I am still young, 25, but need some stories of encouragment. I have a 2 yo son and am due with my 2nd little one in December. I am registered for fall classes at my local college and will continue to take my pre-req's until I am done. I always kick myself in the butt though for not getting right in after high school graduation and taking my classes seriously; I was definately a slacker and can't afford to be that anymore. I have always wanted to be a nurse and can't imagine myself anywhere else.
So I am curious to know the stories, as I am sure they will be encouraging, at what age did you decide to start taking classes to become an RN? Did you have children? etc.
Seventeen years old- Business Analyst, Microbiologist (
I'm now eighteen and have settled on Nursing for the most part :). Honestly though, I'm still a writer/English major at heart... That hasn't changed, but reality took over
This thread makes me feel right at home. I've wanted to be a nurse at least since I was 10 and always said a Peds nurse b/c I loved children. I went to college and became discouraged by the "who you know" and "4.1 GPA" to get in the program, so I went to a community college did the CNA program-loved it. I started the LPN program, and for some reason became highly unfocused and got married. I completed Phlebotomy coursework and was working at a bank during all of this and kept getting promotions (which kept me from pursuing medical).
Needless to say, now 10 years later, I have a BS in Business Admin, am a branch manager and I'm not happy because it's not Nursing. I am 32 y/o, married with 2 young kids (8 & 6) and more determined than ever to get where I want to be in the medical field. I am completing one more pre-req A & P I for the community college nursing program this fall and will continue if not accepted for SELU's 2nd degree BSN program.
I am hoping very strongly to get in next fall 2011 for Nursing. Thank you for your encouraging words and allowing me to share.
I actually figured out I wanted to be a Nurse in 2007 when I was giving birth to my son. I have since had another baby and I have a 2 1/2 year old and a 10 month old. I start Nursing school this August and am SOOO excited! I know it is going to be hard, but I will do whatever it takes to get through it for my family!!
At 21 and now at 22 I'm about to start NS in a couple of months. I worked over 3 years a 9-5 without a direction really... Finally decided on nursing after doing much soul searching and am so happy and excited it feels like a total bliss!
But I have to admit I was just thinking the other day "maaaaaan... had I just went into this direction straight after HS at 18 I would have been a licensed and fully competent nurse by now". BUT at the same time I would have probably also wondered at some point WHAT IF I would have done something else instead?
Now I know better -I need a better purpose than making profits for a company and I just had to learn that through experience and with time. Everyone's motives and experiences will be different but this is how I look at it to stop kicking myself lol
Also, my mom, now 44 finished LPN school last year and has been working for several months and she really likes it. We are now contemplating about her LPN-RN transition and maybe even further depending on how it goes -I am so proud of her!!
The point is: it doesn't matter. If it feels right to you and for you then it must be. Better sooner than later and better later than never Good luck!!
I am 26 with 2 kids. I think most of the ladies at the college I go to, including most of the nursing students, have kids, but I go to a non-traditional school. Just shows you though that its never too late to make a change.
I was 25 and really unhappy with my first career (social work). I was 28 before I was in a place in my life where I could go back to school, and I was terrified that I would be the oldest (out-of-touch, difficult to teach, etc) student, but I was happy to see so many people my age or older in my classes. If anything, the people right out of high school were the minority!
Glad to see that there are other "older" students. I do have a lot of second career people in my class, not suprisingly, 1/2 of them are men! I do, however, find I am older than most my professors.:) I still find the memorizing for A&P very difficult. I want to go into Hospice Nursing, and will get my self through school with the best grades I can get!!!
You go girl! My mother-in-law is 83 years old now and STILL works 3 NIGHT shifts/week as a nurse! She doesn't have to work, she just loves it and doesn't want to give it up. If you graduate in a couple years, barring any unforseen health issues, you still have a good 15-20 years that you "could" be working, doing what you LOVE! Congrats on your decision!
Good for you! I too found "life happened", and before I knew it I was in my 40's and I still hadn't done anything for "me". I was laid-off from my job a week before classes started so I grabbed the bull by the horns and signed up for Chem and A&P 1&2 (the last 3 courses I needed to apply to the RN program) I figured God gave me the time to do it, so what was I waiting for? Took my TEAS test and scored well enough to get into the RN program on my first try! Woo-hoo!!! I will be starting my 2nd semester of RN classes in a month - sometimes it's hard to keep my focus, and I get bummed out by the amount of homework and reading we have to do, but I know that this is where I should be!!!
and I just had to learn that through experience and with time. Everyone's motives and experiences will be different but this is how I look at it to stop kicking myself lol 
Good luck!!
Canuckgirl
13 Posts
Eleven years old- Writer.
Twelve years old- Social worker.
Fifteen years old- Nurse.
Seventeen years old- Business Analyst, Microbiologist (
I'm now eighteen and have settled on Nursing for the most part :). Honestly though, I'm still a writer/English major at heart... That hasn't changed, but reality took over