Published
As someone who will be attending nursing school this fall after having completed all my prereqs over the last year, here are the questions and steps I took to ensure this was the right path for me before I quit my full time job.
1) I did informationals and researched online
2) I volunteered at a hospital
3) I took a few science prereqs before I quit my job to make sure I could handle and do well in the classes.
4) I made sure I had the financial means to go to school, handle loans, and tough out a bad economy incase I didn't find a nursing job right away out of nursing school. (No nursing shortages right now)
5) I shadowed a nurse
6) I asked myself if this is the right time in my life - no mortgage, no kids, don't want kids anytime soon, no major commitments. Different for everyone.
7) I made sure this was what I really wanted to do and wasn't a means to escape my current job or out of boredom. I made sure that I saw the good and bad of nursing.
Before nursing school started
1) I took a CNA class
2) I work as a CNA
If you don't have the financial means to be a CNA, at least take the CNA class. The clinicals were very insightful to the grunt work of nursing.
If you have done all these and still can say yes to nursing than go for it. I believe everyone should consider doing all these things before they pursue nursing as a second career! Then you can feel confident!