formerarch

Some of the NURC classes are accelerated, so (2) can be taken in one quarter (one the 1st half of the quarter, the next class the 2nd half). I knew the HESI was a cumulative 75% score or better, which will help. But i'll definitely need to clean the cobwebs out of my skull for the sciences. Thanks for the insight!

Checked out one of the accelerated programs here in central Ohio recently. $30,000 for a year, with about 60 openings and 200 applicants.

I'm firmly in the middle on this. DUI's are serious and should be treated more harshly to make them sink in. But taking away somebody's livelihood is another matter. Forcing everyone with a DUI to give up their careers and spend the rest of their lives working menial labor is Dickensian at best. The vast majority of DUI's don't destroy anybody's life. Just like the vast majority of people who text or use their phones while driving. Each situation is different and should be treated as such, addressing the problem rather than simply dumping people into good/bad categories. And it needs to be drilled into everybody's head that operating 4500 pounds of metal at high rates of speed is a responsibility, not a right.

Hi, foreverLaur. Don't mean to butt in, but was trying to find information for the HESI exam for CSCC and i'm interested in some perspectives of people who've taken it. I had several classes from high school and college accepted when i applied to CSCC (2nd career). My only requirements before applying for the Autumn, 2011 nursing program were taking Chem 100, which i'm taking now, with Chem 113 and the (2) accelerated NURC classes in the fall. And passing the HESI exam. The anatomy/physiology and biology portions of the HESI seem pretty intense. For me, that was from high school many moons ago. The exam review book is pretty tame for the English and math, but the sciences are just the opposite. Way more involved than I had expected (background's in architecture so my natural sciences are pretty rusty). Was just wondering what your perspective on the exam was, e.g., if you had a science background, used any other study materials, how long it took, etc..

Unfortunately, there are few good professions to enter at the moment. Your education and training should be for the long term though (e.g., a 40+ year career), and i believe nursing is still an excellent choice. There's a new focus on national health care and a large aging/retiring baby boom generation. And although there may be occasional hiring freezes, nursing doesn't typically go through the massive layoffs like other professions. By way of comparison, i'll be getting prerequisites out of the way for the next 6 months, then starting nursing school the following fall. My background is roughly 20-years in another career (architect). And there's numerous others on this site with former careers in accounting, computer programming, etc., all considered 'safe-dependable' professions at one time. For those who have been through a few recessionary meat-grinders, nursing seems like an oasis. Warts and all. It's good to be concerned, but i wouldn't worry over the long term. Starting is rough in any profession. But the general consensus seems to be that once you get your nursing foothold, it's pretty stable afterwards.

i seem to be doing this a lot lately. Another can't hurt . . . . . . Not advice necessarily, but a similar situation. Am also looking at nursing as a 2nd career (former architect), and have gone through the same BSN/ADN debate. The accelerated BSN requires a lot more money, prerequisite classes and at least a 3.0 gpa to enter. But it finishes in a year, after everything else is satisfied. The ADN is less money and a little more accepting of prior transcripts, but takes longer (some prerequisite classes until winter, a 9-month wait, then a 2-year program here). Met with a counselor at the community college today and she said the difference between a BSN and ADN is that a BSN allows a recipient to also teach and do research. Some hospitals request just BSN degrees, and others don't seem to matter. If you check with the employment sites of your local hospitals and some of the previous threads here, it seems to confirm this. Most employers seem to look at an RN as an RN, regardless of pedigree. One good option is to get the ADN, then work and study towards a BSN if you feel the need to go further. Many schools have programs for this, and some hospitals will pay for your tuition to continue.

Not necessarily advice so much as feedback from a similar situation. Was last employed in another field (architecture) 1 1/2 years ago. A horrific economy for construction pretty much wrecked that. But there were several other downsides also. If you're looking at quitting and going to RN school, be prepared for some harsh realities. Especially if you're looking at a BSN. If you're over 5 years past any classes you had in chemistry, biology, anatomy or physiology, you may be taking them all over again. You often have to have everything done 6-9 months ahead from when you actually start a program. And there may be several other prerequisites to get out of the way. Accelerated programs (for people already holding a bachelor's in another field) are very competitive to get into, and often require a minimum 3.0 gpa from wherever you graduated before. It's a condensed year of school, but a year of nothing but school (and get used to a $30,000 price tag for admission). i'm currently looking at entering an ADN program, which is much more affordable, a little less stringent about qualifications, but will require 3 years. Will take some prerequisite classes this summer and fall, then a 9-month wait, then 2 years of classes. All filled in with part-time work as a nurse assistant at a similar salary to what i'm currently getting on unemployment. In other words, just enough to get by. i know the ugliness of working at a place where you can't stand walking through the doors in the morning (my last job . . . i finally told them to let me go if it came to that, which it did). i also know what it's like to work for a non-profit organization (the job before that, where i worked for 4 1/2 years and considered to be my favorite in a 17 year career). You might look into non-profit work first if you want something more meaningful. There's plenty of them out there, and they're starving for experienced professionals. Be forewarned about salaries though: they're not called 'non-profit' for nothing. My salary was slightly more than half of yours, and it stayed flat for all 4 1/2 years. And if you're still planning on staying with the RN thing, check out the employment sites of your local area hospitals. Here, they hire at around $23/hour. Those with master's degrees seem to command around $70,000 annually (just my findings, yours may vary). But a typical RN will start at roughly half your current salary.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm amazed by all the other people who've been in similar situations. Just wish i could climb in the way-back machine and do it all right the first time, rather than getting hit by a combination jab/uppercut of a horrific economy and job disatisfaction (architecture is nowhere near as glamorous or lucrative as many people imagine). 8 years of college and a 17-year career, poof. Will meet with the college counselor in a few hours. Already know i'll have to take a couple pre-req chemistry classes (yikes), and will see if there's anything else also. Hopefully it'll be good news. These are all great perspectives on everything . . . glad i ran across this site!

. . . looking at a possible career change. Male, 44 years old, family (2 boys, 6 and 9), and unemployed for 1 1/2 years now. I began taking a cursory look into nursing 2-3 months ago, talked with a neighbor about it (he and his wife are both nurses), and i'm very intrigued. But also somewhat concerned. Mom's a nurse so i'm familiar with the occupation, and no problems about being a guy in a predominantly female profession. Not skittish about bodily fluids, being easily grossed out, or dissuaded by the occasional downsides and less-glamorous aspects of nursing. I enjoy working with people and feeling like i'm making a contribution (was a director at an urban renewal non-profit 4 of my last 5 years of employment). Just more concerned about the age thing, the finance thing, the 3-year college thing. The complete change of life thing. Am currently looking into a local community college program with an associates program that allows graduates to sit for the RN exam. Inquired about an accelerated BS program at another college, but that won't work. The community college would require prerequisites during the summer and fall, and then sitting out until the regular courses started the following fall. One idea was to look into getting an STNA or PCA license and working somewhere during the interim to build up a small resume. But i don't know if that's realistic. My biggest problem is with the numbers. The wife has a decent job (textbook editor), but we can't exist on just her income. My parents can help out, and we might be able to stretch things if i can get work until the program starts. But 2 years of school while a) not earning income and b) accumulating student loans is a double whammy. I've heard numerous stories of people making career changes into nursing, but i don't know how they manage financially. i'm looking for something for the long haul (around 20 years), but right now it seems like staring into a long, dark tunnel. Some other concerns are about hospitals looking more for nurses with BS degrees, the difficulty of new graduates finding jobs, and if nursing is a profession someone can do into their 60's. Just wondering if there were some similar experiences/words of wisdom out there.