Career Change-confused!!

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Hello all,

I just turned 46 and I have been working as a Legal Secretary since 1998. I just recently received my NCCP (North Carolina Certified Paralegal) Certificate. Not finding any jobs, although I have tons of legal experience, they always find a way to say you're not the right fit. But, I'm not bitter about that. I have been wanting to change my career to the medical field since 2008! Lately, not sure if it's an age thing or my calling is calling me! I have spent the last year at a LTC facility visiting my father who has dementia. I have really grown, my desire to be a nurse has grown being there everyday. My question is do you think it's crazy to jump out there and quit my job, take out student loans so that I can attend the RN program....alllll programs are day only classes. I've talked to two nurses that did that and they are fine! I was all geared up to do it, but I let fear enter my thoughts :-(. All I know is 20+ years is a long time to sit at a desk (although I make decent money) and do nothing all day! I'm in commercial real estate and right now, it's slow! well it's always a little slow for me!

Next question, do you think attending a hospital that offers RN classes or a community college is best? I'm leaning towards the hospital..fingers crossed that I get accepted.

Thank you!

I am also 46 and going to school to change careers! I started out wanting to do billing and coding, but decided Nursing is where I really want to be. I've been a secretary for about the same amount of time. I am currently getting my prerequisites out of the way, and will apply for nursing school next spring. I am scared to get out of my comfort zone but it'll be ok. I am currently enrolled in Tulsa Community College and will transfer to NSU to get my BSN. I thought about doing the trade school way, but decided this was better for me. If you can get in through the hospital - perfect!

Good luck to you!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
I have a very good understanding what it is and not. Getting a job as a CNA will not change my goal or career path. Like I said, my father has been in a nursing home for the past year...I have had to care for him...I do more than the CNAs! I clean his room, change his bed, give him bed baths (respecting his privacy of course..) get him dressed...everything! So I have a pretty good idea on what the job would entail. I'm there 7 days a week, 2 and 3 times a day.

You have a very good understanding of what a CNA job entails. From the details that you have shared, you do not have much of an idea of what an actual nursing role consists of. Take the advice and shadow a nurse before you take loans and/or spend money on a new career. Nursing school is hard. Working as a new nurse is harder. And in some areas of the country, finding a job as a nurse can be the hardest of the three. Research your region's level of nursing unemployment. Ask those community colleges what their NCLEX pass rate it and what their job placement rate is.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
Sorry about that!! didn't think of it in that way!! I will change it now

Still waiting for the change....

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Specializes in ICU/UM.

If you want to be an NP then I would go for the associate degree program over a hospital diploma course. It will transfer easier.

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Specializes in ER, PCU, UCC, Observation medicine.
Thank you! that's the best response I've received! I think my long term goal is to become a NP. Probably for Alzheimer's/Dementia.

You may have heard the term, nurses eat their young. Don't let some of these other comments discourage you. Nursing is a very rewarding career, it takes a lot of sacrifice to get there. I truly wish you good luck.

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You may have heard the term, nurses eat their young. Don't let some of these other comments discourage you. Nursing is a very rewarding career, it takes a lot of sacrifice to get there. I truly wish you good luck.

Says the spider to the fly. Come on in the water's fine!

Seriously? Reasonable caution is NETY?

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Specializes in ICU.
You may have heard the term, nurses eat their young. Don't let some of these other comments discourage you. Nursing is a very rewarding career, it takes a lot of sacrifice to get there. I truly wish you good luck.

I disagree reed with you yelling NETY here. Do you ever read these boards? People all the time come in and say even during nursing school, it isn't what I thought, I'm depressed because I thought nurses didn't do this or that. I can't believe I'm involved in.........

I personally always try to caution people, especially in what I guess is mid-life, to try a new career because of they don't understand what a nurse really does and then end up with huge debt, and they quit a good job.

Hey, I was 37 when I started and am now a newbie nurse at 40. I love it. But I also don't ever let my job define me. That is what many people do. I just try to caution before sinking a lot of money and losing your current career for something you may not like.

I guess I care to make people understand and not ruin themselves financially. It's not NETY and I have seen none of that in this thread. I see people giving insightful advice to get people to think.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.
I have a very good understanding what it is and not. Getting a job as a CNA will not change my goal or career path. Like I said, my father has been in a nursing home for the past year...I have had to care for him...I do more than the CNAs! I clean his room, change his bed, give him bed baths (respecting his privacy of course..) get him dressed...everything! So I have a pretty good idea on what the job would entail. I'm there 7 days a week, 2 and 3 times a day.

But here's the thing to consider- you have to do that for sometimes 8-10 patients on an every day basis.

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Specializes in ER, PCU, UCC, Observation medicine.
Says the spider to the fly. Come on in the water's fine!

Seriously? Reasonable caution is NETY?

The lady came for advice from nurses and some responses are to be a CNA first, which is an entire program on its own, someone said to change her username which is irrelevant to this forum, and suggested she didn't even know the role of an RN, other people are saying how hard it is to find a job; that's not very supportive from future colleagues.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
The lady came for advice from nurses and some responses are to be a CNA first, which is an entire program on its own, someone said to change her username which is irrelevant to this forum, and suggested she didn't even know the role of an RN, other people are saying how hard it is to find a job; that's not very supportive from future colleagues.

You prefer pie in the sky, yay rah cheerleading to realistic, evidence-based caution? Have at it. OP will take in what she wants to.

Living amongst 2 community colleges and 2 hospital-based programs (per OP), she's likely living amongst dozens of unemployed new grads. But hey - why bother to research a mid-life change that might involve student loan debt and uncertain employment odds?! That advice is just crazy NETY!!

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Specializes in ER, PCU, UCC, Observation medicine.
You prefer pie in the sky, yay rah cheerleading to realistic, evidence-based caution? Have at it. OP will take in what she wants to.

Living amongst 2 community colleges and 2 hospital-based programs (per OP), she's likely living amongst dozens of unemployed new grads. But hey - why bother to research a mid-life change that might involve student loan debt and uncertain employment odds?! That advice is just crazy NETY!!

Thank you for addressing one of the points. In your honest opinion you don't think there was not one rude comment ?

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Specializes in ICU.
The lady came for advice from nurses and some responses are to be a CNA first, which is an entire program on its own, someone said to change her username which is irrelevant to this forum, and suggested she didn't even know the role of an RN, other people are saying how hard it is to find a job; that's not very supportive from future colleagues.

It's against the terms of service of this site. RN and LPN is a protected title in many states. As a paralegal she should know that I can't represent myself as a lawyer by writing esquire, just because I had a desire to be one. By the way, I'm young in terms of a nurse. So therefore, I can't eat young nurses.

You worked hard for your NP title. How would you like it if I started calling myself an NP when I'm not? Probably not so much. But it also doesn't matter really what I think as its against the rules on here.

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