lollila

Hi - We sound so similar, I am also 42 yo and have 4 kids, my youngest is 10. I have been a "professional" patient now for quite some time, and am looking forward to being on the other side, and being that nurse that has passion for her career and empathy knowing what a patient is going through. I start school on 10/3, I am soooooo excited, I cannot even tell you. I wish you all the best!

Thanks everyone! I did talk to my doctor's medical assistant, and was telling her my concerns and she said stay going for the nursing program. She said I will have so many more options with nursing then with medical assistant, and that MA's work gets so repetitive. I think the ICU is scaring me a bit, but I realize I don't have to do that kind of nursing. I have decided to just go for it no matter what, and hope that my medical issues just get better. I am also on disability right now, just hoping I can handle it. I started working 16 hours a week, so I could get insurance for my family. I know that I can do anything for 2 years, and just give it my all. I do believe that a lot of my classes would transfer to the MA program if I need to do that. I appreciate all of your responses!

Hi all, I am going to be starting nursing school in the Fall, and am having some doubts due to my health history. I am wondering if I can truly handle being a nurse. I am currently working at a new job as a HUB in the ICU. I see how crazy it is for these nurses, and how busy they are with barely time to sit much less eat or drink. My health history is that I am a chronic pancreatitis person, caused by gallstones. I had a surgery 18 months ago to remove my pancreas, spleen, appendix, and gallbladder. My islet cells were transplanted into my liver. I am a diabetic now due to this surgery, and have some residual nerve pain that I see a pain doc for. I have some colon issues, and general stamina issues. I know that I will never be a "normal" person again, and will always have some health issues. For the most part I am doing pretty well. I have discovered though that my job as a HUC is exhausting, and I cannot work more than 3 days week right now. Will I be able to handle nursing? My doctor did sign off on my health assessment for school, and just told me I will never be able to work the 12 hour shifts, and will have to be careful on what job I take, but will there be a job that I can do as a new grad that I can handle? I am just wondering if I shoud go for the Medical Assistant program instead...I have always wanted to be a nurse, and my recent health issues have made that desire even greater. I am 42 with 4 kids, and a disabled husband, so yes, a lot on my plate, so just wondering what you all think! Thanks so much!:redpinkhe

I've taken the accuplacer test, and it wasn't that bad. I am also 42, and was so worried, but it went pretty well. It helped me because alot of what my 4th grader's math was, was on the test...so some of it looked familiar. I am just no good at Algebra, thankfully there wasn't a ton of that on there. Good luck! It's great hearing from other over 40 year olds!

I am interviewing for a Health Unit Coordinator today, some places call them Unit Secretary, I am hopeful that I will get this. It is only 16 hours a week, but I feel this will be plenty once school starts in the Fall.

I am a 42 year old going back to school in October for RN...I am doing the same thing, getting my RN first and then will bridge to the BSN after I am working and can get help paying for that. I was laid off in March, and had always said that if I got laid off I would go back for nursing. I am very excited but very nervous as well. My brain just doesn't work the same way it used to. I did fairly well on my TEAS, I was very nervous and was freaking myself out. Just really review it and take those practice tests, it does help. I wish you the best of luck, you will do great!

I found the Anatomy portion of the TEAS study guide to be enough, I also hadn't taken this yet, and did okay on that portion. There are only a few questions on it, and it was a lot of asking what part of the system this was in. I am not good in science, and didn't do great with it on the test, but my high scores in the other areas pulled up my overall grade. Good luck!

This test scared me to death, I have been out of school for over 20 years, and most of what I read was gibberish. I am pretty good at the reading and english stuff, but have never been great at math and science. I studied a lot, and did the practice tests in the book, I managed to do pretty good, I scored an 80, that was because I scored really high in everything except science, so that helped raise my overall score. I was freaking out the night before, studied for about 6 hours straight and then just told myself I can only do so much, and just had to finally stop and relax. YOu will do great, you already took it once, so you know the types of questions that are on it...just really review what you didn't do so well on, and it will go great!

I am a pre-nursing student, and also a person who lives with chronic pain. I had chronic pancreatitis, one of the most debilitating diseases and extremely painful. Mine was caused by gallstones blocking my duct, and backing up into my pancreas...however, it is common for us to be accused as alcoholics, and thus we become what everyone terms a drug seeker. I have seen many in my situation not get the help they so desperately need, because it is assumed that we just want drugs. We are in pain all the time, and eating makes it worse, activity makes it worse, and we need pain meds just to survive day to day activities. I don't know how many times I was told, "but you don't look sick", this is the most annoying phrase to me. If you are in chronic pain, you do just start to realize this is your new normal, and you aren't going to look like you are in pain all the time, or you wait until you are by yourself, at home, and let it all hang out. I hate the idea of nurses looking at patients as addicts because they need a high dosage of pain medication just to get comfortable. Most of the people I know with my disease go to the hospital as a last resort, and just want to be treated as a human being, and get the pain meds that they need. I am one of the lucky ones, and have had awesome medical care. I had the total pancreactomy and auto islet transplant on 2/25/10, and am so much better. However, I still have residual pain, and do see a pain doctor. I only get my prescription once a month, and only take it when needed. I know that I will never be "normal" but this is my new normal, and I will take it. My greatest wish is to be that nurse that gives compassion no matter what, and treats the pain as stated by the patient. Do I realize that there are truly drug seekers out there, yes. Do I realize that there are many who are truly in pain, that are labeled as drug seekers, yes. I just think as a nurse we need to make sure we are treating the patient as best as we can, and believe the patient, until you can prove that they are truly asking for drugs for the wrong reasons. Sorry for getting on my soap box, it's just that I have been dealing with this for the last 4 years, and have many friends that I have met in my support groups that are treated horribly. Thanks for the ear! :spbox:

Thank you so much, I am very excited to start, and like my doctor has said, I will know what I can and cannot do, and need to make adjustments for that!

I took the test last Friday, and it went better then I thought. I am awful at science and only did get a 63%, but that was better than I was getting at home. It is hard to say what is all on their, but alot of cell information, organelles, mitosis, and meiosis, really just review the heck out of your book, and do really good on the other sections, and you will do fine. I really brushed up on my math, and studied up on the English and Reading sections, and got mostly 90's in those areas, that brought my total score up to 80% overall, and that is in the Advanced range. I was shaking like a leaf when I got there, but was able to calm down once it started. Just really read the questions carefully, and answer the best that you can. I used the internet and googled different things, as I found the study guide to get really confusing! You will do great!

I did get an email from someone on here asking me info on the TEAS V, but I am not allowed to send messages yet, so I don't want them thinking I am avoiding them, but I cannot reply....sorry!

I just took mine this morning, and scored a 80.0% overall...I was soooooo excited and relieved. It has been 20+ years since I have been in school, and haven't taken any pre-reqs, so no chemistry or A&P. I did score a 60.4% in Science, but got 90.5% in Reading, 83.3% in Math, and 83.3% in English....this really helped pull my average score up. Sience is not my thing, and reading through that ATI study guide felt like I was reading gibberish, so I really concentrated on bringing my math skills up, and I did spend almost the whole day yesterday reviewing the science section, and especially the practice tests. Just really review, and you will do great! I was so nervous this morning I felt like I was going to pass out!

I do have the study guide, and only had 3 weeks to study, I feel like I should have had a week for each subject...I am doing fine in the reading and English sections, math is so-so, and Science...yuck...I am just hoping that all goes well tomorrow, I am fried! Thanks for the tips all!

I have this test tomorrow and am scared to death. I cannot comprehend most of the science stuff, it has been 20 years since I have had Chemistry, etc., and this is going to be hard. I do okay on the other sections when I practice, but am sure I am going to bomb the science section. I don't feel prepared enough. My school said to take it anyway, and then I can take it again if needed, they will talk to me about the best steps for me to take going forward. I have gotten some of your helpful tips, and am hoping they help me! UGGGGHHHHH! I have such anxiety about it, and it makes me question my ability to do well in nursing school! It feels good to vent about this a little bit!