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Discussion

Congrats to all of you.

I am a 43 year old guy that was looking into changing careers. I've had a tough 20 years in the computer industry switching jobs because it's never a secure field, raising two children by myself for the past 12 years, (i know that's not normal for guys but ya do what ya gotta do). I am at the point where I hate the computer industry with everything now going overseas, the constant stress of layoffs, and it seems the only thing really safe is the health care industry. After a 10 day stay in the hospital for a bad gallbladder I became very interested in everything that was going on there. I started asking everybody about their jobs. They must have all thought I was nuts. I found a local community college that has a two year RN course and thought maybe that wouldn't be too bad. After all I'm a computer network engineer and I'm not stupid. I have to say after looking into this I'm amazed at how difficult it is to get into it. I am one of those people horrible at math and don't even think I can get through the prereq stuff. Algebra? Forget it. I'm still trying to learn it and go to a seminar in a couple weeks, have read some forums here, but have to say I just don't think I have the brains to do what you all have accomplished. I think I would love to work in a hospital but working all day and going to school at night would be ok except for all the horror stories I've read here, heh heh. Before computers I was an auto mechanic but that is hard labor that just doesn't pay. I should probably continue my search for another trade that won't go overseas. It has been interesting reading out here though. Anyway I just wanted to tip my hat to all of you that have gone through this and made it.

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The skills you described are right on for nursing really. Lots of logic and common sense skills are needed very badly! Heck, I was good at mechanical and computer...but didn't want to go there...those skills helped me so much in probelm solving and time management skills..A#1 in nursing!

Math...I am so bad at it, but what I did was to take distance learning in math. They had a math class that I could tape or rent the tapes on a cable channel that was specifically my community colleges channel! It was awesome!!!! I could tape and watch it when it fit into my schedule, and I could rewind my teacher instead of holding up my hand and feeling like a dork! That was awesome...and everyone I have told that to that has done it....thank me up and down for that! I passed all of it with an A! Couldn't solve a fraction now to save my life, but I have the tapes marked so I can refer to them, and my kids watch them and are doing awesome!!!! That was a good step in more ways than I thought. Check if your school offers this. (and no...I don't use much math at all...my pharmacy is awesome and does all those calculations for me including drip rates! But if I have to do them I have a cheat sheet on my clipboard and double check with other nurses, and they with me...that is very common!).

Also there is a series of books called "nursing made incredibly easy" that I depended on. It also goes over math, anatomy/physiology, microbio, chem, fluid and electolytes and much much more. I love these books because they are humorous, down to earth, and made for people that don't want to read all these other text books where you have to use a dictionary every other sentence! Those were a big bonus and highly recomended by me!

Another very very serious suggestion, see if you can shadow a nurse (be with them during a day). This will give you a very good insite into what a day can be like! If you are interested in other areas of healthcare too...try for this! It is a great way to see what you are getting into!

OH btw...I was also a single parent (started RN school at 31), living with my parents who hit hard times medically and money wise and had to try to help support them along the way. It can be done now a days...and if I can do it...heck anyone can! Good luck and hopeful fortune for you!

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My nephew has a male friend who became a nurse and has been doing well with it for years. I had some very long conversations with him but he never seemed to mention all the math and pre reqs to get in. I'm still in search of the magical book that will make the math requirement clear to me but I guess the hard part is that I can't think of anything in the world I dislike more than math. I still have the orientation in a couple weeks. Lets see if that completely scares me away from it or not.

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