Hello everyone,
I was a Telecommunication Technician that was laid off in May from WorldCom and now I am thinking about a career change. I have always been interested in the medical field but having a hard time deciding what to do. I have thought about EMT and then Paramedic school and then get my ADN or MSN but then why not just go for my nursing now. Any advice.
Oh by the way a little background : Before I got into telecom I worked for an AIDS Hospice for 3 years. I enjoyed the work, meeting the families and helping out any way I could. It was a hard job but very interesting. I really learned a lot from the nurses. Also am I getting into this field a little late. I am 32.
Thanks
Chris
Oct 12, '02
Corrado, Good luck with your decision. Try a job counseling office - take some of those tests to see what you are best suited to do. If nursing, go for it. I suggest AD for nursing, with plans for BSN to follow. frankie
Oct 13, '02
Hi,
You are never too old to do what you truly want to do!! If that is the only thing you are worried about then I say go for it..
Good Luck,
Terri
Oct 13, '02
my advice would be to contact some of your local nursing schools and request their literature and see if they will let you talk to a counselor. this way you can see what kind of time frame you will be on and how much money it will cost.....find which program might suit you best and if this is a feasible.
you are never to old to pursue a dream! good luck with whatever you decide!
Dec 6, '02
God I hope 32 is not too old to start! I am 40-something and am starting Nursing school. Small world tho. I was just laid off by WorldCom as well this last go-round. I volunteered tho. I made a decision to go into nursing in late spring/early summer. Did a lot of research and soul searching. I was tired of all the BS in the company and industry. I was being paid well but the job satisfaction just wasn't there anymore. At the end of the day I was asking myself why I/we were doing this and what did it mean or accomplish. Never got a good answer.
I decided that nursing fit my background and interests. I had previous firefighting experience, coach youth soccer, and enjoy helping folks. I was a manager and enjoyed growing my people. But I was flattened and so the career was gone. From what I have seen for nursing you can get a job anywhere in the country and there is a definite shortage. Won't have to worry about that perverbial axe to drop in a downturn.
I was first going to get my ADN and get into it and follow-on with BSN. At the time there was a 1yr difference to achieve the BSN (I have a BS in another major so a lot of Gen Ed was still good.) But I found out that the summer session I was planning on taking was only available to LPN-RN transitioners. So that put another semester on the table for the ADN. Now there was only 1 semester difference. It became a no-brainer now. Go for the BSN.
Plus, I am seriously looking at an advanced degree to become an NP or CRNA. Gonna need that BSN for either of those. If you are starting from scratch I would say go the ADN and get in. From what I can see there are numerous opportunities in nursing and more are growing. With a hi-tech background you may want to look into nursing informatics.
Dec 11, '02
Hi, I'm working as a LNA (the new name for CNA's) at a hospital and I'm enjoying it so much that I'm appying to BSN school for next fall. (I hope I get in, I hope I get in)... It's never to late to start, I'll be 42 when I start school, my motto, if you want it-do it!
Dec 11, '02
Nope it is never to late. Sorry you lost your job.
renerian
Jan 4, '03
Hey everyone,
Thanks for the replies. I have been on an extended vacation and have been unable to keep with email and pretty much everything else. I start classes in about 3 weeks. I have to take A&P2 and then I can apply to ADN program for the fall.... I am going to apply to a few schools in NV and when graduate I will take my boards and move back to TX.
Thanks again
Chris
Jan 21, '03
I was laid off as well form Verizon wit no WARNING!! I hated that TELECOM industry.. I always had a desire for the Nursing field after taking care of my family members. Go for it, there are so many differnet avenues in NURSING!!
Jan 23, '03
Looks like I am going to apply for the fall ADN program here in Elko, NV. If I don't get in I am going to take the EMT-B that semester and try to get a job as an ED Tech and apply for spring 2004 in Las Vegas. I am sure I can get into one of them. Does any one work as an ED Tech and if so how do you like it.
Thanks
Chris
Jan 29, '03
I would imagine it stands for Licensed Nursing Assistant.
Funny, I started looking into the medical field when my field dried up, too. I'm a contractor in the computer field, and the BOTTOM fell out here in NC. I went 10 months between contracts, and had started taking continuing ed courses at a local community college.
I'm still taking continuing ed classes, and will continue getting actual prerequisites out of the way next semester. My girlfriend is an ex-OR nurse who is now a head nurse, and is a good resource for all my questions and concerns. It sounds like a good field, as long as you know what you're getting into.
Oct 12, '02Joined: Oct '02; Posts: 139Corrado, Good luck with your decision. Try a job counseling office - take some of those tests to see what you are best suited to do. If nursing, go for it. I suggest AD for nursing, with plans for BSN to follow. frankie
Jan 23, '03Occupation: RN Specialty: 15 year(s) of experience ; Joined: Oct '02; Posts: 4,763; Likes: 843What is an LNA?
