Non-traditional students!

[dachotero]

Hello! I am an ADN nursing student, about to graduate in May of 2008! So excited to about be done! I have a couple of questions to post - more of an inquiry I guess! For non-traditional students, my questions are: What type of nursing are you going into and why? Acute care? Pediatrics? Office nursing? Geriatric nursing? Other? Going back to school as a non-traditional student has made me more aware of who I am. I can't say for sure that I was really ready for the whole college thing when I was first out of high school - there were so many more things to do - travel, experience some independence away from a small town, find out what I really liked to do! Twenty years later, I still have some of that vagabond in me but a family and roots with responsibilites takes part of that away! I think I had to experience my life before I could help someone else with theirs.

This brings me to my second question. Do you think that as a non-traditional student, you are able to make decisions with greater ease than you would have fresh out of high school? Do you think that going back to school has made you a better student or more resilient to some of the pitfalls such as the social scene of a younger generation. The demand with peer pressure in a new college can take an above average student down to an unacceptable level if it gets out of hand. An older student might be more prone to categorizing priorities- but that's not to say that a younger generation student would not or could not. I just happen to think that I am much more disciplined at this age - nearly 40 - than I was say at, 20.

Thanks for your time and responses!

Dawn Otero

[rotteluvr31, ADN, RN]

I just happen to think that I am much more disciplined at this age - nearly 40 - than I was say at, 20.

I am so with you on this idea - at 20 I could barely manage myself and a job, never mind a family, my two jobs, husband, etc., and make decent grades. Granted, I have given up a real life to attend school, but I did a lot of living over the past 25 years, and don't really regret the time and effort that I am putting into school now. And it is a HUGH amount of time and effort as you all well know.

I did go to school in my 20's and barely scraped by my classes - worse, I never developed any confidence in my abilities. Now I wonder what was wrong with me that I couldn't see that I was perfectly able to be a nurse. So here I am, 20 years later in an ADN program when I could of had a BSN. There is a little regret there - but not much. I try to look forward, not back and there is so much that I can do, and so many things I have done. I still have a good 20 years to work - and go to school. I all ready have my eye on a couple of ADN-MSN programs.

Congratulations on your impending graduation!:yelclap:

[WDWpixieRN, RN]

I know when I returned to school as a non-traditional older student, I definately appreciated it much more than the first time around.

However, as I am completing my ADN program, several of my best friends are in the 24 - 27 age range. I have to say they are as much, or even more, studious than I am. It's very encouraging to see!!!

[Jilaweez, BSN, MSN, RN]

So far in my experience the nursing students I have had the pleasure of knowing are a rare breed. Younger or older, they are all determined, goal-oriented, hardworking people. I think personally I appreciate things more now than I did in my 20's, but I wasn't like the 20 year old in my class, she already knows what she wants. It took me a little longer but I am glad I found this happy place in my life right now.

Congrats on Graduation!!

[the_healer]

Intersting questions. I myself have a BS already but trying to get into an ADN program. As far as what type of nursing I think it depends a lot on the individuals personality and just what interests them. As for myself, I love kids and an adrenaline rush so I'm interested in a few different areas such as pediatric, neonatal, surgical, and ER or trauma nursing. Since the nursing field is new to me I don't particularly know the process of how to narrow these options down but I'm sure God will put me where he needs me. As far as being a non-traditioal student goes. I believe that for some people (such as me..lol) we discover who we are as an individual through our life experinces, aka. the School of Hard Knocks. As we get older, have families, and greater responsibilites our priorities in life change as does our focus and discipline to do what we need to do to take care of those priorities. Of course hopefully with age comes maturity to be able to recognize what those priorities are...lol. Boy this is some serious babbling I've got going on here. I need a beer...lol By the way Congrats on Graduating here in the near future.

[misc.jen]

I am a much more focused student now that I am older. When I was 19, I just didn't have the motivation and dedication to make it through nursing school. In fact, I would have never made it into nursing school,lol...my grades were awful. Like you, I needed to travel, meet new people, find myself, figure out what I liked and what I was good at. I tried out different jobs, I got married and had a family. I always planned to be a nurse....I just needed to try on a few different hats first.

[3rdgenRN2B]

When I started college at 18, I had no direction. I was at community college with all my friends and before long I started skipping classes to be with them. I didn't think I needed school and thought I'd be fine with the job I had. Now 12 years later I'm still at the same job and really appreciate the value of a college education. Being an older student I take my studies much more seriously. Plus I now have a wonderful husbannd and a beautiful daughter. I've just returned to school after taking a couple years off to have my daughter and I'm taking a couple courses not at all related to the nursing program but I wanted to have this one semester to explore other options and interest. But come next fall I'm returning to pre-reqs and I'll be applying to the nursing program in November. As much as I wish I had completed my degree years ago I'm glad I've had so much experience in the "real world"..it makes me that much better a student.

[krenee]

LOL I could've written a few of these posts! Another one here who screwed up at 18 and is now doing GREAT with school. I definitely didn't have the maturity before.

As far as what I want to do, I haven't decided 100% but I do know that I'm going to work at the local hospital here to start off with. There are bigger & better hospitals in the area, but I refuse to do the commuting thing and spend half my life in the car just for the prestige or better cases or whatever. Based on my clinical experience so far, I'm learning towards something to do with babies - NICU or nursery or something. NOT L&D though.

Kelly