jpdills

Hi There, I am currently 7 1/2 months pregnant and do not plan on returning to my current job (Marketing Coordinator) after the birth of my little girl :) My husband does work full-time and we are already prepared (financially) for the adjustment. This decision to switch careers is not a "quick decision"...it has been on my mind for quite some time. Originally, I wanted to enter an accelerated program (since I already have my Bachelor's in Business), but there is NO way I can handle that with a new child. I do not know what to expect as a new mother, but I DO know that this is going to be a long road for me and I am prepared for it. I want to be the best mother to my child as I can be, but I also want to utilize this time to start taking classes towards this career change, with the hopes that I will have my RN Degree by the time my child has entered full-time schooling. I was thinking I would start off by getting my MA Degree and work my way up. I have a couple of pre-reqs to take before I can actually move forward, but, I would like some help on deciding the best way to move forward in this field after those classes have been fulfilled. Has anyone been in this position before or have any advice for me? Again, my daughter comes first, this is a way for me to make a change towards a career I can build on in the future. Thank You!!! Any advice would be much appreciated! -Jacqueline

Wow, Kate. That is very inspiring! That is awesome that you were able to do all of that and encourages me to move forward with his. Thank you for sharing your story with me!

Optimist: Thank you for the kind words! Those are actually excellent suggestions! I will definitely do more research on these options. Tahnks for your input!

Thanks BigMona. All of my family lives on the east coast, but my fiance is extremely supportive, so maybe there is a way to work stuff out with his job. Thanks again for the advice!

hi there, so i am having a rough time trying to make a decision and i can use whatever feedback is out there. background: i am 32; newly engaged, to wed next year. currently work as a marketing communications coordinator (entry-level position). i have my ba in marketing. have been in the field for 4 years and absolutely hate it. no, i'm sorry, i actually loathe it, the business environment in and of itself, the sitting at a desk for hours (which, i am convinced, is a form of human torture), the suits, the heels, the 9-5, the not giving a *** about anything but "the bottom line". over it. always loved science, always loved helping others; but, when my father said to me at 19, "business is the way to go" , i listened....mistake. i digress....i am happiest when i am helping people and when i am learning. so, a career change is in order. issue? well, i had it all planned out....until i found out last week that i am pregnant; wasn't part of the plan. apparently passion interfered with my ability to read the bold warning sign on my bottle of antibiotics that said "taking this drug can reduce the effectiveness of birth control". yes, well now i am going to be a mother in about eight months. i am not unhappy about the pregnancy, i am just struggling with some career decisions on my plate. a large part of me is just saying "forget it". just move on and find a job in business and suck it up. then the other part is dying inside b/c i know this is what i want. i live in san diego and there is tremendous competition for slots in nursing programs. when i think about trying to go to school and then actually getting into a school with the intense competition, i get very discouraged. i have the drive to get there, but i need to know that i am not reaching for something that is unattainable. i need to work at-least part time to pay my bills. am i naive to think that i can work part-time, care for a newborn and go to school at the same time? should i just take out an enormous loan to live off of while i go to school full-time? i know some of you may read this post and think, "girl, i have 4 kids, work full-time, teach yoga, i'm working on my msn, have my own business on the side and am training for an ironman". yes, i know there are women out there with this gift, and i wish i had it, but i don't. i don't know what my options are and i am quite discouraged. has anyone out there been in this situation? or a situation similar to my own? any advice would be much, much appreciated. thank you!

Thank you all for your responses! Very helpful to me!

Hi There, I need some advice from those of you who have been in the field of nursing and know what it entails. I am a 31-year-old female; newly engaged. I am i the process of changing careers from business to healthcare. I know that there are a multitute of areas in the medical field that you can enter into, but I do know that nursing is the career for me. I am JUST starting my pre-requisites this semester, taking Chemistry and Human Anatomy. After that I will need three additional pre-requisite classes out of the way before I can enter into some sort of nursing program. Issue? Well, I was looking into an accelerated BSN Program, since I already have my bachelor's degree. I know that this program will be intense and that I will not be able to work or do much of anything until it has been completed. It will basically be eat, sleep, workout and classes. I did very well in school for my bachelors, but now that I am older and have been out of school for eight years, I am hesitant about my ability to excel in a program this intense. I am also thinking ahead to the future, starting a family, and how this will fold into my plans. So, I am conflicted. I know in my heart that nursing is the career for me and I want out of business 100%. So that decision has already been made; however, I am not sure of the most appropriate path to take. Initially, I thought that I could just get a Medical Assisting Job or get my Associates Degree so I can atleast enter the field quicker and get my bachelor's degree later, if I wish. BUT I am not sure if that is wishful thinking and if I will have the time or desire to go back to school after I have a child. I have been told that being an LVN can limit you vs. being an RN. There are so many routes that I can take, but I just don't know which one is the right path for me. Does anyone have any experience with the issue I am dealing with or can possibly share your personal stories so I may have a clearer path in mind? It would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Jacqueline

Hi There! I am new to this site and am hoping I could get some feedback. This is sort of a two-part question. I have recently decided that I no longer wish to be in the dreaded marketing field and would like to go back to school for nursing. I know I need to get some pre-requisites out of the way before I can actually enter a program. Problem is, that originally I wanted to enter into the accelerated program (for those who already have their bachelor's and would like to take a quicker route to their degree) at the University of Oklahoma. Turns out that they recently cut this program off to all residents of California (I live in San Diego) for budgetary reasons. So, now I am trying to find other accelerated programs in the area. Does anyone know of any? Are they costly? Are there options for grants or financial assistance? I know that I will not be able to work while I am in this kind of a program so I am trying to save as much money to live off of for when I am in school, which is no easy feat. I have no idea what I am looking at with tuition, books. cost of the program, etc, etc. I have no family out here so moving home is not an option. When I look at the big picture, I get so overwhelmed that I just want to give up but I know this is my dream and want it more than anything. I also have debt, but that will be hanging over my head for so long I feel like i should be saving for this endeavor first and then pay off the debt when I begin my career. Ahhh! Help! Anyone in the same situation or have any advice?? Thanks, Jacq