tbradnc

That's kind of what I figured. And, it would work well for me because I already work during the week.

I am going to be starting work on my ADN at the local community college this semester. In the meantime, I am thinking about taking the CNA class which also starts in January. However, I already have a full time job so after obtaining my CNA license I'm not interested in a full time job as a CNA - I have a family and could never maintain our standard of living as a CNA. I'm wondering if it is possible to work for a facility as a CNA for as little as 1 day per week (perhaps PRN) - mainly to get some experience and learn skills that will be useful in a nursing career.

It is very reassuring to see that it is not unheard of for a middle aged man to be making this transition. As for what direction to go, I'm still undecided. I've got a call into my adviser at the community college to discuss options and help me set a strategy for moving forward. As I said in my first post I'm running a pretty good sized business and with 3 teenagers I'm pretty busy on the home front so I'm limited in how much work I can even do towards the pre-requisites. This semester I'm taking 7 hours which is just over half time. I don't know that I could fit the CNA class in anyway but my thinking is that it would be an inexpensive and real-life look into the life of a nurse before I committed years of my time into becoming one.

Here in Wilmington, NC where I live it appears that there 2 routes to get started as an entry level heathcare worker. 1. Community college - CNA program (also has PN and ADN programs) 2. Private tech-school - CMA program In this bewildering field of acronymns, can someone tell me the difference between a CMA and a CNA? Thanks - Thomas

This is my first post and I feel like the male nursing forum is most appropriate even though this is a gender neutral question. I'm looking for advice, suggestions, bits of experience and wisdom, etc. about my long term strategy for becoming an RN. I'm 47, married and have 3 teenage children. I own my own business which is successful and provides a good living for my family. Over the past few years I've felt a real shift in the direction I want the 2nd half of my life to go and am embarking on a long held secret ambition I've had - to become a nurse. Because of my family and business obligations I can only go to school part time and am enrolled at our local community college half time starting the Spring 2009 semester. At the rate I'm going I will be into my 50's before I'm a licensed nurse - whether it be an LPN or RN. This is not a problem for me personally - I'm in no particular hurry. Given the investment of time this is going to take I'm wondering if it might be better to take a gradual path - first become a CNA, then LPN, then RN even though it would add at least 2 years to the process. My thinking is that by gradual immersion I could get some experience along the way that would confirm for me that nursing is the field where I indeed want to spend my last years of work-life. The community college here has CNA, PN and ADN programs. Or, would it be better to just start and stay with the ADN program? Decisions, decisions...