Career Change

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I have wanted to be a nurse for as long as I can remember. I've posted time and time again on allnurses how this is it, I'm finally going to make it happen, yet always change my mind at the last moment. I chicken out.

So, here I am again, lamenting over not having pursued this and considering it once more.

Now - here's the tricky part. I have a job that I love currently. I finally was given a managerial position that I had been wanting for a long time. However, nursing is my dream and probably the only thing I would give up my current job to do.

So, how do I go about this? I work until 5:30 every day. Pre-reqs at my local cc start at that time or earlier. I don't think, given my position, that it would be appropriate to leave early on class days to pursue something else. But maybe I'm overthinking it? I don't want to risk my current job to pursue this dream, but don't want to trash my dream because of my current job.

Anyone? Advice?

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Are you in a position to leave your current job to pursue School full time? If not, do they have a nights/weekend program at your school? Would your boss be supportive of you studying at work in your slack times? Would they support you missing work to attend classes? How stable is your current job in this economy? Does it pay as well as a RN job? If you left that job to pursue Nursing, would it pay dividends once you landed that RN job? Are you going to apply for a BSN program or a 2 year program? Would doing a LPN program first followed with a bridge program work best with your work schedule? I feel your pain, been weighing all these options myself.

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I'm sorry but I don't see it working out with your current situation. If you are going to leave early, I don't think that you current job would understand or agree with that. If you can't find classes that fit around your schedule than it seems like you are going to have to pick which one you want to pursue. Once you actually get into nursing school, there is also usually less flexibility.

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Specializes in Nasty sammiches and Dilaudid.

Quit your job, take out student loans, and hit the books full-time. It'll suck for a while but if you really want to be a nurse and the prereq courses are only available on a day schedule I don't see any other option...

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Or do online prereqs until you are able to apply. Don't quit your job before you get into nursing school!

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I think you should take the prereqs first and see if you like it and how well you do. I've realized I love the other students in my science classes and most of us are pre-nursing or pre-med. We are like minded and that's encouraged me to keep going to school.

Most community colleges have really flexible scheduling, like online classes or fast track classes that meet Friday night, all day Saturday and Sunday afternoon for a month or so. Find out what your options are.

I have had to occasionally take a day off from my regular job or take a long lunch to complete an assignment or take a test, but it's totally do-able to take at least a class or 2 a semester, and that's with a busy job and young child (and an amazingly supportive husband and in-laws).

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

You may also want to read the threads on here pertaining to finding a job after graduation.Many are dismayed to discover that they can't find work, especially if they aren't flexible enough to relocate and aren't willing to settle for less than their dream job.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

You already have a job that you "love," and you seem to be good at it since they just moved you up to management. I don't want to be a downer but why would you jeopardize that for nursing when the job market for nurses seems to be basically nonexistent at the moment? If you're absolutely set on pursuing nursing I would do some job shadowing and volunteer work first to make absolutely sure that it's the "dream" career you have in your head. Then if you're still into it, find a community college that will allow you to complete your prerequisites in the evenings, weekends, or online. You'll most likely have to quit your job once you get into a nursing program, but if you're 100% sure nursing is where you need to be then good luck to you!

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Specializes in Hospice.

You should be able to do most of your pre reqs online. I don't know about A & P, since there is a lab required. But at least you could knock some of it out before having to make the really tough decision of leaving your job. Personally I wouldn't leave a job I love if I am making decent money.

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Thanks everyone for the replies. I've already taken all my pre-reqs outside of the lab sciences. I took Chem years ago, but that has since expired. I would have to leave work early just to retake chem, as well as A & P. The schedule I was looking at was at my local cc, the others schools in the area are strictly day classes.

I work retail, so the pay I would get as a nurse would definitely be more. My boss would probably not be supportive of me pursuing this. He knows I'm in school now (I've been taking courses online toward an accounting degree) and since it's business related - he likes that. I could apply what I'm learning now to my job now. I don't see him being supportive of my going to school and missing work for something so unrelated.

I should also mention that I'm married with two young kids. My family's health benefits come from my employer. Hubby is self employed and a type-1 diabetic, so we rely heavily on my benefits.

This is probably too risky. I've been back and forth with nursing for way too long now and I think it's time to finally put it behind me and pursue something a little more tangible.

Thanks!! I will miss visiting this board.

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I made up an excuse as to why I couldn't be in until after a certain time while taking my pre-reqs. Hey it may not have been the most honest way to go about it but it worked. I got all my pre-reqs done and kept my job in the mean time.

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The job market for nurses is def not non-existent..at least in my area. There will always be nursing jobs!!! Good luck to you!

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