Are you where you thought you'd be?

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I'm finishing up nursing school at the ripe old age of 45. I am really curious if the areas that I think I like now will be even close to where I end up...I would love to keep going and get my MSN, but need experience first and don't want to waste a ton of time and $$$ then not like where it took me in the end.

Thanks, reading this board has been a huge help getting me through this!

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!

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Specializes in trauma, ortho, burns, plastic surgery.

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!

Finally a Nurse who talk about Hawaii... tell us more.... as soo much as I travel.... Hawaii became an ideea that is come around for couple of months... Enjoy Europe!

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Specializes in ER.

Zuzi, Hawaii is amazing! I lived on the island of Oahu (where Pearl Harbor is). My favorite hospital was Kaiser. Great RN:Pt ratios, breaks, great equipment, thankful/happy staff. I'd avoid Tripler Hosp at all costs. The islands are expensive but beautiful! Lots of wildlife... turtles, whales, monk seals. Then there's the volcanos, hikes, snorkeling, warm weather with cool breezes, surfing. I could go on!

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Zuzi, Hawaii is amazing! I lived on the island of Oahu (where Pearl Harbor is). My favorite hospital was Kaiser. Great RN:Pt ratios, breaks, great equipment, thankful/happy staff. I'd avoid Tripler Hosp at all costs. The islands are expensive but beautiful! Lots of wildlife... turtles, whales, monk seals. Then there's the volcanos, hikes, snorkeling, warm weather with cool breezes, surfing. I could go on!

I lived on Oahu for a while growing up, and I've always had a desire to work at Tripler. So my question is why you're saying to avoid it? I'm really curious! Maybe I'll have to change my ambitions, lol.

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But do we really can be sure 100% where we want to be? Maybe 1% of population,rest just drifts on the stormy sea looking for our place on this strange planet called earth:redbeathe I know one thing I dont regret where I am now...I have a profession that will always be in demand,pay is not so bad,I will be doing God's work,it is a respectable job (yeah you might deal with occasional scold from the doctors or pt families but most time people do respect nurses) with many different specialties,good enough if you ask me!!

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Specializes in ER, TRAUMA, MED-SURG.
Finally a Nurse who talk about Hawaii... tell us more.... as soo much as I travel.... Hawaii became an ideea that is come around for couple of months... Enjoy Europe!

Oh, Zuzi! It is SO beautiful - I have never seen anything as breathtaking as traveling to Hawaii. The scenery, the culture, the beaches, and on and on. I was able to go when Don Ho was singing, and that was great! I would go back in a minute!!

Anne, RNC

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Specializes in Management, Emergency, Psych, Med Surg.

I have been a nurse for 31 years. I always wanted to work in the ED and spent many years in a large public hospital ED which was my dream job. I worked my way up the management tract to the position of director of emergency and pediatric services which was my goal. I moved around a bit, recruited into other director positions and finally decided that I was burned out on management at that level. I am now semi retired. I work as the 3-11 charge nurse on a 34 bed med surg floor and I love my job. I get some management and some direct patient care. So I guess I did meet my goals. I would not trade my time in the ED for anything. It was the best job that I ever had.

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Specializes in NICU Level III.

For my age, I'm exactly where I thought I would be. I thought I'd go on to be an NNP eventually, but there is NO WAY IN HECK I want to do that now! I will go back for my master's eventually but I'm in no hurry.

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