Dazed & Discouraged

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Jul 13, 2006

Mary,

I was someone who also had to jump through significant hoops to pursue nursing after already having four years of college and 100+ credits. I am really glad I made the effort!

Not sure if this has any bearing on your screen name, but there's a very famous Mary E. Mahoney in nursing history (she is generally considered to be the first black professionally educated nurse in the US), so maybe that's a sign. :)

Best of luck in your endeavors!

Daye · Jul 13, 2006

hello all pre-nursing students & nursing students.i have enjoyed reading many threads since joining this site. this is my first entry and unfortunately it's not a light-hearted one. i have been working towards completely all of my pre-requisites for entrance into the bsn program at loma linda universiy....................sigh:uhoh3: anywho, i already have close to seventy units, so i had to appeal a "too many unit" financial aid decision.my explanation of the rigors of nursing pre-req's prevailed & i will receive financial add to cover an add'l 28 units.....hallelujah!!! well, today as i was speaking with my academic counselor, i was informed that loma linda added an add'l requirement to there program entrance...... great!.....not!! so as it stands, i have 32 more units to take in order apply..........my fall schedule will be a&p ii, chem 101 & interm alg.spring will be organic chem, physics 101 and statistics.last but not least,summer will be micro & 2 p.e. courses...oh, i forgot about the new pre-req english lit.............ughh....i can't forget about my three boys & there academics..i have an entering 7th grader an autistic spoiled-brat and a 4th grade chatterbox....i know, tmi..i just need to vent. i hate to complain, but i feel soooooooo discouraged right now..........i'll be the big 30 in a couple of weeks and i just feel as if i've been in school forever with nothing to show for it. i know patience is a virtue and it's one that i'm lacking....any positive feedback would be :welcome: -d with open arms.

you can do it!!! if i can anyone can!!! and so far the things going your direction sound as though they add up to more going your way than those not going your direction as far as getting the financial aid and all...it is forever it seems but you are young and will have many years ahead of you when you won't have these challenges...you'll have a whole new set of challenges lol sorry but it is that way i have had to learn (and i am much : ) older) so i already know you trade off challanges all the time.

btw all kids are spoiled rotten isn't that the nature of the beast? lol

FNPhopeful · Jul 13, 2006

So you did 70 units worth of stuff for nursing with no idea you'd have to take Chem, Stats, and A&PII etc???

What were you taking?

What you described sounded like all the pre-reqs... Loma Linda must not do a good job of informing you guys what to take. But anyhow I am jealous you get to go there, thats a pretty good school. I'd love to go there!

Just keep going or maybe you can apply other nearby places with what you have so far.

student to be in VA · Jul 13, 2006

Oh my do you have a lot on your plate! Hang in there though. It will be worth it. You didn't take all those classes for nothing. You obviously want this as a career. If you've been pushing at it this long, just keep pushing a little more.

2bNursewith7kids · Jul 13, 2006

I can totally sympathize with you! I have SEVEN children! And I am older than you so I know how you feel. I just turned 38 a few weeks ago! I'll be entering the nursing program at a private Catholic college in September. My kids are all young and in school. I have 4 boys and 2 girls, the oldest is 15 and the youngest are a set of twins that are 6. My husband works evenings and I will be going back to school to pursue my dream of becoming a registered nurse. I've worked for a government agency for over 15 years. I have also experienced frustration and anxiety about the prospect of going back to college to pursue a new career at my age (and with seven children in the house). BUT I figure that in a few years from now, I will be that many years older so why not just begin schooling now? I'm giving up a job where I earned $30 an hr. and have worked at most of my working life. So I know where you are coming from. When I went to take the NLN entrance exam months ago, can you imagine how I felt sitting there with kids old enough to my mine? I just shrugged it off and realize that being older is actually beneficial in that we bring more maturity, dedication and experience to the table.

2bNursewith7kids · Jul 13, 2006

I can totally sympathize with you! I have SEVEN children! And I am older than you so I know how you feel. I just turned 38 a few weeks ago! I'll be entering the nursing program at a private Catholic college in September. My kids are all young and in school. I have 5 boys and 2 girls, the oldest is 15 and the youngest are a set of twins that are 6. My husband works evenings and I will be going back to school to pursue my dream of becoming a registered nurse. I've worked for a government agency for over 15 years. I have also experienced frustration and anxiety about the prospect of going back to college to pursue a new career at my age (and with seven children in the house). BUT I figure that in a few years from now, I will be that many years older so why not just begin schooling now? I'm giving up a job where I earned $30 an hr. and have worked at most of my working life. So I know where you are coming from. When I went to take the NLN entrance exam months ago, can you imagine how I felt sitting there with kids old enough to my mine? I just shrugged it off and realize that being older is actually beneficial in that we bring more maturity, dedication and experience to the table.

I meant to say that I have 5 boys and 2 girls. ha ha

cnmny · Jul 13, 2006

Hi

Just a word of encouragement.

I also went back to school at a mature age. I went to nursing school at 41

and had my 7th child while I was in the BSN program. I then went on to

Midwifery school when she was two. I just completed a Paralegal and LNC

dual certificate and am going back in the fall for my MSN in Nursing Education.

Its hard work - but worth it !!!

If carrying that much work seems overwhelming - slow down and take less.

If it takes you an extra semester - so what !

Enjoy school and enjoy your family. They are both important !!!!

Good luck

2bNursewith7kids · Jul 13, 2006

Hi
Just a word of encouragement.
I also went back to school at a mature age. I went to nursing school at 41
and had my 7th child while I was in the BSN program. I then went on to
Midwifery school when she was two. I just completed a Paralegal and LNC
dual certificate and am going back in the fall for my MSN in Nursing Education.
Its hard work - but worth it !!!
If carrying that much work seems overwhelming - slow down and take less.
If it takes you an extra semester - so what !
Enjoy school and enjoy your family. They are both important !!!!
Good luck

Thanks so much for the words of encouragement! I am new to this site, having found it by sheer luck while researching a search engine on nursing students. It's comforting to know that there are older students out there who can relate to what I'll be going through. I will say that I'm a tad apprehensive at times, but I've been secretly excited at the same time. I feel that my age will work to my advantage. I am hoping to just go to college f/t for two years, take the RN licensure exam, then pursue further studies on a part-time basis. This would be because of obvious financial issues. I am giving up a long-term and high-paying Government job to do this...yet I'm excited because I've always had a secret desire to become a nurse in either pediatrics, peri or neonatology, or obstetrics. And with as many children as we both have, one can imagine that we are almost experts when it comes to the care of the young child!

MaryElizabethMahoney · Jul 14, 2006

All of you are AWESOME!!! Thank you all for your kind words....They are greatly appreciated!!!

DeLySh · Jul 14, 2006

Hi Mary,

Have you talked to your advisor about possibly completing some of these during the nursing program? I attend Loma Linda and know several students who are not on the fast track program who still have some of the pre-reqs to complete. These people won't be able to graduate until they finish them all but they are taking nursing courses while they do it. One awesome thing about the school is they have almost every nursing class available every quarter so you can go at your own pace, kind of. Who is your advisor? They can be flexible when the student is good candidate for the program. I think it would depend on what classes you still need to complete.

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions I can answer.

Good luck.

DeLySh

P.S..... My maiden name is Mahoney.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Jul 14, 2006

Loma Linda is a great school! Having a degree from them will be a good feather to have in your cap. Looking at the list of classes you have to take I don't doubt that you will have your hands full. Good luck, from another Californian who is not all that far away from you at the foothills of the Angeles mountains.