Just starting out (whats the best way to go about it)

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Hi guys,

New guy here, and could use some advice or opinions. Short background I'am 38 single, no kids or anything living on my own.

I became interested in nursing after caring for both my grandparents. I now work in a nursing home in the maint. dept. but have watched the nurses and aides doing their thing and it has made me more interested in nursing.

So I have a few questions which Iam hoping that there are some others that are or were in my situation.

Since I live and take care of myself I can not afford to not work a full time job. Now I am only getting paid $9.00 an hour now which no one can live off of this. I have some expenses that I need to get taken care of in addition I am going to be needing a new computer very shortly. I want to take a STNA class and go to work so I can get some experience before nursing school but STNA if Iam correct don't make much more or very close to the 9 an hour Iam making now.

SOOO would it be wise to try and find another job altogether and try and get these expenses caught up. Or pick up a second job to get things paid?

Idealy, I need more money just to be able to live but I also wanted to start my careeer in nursing and I have heard the experience of being an STNA is valuable.

My other question is. I would like to go all the way for the BSN. I just don't know if I would be able to survive 4 years on my current pay. Are there any accelerated BSN degrees available? or programs that will get you a BSN degree without the whole college 4 year deal?

Also I'm going to have to depend 100% on financial aid from the state or fed level to pay for this. So if any of the programs have that kind of financial aid available? I would love to be able to take out a private loan from a bank or whatever and just pay for it all but my credit is not that good so whatever program I get into it has to be one that will accept financial aid from like FASFA, OIG (Ohio Instructional Grant) or Pell grant ect..( I live in Ohio)

I just feel so stuck because I have the dedication to do this. I think I would be a good nurse. I have done labor intensive course work in college before ( obtained a pilot's lic through kent States flight program) So I know I can do it. I just feel held back or stuck with all these obstacles.

Sooooo any advice or opinions would be so greatly appreciated.

Specializes in Critical Care, Postpartum.
i do have prior college. in fact, looking at my community college syllabus for the adn program looks like all i would need to take is:

i already have taken eng 1010 college english composition and psy 1010 general pyschology

so iam thinkimg in 1 semester i can bang out those 2 classes and i should be good to go!

great to hear! afterward you can go for the bsn or msn when you're ready to climb the ladder. those routes won't take long. for right now, get those 2 classes out of the way and apply to the program. make sure you contact the chairperson/director of the ns program to make sure you have all that you need to apply. wish you all the best.

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:)

You might have to take the sciences over, most schools say they must be within 3 years or 5 years. That is for, biology and chemistry... not usually the social sciences.

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I start my pre reqs this fall, I have a 8 month old son and a fiance, I can't afford to quit working all together but I will be working part time at Walmart. Places like Walmart are great because they are very flexible with your scheduale you can pick your own hours. As for now working part time is fine but when I actually get into the program I will quit working all together and take out a student loan and will be applying for all of the scholarships and grants that I can possible get. With the student loan I will only be taking out what I NEED....Right down how much you spend each month for bills,groceries,gas,ent..you don't want to live too extravagantly but enough to make ends meet and a little money for entertainment. I don't know if this helps...but this is how I'll we be going about school financially...hope this made sense :)

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I'm starting an accelerated nursing program at the end of next month and am trying to figure out financing of it all. I too, don't qualify for Pell grants or much financial aid because of my bachelor's degree and also earned too much last year to qualify. BUT I will have to quit my job to do the accelerated program, so my income will be sharply reduced. I am trying to look for scholarships and grants. MZCHAS -- where did you find your scholarships? I am also new to the school loan process, I am trying to see if I can take out a school loan to pay for living expenses, but it seems like they have limits and it will only cover cost of tuition and maybe a little more. Use private bank loans? It looks like I will need to use my parents to cosign a loan, which I hate to do since I am 36 yrs old, but grateful that they might be able to help. If anyone could provide some guidance on how they covered living expenses while in school if they weren't able to work, please share!

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Specializes in Critical Care, Postpartum.
MZCHAS -- where did you find your scholarships? I am also new to the school loan process, I am trying to see if I can take out a school loan to pay for living expenses, but it seems like they have limits and it will only cover cost of tuition and maybe a little more. Use private bank loans? It looks like I will need to use my parents to cosign a loan, which I hate to do since I am 36 yrs old, but grateful that they might be able to help. If anyone could provide some guidance on how they covered living expenses while in school if they weren't able to work, please share!

First Congrats on starting your ABSN program! I was laid-off and the Career Center said they will pay for my classes for the program. The school I applied to said they will take it. However, I will be responsible for books, etc. As you know, books are outrageously expensive. Some can be as much as the class itself. So, I searched using Yahoo! and typed in "Non-traditional student scholarships". I read somewhere that Yahoo! was the best search engine for this. I saw a lot of grants/scholarships offered to career-changers, single parents, etc. They have a lot even for women going back to school. I have applied to 3 scholarships. However, most have passed its deadline, but I put them in my "Favorites" folder on my browser so I can revisit them for the 2011 school year. I'm not too much of an expert on loans. I'm trying to avoid another one for this degree.

I consider myself blessed because what I receive from unemployment has paid my rent and utilities for over a year now, while I returned to school to take my prerequisites. My parents said they will be there for me the last couple of months when it runs out, while I'm in NS. I also have my severance pay still sitting in my savings acct that I can use during that time as well. If I never had to take prerequisites, I could have completely survived NS while unemployed for the entire 15 months of the program.

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Well thanks guys for all the input

I think Iam going to go for the ADN at the CC

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