Help me PLEASE!!

[gina9525]

I really need some advice here and I hope you all can give me some :). Ive been working with the same job for about 4 years. Right out of high school I started working and really didnt pay attention to school. I was so glad just to get out of high school I wasnt really thinking of school just making money. Money has always been the only thing I really thought about. We need money to survive. Now im 23 years old no kids,living the single life. Ive come to a point in my life where I want a change. I love my co workers but the motivation to work and stay focused has been bugging me for a while. Ive always wanted to be a nurse. Everytime I saw a nurse and how they work I always paid close attention to them and what they do. Just something about helping others and making them feel better has touched my heart. I want to be that person to take care of someone and help someone feel better. A few years ago I passed up an oppotunity to go to school and get a degree but i said now and why i did is because I was afraid of failure. Im afraid I will let myself down and my family. I want to have a career. Nursing has always stayed in the back of my mind and I really want to do this but its not easy to just walk away and leave the 4 years Ive invested in my job. I have bills and am afraid that I will fail with that. As of right now my job has a new plan that they have just introduced to us. Basically the plan consist of my job paying for the tuition to go to school to cover the in demand for RN,LVN,therapist assistants in state schools in texas, However long it takes you to complete your degree you will pay the employer back by working at one of the state school facilites and after that you are free to move on to hospitals,and or private doctors. For the RN in which I want to do the monthly salary to live on is $2300 per month and with that I would pay my bills and also any books, supplies, gas, etc for school. If I fail to complete my degree I would have to pay back the employer out of my pocket and lose all benefits and be out of school and a job. Im so terrified of math and science. I tried going back to school a few months ago, I withdrew myself because I was working full time and taking one class and I felt that I would fail because I didnt have time to study. I know it sounds like an excuse but Ive always struggled with school but I know nursing is my calling I want this so bad im just afraid of failure . I have talked about thisi to my parents but basically is what I got is " looks like a good oppoturnity for you but you have bills and well its too late to go back to school you should of thought about that yrs ago ". I think they are more worried about money and I think their financial mistakes has me scared. What do you think I should do? I Know this is a 2nd oppourtunity for me since I passed up the first one. I just really need some kind of advice on this. I really dont know who to turn to. I know school will be hard I just know it but I have a fear because this is a complete life turning experience for me. Thanks for listening :redpinkhe

[PlourdieRN]

Going back to school for nursing is not easy.... but I feel like KNOWING that it's want I wanted in life is a great incentive to do well. When I sit up late at night worrying about money and how difficult it is for me to do school full time and work part time I never question my decision to go back to school because I believe I'm not only working towards a better career but towards something I am proud of and will make me happy in the long run. :redpinkhe

*I actually feel like I complain less than the other students because I know that school is only temporary, and I'm just trying to soak up every opportunity to learn (I am in my last semester of an ADN degree, btw)*

My advice, and I would give this to any friend of mine, is to start with one or two pre-requisites in the evening or weekends (or whatever your schedule allows). This way, you are working towards your goal WHILE getting used to the school environment again with the least amount of pressure.

And try not to tell yourself that you can't do it because you didn't invest yourself in high school... these few years in the "real world" have already taught you how to manage bills, how to be a responsible employee and how to be an adult in general. In fact, my experience has been that nursing school admissions offices appreciate applicants who have done some time outside of school and therefore have more incentive to work hard to pass the program.

I wish you the best of luck and I hope that you aren't afraid to take the plunge!

[gina9525]

Thank you guys sooo much! I really want this and with your comments and nice words I am really going to sit down tonight and think over this great oppourtnity that has once again being brought to my life. This is the 2nd time a school opportunity has come up in my life and I know this is happening for a reason! thanks again for the encouragement! and best of luck to everyone out there in their lives! :w00t::w00t:

[DizzyLizzyNurse]

If you want it do it! I work FT and go to school FT. It's hard, but at least I'm not as worried about money as I would be working less. I had a guy in my LPN class in his 60s. If you tell yourself failure in NOT an option, work your behind off, get tutoring right when you need it; etc you'll probably be fine. It's hard but that's what makes it doubly worth it in the end!