I desparately need some input....

Published

OK, I've been an allnurses member for quite some time now. I joined a c ouple of years ago when I was a prenursing student. I know there are a lot of you out there and I really need some advice. As I stated before I was a pre-nursing student. Then I got preggers and took a couple of years off. When time came for me to return to school, for whatever reason I didn't take any pre-reqs and opted to just take courses to finish my general studies degree (which I'll be graduating with in May). Thinking I'd left nursing behind, I applied to and was accepted to a great local university (where several family members have graduated from) to major in I don't know what, it's all liberal arts and business. Here's my problem. I still can't shake the feeling that I'm supposed to be a nurse. But I'd feel as if I was really missing out on something great if I didn't go to the university. I'm almost 30 and always dreamed of going to a good college. And I like the idea that there are so many possibilities once I finish that I can't even imagine. But I also feel that i'd be missing out if I didn't pursue nursing. I have a 1 yo and I work full time and I love the prospects that nursing can offer me. Job stability, decent pay, flexible hours, and I've always wanted to do something that I can feel good about (and finally get out of retail). But part of me feels silly returning to community college after graduation to pursue yet another associates degree, and BSN isn't an option for me right now. Please someone, offer some advice and help me make this decision. The clock is ticking...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU/ER.

I began my nursing pre-reqs at age 31, with 4 young children at home. The youngest being just 10 months old. It took me 4 years to get a 2 year degree.It was hard but it was the BEST thing I could have ever done. Your already half way there, as you wont have to take all the pre-reqs new students need. I would do it. I regretted not becoming a nurse in my 20s like many of my friends and I did not want to turn 40 and have the regret of not becoming a nurse in my 30s. Follow your heart, you already know the answer.

I told one of my teachers that I was crazy going to nursing school in my 30s and she reminded me that Florence Nightingale did not become a nurse till her 30s!!!.

Best of luck to you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in critical care; community health; psych.

The thing about nursing is that once reality hits and you're in your first year busting your gluteus maximus on a med-surg floor, the only reason that's going to matter is that you have a passion for it. It's the one factor that's going to keep you hanging in there through rotating shifts, condescending nurse managers, impatient preceptors, crises of confidence and patients that think they're in the Hilton. If you have the passion, no other career will do.

I was in my late 40's (very late) when I started my journey into nursing. It didn't much matter to me that I wasn't part of a clique or that it was community college and not a university with a stately campus. I was like a horse with blinders, only focusing on learning. I'm doing what I always wanted to do. How I got there doesn't matter. See, since in my 20's, it was my dream career. For 25 years the desire dogged me.

You have to ask yourself if it's what you really want. If it is, what other consideration could there be?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
The thing about nursing is that once reality hits and you're in your first year busting your gluteus maximus on a med-surg floor, the only reason that's going to matter is that you have a passion for it. It's the one factor that's going to keep you hanging in there through rotating shifts, condescending nurse managers, impatient preceptors, crises of confidence and patients that think they're in the Hilton. If you have the passion, no other career will do.

I was in my late 40's (very late) when I started my journey into nursing. It didn't much matter to me that I wasn't part of a clique or that it was community college and not a university with a stately campus. I was like a horse with blinders, only focusing on learning. I'm doing what I always wanted to do. How I got there doesn't matter. See, since in my 20's, it was my dream career. For 25 years the desire dogged me.

You have to ask yourself if it's what you really want. If it is, what other consideration could there be?

RNKittyKat's post could have been mine. Follow your heart. However, if you want to graduate from the university, do so. Nursing programs are everywhere and will be around forever. I have previous degrees and worked as a professional in another field before I became a nurse. I do not regret my circuitous route to nursing. It makes me a better nurse today.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in cna.

hi

please dont feel silly about going back to school.....you will be furthering your education....i just finished my cna class and state exams...yea i am finally a cna.....i am 39...however i have wanted to do this for a lonnnngggg time...so glad i did...i had a issue with the age factor but you know what i wasnt the oldest in the class....52,48 and me 39 were among 17-20 somthing...i actually focused and could see the younger ones in a different light...if ya know what i mean ...we were there to learn not play.......

this just opens the door for me who knows i might go on and further my education

the one in my class who is 52 is going to go for her rn next......i say do it make yourself happy with what you really want to do

good luck

lori

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CNA, Surgical, Pediatrics, SDS, ER.

I had 3 children 5 & under before going nursing school and I'm soooo glad I did. Nursing was something I knew I wanted to do since I was young but I started my family young and lost focus on myself and what I wanted. I moved to an area that had a 2yr ADN and my husband encouraged me to go for it. I graduated at age 25 and have been a nurse for almost 2yrs now and have loved every minute of it. I had the desire for a long time and it took me awhile to get there but I could not see myself doing anything different.

It sounds to like you have the desire and passion for nursing and I think that no matter what you do you're going to pursue nursing at some point whether it be now or in the future. If you feel it in your heart sooner or later it's going to lead you there.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Ok, I might be confused, but when you graduate in May you will have your bachelors right?? Where I live if you have a bachelors in one field you can enter an accelerated bachelors to bachelors program and have your BSN in 15 months. Do you have this in your area? I have several friends and even some instructors who have done this.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Ok, I might be confused, but when you graduate in May you will have your bachelors right?? Where I live if you have a bachelors in one field you can enter an accelerated bachelors to bachelors program and have your BSN in 15 months. Do you have this in your area? I have several friends and even some instructors who have done this.

Actually, I'll be getting my associates in general studies.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I began my nursing pre-reqs at age 31, with 4 young children at home. The youngest being just 10 months old. It took me 4 years to get a 2 year degree.It was hard but it was the BEST thing I could have ever done. Your already half way there, as you wont have to take all the pre-reqs new students need. I would do it. I regretted not becoming a nurse in my 20s like many of my friends and I did not want to turn 40 and have the regret of not becoming a nurse in my 30s. Follow your heart, you already know the answer.

I told one of my teachers that I was crazy going to nursing school in my 30s and she reminded me that Florence Nightingale did not become a nurse till her 30s!!!.

Best of luck to you.

I stil have 5 pre-reqs to complete if this is the path i choose....

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in acute care.

I think you should go for it....when I decided to pursue nursing I had 10 pre-reqs to finish. I started last summer with 2 of them, then 4 in the fall and I'm finishing up the last 4. ...I start clinicals in September at my university and have classmates who have kids and work full time, but they do it....Good Luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I really appreciate everyone's words of encouragement. I'm just so scared. Choosing to return to community college this fall for my adn would mean having to turn down a major university, one that I always dreamed of going to. Now, it wouldn't be the main campus with old buildings and sprawling lawns, but a branch in the downtown area of a local city. And there's not really anything offered there that piques my interest. All liberal arts (what am I going to do with that?) and business and technology (boring). So I know I'm more in love with the idea of graduating from this particular school, not what I can get from it. But it still saddens me to say "goodbye" to a dream, even if it means following another one. And what if I make the wrong decision? Or what if I don't get into the nursing program? All I do know is i'm almost 30 and i still can;t make this decision and that's why i'm reaching out to you all. i'm so afraid that either way I'll feel regret or that I'm missing out on something. I know I'm rambling but I'm so frustrated with myself right now.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thank you one and all for responding. I have an interesting update...

Ok, so here I am, working full time and going to school full time (and I have a one year old) and I'm killing myself taking a bunch of classes that are not relavent to a major in nursing. I was just taking them to graduate in May just to return to the same community college in the fall to return to working on my prereqs. Today I got quite a wake up call. I got an email from my statistics professor pretty much telling me I had no idea what I was doing. So what was I to do? Stay in the class and wreck my GPA just to graduate in May or drop that one class, not worry about graduating, get A's in my remaining 3 classes... the choice was clear. I'm dropping the course and just concentrating on keeping my GPA up. What was I thinking? Why did I feel so pressured to graduate?

And anyone who has followed my posts knows that I've been pretty indecisive about what path I wanted to take career wise. Today I feel that I've answered my hearts call and I've chosen to pursue nursing...

Whew....

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion