Is nursing your second career?

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I graduated a few years back with a BS in biology and have finally figured out that nursing is my calling:) If you already had a degree prior to entering nursing school, did you enter the accelerated program, or the upper level admission program? I've heard the accelerated program is really intense...let me know your thoughts or opinions. Thanks!!

Specializes in Inpatient Rehabiliation.

I have a bachelors (liberal arts type thing-language translation-never used it) and have worked various jobs before deciding on nursing. The hospital where I work had a program that paid for me to go to a local community college for an ADN. After I graduate from that my hospital offers a RN to BSN program. They do have an accelerated grad entry program(bachelors in anything, end up with masters of nursing) but it was a fulltime thing and they recommended that you dont work--not an option. So I ended up doing the ADN thing with plans to do at least RN to BSN afterwards

Specializes in ICU, Med-Surg, Post-op, Same-Day Surgery.
Okay, so I'm a little late to this thread! Just wanted to chime in; I am also a degree-holding musician getting myself through nursing school (ADN), so it's good to see others pursuing a similar *sharp* turn in their lives. I'll always be a musician, and will be more seriously involved with it again when school ends (although the study of nursing will never end!), but it's deeply rewarding to learn and grow in this field, and to connect with people on a totally different level than I was previously used to. Honestly, for me the decision to enter nursing started as an idea that people close to me had, that I myself wasn't entirely sure of, but it's blossomed into something that I love and which has changed me from the inside-out. It's an intimidating field, but I am increasingly sure that I belong in it and will do good work there.

Plus, it's nice to not have to play every wedding/corporate/whatever gig that comes my way, or take 30-40 lazy guitar students, just to make ends meet and still not have health insurance. Or, work in a dusty quality-control guitar factory for )

Now that's a hard life, I can tell ya!

I hope you get into that accelerated program in the fall - you'll do great. And cheers to everyone else in this thread! (raises coffee mug in salute)

HI!!!!!! I am actually at the symphony this weekend, thinking about all my classes starting next week! I'm glad to be playing, and I love it, but I am SO excited to start! I hope I get into the accelerated program too! (fingers crossed)! Are you in school or practicing already?!? I wish you the best of luck, and never stop playing!

BM....tee hee!

nuring will be a second career for me. i am currently a teacher and have been for almost 10 years. i already have a masters and specialist degree. the route that i am choosing to take is lpn to rn to crna. in my area, there aren't any part time rn programs, but there is an lpn program. if figured i can work once i get my lpn and immediately go to an rn program. the only thing with the crna is that a lot of the programs want a bsn. however, i am not interested in getting another bachelor's degree. hopefully some will waive this since i have a bachelors, masters and specialist degree already.

:monkeydance:

oh, the original question, i think the accelerated programs are harder. if i could find one in my area, i would jump right in, if i could do it and not lose money from my day job.

i graduated a few years back with a bs in biology and have finally figured out that nursing is my calling:) if you already had a degree prior to entering nursing school, did you enter the accelerated program, or the upper level admission program? i've heard the accelerated program is really intense...let me know your thoughts or opinions. thanks!!

this is something that i would be interested in. however, would you still be able to work during this process. i am not married so income is important.:idea:

i have a bs in computer science and have been working in the it industry for nearly 10 years as technical manager/software programmer.

i was accepted into an accelerated bsn/msn program and will start fall 2007. i expect it will be intense. the first semester is a total of 18 credits (with three credits being a graduate level course).

what's atc?

i hope it will be! i'm an atc with a masters degree (10yrs), teaching at the university level, 2 kids, great wife, awesome dog, and am eager to get back to helping people directly. hoping to start an accelerated prog. in the fall.

drums please!

congratulations. this is awesome.

i was reading the above post and i thought it was mine:lol2: i am also a cosmetologist, stay at home mom of 11+ years and mother of three. ;) i graduated nursing school 1 year ago and have been a cardiac nurse for 10 months.
Specializes in Graduating in 2009.

Yep, nursing is a second career for me, too.

I have a BSc in Neuroscience, and I worked as a medical writer for 5+ years. I did enjoy it, but I always knew that I wasn't "done" yet, though, ie, that I wasn't in the career place that I was supposed to be in for life.

I must say, although part of me wishes I'd known "what I want to do when I grow up" earlier (I'll be 31 this year), the experience that I accrued in my previous work has been such a boon, and I have no regrets. I just know even more solidly now that I'm in the right place!

medical writing...now that's something i would like to do as well. how did you get into that?

yep, nursing is a second career for me, too.

i have a bsc in neuroscience, and i worked as a medical writer for 5+ years. i did enjoy it, but i always knew that i wasn't "done" yet, though, ie, that i wasn't in the career place that i was supposed to be in for life.

i must say, although part of me wishes i'd known "what i want to do when i grow up" earlier (i'll be 31 this year), the experience that i accrued in my previous work has been such a boon, and i have no regrets. i just know even more solidly now that i'm in the right place!

Specializes in Graduating in 2009.

Oh, duh, it would have helped if I'd read the text of the first post, not just the title!

I am in an accelerated program (1.5 years for the RN, followed by 1.5 years of NP work). We just started our second semester, and YES, it is INTENSE. I personally am slow... even my heart rate is slow (

Specializes in Graduating in 2009.

Teacher2CRNA -- I got into medical writing through the back door. I always enjoyed and was good at writing, but no one was terribly interested in hiring a writer with no "clips." So I started out as a medical copyeditor, working for a medical communications company.

To get that job, I had to take a copyediting test (in which I had to spot a figure with two photos whose captions were switched... would have been very tricky for someone without a science background to have noticed the glitch), but basically got hired because of my science background (I'd worked as a research tech when I got out of college).

Specializes in ICU, Informatics.
this is something that i would be interested in. however, would you still be able to work during this process. i am not married so income is important.:idea:

i will not be able to continue my current full-time job while pursuing the accelerated bsn. though, if i really wanted to, i believe i can find ways to work part-time as a software programmer while attending nursing school. or, if i wanted to keep my current full-time, i would have to pursue a nursing program which offers classes during the evenings/weekends.

i am married. therefore, my husband's income will cover the major living expenses (e.g., mortgage and such) while i am in school in addition to the proceeds i have received from the sale of my home (prior to marriage).

i also hope to work a part-time externship while i am school once i get a handle on my school schedule and the work load. i will be able to work full-time during the summers because i have no classes. i like to get nursing experience as much as possible while i am school (big believer in getting as much hands-on experience while in school).

I have a BA in Economics. I did some pretty cool things for some pretty cool companies. I thought long and hard about direct-entry MSN but in the end wasn't sold on its value. I opted for an ADN program.

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