meanderthaw

You have no problem in wanting to turn your pursuits toward nursing. I'm a ship-turner myself and was in the same kind of boat as you. I'm transitioning from finance to nursing. I spent a few years getting some science courses (done before I had actually decided to go into nursing)--community colleges can be very cost-effective and worthy ways of meeting pre-requisites. My advice is to maybe volunteer at an ER or try to speak to some nurses (friends, or calling some schools, or even some (reputable) recruiters if they have a few moments to discuss nursing as a career). Also scan your area for nursing schools and the kinds of programs (2nd degree accelerated programs are starting to pop up around the country); also consider if you want a BS or if you'd be happy with an ASN or dipoloma and do bed-side the next 10-20 years. Good luck & feel free to PM me if you have specific questions.

Conshohocken is west of the city--it ain't the most beautiful place but you might find some decent houses to rent out of & there is a SEPTA station there. Following the previous advice about SEPTA is a good idea--go to their website (sept.org) and map out their lines. good luck.

Thank you for the advice. I'll think up some & PM you soon. It sounds like if you discipline yourself with time management and commit you can do well. A cruch of a year I suppose it will be.

Yeah, I'll be there this March also. It'll be a challenging program, definitely a lot of time-management. I think it's a good option if you're willing to endure the intensity. I'll post whatever I find out. Feel free to PM. Good luck!

I'm going to be in the program also & will have questions of my own. Debt will probably be a necessity, especially if you're part of the working world & don't qualify for subsidies. But some employers offer "slave" deals (some are truly slavery programs, others are probably worthy, only networking and questioning prospective employers will tell you). You'll probably have to decide what you're looking for in terms of your career and may need to ask yourself what's most important--dollars, environment, skills learned, etc. Dollars are important to us all, but if they're the guiding light then expect to bear a shovel wherever that leads you. I'll monitor this thread & post accordingly. Good luck!