CMSNYC

Hi everyone, I hope you don't mind me picking your brains. I'll give you all a very brief background. I'm thinking of going back to school to get my nursing degree as a second degree. I've pretty much decided that I want to specialize in hospice nursing. Right now I volunteer providing pastoral care to end stage AIDS and cancer patients and I love it and my best friend died 3 months ago and I also helped her as much as I could during the last 4 months of her life. These two factors really helped me decide that I wanted to do this kind of work. Here's my issue. At the place I'm volunteering, I asked if I could be cross-trained as a care companion and they were all very thrilled to have me there and they all said that I would learn very quickly whether I wanted to be a nurse or not, but that they thought I was going to be phenomenal at it. So I was very excited to get this hands-on training. Now, here comes the bad part. I had my first day as a care companion yesterday. And while I got through giving a bed bath and a shower to two patients and changing two diapers and making sure both patients were clean. I HATED it and left crying for the first time ever. Now I'm a little devastated because I thought for sure that I was being called to be a hospice nurse and it seems like it's not for me. Can any of you help me and tell me what are the different roles in a hospice setting? (I've worked as a legal secretary for 15 years, so I'm totally brand new to this field). Again, I absolutely hated cleaning up the patients, but I find that I do great ministering to them in getting comfortable with their deaths and talking them through their fears of dying, and helping their families. Does this mean nursing is out for me? Should I consider going back to school to become a counselor specialzing in end-of-life issues? Or should I just continue to volunteer as a pastoral care minister at this hospice and forget about doing this as a job? Thanks for any and all help.

Do you need to take your pre-reqs at one school or can you take them at different ones? With a f/t job, I can only take classes on nights and weekends and it would make my life a heck of a lot easier if I could take whatever pre-reqs I could get done at School A, and then the other pre-reqs that aren't offered at School A at School B? For instance, at School A offers A&P I and II and Chem at night and on weekends. School B doesn't but offers Statistics (which School A doesn't) I'm just wondering if it won't look good when I do apply to nursing school that I went to more than one school? Thanks for any help...I know this was a confusing question.

Hi everyone, I'm looking at going back to school for my nursing degree. I have a BA from Hofstra University, so I've been told that a lot of my general credits will transfer. I'm 35 with a mortgage and other responsibilities, so it's not feasible for me to quit my job and go to school full-time. My initial plan of action was to take care of my science pre-reqs at maybe Nassau or another community college and then apply to Nursing schools, but I saw that BMCC has a part-time evening/weekend program. I also just read the post that the red tape there can be a horror to deal with. So just wondering if it's worth to even try getting into that program (40 students seems like ultra competitive to me!) or just do my pre-reqs somewhere else. It seems like if I did get accepted into the BMCC part-time program, I would be able to get my Associates Degree in Nursing and then hopefully get a job at a hospital that might help pay for me to get my BSN. UGH!!! This going back to school is driving me CRAZY!!!!!!!!!

I live in NYC and I make over $60k now and it was my experience that between Manhattan rent, $20k in student loans, credit card bills, and basic necessities, it was sometimes hard to make it stretch especially when something unexpected comes up. (Like $400 to have my apartment fumagated when a new neighbor brought along all his roaches). And that's being single. I work for plenty of attorneys right now who start at over $120k a year right out of law school and some of them really do struggle because their minimum payments on their law school loans are sometimes $200-$400 a month. In the long run, it will be worth it, but her decision is going to effect her husband so I don't think it's fair to either of them for her to just cash everything in, take loans for everything and worry about it later. IMHO

Thanks for the encouragement! I know the community college by my parents house is affordable and no one I know who goes there has ever had a problem having their grades transfer. And catzy, you make me laugh!!! I figure that I'm going to be 40 no matter what...so I might as well be productive with my time, right? Thanks again! This seems like a much more doable plan than quitting my job for 18 months to do the accelerated program.

Lakeside...I just have to say that you have TOTALLY inspired me!!! You go girl!!!!!

Hi everyone! First of all, a great big thanks to everyone on this board. At times the information has been overwhelming, but it has definitely been informative to hear the good things and bad things. Quickly, after spending the past few months volunteering at an AIDS hospice and being a caregiver for my best friend the last 5 months of her life, I decided that a nursing career is what I want to do. (I hope to someday work in hospice care). But, I would be an older student returning to school. And as such, I'm not too thrilled at the thought of incurring all this student loan debt as I head into my 40's (everything is paid off now) so I decided that any accelerated program is out for me. And I was getting discouraged because alot of nursing programs were in the day only. Since I have a BA, I know that the first thing I have to do is take my science prereqs and see if I could even apply for nursing school. (I fully admit that math and science courses were not my strong point in high school and college). So here's my plan of attack: Take my pre-reqs at a local community college. This should take about 2 years. During those 2 years, I can continue to save money and then worry about applying to nursing school. I have a job that has alot of down time built in to the day, so I would have plenty of time to study and do homework. Then if I do get into nursing school, I can worry about finding another job when the time comes. Does this sound like a logical approach?

One of the things that really keeps me from jumping into nursing school full throttle ahead is the thought of incurring all this additional debt. I'm 35 and just finished paying off my two undergraduate student loans, all my credit card bills and 3 months of law school loans. Right now my only bills are the basic necessities: mortgage, food, utilities and the thought of entering my 40's with tons of student loan debt is not one that I find too appealing, so I'm looking at alternate ways of doing this instead of relying on student loans. The other thing I wanted to say is to please not get offended at what Jules was saying about the realities of having children, health issues and the pressure of financial problems. The reality is that it DOES cost a lot of money to have a healthy baby, what happens if you have one with special needs? My best friend passed away at the age of 42 due to complications from a stroke and diabetes. She spent 4 months in ICU. Her husband and her were very good financially, but still alot of their savings were wiped out due to her illness. If it's your dream to become a nurse, then I say go for it and do everything it can to make it a reality. But keep your mind open to the possibility that maybe it wouldn't make the most financial sense to quit working and do an accelerated program right now. In my 20's I would definitely cash everything in and do it that way. But things are WAY different at 35 and there's no way I would just cash in my salary, health benefits and other perks like vacation and sick time. Good luck to you in whatever you choose.

I couldn't stop laughing at this because I feel very much the same way! One month of undergrad is NOTHING!!! And it's better to find out NOW then after you've spent 4 years studying your major and then 10 years in a field you don't like! The best advice I got was from one of the lawyers I work with (I'm a legal secretary) when I told him I was hating law school..."It's better to find out 3 months in then after you graduate and you're stuck with student loans and you have to practice law just to pay off the loans." Sure enough, I only lost $3,000 as opposed to being saddled with over $100,000 in law school loans and I now I truly believe that nursing is my calling...if I can just pass the pre-reqs and get into a program!

Definitely Hospice care for me. I volunteer at an AIDS hospice right now and a few weeks after I started my priest asked me how it was going and I said, "If anyone would have told me that I could work in a place that focused on death and dying and that I would leave each shift feeling so uplifted, I wouldn't have believed it." I can't describe the feeling I get when I sit with a dying patient...the look of gratitude in their eyes when I do something as simple as moisten their lips or the smile they try to give me when they realize that they aren't alone. I feel so rewarded talking family members through the grieving process. I think what really cemented my decision was one of my residents died in March and a few months later I saw her daughter at a concert. She ran up to me and said, "Excuse, I don't remember your name, but do you remember me?" And I said, "Of course I do...you're Marie's daughter..." And when she introduced me to her friend she said, "This lady was so nice to me when my mother was dying, I'll never forget it. Thank you so much!" Yup...hospice care for me (I hope!)

I'm LOVING this topic! I'm 35 and work full-time as a legal secretary (been doing this for a little over 10 years). Before that, I worked as a production manager in an advertising research firm. I got into law school 2 years ago and dropped out after 3 months because I HATED it...it was SOOOOO boring and I couldn't see myself practicing law for the next 30 or so years. Last year I started volunteering at an AIDS hospice and I haven't been the same since! I love taking care of the patients on their final journey in life and I can't even describe the feeling of fullfillment that I have when I finish my volunteer shift. I decided that I would rather spend 50-60 hours a week doing that kind of work, then sitting at a desk filling out expense reports. I'm going to start working on my pre-reqs in the fall and then on to nursing school and hopefully a career either in hospice or working with AIDS patients. I figure I'll be in my 40's whether I start a second career or not, so what do I have to lose?

I'm afraid I don't have much advice to offer you, but I certainly sympathize with your plight. I'm looking to apply to nursing school, but have to get my pre-reqs out of the way. Although I'm not married, I'm involved in a long-term relationship (11 years) and my boyfriend isn't the most supportive either. He doesn't care about the money (because after all, it will be my responsibility, not his). He'll claim to support me, but the minute a weekend comes when I have to study and it takes time away from him, he'll pout like a child. He already pulled this during my first year of law school. Admittedly, I wasn't as passionate about becoming a lawyer as I am about becoming a nurse, but it was frustrating and eventually I felt that I was being pulled in so many directions that I dropped out of law school after 3 months since I knew it really wasn't for me anyway. I know since I'm not married, it's not the same, but I've found that I've needed to surround myself with other people who support me. The friends I've told have been very supportive and tell me to follow my heart and not worry about the money. I've also been able to talk to a few priests at my church who have encouraged me as well. And this board has been great too. In any event, good luck and let us know when you start your program!

Actually this was a great piece of advice. I have a BA, so I need to take quite a few pre-reqs before I can even apply to nursing schools. So maybe QCC might be an option. Thanks!

I just want to say this was a great post for me to read. I really have a burning desire to eventually work as a hospice nurse. I volunteer at an AIDS hospice right now on the weekends and I truly feel that I have finally found my calling in life because I love the work so much and I feel so fulfilled. But in order to get to that final goal, I have to go back to school. At 35 with a mortgage and bills..and I'm very fortunate...I paid off all my undergrad student loans from my first degree and I also paid off my student loan from my first three months of law school and I have no credit card debt, but I do have a car payment, food, utilities and such. I can't afford to give up my salary and health benefits to go to school full time. Luckily, my job has a lot of down time, so I could do my studying here (there's no way I would have been able to keep up with all the reading required in law school if I didn't have that). My only problem is finding a program now that fits around my work schedule. I've decided to work on getting my pre-reqs done (I was a BA in undergrad, so I need to take my science courses) and then after that's done, make the next decision on whether to work or not. Sorry to go off on a tangent, I just wanted to let you all know that it was comforting to hear that I'm not the only one struggling with work and school responsibilities.

I'm looking at getting into nursing as a second career and right now it is not feasible for me to quit my full-time job to go back to school full time. I'm 35 and single and carrying a mortgage on my own, so I NEED to keep my job and all the health benefits. Someone told me I should consider getting into an LPN program through BOCES. I know Suffolk has an evening program, but it appears as though the classes begin at 6:30. I work in Manahttan and live on the boarder of Eastern Nassau/Western Suffolk so on a good day, I'm not pulling into the train station until 6:50pm. Are there any BOCES programs in Queens or NYC?

Hi! I'm so glad to have found this website. I mentioned in another forum (I think it was the pre-nursing school forum ???) how I'm looking into getting an RN (second degree/career) and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed right now. My big concern is that I'm 35 with a mortgage, so I can't really afford to give up my salary and health benefits to attend school part-time. My friend's wife is an LPN and she is thinking of going back for her RN. I thought it would make sense to just try and get my RN degree instead of doing it that way. Someone posted to me here that I should consider going to a community college and getting my ADN. Can someone please tell me what's the difference between being a LPN and a ADN? And would it then be eaiser to get my RN once I have an ADN? I'm SOOOO confused at this point!!! Also, my background is in legal so if I do go back to school I have quite a few pre-reqs I would have to take before I could even consider applying for nursing school. Someone suggested taking those part time first. Thanks for everyone who might be able to help me out or at least point me in the right direction.

Hi Everybody! I just found this site and hope someone out there can help me. I received a BA in English in 1994. I've since worked in advertising and as a legal assistant and legal secretary. I started law school two years ago, but dropped out after 3 months because I was beyond bored and couldn't imagine practicing law for the next 30-40 years of me life. Last year I started volunteering at an AIDS hospice and 6 months ago when my best friend had a stroke, I was one of her caregivers. It was my friend's nurse, Dan, who asked me if I was a nurse and when I said, no, he said he thought I would be good at it. So I've been thinking about it for awhile and started doing some investigating. But to be honest with you...I'm so overwhelmed. I'm 35 with a mortgage and can't afford to just quit my full-time job and go without health insurance for 3-4 years while I go to school full-time. But it seems that even part-time BSN programs aren't worker friendly and the accelerated programs all suggest that people don't work (which is definitely not an option). Is it possible to become a nurse while working? Should I take care of my prereqs first and then transfer to a nursing school? Should I consider LPN first and then go for an RN? Any help and advice would be GREATLY appreciated!!!