too rough as I get older. Thank you again for your posts, this board has been such a help over the last couple years!