Mom thinking about going back to nursing school... NEEDS ENCOURAGEMENT!!!

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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Hi everyone!

I of course am new here, and so happy to find this forum!

I am a 36 yo, SAHM... who has been a wife and mother for the past 10 years. Now that my two youngest (twins) will be in school full time next year, I am considering going back to school for a nursing degree... something I have wanted to do for years!

I am so scared of going back to school to begin a career! Is anyone else here my age, have a spouse, kids, home to care for? I feel like I am already spread pretty thin, but this is something I really want to do.

Is it doable? Is anyone else in my position or similar, doing it now?

Can it even be done??? :eek:

Thanks for any suggestions or encouragement! Honesty is much appreciated! :lol2:

It can be done!!! If this is something that you have wanted to do for 10 years and you have the support of your family you will succeed. It isn't easy but you can do it!

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I'm new here and SO HAPPY I found this thread because I'm in the same boat as the original poster. I'm a 38 yo SAHM, 3 kids ages 14, 11 and 8. I'm nearing the end of my first semester of pre-req's (A&P, Human Dev - Life Span, Nutrition) and holding steady with A's in all three. It's hard work but I'm really enjoying it! Finding this post is the shot in the arm I need (no pun intended :p) because I start to second guess myself when I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed (kids/homework/etc). I start to think "what am I doing? I'm 38 yrs old...I'm too old!" To counteract this, I have to remind myself its because I'm a mom and "older" that I am this focused and determined to reach my goal. The years spent raising my kids thus far have served me well and made me stronger. I just want to say thank you to everyone for their words of encouragement to stick with it! I only have three classes left until I can apply to nursing school in my area. Sometimes it feels like its so far away :uhoh3:

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My mother is an RN, and she went to nursing school at age 40 with 6 young children at home! I was about 10 years old at the time and I remember her diligently doing her school work every night at the computer and generally being excited to learn new skills after being a SAHM for 17 years. It was the best decision she ever made. I say GO FOR IT!

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Oh that makes me so happy! Thank you for sharing Stefanyjoy! :yeah:

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to the person who has problems with older women going to nursing school...shame on you..did you get your degree yet..are you a nurse yet..if you are please let me know what hospital you are employed at so that i will inform my family not to go there..you have no compassion foe the field..you are just there...i 'm an lpn..i worked with another lpn who was years older than me at the time..even though she was older, she was the hardest working person on my tour..shame on you. but always remember if you last long enough in this beautiful field of nursing, a patient will look at you and demand that they bring in the younger nurse to take care of them..what comes around goes around..to all the older ladies who are thinking of going to nursing school..go for it..its your life..

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My mother is an RN, and she went to nursing school at age 40 with 6 young children at home! I was about 10 years old at the time and I remember her diligently doing her school work every night at the computer and generally being excited to learn new skills after being a SAHM for 17 years. It was the best decision she ever made. I say GO FOR IT!

Thank you for posting this! I am a 33 SAHM with 6 kids under 11 and I have 3 more prereq's to do before applying....When I thought I was going to quit, I talked to my 11 year old and she looked crushed. She wants to be a nurse and felt like I was abandoning her :( I felt like poop, took a break and now I am back and taking Physio in the Spring....Here's wishing the OP AND I some luck!!! :D :D

Rebecca

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" Originally Posted by ittibittinurse viewpost.gif

This is the problem I have with older ladies wanting to go back to nursing school...they don't have a concept of reality...Nursing school is not reality...where are the posts about the stay at home moms who went back to school, passed boards, became licensed and now work...The reality is this...nursing is alot of common sense...just because you get into nursing school does not mean you will be a good nurse when you are done...another thing I am seeing is that women who start a nursing career when they are older may not be physically accustomed or physically able to actually do the work....I am founding doctors not liking these "brand new nurses" who are just starting out and some of them are in their 50's...it is annoying to them and actually to be honest it is annoying to me at times...I'm annoyed because many show poor judgement and still at an older age...mom or stay at home moms lack critical thinking skills...I'm not trying to be negative about you wanting to be a nurse...I am not so sure you are realistic about nursing as a profession...If you are going to do it...you need to get your Bachelor's because if you look at the slim job market for nurses ...that is the minimum required....Good Luck...think really hard about the money and time you are going to spend and decide if this is what you really want to do....for many of us nurses our profession is our passion...and we feel that people who do no have that passion for nursing our slighting us and the profession....."

Not even going to comment on this idiotic post except to say you are a misinformed....etc...etc...etc... FILL IN YOUR OWN WORDS!

Rebecca

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Specializes in Hemodialysis.
Thank you for posting this! I am a 33 SAHM with 6 kids under 11 and I have 3 more prereq's to do before applying....When I thought I was going to quit, I talked to my 11 year old and she looked crushed. She wants to be a nurse and felt like I was abandoning her :( I felt like poop, took a break and now I am back and taking Physio in the Spring....Here's wishing the OP AND I some luck!!! :D :D

Rebecca

OH MY!! I thought I had it rough! Good luck good luck good luck to you!! And don't give up, I did that once and never thought I would regret it (I had good grades and quit because it was too much) now I'm back and I've added two kids in the mix (for a grand total of four under 12.). Everytime I hear someone complaining and saying I can't do this or I want to quit I jump up and down and yell You Can DO It!! Its tough but you'll make it if you want it bad enough. 8 months to graduation for me and I'm so proud of myself for accomplishing all that I have with no help. I hope my husband comes home to help out before graduation lol

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Specializes in Wannabe NICU/PED Nurse.

Makes me so happy to see so many SAHM's becoming Nurses or working towards Nursing. :yeah: Gives me hope and determination for my own future. :redpinkhe

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OK, I'll throw in my story...I am 37 with 2 kids, ages 5 and 7. For the past 5 years, I have run an in-home daycare. Before that, I was a business analyst. My youngest will be in school "all day" next fall and I was planning on going back to work. The daycare was fun and allowed me an income and time with my kids but I'm pretty burnt out on it.

I keep looking at the jobs online and everything I am qualified for sounds so boring! I found the corporate world as a whole boring and often felt no meaning in my job. As hokey as it sounds, I would like my career to be more meaningful than sitting in a cubicle all day, going to endless meetings, etc.

I am really considering going to nursing school. But like you (original poster), it's scary and I wonder if I could do it. Shuffling school, some sort of job, kids, husband, pets, obligations...plus I'm not sure I could hack school again!

This thread has been encouraging, but I do appreciate the "negative" comments as well. I like to know the good and bad of what I'd be getting myself into.

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