pixieshmoo

Well, I did it! I applied to a community college (a few mile drive, but it's accredited and worth it). I got accepted! Of course, I got accepted because right now I'm enrolled in the Assoc. in Science and general pre-requisites. I will have to apply by March to enter the Surg Tech program for fall semester. But I'm thrilled. After writing on here and getting some responses and after many, many late nights of research until I found myself reading the same stuff over and over, I made my decision. While I still tell myself my ultimate goal is RN, we'll see about that. Right now, I just want out of the legal field and into healthcare and with all the research I've done, I think this career will be very fitting for me. In fact, I may like it better than nursing lol. But only time will tell, I need to get through this successfully first, and see where I stand in a couple of years. I know now that I will always have time for more schooling should I choose that path. With that said, the funny part is that while some points of nursing have made me gag at the thought (such as a tracheotomy cleaning, or cleaning soiled patients, etc.) the thought of seeing blood in an OR doesn't bother me lol. I suppose that those other things are things I would overcome or at least learn to handle enough to be successful, but my first immediate thought about surgery is that while you're seeing what you are seeing, it is all for a good cause...to "help" someone or to "save" someone or to bring life into the world. Not that this particular area doesn't have failures or downsides, but with nursing in general, I would think you'd see more of those who just aren't going to get better or heal (correct me if I'm wrong). Anyway, it's 2 a.m., way past my bedtime, I'm babbling and I don't care, but I'll stop and leave it at I'M TOTALLY PSYCHED ABOUT THIS!!! :wink2:

I have one more question. Was the school you went to accredited? My problem is that near me, none of the schools are accredited by CAAHEP. There are two business schools right near me that offer the surgical tech course, but the few that are accredited are a good 30 minutes or more away from here. I recently met a surg. tech in passing who told me that you don't need to be "certified", you will get hired anyway, as she was never certified. However, I also read somewhere that your certification can also help you obtain a higher pay rate (obviously) yet, in order to sit for the certification exam, you must have gone to an accredited school. I don't know if that is true or not, but I was wondering your take on it.

Thank you so much!

Anyone on here a Surgical Tech/OR Tech? Would you care to tell me how you like your work, the type of pay, the type of hours, etc.? In my route to becoming an RN, I think I may go this route first, as I'd like to start somewhere in healthcare and get a feel for it before I make that big leap and take all my prerequisites for nursing. Thank you :)

Just wanted to thank naturallystrawberry for going out of your way to join just to respond to my thread!!! I appreciate it and take comfort in knowing I am not the only one out there in this situation and also not the only one who wants more out of my working life/career than what I feel I am currently "stuck" doing. Good luck to you as well with dental hygiene, I wish you the best!! :)

Oh LMAO! Thank you guys for your responses, they are all much appreciated!! Thank you for the laughs as well too. I am in the process of teaching my kids responsibility and how to help out around the house, the oldest already does a good job of keeping herself and her room neat, so hopefully that will all pay off for me. I agree with whomever said "you're never too old until you're dead"...what a great outlook, one I've always had and have even preached to my own husband and friends. However, I guess it's hard to see the forest through the trees sometimes. I want it so bad, for many reasons. Sure the pay would be better and who wouldn't want the flexibility, but it's more than that. It's the fact that I could be helping someone, maybe someone (or a few someones) who've been in my position, with losing family members to sickness or having children. Dealing with all that I've dealt with, I've seen how some people can be cold and harsh, yet I've seen more of them demonstrate compassion and understanding...I want to offer that to others. Maybe I'll hate it, who knows, but from where I stand now, I feel or think that it would be something I would love, something I would prosper at and what could be better than utilizing something you are good at or love to make a life for yourself and family? IMO, aside from being a mother and wife, not many other things are as rewarding as knowing you've made a difference in someone's life. I remember watching my grandfather in Hospice for example, the nurses loved him and he loved them. It made his last days so comfortable and it comforted us as well, he died smiling because people cared. When I was in maternity (with each of my children) I couldn't have asked for better nurses for myself or each baby. This last time, I had one who wasn't even assigned to me one night, but we got along so well that she came in to check on me anyway and we would have such wonderful conversations about our children, etc. That's what I want to do it for, as selfish as it may sound. Anyway, I guess I'm overwhelmed right now and while I've always been a multitasker (some would call it OCD lol!), I guess with the wheels turning without actually "doing" it, makes it sound scary. My parents taught me to never think that I couldn't do something or everything I wanted...but I've been out of school a long time and like any change in life, it can be intimidating. Thank you again for all your advice!!

Ps. Are there any jobs I can get myself into in the hospital or doctor office field where I can at least get a foot in and then attend school? I want out of the legal field and don't know how to get into the medical field without going to school or having a cert/degree, yet there are tons of people in the medical environment that have not gotten a degree to work there!

I have posted in the LPN/LVN section of this forum as well, but I'm still in search of as many opinions and as much information that I can gather. I ask if I'm "too old" not in the sense of age, as I know that numbers have little to do with what you choose to do with your life. However, I ask it in the sense of how my life is right now and if it's something I can accomplish with all that's already going on. I just had a baby, literally a week ago! She is my 3rd. I have children in middle school, nursery school and now a newborn who will be going to daycare. I'm married, we need two incomes so I must return to work (god, I hate my legal assistant desk job), we want to save to buy a house within the next year or two, we need a new/bigger car and can't get out of our current lease, my husband is trying to get his business up and running....so, with that said, how the heck does someone like me find the way, time-wise and financially to actually go back to school? I want to become an RN and I personally would like to work in L&D, maternity, peds, something of that nature. However, I'm pretty open to other fields as well. I have also considered going for my LPN or even Surgical Tech, just to get a foot in the door and then further it by going for RN. It all sounds great and it's exciting but then I look at the fact that I'm in my early/mid 30's, we don't have that house, we pay practically a mortgage just for nursery school/daycare and here I have the audacity to think I can go to school?! Am I insane or is this actually possible in this day and age with the cost of living as ridiculous as it is? Someone PLEASE tell me you've been in my shoes and have somehow, someway succeeded!!!!!!

Thank you and yes, I've researched on bls.gov.!! Actually, I printed out the whole rundown on RN's from their site lol. I'm still in awe about how many nurses are still NEEDED in the healthcare system, you wouldn't think there'd be such a "shortage", it's rather sad that people can't get the healthcare they need or deserve. I've looked into other routes to get my feet wet in, such as LPN and Surgical Tech. While I can't enroll immediately, as I'm awaiting the birth of my third child (in the next few weeks), I want to prepare a game plan for myself for the future. From what I've read about the waiting lists, etc. I'm thinking I should try to start in a position of LPN and work my way up in time.

While I'm still researching schools and struggling with the whole Surgical Tech/LPN-RN thing and what to do, I am a legal secretary. I love the field of Law, however, I'm not in any exciting field. Defense litigation. We represent insurance companies being sued from car accidents. Lame, repetitive and I have the onset of carpal tunnel. Not worth the cheap pay and now chance of growth unless I go to law school....which I wouldn't.

WitchRN, What area are you from? I know here too, in NJ, LPNs are not as in demand. Well, I shouldn't say that. They are, but they're more for care facilities. Hospitals don't really hire them and when you look in the paper or online for jobs, they may say LPN but when you read the description it then details that they want an RN with a bachelor's or at least an associate, which is not an LPN because they are different courses here!! As for surgical tech, I'm not finding any in community colleges close by, but I haven't finished looking. We do however, have business schools which offer that program and are accredited. The benefit to that is one of the schools i was really considering only offers LPN during the day yet surg. tech both day and evening. Considering I have to go back to work (after the baby), I would need, at least for now, an evening course. Therefore, that's another determining factor. I'm at the point where of course I want to do what's best but at the same time, I just want IN!!!

I started posting on here in the LPN section because ultimately my goal is/was to become an RN. However, I also heard that LPN is a route that I may want to consider first, as nursing school isn't always the easiest to get into. So I continued my insane research on nursing only adding to it LPN. Then I came across surgical technician, which also is very intriguing and quite honestly what jumped into my mind is "I can skip over LTC facilities and get right into a hospital!" But the more I read and surf around the net, the more confused I become. I've decided this much: I need to something sooner to get started in healthcare (i.e. LPN or ST) and then proceed with RN from there, if I choose to continue. Because I am currently not enjoying my career in the legal field, I want out, I want to be in healthcare, someway, somehow without having to go on a waiting list for 2 years and stay where I don't like it. At least if I'm in school while I'm at my miserable job and caring for my family (not miserable lol) I will at least be a step closer to getting where I want to be instead of waiting around. So ANY opinions on LPN or surgical tech would be greatly appreciated!!! thank you :)

Pagandeva, You are a big help, thank you. Considering we're both in the same metro area I figure a lot of what you tell me probably applies to NJ as well. I'm quite shocked to read what you've typed however. I cannot believe that there is such a huge demand for nurses because of such a shortage, yet no one can get into school!! The projected job outcome for the future (I think 2016) is astronomical for nursing...which is a good thing; however, how do they propose that when they're barely letting anyone in?! I completely understand that you'd like to take the higher grades over the lower, obviously that's rather appealing to the eye. However, with that said, being 34 years old, I'm well aware that just because someone tests well, doesn't mean they can apply that knowledge to life just as well. And vice versa. People don't always know their best way of studying, everyone has different study habits, so just because someone doesn't test well on paper, does not mean they will fail at applying their knowledge in real life!! Crazy. And what really gets me is what you said about certain colleges only allowing one or two enrollment tries. If you're willing to pay the application fee and keep trying, then why do they have the right to turn you away, especially if they have openings?

I've noticed a lot of people on here talking about being an LPN and going for their RN online. How hard is that? Do many hospitals/doctors/facilities accept people who earn their degree online as opposed to physically going to school? What are the differences, advantages, disadvantages of doing your degree online as opposed to enrolling in school? (aside from the waiting list lol) Thanks for everyone's help!!

Ya know, I've been told that the salary difference between an RN with Associates and an RN with Bachelors is basically zip. Not much difference. However, obviously I was also told that having the bachelors really just opens up many more doors (which I like the thought of that of course), but I was curious to see what others had to say as well. Not bad salary though for an LPN and definitely better than what I'm making now lol!