Life got in the way............How do I move forward?

[nursingis4me]

Hello everyone,

I need help/advice with a dillemma. In Jan. '09, I enrolled in a LPN program; if all went well, I was scheduled to graduate in Dec. '09....Needless to say, I didn't make it. I got 2/3 of the way thru and had to withdraw; this was basically due to "life" getting in the way of my studies. I was 1st dismissed from the program in the early part of the 2nd semester for a failed clinical (which I successfully appealed, d/t the fact that I wasn't given the opportunity to correct deficits-nor was I told beforehand what the deficit was). Then @ the end of the semester, I was told that I was not going to pass clinicals again (different reasons from the 1st time this happened though-incl. problems with an instructor for 1 clinical, and getting lost while going to another-thereby being late to an out of state clinical). This, coupled with problems @ home (no support from spouse, lack of study time, household duties that no one else would attend to, etc) forced me to withdraw from the program.

While I could have appealed to be re-admitted to this year's class (I would have started in the 2nd sesmester, since I successfully completed the 1st), I opted not to do this; my experience @ that school was not conducive to my having a "good" feeling about attending there again. I didn't feel as though the atmosphere gave a positive "vibe" for many students who experience difficulty, yet there was a "vibe" of favoritism for certain students that was felt thoughout the program.

Now, with my UC benefits about to exhaust, I know that I must rtn to work as a M.A., yet I still have a longing to complete my education to become a LPN. Unfortunately, my past troubles completing the program have me terrified to try again; I still don't feel as though my immediate family would provide me with the support needed to successfully function in a nursing program. I do know it would have to be a part-time program (not full-time as the last 1 was), since I'll have to rtn to work, but I'm scared to try, only to fail at my goal again. What to do/where do I go from here?

***Sorry for the long post, I needed to get this out***

[CharlieT]

I have classmates that drive more than 50 miles each way to come to nursing classes. I have classmates that have given up their jobs, time with their spouse/children, classmates that have moved away from home,..., heck I even have two classmates that have moved out of their home country to attend nursing school. If you really want this, then you will let nothing stand in the way of your going. If you really want it, and I mean REALLY want it, then just do it. Put in the application, take some classes and take some more. There will be tall mountains to climb and there will be swift, deep, wide, cold rivers to cross. There will be getting up way before dawn for clinicals, and some all nighters to study for tests or finish assignments. Nursing school is certianly a love/hate relationship, just ask anyone who is an RN. Life got in the way for me too, for about twenty years! I have 14 months left to go, assuming that I continue to pass all of my classes. It has been a long hard road which is far from finished. At class and clinical I am a rock, I never get upset when everyone else is falling apart. When a patient dies or a clinical instructor is on the rampage, I never show emotion or get stressed out. At our pinning I can promise that I will be an emotional disaster!

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

=I have only found 2 part-time programs-1 isnt very close, and the other is not eligible for federal/state grants and scholarships (and I can't afford a private loan for the tuition-which is what that school recommends). So, where do I go from here?

I lived 95 miles away from my LPN program and attended 5 days per week.

I lived 225 miles away from my RN program and attended 3 days per week.

I didn't live very close to the schools that I attended, but I didn't let the distance stop me from attaining my goals. I had to make my way through snow, ice, high winds, heavy rains, extreme heat, and other nasty weather conditions. You can make your dreams become realities if you want them badly enough.