about ready to give up on nursing...

Trauma Columnist · Feb 9, 2004

Don't give up - take care of yourself, pace yourself and you'll get it done. Also - you might consider a BSN program if possible. That will do more for you in the long run...take care. I'm also a Navy vet...judi

LPN-n-2005 · Feb 9, 2004

why don't you consider going into allied health? that's what i have recently done. i switched my major from nursing to respiratory care. you still make good money but no waiting list!!!!:roll

RNPATL, DNP, RN · Feb 9, 2004

Originally posted by sherichance
I am wondering if there is anyone who has felt the way I am now. I am 2 seconds from giving up on nursing school. Its a community college and there are so many people applying that there is a chance I will not get in. I am determined and this is something I want to do. I was a hospital corpsman when I was in the Navy so I am really into being a nurse. But I have this semester to finish and then 5 lab type classes, bio, micro, chem, a& p 1, 2. There is no way I can take all this within the next 2 semesters and keep my sanity for the feb 1st 2005 cut off. Which means I will have to wait to get into the 2006 class to graduate in 2007.
I am so discouraged and at some points very upset. I do not know what to do anymore.

I agree, don't give up. If the waiting list is that long, then I agree with TraumaRUs and go for the BSN. In the long run it will benefit you and I am sure there is not a waiting list for the program.

I have been hearing about waiting lists to get into nursing school. I did some research and discovered that while applicant flow in up for the ADN program and the BSN program, the reason for all the waiting lists is the lack of faculty. Does anyone have any information on this? It would not surpirse me, given that the national shortage is also impacting on educators, but there really needs to be more press on this issue. Here we have very capable people that want to be nurses and they can't even get into school. Whew, talk about a compounding problem. Sounds like we are going to be in even more trouble with the shortage if this continues.

I would be interested in hearing others comments on this subject.

As for being discouraged, don't be ... look at all of your options then chose what will best meet your needs.

renerian, BSN, RN · Feb 9, 2004

My son is on a two year minimum waiting list. I had to wait two years myself. Don't give up just keep taking as many of the other courses as you can.

renerian

sherichance · Feb 9, 2004

Thank you for the feedback. I appreciate it from everyone. In regards to getting my BSN. I would love to get that. This may sound like a week excuse but it is a time and money issue.

I wanted to get through school and make the money to help my family. Our funds are fading. My husband is in the navy and they do not pay well at all. We are having an issue with them and he might be discharged this year because he hasnt gone up in rank yet. Its like nursing. So many people are taking the test and not everyone gets the job. He is one of them. He doesnt want to get out either. Another things. Military is letting go of people that want to stay there but they are letting them go and letting the 18 year olds come in. They wind up doing something dumb to get out because its too hard.

I wanted to finish school and get a good job so if he does get out I can support us.

Allied health. I never thought of that. Do you know is community colleges have that? Or where I could get some info on it.

I get discouraged but then there are days that the wait doesnt bother me.

RNPATL, DNP, RN · Feb 9, 2004

Sheri - don't get discouraged ... there are other options out there. Certainly allied health is one of them, but in my opinion, no other profession is going to offer you the diversity and the opportunities that nursing will ... trust me, I have been a nurse for better than 20 years now. If you can not get into the ADN program and the BSN is not an option right now, then I would try for the LPN program. You can finish the program in about a year, take boards and earn money while you are getting experience. The best part of this is that most ADN programs award advanced placement credit for LPN's and they enter into the 3rd semester of a 4 semester program. It is certainly worth looking into.

Good luck with your decision. :eek:

sherichance · Feb 9, 2004

Everyone might think I am "full of it". But I looked into the LPN program. I was scheduled to take the test and got really ill the night before and there was no way I could take that test the next morning. The woman I spoke with about it told me they take the top 40 people and there had to have been well over 100 people taking that test. This discouraged me again.

I should have listened to my father after I got out of high school. He said the best job I can have is being a nurse. He said he would even pay for it. Instead I got tired of him pushing it on me and I went to art school in seattle. That never worked out. Art is the hardest job to get into. Dont get me wrong. I was a little girl once and all I wanted to be was a nurse. I just couldnt handle my dad pushing it on me.

I will look into the LPN program again. I know they just started it in January. So I will have to see when the next test date is.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Feb 9, 2004

Good luck. This is probably the first of many frustrations and discouragements that you are going to face in your pursuit of a nursing degree. Take it easy and best of luck to you.

(I missed out on the chance for my dad to pay for my college education as well. Don't you just hate it when you grow up and realize that your parents were right about something. :))

SmilingBluEyes · Feb 9, 2004

You received a lot of good advice here.

Take your time, keep your cool head and do not give up.

sherichance · Feb 9, 2004

I will have to admitt. My father was right and I should have went to nursing school right out of high school. Now I see that I should have listened to him more.

I am still looking into ADN and how long the waiting list is and do on. I am exploring the CNA program and currently trying to see if there is somewhere around here with school for allied health.

I will continue to go to school for my RN but it might have to be parttime. I cannot afford to sit here and wait for the school to tell me when its my turn.

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Feb 9, 2004

You can do it

I started as Hospital Corpsman, !968 to 1972, I made it.