Need advice getting started

studentdeb · Oct 10, 2003

Leenie,

Welcome!!! No, it is not too late for you to start. I am not in the nursing program yet, possibly spring, but I am 40 years old (with two children 5 1/2 and 2 1/2) and there are alot of other students our age. It's all a matter of how you feel.

I would check with your local college and find out what the prerequisites you will need to apply to the program. Most of them require you to have anatomy & physiology, psychology, sociology and possible other ones.

As far as distance learning goes, I have taken several that way. Psychology and sociology are good to take via distance learning. My college did not offer A&P and does not offer the nursing courses that way. But check into and take as many of those that you can if you can be disciplined enough.

Good luck in what you decide to do!

Genista, BSN, RN · Oct 10, 2003

Leenie-

Welcome. Your first step should probably be research. You can talk to nurses & nursing students on allnurses.

This website is good for basic overview of how to become a nurse:

http://nursing.about.com/library/weekly/aa041801a.htm?PM=ss12_nursing

No, you are not too old to do this. I think if you have the desire, age doesn't matter. There were some career changers in their 50s in my nursing class.

You will find many different opinions & routes of entry into nursing. The classes you need to take to get into nursing school will depend on which school you are applying to. The most important thing is to find the one that works the best for you. Visit some local colleges (nursing dept) as part of your research, too. All this will help you make an informed decision.

Good luck!

Leenie · Oct 11, 2003

Thank you ladies!

I feel MUCH younger than my 36 years.

Leenie

pepperpuss · Oct 11, 2003

Leenie, I'm new here too but wish I could have posed the same question before I became a nurse. I was also a stay at home mom who had home schooled for 6 years. The best thing you can do for yourself is to get your CNA and work at this if only part time. The experience and knowledge you will gain from this will make your days in class and clinical much easier and clearer. There is no substitute for experience. I recieved my GED only days before taking the entrance test for LPN school. I graduated with honors but I was exhausted when I finished. I felt we ran through every subject so fast that I was in a blur most of the time. I think I was in shock and my body was on auto pilot! On the day we recieved our diplomas, I was told by my instructor that me and one other class mate had the two highest scores on the nclexx the school had on record. Sadly, my confidence did not match my grades. You will be expected to know without hesitation the full duties of a nurse when you hit the floor. The more exposure you have to this field before you enter LPN or RN school will benefit you tremendously. Best wishes

S.N. Visit, BSN, RN · Oct 11, 2003

Hi, I just wanted to add, that you are not alone! I'm a 30 yr old stay at home mom, who had dropped out of her first semester of college years ago. For the last 5 yrs i've had a terrible yearning to become a registered nurse. This past summer, i applied to my local college in the arts & sciences dept. ( My only option of nursing school is my local community college.) I am taking 1-2 "allied health/pre-nursing courses a semester". I plan on applying to the 05' nursing program next winter . I should have a few credits out of the way by then.

as for on-line courses, i think you could take the general courses for example: college writting, speech, psychology, sociology, ect, but for the core nursing classes, i'm almost positive you need to be at least an LPN, if not R.N .. many courses are only offered to R.N's going for their BSN

The best thing to do is check with the school you are planning on attending, and find out what classes are required. And find out if they have part time programs ect. My future program only starts in the summer terms, that means i'll have 3 kids in daycare $$$$.

Any how, good luck with your journey, and remember if there is a will, there is a way!

truern · Oct 11, 2003

hi, leenie :)

hmph!! if you're too old at 36, i must outta my head at 48 :)

it's a GREAT idea to get all the pre-req classes out of the way....i wish i had done that when i was in nursing school the first time in the 80s...i wouldn't have been so overwhelmed that i dropped out of school...

good luck to you :)