Getting Frustrated -- Is it Worth It??

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Med Surg/Ortho.

I wish I had discovered nursing and pursued it in my twenties, then maybe I wouldn't be where I am now....ready to give up on this dream. I am 30, and I know that is not old (I have seen many students in their 40's and 50's) but it seems like it will take forever for me to get through school. I am doing pre-req's now. I have some done. But the problem is that many pre-req's have pre-reqs of their own, like for A&P you need general Bio, for Psych Growth and Development, you need Gen Psych. And some of these classes I have taken, but over ten years ago, which means I have to retake them. It will take me a year, year and a half to complete all these. Then I have a 3-4 year waiting list here in Colorado. Moving is not an option, I have a family and my husband has a good job. Private school with no waitlists (and possibly no pre-reqs) are two to three times as much money. I can't afford that, especially if I can't work, and I don't see getting approved for a loan since our credit is not great. Plus, if you go to some of these private schools, you can't continue your education for a BSN, MSN, etc....no school will accept them. They want you to go to the community colleges. But if I go that route, I will be close to 40 when I graduate, with an RN. I could get a bachelor's, possibly a master's, in less time!! I just don't know if I have the patience for this. I just wonder if I should forget it, and go for something else that I am interested in. Like social work or teaching. Both are good careers with good prospects, both are helping people (which is very important to me, not just decent money).

What would you do? Is it even worth spending all this time and money on an education when it seems that so many nurses get burnt out so quickly? This is a second career for me, so I don't want to make a mistake. I want this one to be until I retire. I don't want to feel so lost or frustrated. I just want a good job, that I will enjoy, and one that I can go home every day feeling good about. Knowing that my day wasn't wasted pushing papers or helping others make money. I want to do something good with my life. Why do they (nursing schools) make it so hard to get there??

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

First you must consider that unhappy people are louder than happy ones. That isn's a slam against anyone, just human nature. When we are content with things, we get on with gettin' on. When we are unhappy about something, we seek advice, commiseration and solutions. So consider with a grain of salt that a lot of the bad stuff you read is balanced by good stuff you cannot see.

As to whether or not you should make this career change when it is such a time commitment, consider that the time is going to pass anyway. You can use it to get where you want to go, even if it is slower than ideal, or you can use it in other ways by changing where you want to go. This is very much a personal decision. Nursing is, I believe, a calling. If you have the calling, muscle in and stick through it.

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Specializes in ER, Infusion therapy, Oncology.

I was in my 30's when I started my pre-req's for nursing school. It was hard work and very frustrating at times, but was the best thing I have ever done. Don't give up. You will not regret it.

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Specializes in Med Surg/Ortho.

I don't want to give up. This is something I really want, I just wish I had realized it sooner. I feel like I have wasted a lot of time. I will finish my pre-reqs, but I don't know what to do while I wait. Should I take a CNA or EMT class and get a job doing that. Or perhaps get my LPN (there doesn't seem to be as much of a wait) and transfer to a LPN-RN bridge program. There would still be a wait, but not as long and I could be working as a nurse while I did that. Or I could even get a bachelors in something else (not sure what, but something related) then apply for accelerated BSN programs. I don't know which would be better though.

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Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

while I'm not as old as you....(27) I started my pre-reqs at 22. Now, 5 loonnng years later, I'm graduating with my ADN....was it easy? nope. Was it worth it? MOst days...Did I think about quitting? Yup, especially the first day of clinicals when I would up getting a med error and nearly kicked out!

my point? You can make a difference with anything you do. Why not consider getting a job in healthcare, or volunteering somewhere to help while you wait to get your RN....also, have the kids help out and learn the lesson of giving...just my .02.

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Specializes in Med Surg, Hospice.

I seriously started thinking about Nursing as a career again at 38.. but it took 5 years for everything to fall together. I had to start in an LPN program because no RN night classes anywhere in my geographical area. I also have to go part time because I was working a daylight job which I am no longer working. I'm one year in and just short of a year away from graduation... I'll be 46 when I graduate, and probably 50 or older when I get my RN.. I'm going to be 50 anyway, so I may as well do what I want to do instead of sitting around wishing I had gone on. Good luck to you. :p

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Specializes in LTC, Assisted Living, Surgical Clinic.

Don't let impatience rob you of something you are really interested in. The prereqs are there for the same reason that you have to learn 2 + 2 = 4 before you can learn algebraic equations....to provide a foundation. You'll kick yourself in a few years if you don't do this, if it's something you REALLY want. Don't let yourself waffle until you're 41 like I did (starting my prereqs at local CC at the end of this month). You don't have to see the top of the staircase to take the first step up!

One more thing: get your CNA (maybe work part-time as one?). You'll get a better picture of what a nurse actually does, and more than likely you'll need it to get into nursing school anyway. Good luck!

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Specializes in PCU/CICU.

I will be 35 this month and am getting ready to start the LPN to RN program. I have only been an LPN for 2 years. Not all of us are "spring chickens" but if this is something you really want....why should your age stop you. It's just a number. :)

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Specializes in Behavioral Health, Show Biz.
I don't want to give up. This is something I really want, I just wish I had realized it sooner. I feel like I have wasted a lot of time. I will finish my pre-reqs, but I don't know what to do while I wait. Should I take a CNA or EMT class and get a job doing that. Or perhaps get my LPN (there doesn't seem to be as much of a wait) and transfer to a LPN-RN bridge program. There would still be a wait, but not as long and I could be working as a nurse while I did that. Or I could even get a bachelors in something else (not sure what, but something related) then apply for accelerated BSN programs. I don't know which would be better though.

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:idea:

WHEW!

How badly do you want to be an RN?

BOTH of your posts are

FULL of "barriers", "can't's,"

"too long," "too much,"

"not enough money,"

etc., etc., etc.......

I don't recall

ANY of my nursing education

to have been

AN EASY CLEAN SWEEP.

I HAD TO BUST MY BUTT!!!

Worked part-time. full-time

whatever...

It's not that

I don't empathize with your situation...

But if you're giving up

just because

the road will be difficult

THEN WHY BOTHER AT ALL?

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I can not make any recommendations for you. But I just had to let you know, that every word in your post hit a nerve with me. May God in His Infinite Wisdom, bless you.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

If there is not such a long waiting list to become an LPN, consider that, then, go into an LPN to RN bridge program. Also, you might consider Excelsior for the RN. You do have to decide if nursing is actually for you. I always found that jumping the hoops and hitting the bottlenecks to get into, succeed in and then take the boards was a major annoyance to me, and that was just the LPN program in my case. I can only imagine the RN route. But, if you really have it in your mind to become an RN, then, you have to dive in somewhere and begin the process.

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Specializes in Med Surg/Ortho.

I wanted to thank you all for your replies. I don't expect it to be easy. Something like nursing school should be hard. Only the best people should make it through school and become nurses....hopefully the long wait and difficult courses will weed out the people that don't really want it. I understand that and completely agree. I have just been going through a lot lately and needed to vent. AT my job I make little money, and administration has been really horrible since we were bought out. I (and everyone else) has been getting zero respect and a lot of attitude....many people are quitting because of it, which means we are short-staffed and doing twice the work. I have been having money problems and arguments/issues with my husband lately. he wants me to make more money, yet isn't very supportive of me going back to nursing school if it is going to take me so long. He would rather I do what a friend did...got an associates in paralegal studies in less than 2 years. She makes $45,000 a year but hates her job. He sees it as just a job, and the only people that like what they do make no money at it. It is just something you need to do in order to survive. I don't see it that way, and know many people that love their jobs. I don't want to be miserable at work anymore...then come home and be miserable at home, taking it out on him and the kids (like he does). I do want to do this, but am getting discouraged. It doesn't help that people keep telling me not to do it.

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