LovesGreyhounds

Hi ! I am in the same position as you are so I was glad to see your thread - I don't feel so alone! I keep going back & forth with the decision to continue my nursing education or not. The next part of it, like you, is the actual nursing program part & with that will come me having to quit my fulltime good job & a big change financially for my husband & I. That is the hardest part to figure out. If it wouldn't entail that - I would certainly continue on with the nursing plan. I know - it's a hard decision. No one knows the future though - and the nursing jobs availability seem to go in cycles - So, most likely by the time you graduate, the economy and nursing jobs will have returned. Good luck with your decision - go with what your heart really desires to do!

Just curious -- What would everyone say would be some of the best nursing specialties to be in during these hard economic times for job security? Are there some nurse specialties more needed right now than others or else may have a shortage of those types of nurses? Thanks !!

I had this same dilemma! Very hard decision, I know. I am choosing the ADN route because I'll come out still a nurse with no debt! Although the BSN would be nice & with this economy employers can be picky, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can still get a job somewhere just with an ADN & then later on have my employer help pay for the BSN or perhaps I'll find I don't need it - who knows? Or, by then, be making more money to pay for it, etc. But my husband was the same way - pretty leary about getting into alot of debt over this. I would think to pay back that amount it would be at least $300 - 400 a month or more for 10 years or so. I have a feeling too, that once this economy gets back on track & the baby boomers start retiring & needing more healthcare, that I don't doubt there will be a nursing shortage once again & then jobs will be more plentiful. Good luck with your decision - I know it's a hard one!

Very interesting thoughts! Thanks everyone! Anyone else out there? And to SuesquatchRN - believe it or not - alot of how you say your floor communicates, we do in our admin. office now! Ha ha.

I am an administrative assistant & have been working towards a nursing degree for a few years now. It is now at the point for me to take the plunge or not, as clinicals will hit next year for me. Just starting to get cold feet now & having second thoughts as I have to leave my current job to be a CNA or something part-time while in nursing school & just wanted to know if anyone out there in a "past life" use to be a secretary & now a nurse? How was the transition? Do you like being a nurse versus secretary? Any other thoughts? I have seen many postings on here of how people changed careers from teachers & other professions but not so much as admin. assistants so thought I would ask. Thanks so much!

OK - I am not 50 (I'm 45) but can relate to this older nursing group so decided to post because of the question about how to pay for it & accruing large loans later in life....that was a big dilemma for me as I was trying to decide between our BSN program here in town & the ASN local community college program. I decided on the Associates Degree because with that, I could pay for it out of pocket, but our BSN program would have me taking on about a $20,000 loan. I would like to have a Bachelors Degree, but really wanted to remain debt-free if I could during this process so that was the basis of my decision. Anyone else have to decide the same thing & what did you decide to do?

I am interested in this thread as well! Anyone thought they would hate night shift but ended up liking it?

First of all, 36 is not old - you have a long life yet to live & you absolutely can turn things around. I am not a nurse yet myself - I'm taking the long road to get there as well - but I think that is a great way to continue the rest of your career. I bet you will find many rewards along the way - keep your eyes on the prize & don't look back!

Sorry - I don't know the answer myself but this is exactly what I want to know too! I am trying to decide which nursing program to attend - Associates or Bachelors & this answer would help me very much. Anyone there in Utah have a feeling about this at where they work at? I would bet that the hiring is going like this: new grads: places hiring BSN's over ADN's. But, they are hiring experience over no experience no matter if they are BSN or ADN first.

Great thoughts from everyone! Some I didn't think of and that is why this site is so wonderful - I want to thank everyone so much for answering me so far!

I am an admin. asst for the president of a hospital - So, very good stable job but I am at the top with no where to go & have done this for 20+ years, and I am the kind of person who gets bored fast - needs challenges, etc. so that is just one of many reasons nursing has appealed to me. Anyway, my husband is self-employed so cannot pick up the insurance. That's probably my biggest concern - is insurance because it's just out of hand right now with the costs of it.

Thanks everyone who has responded so far.....SO, what I'm hearing I think so far is that no one has recommended quitting the nursing route - that I should keep going & the only question is the ASN or BSN route. Thanks again & anyone else wanting to weigh in - I love to hear whatever thoughts people have!

Hi everyone - Here is yet another thread about going into nursing versus not Here's my situation - I have taken pre-reqs towards nursing for almost 4 years now! Slowly but surely so that I get good grades & I had to work full-time and get on waiting lists, etc. I have been excited that long to do it and worked very hard. I have been at my present occupation for 22 years. My employer, a hospital, was paying enough tuition assistance to cover my degree (whether it be ASN or BSN) almost entirely including books! Jan. 2010 is the year that I have finally been accepted into both an ASN program and a BSN program. I just found out that my employer, due to the economy, has had to slash our tuition assistance alot -- so that it will now cost me about $12,000 - $14,000 to do the BSN route, and about $1,200 for the ASN degree. But actually due to how many pre-reqs I have taken, both degrees will take me the same amount of time left - only 2 more years. Some people are advising me due to the economy & due to me having a good, stable job right now - not to go on with nursing anymore. Because once clinicals hit next year, I will have to give up my current job & get a part-time job. It is just my husband and me. But I am the insurance holder for us too. I really didn't want to incur any more debt for us. Plus the fact that there seems to be a surplus of nurses right now trying to get jobs. Plus the fact that my husband and I are in our 40's so not young. But I would still be about 2 years away from graduating so the economy could very well turn around some by then too. There are pros and cons to both avenues, I know. If I look short-term, then I should stay where I am. If I look long-term, then I think the rewards would be better with nursing. I really want to do something else rather than staying with my current profession another 20+ years and have always wanted to be a nurse. Do I give it up? Do I go the ASN route? Do I go the BSN route? I know I have to make up my own mind because it's my life but I keep going back & forth with this decision. Thanks for any thoughts you all have!! I love this website. :redbeathe

For those of you who have taken Stats - How time consuming was it? I'm taking it soon & am thinking about signing up for Abnormal Psych at the same time but work full-time & need to make A's in the classes - what do you think?

I thought that physiology was alot harder actually, but sometimes it just depends on the teacher alot too. I had a hard teacher for Physiology. I had somewhat of an easy one for Micro. I thought both were interesting. I know that doesn't help you too much - maybe ask particularly at your school about the professors.