Career changers? What is your previous degree in? What was your previous career?

2bEsqtoRN · Sep 12, 2011

EsqtoRN, you can take prerequisite course work at your local community college. There is nothing fancy about the prerequisite requirements that mandate the course be taken at a 4 year institution. As well, community colleges have flexible class schedules that may allow you to maintain employment and begin checking off prerequisite courses. Of course, if you want to speed through, you can go full time. Also, remember, when it comes to applying, most schools require that you have completed all course work by matriculation and not by application. You can be finishing up prerequisites the semester to beginning nursing school. Most prerequisites are Anatomy and Physiology I and II, Microbiology, a Chemistry subtype, Statistics, sometimes Nutrition and Developmental Psychology. I have seen some schools with even more stringent requirements. Some community colleges may require general biology prior to A & P. If you have always been a good student, I would not worry excessively over ability to achieve prerequisite success. These are all 100 level courses for the most part. The courses can be time-consuming, however. I think it is fantastic you figured all this out prior to going to law school. My best friend went to one of the best law schools in the country. She hated law school. She hated being a corporate tax lawyer. Now she is SAHM with a fancy-schmancy law degree that hangs on her wall.

Thanks so much for the informatiom spore.

With respect to your last few sentences, a lightbulb had clicked when I was assisting a friend who had just come out of surgery and one of the head nurses in the room told me "you've missed your calling honey". I was set on getting a fancy Harvard law degree but this life, the hours, the stress...its not what I want longterm. I can't believe I'm even doing this. Corporate America and firm life is all I've known. I can't imagine administering medication or injecting someone but to know that I can do more helping someone that actually matters (not Wall Street fat cats) is rewarding in and of itself. I'm hanging my heels and pant suits for sneakers and scrubs. :) I'm so happy to be a part of this board and look forward to the journey that lies ahead.

Al.ginger · Sep 13, 2011

I have a Bachelor degree in language and communication from outside the US. I was working as a journalist there.

My husband is Doctor of Chiropractic and also has a BS in human anatomy. Currently working as a TMA, since business doesn't go well.

And we are both in the nursing school. I'm taking my core classes and hubby fulfilling generals

leenak · Sep 13, 2011

BS in Computer Science, MS in Information systems. I work in Information Security. I'm tired of working behind a desk all day and I like working with people. I've always had an interest in medical care and I ended up losing 150lbs and it made me want to work in medical care even more. So I'm currently taking pre-reqs to get into nursing.

spore2008 · Sep 13, 2011

leenak, kudos to improving yourself in so many ways! Good luck on your journey.

annisteff · Sep 13, 2011

Wow, annisteff. You and be both. The only difference is that I've been a paralegal for close to 4 years, graduated with a B.A. in 2006 and am currently studying for the LSAT only to realize that this is really not what I want to do longterm. It really is not a healthy environment.
I've also come to realize that I will need to take prerequisite courses in the sciences and I've never been good at that! Where did you begin to find the classes you needed to take prior to applying to the BSN? This is all so new to me but I am quite excited about the possibilities.

Hi EsqtoRN! Its great that we both realized how soul-crushing and unfulfilling (in my opinion) the legal industry can be before we got too far along in the process. Like you, I had a "lightbulb moment" when I realized nursing would be the perfect fit for me. My aunt and two cousins are nurses and I've always been the type to want to do my "own thing" and break the mold, so the image of me being a successful lawyer was more appealing than becoming yet another nurse in the family. I am so glad my cousin brought up nursing again when I was talking about how unhappy I've been at my current position!

As far as prerequisites, I first did some research into what nursing schools I might be interested in applying to. I want to stay local so that wasn't too difficult. Then I submitted transcripts to find out what courses from my B.A. would transfer, and I asked the nursing department in each school what further courses I would need to fill their prerequisites. They were very helpful and provided the course names and numbers I would need, along with equivalent courses at the community college should I want to take my prerequisites there to save money. I chose that route, and now I am actually considering getting my associates in nursing from the community college rather than the Accelerated BSN program I had been looking at, as I don't really feel like adding too much more to the student loan debt I already have!

Getting back into taking science courses is intimidating but it really is fascinating! I find myself so much more interested in learning about the body and biology than I was in high school or college, because I know now that this is truly what I want to do.

Good luck with your initial research into nursing schools! :)

NellieOlsen · Sep 13, 2011

I've been a medical transcriptionist for 5 years. Prior to that, I was an accountant for a major credit card company for 10+ years. I love my current job doing transcription as I've always loved the medical field. But I always knew I would go back to school when the youngest baby went to school. And it's now that time!

aaron_j_sutter · Sep 14, 2011

Right out of high school I went into construction for ten years. I moved on to retail in 2004 and worked my way up to management and I am still there today. During this time I worked full time and went to school full time and received my associates in Business degree over a 2 1/2 year period. I then began taking Bachelors in Worship Arts online. I am about half way through that program, but I am switching gears and starting my PCT classes in the spring. I then hope to continue on to enroll in the nursing program at our local community college.

People have told me that I am crazy for making such a dramatic career shift but I simply tell them that I want to help people in a physical way and through that the door might be opened to help people in a spiritual way. I am not one of those people that forces my faith on people, but I don't hide it either. I love people and want to spend my life helping to make people well.