To me Phi Theta Kappa is a scam. I mean come on...pay someone to honor me??? Really? That's not usually how honor societies work from my experience. People don't pay to get inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame, people don't pay to get honored by the National Honor Society in high school. I was asked to join too. I was all for it until I saw I had to pay. That's a bit pretentious to me. (Not knocking anyone who joined...I'm razzing the PTK folks).
When the lady from PTK spoke to me about it looking good in my resume...I told her I would simply put PTK offered and I turned them down. She didn't speak to me anymore.
Hi There. I feel you with the late career choice thought. I was 33 when I started taking pre-reqs for nursing and am now 36. I graduated in December of 2009, passed boards in Feb of 2010 and just got my first job on a med/surg unit in the past month (March 2010). I'm surrounded by people my age that have been nurses for 15 years and people 10+ years younger than me who have been nurses for 1-5 years and are currently more skilled and confident than I am. My preceptor is in her 60's and has been an RN for over 40 years. She's very skilled, sharp and confident but man oh man does she make the quote "Nurses eat their young" stand true. She eats me for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. She has no problem telling me I'm unskilled, that I take poor direction and pretty much challenges every statement I make. It's been difficult working with her but I believe if I stick it out I'll learn tons from her...just filter through the BS.
I left a career in and industrial food industry (factory setting / not fast food) to begin nursing. I was the supervisor of the Quality Assurance dept. at my old job. I was pretty much the go to guy with tons of knowledge and resources. Now I feel like a duck out of water. LOL But I know with time and patience I will learn this profession. My people skills are there. I just need to learn more skills and learn where everything is in the hospital. SO MANY SUPPLIES!!!
So hang in there. You're not alone. Us 30 somethings are breaking into the field and I personally think it's a good thing. We have some life experience and maturity that only years of living can bring.
When the lady from PTK spoke to me about it looking good in my resume...I told her I would simply put PTK offered and I turned them down.
Hi There. I feel you with the late career choice thought. I was 33 when I started taking pre-reqs for nursing and am now 36. I graduated in December of 2009, passed boards in Feb of 2010 and just got my first job on a med/surg unit in the past month (March 2010). I'm surrounded by people my age that have been nurses for 15 years and people 10+ years younger than me who have been nurses for 1-5 years and are currently more skilled and confident than I am. My preceptor is in her 60's and has been an RN for over 40 years. She's very skilled, sharp and confident but man oh man does she make the quote "Nurses eat their young" stand true. She eats me for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. She has no problem telling me I'm unskilled, that I take poor direction and pretty much challenges every statement I make. It's been difficult working with her but I believe if I stick it out I'll learn tons from her...just filter through the BS.
I left a career in and industrial food industry (factory setting / not fast food) to begin nursing. I was the supervisor of the Quality Assurance dept. at my old job. I was pretty much the go to guy with tons of knowledge and resources. Now I feel like a duck out of water. LOL But I know with time and patience I will learn this profession. My people skills are there. I just need to learn more skills and learn where everything is in the hospital. SO MANY SUPPLIES!!!
So hang in there. You're not alone. Us 30 somethings are breaking into the field and I personally think it's a good thing. We have some life experience and maturity that only years of living can bring.
Nugg-RN