Dropout Situation

Much to everyone's disappointment (my own chiefest of all), I have had to make the VERY difficult decision to drop out of the nursing program. There were several reasons for this, and on multiple levels, but I ultimately had to be honest to myself that the nursing profession was not for me, nor I for it. I have spent a full year doing pre-reqs just to get in, and now it seems my hopes have been shattered; I am 48 and this was to have been a 2nd career choice. Can anyone offer some perspective, and maybe even some direction for me? I would still love to work in the healthcare world (it interests me greatly), but can't handle the scope of nursing practice. Would 'unit clerk' be a decent fit, do you think, considering my brief knowledge of/exposure to pharmacology and med terminology? Does anything else come to mind?

Advance thanks to all who might find the time (and heart) to respond...

I really enjoyed my jobs as a unit secretary (ICU, ED and Lab). The pay isnt that great (10-14/hr depending on your experience). But I also love the healthcare field and it was a great learning experience for me!

Best wishes! :)

Those prerequisites might well count toward another medical profession. Think about what really interests you. Consider lab, x-ray, physical or occupational therapy, nutrition, respiratory therapy.

A job as a unit clerk might give you insight and the opportunity to see what's involved in some of these other areas.

Don't consider those pre-requisites wasted.

Also, it's better to make this decision now than when you've invested even more time, energy, and $$!

Good luck in finding what you want to do.

Nothing is wasted. You will find a new outlet for all that you have learned so far.

Look into phlebotomy, radiology tech, ultrasound tech, pharmacy tech, lab tech, etc. Many tech positions offer a living wage. Some hospitals have training programs. Or you can check out technical or community colleges. (Just be careful about the private tech schools that advertise heavily and charge many thousands of dollars.)

Also consider Medical Assistant or Physician's Assistant.

Take a peek at your local job listings--either in the classified ads or at facility websites. See what positions are available and what kind of qualifications they want. Community colleges often have departments that help people determine what programs they're suited for. Some provide aptitude testing and other assessments to determine what would be a good fit.

Finally, see if you can find people who currently work in the fields that have potential. Perhaps you can job shadow. At the very least, you can ask what they like and don't like about their jobs.

Health care is such a wide open field. You have your prereqs done, so you'd have a leg up on another degree choice.

I wish you the best. Please, let us know what happens.