Indianapolis-Single Moms Pursuing Nursing/Career Changers

[Ebueno]

Hi All,

I have read previous threads related to this topic,but they were several years old, so I decided to start a more up to date thread. I am a single mother of two children trying to pursue my nursing degree. I already have a Bachelor's in General Studies from IUPUI. I work PRN for St. Vincent Hospital in a variety of pediatric specialty clinics. I enjoy the hands on experience and I know I can use this once I begin clinicals. Sidenote: I have been in healthcare/human services since 2009 in a variety of fields. I have worked as a CNA with the aging population,as a PCT in medsurg and ortho rehab, in a pediatric primary care clinic, as a waiver case manager and now I am back as as a tech for St.V. My current job offers the flexibility I need for when I start clinicals, but the pay isn't that great and I am not eligible for tuition reimbursement. So my question for anyone out there is: has anyone faced a similar situation? I'm trying to push ahead to provide a more stable life for my children, but it is definitely hard. I will be pursuing Ivy Tech's ASN and eventually apply to IUPUI's RN to MSN program, once I have at least two years of work experience under my belt. Ivy Tech is a lot cheaper than other schools and because I wasn't a straight A student, I have a better chance of getting in then at IU. Also, with me already having a degree, I am very limited on how much aid I am eligible for and my remaining amount is all loans, which I would like to avoid if possible. I did apply to a few scholarships with no response and the others were tailored to students that were already accepted into programs, pursuing their first degree or pursuing a bachelors or higher. Sorry for the long post, just wanted to give as much info as possible.

[2017Kokomo]

I can say you definitely will see a return on your investment as long as you graduate from an accredited nursing program. Nursing is a STEM field that is very likely to lead to a lifelong career.

Don't worry about the loans, just make sure you're using the loans just for school and completing school

[Brenda124]

This isn't related to school although I am currently a nursing student. Does your PRN position allow you to choose your work days or is it whenever they call and need you? I am applying for a prn position and just want to know a little more