Need Help/encouragement Re: School And Changing Careers!

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I have been in my profession for about 10 years now and make pretty good money (about $50k a year). I have had a life long dream of being a nurse. I tried to go that route right out of high school, but I was way too young and immature to buckle down. Fast forward 15 years or so, and I am now ready to do it all again. I have the last three pre-reqs to finish to even be able to apply. Then after you apply and get accepted, you go on a 2 year waiting list (at least) and then the core nursing classes are two years long. Once accepted, I will have finished all classes necessary for the degree except the core nursing classes that you can only take if you are accepted into the program), so for the 2 years I will be waiting for my name to come up and start the program. So, we are looking at approximately starting the program sometime between 2010 and 2012 and then finishing and getting a job sometime in 2015 (wow, that seems so far away!).

My dh who is a great, but does not like to take risks and is perfectly content staying in his job where he makes good money for doing basically nothing hard but dealing with people who don't care about their job versus what he could do elsewhere or starting over. I understand not wanting to work harder for the same amount of money, but if it were something that he really wanted to do, then I would say go for it. He just won't and sees no reason to give up the money and easy job.

Me, I work full time doing legal work, which I like, its okay. I really want to do the nursing thing and it is very important to me. I can't take a pay cut because we don't qualify for financial aid. I am attempting to avoid disrupting my family as much as possible by doing the classes that I can online. I have had to give up my every other Friday off for having every Monday afternoon off for the lab. This impacts my husband in that I am not home every other Friday with him and the kids.

He really doesn't have any valid arguments for not wanting me to do this, which is what is making me mad. Because I have the initiate and desire to follow my dreams, he thinks I am being selfish. After all I was the one who wanted kids in the first place (he will never let me live this one down, even after being together for 12 years). He thinks nursing schedules stink and that there won't be any flexibility. I can generally come in late (I am talking 30 min or less) at my current job and not get docked for it. I am late in the morning due to dropping dd off at school and traffic is always different. He thinks that if I were a nurse and had to be there on time, I would get fired. I think he is afraid that he will be with the kids more (i.e. he works from 12:30-9 p.m. and some nursing shifts are 7-7) He also thinks nurses don't get paid well. From what I gathered on the internet, a starting nursing salary in San Diego can be $66k, which is way more than I make here, working full time. I would be working less hours (so to speak, 3 days vs 5 days) thus, making me more available for my kids.

I think what it boils down to is that he jealous that I want to do something different. I think he is worried about the money and having to watch the kids more. Right now, he has them in the mornings 7:30 (they wake up between 7:00-8:00) until 12:30. dd starts K in September and next year ds will start K too. So, I would be responsible for taking them both to school in the morning, therefore he will be home alone every day of the week in the morning, and I have them at night.

What do you think. Sorry this is wrong, but I am trying not to let his selfishness get in the way of my dreams, yet, be sensitive to his needs and such in our marriage. Something I have come a long way on. I will give if it is valid, but his concerns don't really seem so.

Thanks for your advice!!!

Nancy

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Nancy, nursing can be flexible, but when you work in the nursing home or acute care, it's usually not as flexible the hours....But if you work Home Care, clinics, and other areas in the nursing, it's a bit more flexible...There is so much you can do once you graduate....and you will be exposed to it when you're in nursing school.....you will get to meet nurses of all avenues and will see that you do have your options...Don't let anyone discourage you....Follow your dream!

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Thank you and I know. This is why I am kind of not listening to him.

Nancy

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Hi Nancy,

You are not being selfish and go for it if it is your dream. I have to agree that once you are a nurse, the schedules will be flexible. However, while in NS (I'm speaking for the program I am in) there's not really any flexibility in the schedule. I'm not sure how it is in other programs, but in our ABSN program, you don't have a choice for class days and/or clinicals.

You are right in your dh having to watch the kids more. That will likely happen when you are in NS because you will have to find extra time to study, do study groups. I have "mommy guilt" sometimes when I feel I am not spending enuf time with the kids, but I try to make the time we do spend together quality time.

Good Luck to you!

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We have the same long wait in Solano County,the waitlist says 2-3 years however, many on that list have applied at several other schools and will end up attening other schools. Thus easing the wait. I have a friend they told the wait was over 2 years, they called her to start the program in 8 months!!! The time is going to pass anyway. In 2012 you can be making 50k a year or over 100,000 as a nurse. Kaiser pays the best and they have forgivable loans for 25k if you work for them for 5 years after you graduate. Free money, and a guaranteed job with the best paying hospital around. I'll take it! Don't get discouraged. My Mom was 34 with 4 kids going through a divorce when she entered the RN program. Now she's living pretty comfortable. Just think about your bottom line. Good Luck!:up:

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i don't mean to burst your bubble, but new grad pay in san diego isn't as high as you might think. sharp pays $27-28/hour, so that works out to around $52k. but that goes up quickly after you've put in your time, i've heard. i don't know what other places pay for sure, but i'd guess it's not significantly more.

i'd say if this is your dream, do it. definitely. no point in spending the rest of your life unhappy doing something you don't love. good luck to you! :)

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I think us moms have the mommy guilt, and my kids don't help either by reminding me that I don't spend enough time with them...I try to spend as much time as possible, and I'm thankful to my ex who watches the kids more and to my mother who is there for them before and after school...Without them, I wouldn't be here in nursing school....

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I know other hospitals don't pay as much as Kaiser, but the union handbook states that new hires start off at between $39-50 an hour depending if you don't need their benefits. So if your husband already has ecent healthcare you can waive yours, and get 12% more! After six months you start making more. Then again this is Nor Cal. They also offer a couple extra dollars if your shift starts after 2pm. So I guess it may depend on where you live and work, but many of the same day surgery centers also start off at $48-52 an hour around here. So I didn't misquote that 100k a year figure.

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I know other hospitals don't pay as much as Kaiser, but the union handbook states that new hires start off at between $39-50 an hour depending if you don't need their benefits. So if your husband already has ecent healthcare you can waive yours, and get 12% more! After six months you start making more. Then again this is Nor Cal. They also offer a couple extra dollars if your shift starts after 2pm. So I guess it may depend on where you live and work, but many of the same day surgery centers also start off at $48-52 an hour around here. So I didn't misquote that 100k a year figure.

i'm sure that's definitely the case in northern california, but wages in san diego are muuuch lower for new grads than northern california. i wish we could make that much down here!

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This is definately good to know. Interestingly enough, I heard that Kaiser is the best paid hospital, but also the worst to work in? I wonder why that is.

I called Grossmont's nursing program office and they said that the waiting list is 3 years, but it is going at about half that, which was also confirmed by my counselor. Hmmmm!

Thank you all for your encouragement. I am going to do it and will do good at it! It is a promise to me, my mom and those who I desire to help!

Nancy

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This is definately good to know. Interestingly enough, I heard that Kaiser is the best paid hospital, but also the worst to work in? I wonder why that is.

I called Grossmont's nursing program office and they said that the waiting list is 3 years, but it is going at about half that, which was also confirmed by my counselor. Hmmmm!

Thank you all for your encouragement. I am going to do it and will do good at it! It is a promise to me, my mom and those who I desire to help!

Nancy

i go to grossmont! it's a great school!! you can definitely do it. :up:

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I'm not sure how it is to work there as a Nurse, but as a Medical Assistant it wasn't bad. From the people I went to school with the ones of us who got on at Kaiser got pais the most, for doing the least amount of work. I think the union for the MA's is really strong, it is alomst impossible to get fired, so many of the MA's become snotty. The RN's have a different union though. My Mom is an RN at Kaiser with 11 more years until retirement and she loves it. They have lots of perks, like their 401k, forgivable loans, and such. For a while they were matching her contribution to her retirement .80 to the $1.00.Not bad. She also took advantage of the forgivable loan. Right now they only offer in in So Cal, that is why I mentioned Kaiser. I wish they still had it up here.

On a different subject, my husband has also not been the most supportve. Baby steps are important, giving them a little to digest at a time. I have about a year before I can apply to the program and he is finally showing some support/excitement. It took a while. Be patient with him and pray about it. Good luck.:wink2:

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