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.
Deebuzz started a thread in April with the following post. Note the reason she states for going into nursing. Take it for what it's worth, but I have a feeling you won't take it at all.
Deebuzz:
"I hate nursing, never thought I would say that but after 1.5yrs of working as a floor RN I know this crap is not for me. This job will suck the living life out of you. Your emotional, physical and mental health will suffer along with your family life. I have finally decided to leave the bedside and I've never felt so happy. At only 25 I felt like I was going to be stuck in this state for the rest of my working life but I found the courage to finally make the decision that saved my health and my marriage. I went into nursing with the intention of helping people and being the one to make a difference to those who may feel hopeless. All my intentions were quickly shut down when I started working on the floor. We deal with some unappreciative, sarcastic, rude, egotistical, ******* (patients, family members,physicians,coworkers and managers). There is no care in nursing just bottom line concerns. My first nursing job was ok, I worked in ND at the time, I moved to FL and that gave me the green light to officially leave floor nursing. I hate the anxious feeling before every shift, the nagging family members, pts who are rude self entitled, coworkers who throw eachother under the bus, physicians who disregard concerns, and a whole lot of other things I can elaborate about that is just downright aweful. I'm glad to say my degree didn't completly go to waste as I am now a RN case manager. I believe being away from the bedside will renew my interest. I refuse to live a day dreading having to go to work, nursing has literally changed how I respond to people, before I use to smile at everyone now I walk pass people with my face looking like a pit bull ready to bite. Whenever someone would tell me to smile I though, "wow I have changed for the worst" I refuse to be a martyr for this profession. Taking care of myself is more important than risking it for people who **** on theirs."
1. You most certainly asked for advice and suggestions.
2. This is the internet. You do not get to dictate who answers what or what their answers will be. You received very well-thought-out advice & responses and blew them away due to your perceived superior knowledge of nursing. Then and only then did some posters (myself included) turn snarky to some degree. But even after you disregarded & cried "mean nurses," some still stuck around to try to help you open your eyes to what you may be missing in the big picture.
I said it before and I'll say it again: I have no earthly idea why you posted these "questions" on the internet. You are not open to new ideas or even to reasonable responses. You will certainly be an .........interesting..........student.
Ha, Ok Roser13....Since you want to be so technical....ONE of those questions was answered....that yes it is something to consider taking out loans at my age... Oh, and I got ONE response in regards to whether or not attending a hospital based program was better than a community college. Y'all have said everything to discourage my ambitions to pursue something that I desire. These responses have been somewhat negative, I even let a co-worker read them and that's when it was brought to my attention that maybe the people responding don't like their jobs! Your so-called helpful advice has been nothing but telling me all the negative things of being a nurse and none of the rewarding things.
Deebuzz started a thread in April with the following post. Note the reason she states for going into nursing. Take it for what it's worth, but I have a feeling you won't take it at all.
Deebuzz:
"I hate nursing, never thought I would say that but after 1.5yrs of working as a floor RN I know this crap is not for me. This job will suck the living life out of you. Your emotional, physical and mental health will suffer along with your family life. I have finally decided to leave the bedside and I've never felt so happy. At only 25 I felt like I was going to be stuck in this state for the rest of my working life but I found the courage to finally make the decision that saved my health and my marriage. I went into nursing with the intention of helping people and being the one to make a difference to those who may feel hopeless. All my intentions were quickly shut down when I started working on the floor. We deal with some unappreciative, sarcastic, rude, egotistical, ******* (patients, family members,physicians,coworkers and managers). There is no care in nursing just bottom line concerns. My first nursing job was ok, I worked in ND at the time, I moved to FL and that gave me the green light to officially leave floor nursing. I hate the anxious feeling before every shift, the nagging family members, pts who are rude self entitled, coworkers who throw eachother under the bus, physicians who disregard concerns, and a whole lot of other things I can elaborate about that is just downright aweful. I'm glad to say my degree didn't completly go to waste as I am now a RN case manager. I believe being away from the bedside will renew my interest. I refuse to live a day dreading having to go to work, nursing has literally changed how I respond to people, before I use to smile at everyone now I walk pass people with my face looking like a pit bull ready to bite. Whenever someone would tell me to smile I though, "wow I have changed for the worst" I refuse to be a martyr for this profession. Taking care of myself is more important than risking it for people who **** on theirs."
Ok....And?? She didn't like what she was doing so she found something that she liked better.
What exactly is this suppose to do for me?? OH, yea, it should make me change my mind and re-think my decision to become a nurse.
Thanks.
I mean really, just because she hated it, am I supposed to? Do you hate it? What are your thoughts? If you could choose a different career in life, would you?
Ha, Ok Roser13....Since you want to be so technical....ONE of those questions was answered....that yes it is something to consider taking out loans at my age... Oh, and I got ONE response in regards to whether or not attending a hospital based program was better than a community college. Y'all have said everything to discourage my ambitions to pursue something that I desire. These responses have been somewhat negative, I even let a co-worker read them and that's when it was brought to my attention that maybe the people responding don't like their jobs! Your so-called helpful advice has been nothing but telling me all the negative things of being a nurse and none of the rewarding things.
Just like you can speak your opinion, so can I
If the job is so horrible WHY are YOU doing it??
I have never once said that I hate my job because the reality is that I love it. Just because something was "brought to your attention" doesn't make it so.
However, I am one who is able to discern between reality and fantasy. Saying (as you have) that we have been negative and mean-spirited to you is a fantasy that you are confusing with reality. We have given you solid advice based in reality. Reality is not always pretty. Reality is sometimes hard to handle. Do those statements make me mean and negative?
If you believe that you have been treated so terribly on this thread, then you are indeed a special snowflake. Kind of strange to find one at your age, but so be it. Your tender feelings will be in shock when you start nursing school and meet a drill instructor of a clinical leader, or a didactic instructor who doesn't sugar-coat your chances of success.
Oh, and about nursing being a calling... This is largely BS in my opinion. Yes, there are nurses that feel "called" to the profession and I respect that, but you will find that there are many more who are in it for other reasons. There are multiple threads here that discuss this controversial topic and I would suggest that you read some of them to get an understanding of both sides so that you don't unintentionally offend someone.
I know, right? The OP focuses on the points that SEEM to validate her position, twists the words to show that she is "right," and ignores the rest. I SO want to respond to some of the most recent comments but it would be like beating my head against a brick wall.
I seriously don't think I'll regret this decision. If anything, I will regret not doing it!
And this just underscores what many of the comments here have been trying get across.
NOBODY is trying to say you WILL regret it or that you shouldn't do it! We've been trying to offer you ways to become better informed so you can make a decision based on reality; not your version of reality, but one from an insiders perspective.
I honestly have doubts about you actually making it through the nursing program, not because you aren't smart enough, but because you are very rigid and not open to anyone's ideas or suggestions but your own, which, up to now, have been based on very limited exposure to the nursing profession, regardless of what you may think.
I also have no doubt that if you do make it through the program and get to actually practice, you will find that nursing is not what you have created in your mind. It may even creep through your awareness that at least some of what we have said here has been good advice, and not just the advice that you claim to have accepted, but that which you have rejected out-of-hand. Although to tell the truth, even if you come to realize that we were right, you probably won't admit it.
I can't speak for roser13, but it's my honest opinion that I didn't see one rude comment.
Using "nurse/RN/LPN" in one's screen name violates the site's TOS. Pointing that out is not rudeness, it's fact.
The OP is considering nursing because she can't find a paralegal job. Some think that there's this huge nursing shortage and that RN=employed. That is just not true...the market is oversaturated in some areas, and scads of new grads can't find nursing jobs. How is pointing out the facts of the market, eating of young? Wouldn't it be "meaner" to hide that reality?
Hmmm, as I think about it, I'm actually tired of the whole being in an office all day...so I probably should change that.... Not because I can't find a paralegal job...I think I want something different altogether. Thanks
Firstly: Roser if i could like your reply X100 I would.
Secondly: Uni requires you to be able to critically evaluate a situation. You are demonstrating you have neither the right type of intelligence or ability to do so.
Thirdly: the above statement would not be an issue if you not stubborn and !shock, I'm going to go there! In your 40s. This issue may be non redundant if you were for e.g 19. But that's my personal opinion and not a fact.
But I will bite: yes I went to university with people who were in their 40s. Very successful nurses and just truly some of the best people I have ever met. One is doing medicine and another masters another a PHD, one rehab, a couple ICU another three ED and finally one runs a Nusring home (after then going back and doing her MBA). As you can see by my reply I still keep in contact with them despite the age difference. The difference between you and them are now night and day.
Firstly the majority of them had worked in a healthcare related field. For example was a radiologist, another worked as an assistant in a nursing home.
Secondly, they were all able to critically evaluate information they were given.
Thirdly, the ones who had a personal experience (like you) that led to nursing, were able to see the whole picture (as much as they could forseeably could) without the self serving superiority complex you are demonstrating.
So no I am not ageist or NETY I just have a problem with how you are conducting yourself.
oh and just because you are a legal secretary doesn't mean you can critically evaluate a situation (incase you were going to try that)
ETA: actually there was one who was In Their 40s who was terrible! Ironically she worked in a law secretary position as well! She kept saying it was her calling, couldn't understand simple concepts (spent hours explaining) and eventually got kicked out of the group ON THE DAY (from presenting not receiving the group mark) because she didn't attend a group meeting and didn't do her assessment to standard. But it was in her view 'age discrimination' and then ended up failing her clinicals so got kicked out!
Specializes in ER, PCU, UCC, Observation medicine.
Aspiring RN, this thread has really blown up, hasn't it?? I'm actually a little embarrassed reading some of these comments from people who call themselves RNs. If I were you, after reading these comments I wouldn't want to pursue nursing either. But do keep in mind in nursing or in any profession you always run into people that will try and bring you down or make you feel small.
:sleep:
GM2RN
1,850 Posts
Deebuzz started a thread in April with the following post. Note the reason she states for going into nursing. Take it for what it's worth, but I have a feeling you won't take it at all.
Deebuzz:
"I hate nursing, never thought I would say that but after 1.5yrs of working as a floor RN I know this crap is not for me. This job will suck the living life out of you. Your emotional, physical and mental health will suffer along with your family life. I have finally decided to leave the bedside and I've never felt so happy. At only 25 I felt like I was going to be stuck in this state for the rest of my working life but I found the courage to finally make the decision that saved my health and my marriage. I went into nursing with the intention of helping people and being the one to make a difference to those who may feel hopeless. All my intentions were quickly shut down when I started working on the floor. We deal with some unappreciative, sarcastic, rude, egotistical, ******* (patients, family members,physicians,coworkers and managers). There is no care in nursing just bottom line concerns. My first nursing job was ok, I worked in ND at the time, I moved to FL and that gave me the green light to officially leave floor nursing. I hate the anxious feeling before every shift, the nagging family members, pts who are rude self entitled, coworkers who throw eachother under the bus, physicians who disregard concerns, and a whole lot of other things I can elaborate about that is just downright aweful. I'm glad to say my degree didn't completly go to waste as I am now a RN case manager. I believe being away from the bedside will renew my interest. I refuse to live a day dreading having to go to work, nursing has literally changed how I respond to people, before I use to smile at everyone now I walk pass people with my face looking like a pit bull ready to bite. Whenever someone would tell me to smile I though, "wow I have changed for the worst" I refuse to be a martyr for this profession. Taking care of myself is more important than risking it for people who **** on theirs."