jgamom

I am in a similar position to you regarding age and stage of life. I went back to school to become an RN in my late 30s. I also have a bachelor's degree in business and made a good living in the banking world earlier in life. I became a nurse because I felt called” to do so, and I took a significant pay cut to do so. It is not an easy job, but it is a rewarding job. The pay you are being quoted is in line with the higher cost of living areas. With differentials, you do make a decent living. I was in the Washington, DC area when I started nursing. Just remember, you only work 3 days a week in acute care. If you want to do contracting or something else to supplement your income, you can. Personally, I would suggest working in the hospital if you are offered a position. The experience will take you far in your knowledge base if you choose to pursue further education. As for NP or PA, I am at the tail end of my schooling to become a FNP. I chose to do this for 3 reasons. 1) I am a mystery solver and really enjoy the diagnostic side of healthcare. 2) After being in the hospital setting for several years, I want to establish long-term patient/caregiver relationships, make a difference in their lives regarding health, and keep them out of the hospital. And 3) my body will not allow me to be a floor nurse forever. At my age, I needed to look to the future. I have had a real epiphany regarding quality of life, though. As a nurse, I enjoyed those extra days to get other things done and the flexibility it afforded me. As a NP, I will be working 5 days a week, often bringing work home at night, and be required to be on call. With base pay, shift differentials, and extra shifts if you choose; you can earn $60K+ pretty easily as a RN. As a NP, I will be making about $30K more per year, but the extra time, responsibility, and lack of quality of life might not justify it in your eyes. I have a passion for it, so I am okay with the extra hours; but I worry that you might get to the other side of it and regret it. Think long and hard before you invest more years of your life and another $100K+ in loans to get there. I will be paying mine off until I die... I guess the big question is: Did you become a nurse for the money or because you have a passion to care for others? Nursing is often a thankless job, a dirty job, a backbreaking job, and definitely a rewarding job on those good days or in those moments when you make a difference for your patient. Of course, we need the money to survive. I understand your concerns. You will not get rich nursing, but it is reliable and you can do a side job if needed. As you step into this career, just make sure that it is really what you want to do. You will not be doing a service to anybody if your heart is not in it. If being by the bedside is not truly what you want to do, look into doing nursing informatics or something that is not in direct care. You can still utilize your degree without it directly affecting patients or their family. Good luck as you pursue your career, and I hope that you are able to find peace in your decisions.

New grad RN positions are very hard to come by these days. There are so many people vying for limited positions. It has been my experience that it really is a "who you know" kind of world when it comes to getting a job. With computer generated applications, it is hard to stick out among the pack. You might want to do some things to help yourself such as getting help with your resume (computers pick up buzz words) and joining committees. You usually don't have to be asked to join them and sometimes meeting times and dates do have to be changed. It probably had nothing to do with you. It sounds like you are reading too much into this. I would also suggest that you avoid talking negatively at your workplace. Managers do hear these comments and take note. Just keep working hard, keep a positive attitude, and prove yourself. Doors will open up for you if you stand out among the pack. As for male discrimination, I believe that you are totally off base. When I was in nursing school, the professors practically worshiped the male students for entering the nursing world. I do work in the hospital setting, and we have a lot of male nurses. Male nurses are actively sought as your natural strength is viewed as an advantage, and everybody likes having male nurses around when dealing with confused, irate patients. Male nurses are particularly wanted in the ER setting. You should definitely rethink your position on male discrimination. It may be your attitude that is holding you back.

I'm sorry. I must have read the date from another post that I was reading right before this one. I thought that you wrote it over a year and 1/2 ago. Sorry. I look forward to the responses you get.

I'm currently an FNP student. I see that this post is quite old, but your concerns were definitely disheartening knowing that I might have to face some of the same issues in the future. I'm curious to know how it all worked out for you. Are you still working at this site? I'd love an update and any advice you might have. Thank you.

Pixie, RN. I think that we might have worked for the same hospital system, and I'm happy to say that their freestanding ER's are top notch!

The ones I know of that are affiliated with hospitals are actual emergency rooms that are staffed by very experienced nurses and doctors. In fact, my old hospital has a few. I worked in the hospital's main ED. Only the most experienced and autonomous nurses where allowed to transfer to the new sites. They are capable of doing all work-up and can deal with probably 95% of what comes in the door. They would either airlift out or transport the higher end needs (i.e. STEMI's to cath lab, traumas, etc.). They could even bypass the home ED by writing inpatient orders and having the patient transported directly to the appropriate unit at the main hospital. They really relieve the heavy waits at the main campus. The reason that some of the hospitals choose to open these remote facilities is that they want to expand and build a new hospital in that area. State regulations only allow for a certain number of "approved" beds for inpatient use. This is a strategy to get a foothold in the area where they'd like to expand but can't in the short-term. This way they already own the land and have a customer base when more beds are approved. It's actually quite smart on their part. They have the upper hand on the competition.

I would definitely go with the BSN as many hospitals are seeking magnet status. All of our local hospitals (Washington, DC area) are now requiring current LPNs and ADNs to acquire their BSN to keep magnet status. On a side note, are you a CA resident? In state tuition at UC schools is much cheaper than other states. Plus, UCLA is a great school. You can't beat it! Good luck.

I know that you've gotten a lot of good advice here, but I couldn't keep myself from posting. I, too, am a mother of 3 ages 16, 11, and 9. I had been an at-home mom for most of my eldest's life and for all of the other two. Going back to school was a huge step for me as I had such strong feelings about being at home with my children. If life and economic circumstances hadn't pushed me to go back into the workplace, nursing would have probably remained at the top of the "If I had it to do over again" list. I spent a year doing prerequisites (my first degree is in accounting) and now I'm half way through with an accelerated BSN program. I, too, have struggled on many occasions with the mommy guilt. There are a few of things that I'd like to share. 1) With each stage of your children's lives, you will have new challenges. Just when one phase seems like it is overwhelming, it eases and a new one begins. You will have to be diligent to utilize as many teaching moments as possible. Now you can just add your example of diligence in education as one of them. 2) If you are like me, you probably struggle with feeling like your husband isn't as capable of molding your children as well as you in those small daily moments that you can foresee becoming bigger ones down the road. This may or may not be true. One thing I do know, if your husband is devoted to you and the children, he is capable of stepping up to the plate. In our home, it's been a blessing in disguise because I learned that they can make it without me being on top of every moment. My husband has also gained a lot of confidence and has built better relationships will all of the children. Like I said, it's been a blessing in disguise, and it's also been humbling. 3) Although your son is in 2nd grade, it is probably going to be better that you are doing this now as opposed to later. Your children do need your attention more as they get older. You'll be happy that you are able to give them more of yourself when they truly need you to be paying attention. 4) When my kids get upset about the missed field trips/etc., I try to explain it and also try to give that child a special time alone with me. I also let them negotiate what things are most important for me to attend. Those moments are few and far between right now as I'm taking 18 credits a semester, but I really try to spend quality time with them. At this point, I have had to tell all of my friends/extra family members that I will be unavailable until graduation. My immediate family gets any extra time. It's working, but I also am experiencing friend guilt and continued mommy guilt when I can't attend something important to my child. 5) We've had to step back from some of our kid's extracurricular activities during this time. Although that sometimes bothers me, I know it is for a time and season. My oldest child is heavily into sports and we have to work that out. I do try to make it to most of his sporting events, but I always have my study materials with me. It just matters that I'm in the stands most of the time. My two younger children have had to take the year off for the most part. For me, it's all about picking battles. 6) Most importantly, I really try to have a good attitude around my husband and children. Even though I'm super tired, I try not to be cranky and short with them. After all, I am not the only one going through this. In my program, I've seen a couple of marriages and engagements fail. It does take a toll on relationships. Make sure that you are giving your husband the appreciation and affection that he needs. Your schooling affects everybody. Remember, you can do anything for another year and one-half or two years. You'll be glad you did. It will ease the family income, you'll have job security for the future, you'll be able to show your boys the importance of hard work and diligence, and you'll be able to help people who really need it. In the end, you will know that you made the correct choice. It's okay to let your house go a little bit and to forget a homework assignment every once in a while (I told my kid's teachers what I was doing and they have been very understanding and supportive). There have been times when we feel like we've failed them, especially when we miss a school deadline or get a "needs to practice multiplication tables" note on the report cards. It will all work out in the end. The one thing that is important to maintain is a loving relationship with your spouse and your kids. You'll do great, and your family will be stronger for it. As long as your children feel loved and cherished, they'll do just fine. And you will have accomplished your dream.

Good luck! Stay calm and focused. Like the other poster said, "YOU GOT THIS!" Please keep us updated when you know your results. Take care.

Hi there. I know your dilemma. I am the mother of 3 and I'm currently doing an accelerated BSN program. It is a tremendous amount of information to learn. I do make up study guides from my notes/power points and they are usually somewhere between 20 -30 pages. Some of the people in my class have started to split up the study guide, do their part, and then compile it together to share. I tried this once and I did well on the test, but I feel like I get the information into my head better when I take the time to do it myself. I do NOT use flash cards except for strict medical terminology memorization. They seem to be a waste of time otherwise. All you learn is the small detail, not the larger picture. My biggest piece of advice is to listen extremely well in class, sit in the front, and ask questions. If you can get the concept completely, it is so much easier to fit the small pieces. For me, understanding the concept has been key to answering the critical thinking questions. If you understand the physiology of the disease of the medication, etc., you will be able to apply everything else easier. As a mom, you use critical thinking every day. Don't let the tests freak you out. If you are overwhelmed, stop, take a deep breath, then proceed. As my friend says, "The correct answer is right in front of you. All you have to do is pick it." Good luck and take care.

You might want to try Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC.edu). I took my HA & P 2 online through them, and some people have been in my online classes as far as Europe. There is a lot of material and you have to be diligent in your studies, but it is thorough and fairly graded. The cost is about $115 per credit for in-state tuition. I don't know about out-of-state. It is a 4 credit class with a lab. Cost may be a concern for you, but this is the cheapest schooling I've seen around here. Good luck!

This makes me very sad as it directly relates to one of the reasons that I am in nursing school now. I spent 6 days in a hospital, completely immobile with a Foley, and I never received any kind of bathing or linen changes. I finally had to get my husband to care for me; and my room was directly next to the nurses' station where I could hear all of the banter. Surprisingly, this happened at a very reputable hospital. I have decided that I will do the tasks that some people avoid because I understand how important those tasks truly are to the patient. I hope that you reconsider, and that you truly have a change of heart. It is an important part of patient care. Just imagine yourself in that position. Wouldn't you want someone to care for you with a kind and merciful heart? :redbeathe

I really feel for you, and I understand what you are going through. Although my husband is in no way abusive (my first husband was so I understand that, too), he can get insecure and jealous. It is very taxing emotionally, and it can make you feel isolated. Please don't let that diminish your pride in your hard work. Now to the important stuff - is your extended family supportive of you? Do they know what is going on? Is your relationship with them good enough that you could rely on them for financial and emotional help if you were to move to their area? If so, you might consider packing up your kids and moving them to that state. You could take the NCLEX there and get licensed in that state. Then you would be putting physical distance between you and your husband. Is he abusive to the children? Two things: Write everything down! Keep documentation of everything he does and says that are abusive for future use. Also, see if you can consult with a pro bono lawyer about abandonment clauses in your state. Ask him/her if you can legally take the children away, and what you would need to do or provide to the court to leave legally. I know that you might not be ready to actually leave. I wasn't for a long time. If not, please try to figure out a way to take the NCLEX, pass it, and start establishing yourself. Keep a safe deposit box, a P.O. box with a secret bank account, and a bag packed for an emergency situation. It is important to have a back-up plan even if you are planning to stay in the relationship. You are obviously a strong woman. I know that a man like that can make you feel as if you are nothing. Don't listen to it. Keep your focus and stay safe. Remember, you need to protect your children both physically and emotionally. They have probably witnessed too much as it is. If you are able to accomplish your goals, you will be showing them that they can get out of a bad situation as well. Hopefully, they will understand that it is unacceptable for a woman to be treated that way; and if you have boys, that it is unacceptable for them to treat women that way. I will be praying for you. God will provide the strength that you need. Call on Him. Please keep us posted on your progress. And congratulations on finishing school even through these tough times.http://icons.an-file.info/icon14.gif

I've seen a couple of responses regarding the difficulty of Med-Surg. Could you please let us know what makes this particular class so much harder than the rest? Just curious as I'm starting an accelerated BSN program in August. Also, someone else asked about the difference between the regular route and the accelerated route. Are most of the people who are saying that NS is so hard participating in an accelerated program? Do you think that it will be significantly more stressful and difficult in the accelerated program? Ugh!

Thanks. I appreciate the response. I do find that I relate a lot more these days to other nursing students. They are becoming the friends that I seek out. It's my longtime friends with whom I'm having trouble relating. I just find that I get bored with regular conversation since I have all of this new, exciting information in my mind all of the time. I need to figure out how to cross back and forth. Yes, this is my first year. Thanks for the advice.

Now that I'm back in school after many years out and raising a family, I'm finding it hard to relate to some of my friends and my husband. I absolutely love school, and I'm soaking up everything that I can. Since I was an at-home mom for many years, I find that I'm having trouble being interested in some of the mundane things that my longtime friends talk about. On the flip side, nobody, including my husband, is interested in most of the things that I am learning. It's so interesting to me that I just want to share it sometimes, but can't. I find that when I do, their eyes just glaze over. It's making me feel like a fish out of water. Has anybody else experienced this? If so, what did you do to satisfy your desire to communicate with like-minded people and still maintain your relationships? I'm feeling a bit isolated. On a side note, I find that my children love to hear about it all and one of them likes to test me on material. She's picked up quite a bit of information this way.:redbeathe

I took A&P II online. Trust me, you don't get to do open book tests. You have to go to campus and take it in the testing lab or have it proctored by an approved source. You should take it at school. It is definitely not an easy class to self-teach. You have to know everything thoroughly because you don't know what to expect on a test. You usually can discern what material will be on a test in a face-to-face class. The other classes that you mentioned are fine online, though. Good luck.

BeeFree, Thanks so much for your insight. It sounds like the tests are really geared for the NCLEX, which sounds good. It will be an adjustment to have several "right" answers to choose from. I appreciate your warning about displaying critical thinking skills from the onset. I hope that I'm able to make the shift well. Thanks for your response. Good luck to you in your nursing pursuits.

Oh, one more thing. I asked about the Master's programs and their requirements. If you are an SU graduate, you get 50% off tuition for Master's classes. Also, a couple of your BSN classes go directly towards your Master's. I was also told that you could go directly into the Master's program from the Bachelor's without work experience. My hope is to get a job after I pass the NCLEX and start taking a class at a time towards my Master's while I'm getting experience in the field. Let me know what you decide.

I am actually going to do the Accelerated Second Degree BSN program at Shenandoah starting this fall. I, too, had some concerns over mixed reviews on this site. I was going to apply to Mason as well, but when I drove over there during light traffic hours, it took me an hour to get there. With 3 kids and a husband, commuting time is important to me. I didn't apply to Georgetown for the same reason. Ugh! I hate DC traffic. I recently went to SU's open house and asked a lot of questions. One that made me happy was the NCLEX pass rate. The traditional BSN at the Winchester campus rate was somewhere in the low-to-mid 80%. That is in-line with the other schools around the area. At the Leesburg campus, the rate has been historically at 95%. This year, it has been at 100%. That made me feel really good. Also, the professor who spoke at the meeting described all of the resident professors at the Leesburg campus. Their credentials were very impressive; and if their personalities are similar to the professor who spoke, I can't wait to get there. The other benefit that I've been told about is the smaller student-to-nurse ratio in the clinicals. I think that will be a great advantage for learning and hands-on work. SU is very expensive, but there are academic scholarships, VTAG grants, and the INOVA scholarship available. If you can get them all, it brings the price in-line with GMU. But to me, saving 2 hours of commute time each day is worth a lot of money. Good luck to you.

This is a scary thread. As a new nursing student, I really hope that the job prospects get better for new grads in the next couple of years.

I'm just wondering... I've read a few posts here that keep referring to nursing school being so different from what we are used to in school. I am finishing my prereq's now and starting N.S. in the fall. I'm doing an accelerated 2nd degree BSN program. Could you enlighten me as to what I should expect, how tests are so different, etc? I'd like to be mentally prepared. As for dealing with annoying people, I find it much easier to just put a smile on my face and be kind to everyone. There will always be somebody who annoys you, but you are the only one who can let it affect your mindset. From some of the postings that I've read on this site, I'm sure that we will run into it in the real world as well. We always do. On a side note, I've been kind of excited about going through N.S. as a cohort. I'm hoping to meet some friends that I can relate to and establish lifelong friendships with. I've got plenty on the outside, but starting school again at 39 really separates you from your existing peers (they're not really interested in hearing about what you are learning; same with my family) and the younger students at school. I can't wait to get into the meat of the program. I think it will be fun.