charlo81

Thanks so much for the replies! I thought about becoming a nurse when I was younger, and graduated from a Medical Science academy within my high school (I was then certified as a CNA and EMT-B but never used either, mostly because I went to college full time and did work study). I am NOT doing this just for the money :) I have more than a handful of friends who are RNs/NPs, and one who currently works in a hospital in Raleigh (Wake Med) says the nurses they hire now worked as CNAs there when they were in school, although she did not (she was hired several years back though). I was discouraged about job prospects, and how long school will take after consulting with someone from a BSN program in NC, who was not especially helpful, and got pretty down about my sub-par GPA from 10 years ago haunting me now. Thanks for all the encouragement! Nice to have a dose of realism that doesn't make me want to cry. I am totally willing to work hard for what I want, and finding out that it is actually attainable is awesome.

I have been back in Raleigh for a year now-I lived here for most of my life (I lived in Virginia til I was five, and was in the Raleigh/Cary area for 20 years before moving to NYC).

Long story short: I have a Bachelor's degree in Social Work. 2 years of experience doing Adult Protective Services. I was laid off in 2009, and after relocating from NYC to North Carolina and working in retail to pay the bills, I am ready to start my prereqs for nursing school. Unfortunately my GPA from my undergrad degree is abysmal due to a year's worth of classes that I should have withdrawn from (this was in 2002-I graduated in 2005), but did not, so an accelerated BSN program is not an option. My question is this: I know it is harder to find a job as a nurse these days, as the economy is terrible, and all that comes with that (hospitals and other agencies cutting costs, less people opting for elective procedures, etc.) but how hard is it REALLY to find a job as an RN? Much less as someone with an ADN vs. a BSN? I don't even know where to start looking for statistics, and I realise that a lot of what I have heard is anecdotal. I am open to relocating within the MidAtlantic/South region, but would prefer to stay in NC. I have several friends who are RNs/NPs, and they don't seem too concerned with the job market. I see posts from frustrated folks who can't find a job; and I don't want to spend years of my life investing in a career that has a limited future. Help! Any words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated. (Apologies if I put this in the wrong forum, I thought this might be the best place, and I am new to allnurses.com)