Is it too late?

[808chick]

Hi..I'm so glad I found this site, and hope I can get some info. I'm really wanting advice as far as, is it too late for me to go to school to be a lpn? I'm 27, and have done administrative work in the business field for most of my life. I'm so done sitting behind a desk and shuffling papers around, but not sure if I'll even be able to start a career in the nursing field by the time I'm done w/school. So any advice is welcomed...good or bad. Thanks:)

[jenjen808]

Hi! I know you made this post a couple of months ago, but it seems no one else has replied. I am 28, I will be 29 in January, which is now only a couple of months away and I am trying to get into the nursing program at KCC (either LPN or RN). I would definitely say that at 27, you can still definitely do it, just that how fast you're done depends on where you go to school! As far as I know, KCC has the only LPN class on the island of Oahu, I'm not sure about the others. Don't get discouraged as the LPN class is 11 months long and it'll probably take you a year or so to finish all the pre-reqs, as there aren't as many as the RN program. Be forewarned it is super competitive though.

Also, to get into any of the UH system LPN programs, you need to be a nurse aide first, meaning that you are supposed to have taken the course somewhere and received your certificate. You don't have to be state certified though. I have to say, that you should definitely do this and it WILL let you know if this is what you want to do or not. If you can't even do this, which is the grunt work of the nursing hierarchy, you will have a really difficult time with nursing at the LPN or RN level. I took the program at KCC and let me tell you, some people are really changed by this. They either realize that this is not for them, or they are pushed even further to make this happen.

I can tell you this much, and it is what still encourages me... I had 3 people in my CNA class who were 30 and older. 2 of them are in the KCC RN program right now. 1 of them graduated from the LPN program this summer. I had an anatomy class with a lady who was in her mid 30's and she graduated from the program last year and is now working at Straub as an RN. I'm so happy for all of them, but it's difficult. I was put on the alternate list for the LPN program this summer, and unfortunately did not get in. BUT, I'm still determined to get into one of the programs so I'm retaking some classes to bring up my grades and boost my overall GPA.

Good luck to you and I hope this helps! :)