Dilemma. ..need advice

[TexasNurse2B]

I have a great job working for a local school district. I have my time off with my kids like i want and a great boss and coworkers. My dream is to be a nurse. I was planning to apply to the lvn program this fall and hopefully get accepted for next spring. My husband lost his job 4 months ago and it's been a struggle finding one since. The savings has dwindled away because all though my job is great, the pay is lousy. With my husband having such a hard time finding a job, i thought about putting off applying to the lvn program because what if he cant find a job by next spring? Or what if he finds a job and we are just getting back on our feet to build up the savings again and we can't afford for me to quit to attending nursing school? I feel like the more i wait the older I'll be and my husbands opinion is i shouldnt wait till I'm in my 40's to become a nurse since the money needs to be made now that the kids are young not later when they are older. Has anyone ever been in this situation? Anyone ever put off nursing school to tend to your family while they are young instead? Please help!

[HollyMillette]

Hello I am kind of in your situation.

I dont have a family although I have kids just

they do not live with me I had to put nursing

school off. I actually began my BSN program

in 2011 just now about to aply to a program

not until next fall. Yeah when I became

ineligible for the BSN program it took a hard

toll on my life and I am now trying to

get things right again.

I left my previous school on a good note

in November of 2013.

I accumalated 42 credits toward my degree and

I had a 2.9 gpa not the best but I also

needed a few other classes to work in.

So I say to you while your at this age

if this is truely what you want then

go for it! There is no better feeling

than knowing you will soon be granted that

license to practice as a nurse.

[cracklingkraken, ASN, RN]

You would not be the first individual to be in nursing school in your 40s or 50s, and you will not be the last. If your current financial and family situation prevents you from enrolling in nursing school, then that's okay. Nursing school will still be there when you are more financially stable.

And by the way, per TOS, you cannot have nurse in your username if you are not a nurse.

[Miss Infermiera2b, BSN, RN]

I am not in your current family situation, so I can't tell you what the magic answer is. I will say however, that it is entirely possible to work while in nursing school. I work as a scribe in the ER 30-40 hours per week while I'm in school. I might cut that down to 20 if my workload gets more extreme, but just know that working is a possibility and a lot of students do it.

Regarding your age, like another poster said, lots of students start nursing school as a second or third career, well into middle age. I know a couple applicants for my RN program who were over 60.