Dental Hygienist making the change to Nursing

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Hi, I am new to All-Nurses. I am a Dental Hygienist and have been for 17 years. I am 38 years old and am JUST NOW making the switch to Nursing. I welcome advice from any current Nurses - especially Moms - about the Nursing carer/life.

I have twin 9 year old daughters and worry about time away from them for my career. Still, I find hygiene, a field I do enjoy, to be stagnant. I love the hours, no nights, no weekends, no holidays - great for kids...but I have found myself interested in Nursing for years now. I have spoken with many Nurses and shadowed one.

Since I have found myself recently employed at the Veterans Hospital I learned that they will pay all or most of my Nursing education as well as pay me (some sort of..) salary while I am enrolled in school as long as I owe them three years employment. (By the way, if I dont pass I may owe them as much as 3x what they have paid for my school).

I have decided I can not turn down this opportunity even at my late age of 38.

For those pre-nursing students who are strapped financially...if you could pick up a position as a full time employee through the local Veterans Administration....they likely, like my VA....have the same deal...one year as a full time permanent employee you can apply for the VANEEP program where your school will be paid for. You'd have to speak with someone in the education department at your local VA or Human Resources.

Good luck to everyone!

Kerri

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