old_guy

Interesting thread. At 47, and entering pre-nursing in Jan 07, I tend to the cautious (some would say paranoid) side. I'm not about to put myself in a position where impropriety could be accused. If my daughter is going to bring a friend home, I insist that my wife be home. In my present job, I never go into a room with a female coworker without leaving the door open. As a nurse, I intend to never work with a female patient without a door being open, or if involved in a sensitive procedure, a female chaperone being present. It may be a double-standard, but with men "Guilty Until Proven Innocent, and Then STILL Guilty" seems to pervade our society.

I lived in C'ville from 1984-1987. Beautiful city and countryside, AWFUL traffic, and high cost of living...at least for someone who was making 20K at the time.

By first semester I assume you mean the first semester of clinicals? I'm still going to be working FT while I'm in school. although I may ask to reduce my hours when I hit the clinical stage.

Thanks for the link. I spent most of this morning searching and applying for several scholarships. Maybe something will work out there.

Thanks, but my kids keep cracking jokes around the "Old Guy". No sweat...I plan to be working for a long time.

Hey guys. I'm a 47-year old career changer, and have applied for entrance into an accelerated BA/BS to BSN program. I'm hoping to start pre-reqs in January '07. First Q: Financing. I make a decent salary in my present job, but with 2 teenagers, mortgage, and so on, we're not exactly flush with $$$. I've gone through all of the FAFSA online stuff, but it appears the amount for which I am eligible falls a fair bit short of what I'll have to pay for my schooling at a small, private university. Any suggestions? Second, I'm an avid reader, and I'd like to find material that will help me along as I proceed. Journal(s), books, doesn't matter. Suggestions are appreciated.

LOL!! I'm amazed sometimes as to how frank women can be about such things. I NEVER talk about personal bodily functions with anyone except my wife or my doctor, but I've been around plenty of women - family and not - who simply don't seem to care. I was sitting in Bible Study class last night and the gals were talking about someone having trouble with ovarian cysts, then the discussion branched into PAP smears and other stuff. I considered being mischevious and asking something like "Ummmm...should we guys step outside for a few minutes?"

I have applied to an accelerated BA/BS -> BSN program, planning to start in January 07. I'm 47 and male, BTW, and can't wait to get started on the prereqs. I'm also planning to go straight into the MSN program. The school will allow that, but requires 2,000 hours of clinical experience before students are allowed to enter the clinical phase of the MSN. A friend of mine who is a 30-year nurse just happens to be starting an advanced cert program soon, and has been giving me advice on how to proceed. I'm thinking right now that FNP will be my path, with a focus on community health. However, there are other roles about which I have little knowledge, but sound like they would be interesting and fulfilling. My friend says CRNAs are in big demand, but the job is nerve-wracking. Forensic nursing sounds interesting, and my daughter will be pursuing her BS in Forensics at the same school I'll be attending. Questions, questions!!

I'm very close to applying to MSU. Their programs appear very attractive to the person who has to support a family while in school. I'm planning to drive down on Monday to check them out. 160 mile round trip for some classes may be taxing, but I've heard of worse.

This is more encouraging news for me. I'm seriously considering applying to MSU at the ripe old age of 47 to get into the BA/BS -> BSN accelerated program, then continuing on after graduating for the MSN. EDIT: I just found out this afternoon that a friend from church is starting an advanced program @ MSU soon. She's been a nurse 30 years, and she investigated MSU carefully. She said it's an excellent program top to bottom, and they really work to help the students with scheduling. It is, however, more expensive than most of the in-state nursing schools because it is private. On the glass-half-full side, MSU's tuition is supposed to be the lowest of all of the state's private schools. I didn't see what the out-of-state tuition is. Either way, with my friend's resounding endorsement of both the school and my pending career switch, I initiated the enrollment process by submitting my online application today. FWIW, she also reaffirmed what I'd already read: that WV has a severe shortage of nurses. If I have my way, I'd like to stay away from the Charleston hospitals, and go to Cabell-Huntington or St. Mary's to begin, and eventually end up as a FNP.

That's cool! I'm considering applying to MSU. I live in Scott Depot, about 25 miles west of Charleston. I'm thinking of taking the day off Monday and going down and visiting the school. My daughter is planning on applying to their Forensics BS program.

I think you'll find people like that in any profession. I know my current job has people like that.

Funny how each profession has its parallels. My current job pays well, and has great benefits. But I've used the words "that place just sucks my soul dry" many times with my wife. After much soul searching, studying, and so on, I feel a strong call toward medicine. As I said in the "Hello" post I submitted a few minutes ago, a doctor friend of ours suggested the BSN-MSN route as a very viable option to med school. I'm looking at it very seriously...and I'm in my late 40s. Nothing says we have to hang in until retirement.