Second-career? what was the first?

I was a CNA for 19yrs, what was I thinking doing that for so long. :confused: :smackingf

I'm now an LPN and will graduate in Dec '07 with ADN and hope to take NCLEX in Jan. (god willing):yelclap: :yelclap: :yelclap:

Health Education here. I do love my first career, so I will definitely not abandon it. I am hoping to blend my two backgrounds to become the best nurse that I can be! :wink2:

Exercise Physiology Degree.

Massage Therapist Liscence

For the past two years I was doing Pre-reqs for Physical Therapy school and volunteering at various settings. Applied to numerous schools and got accepted to the schools which cost an arm and a leg (private schools). Meanwhile I applied to some accelerated nursing programs and got in very easy. Now its going to be a long ride through hell for 16 months. My end reward is to get a job with opportunity, flexibility, and a whole lot of stress~lol. At least I will come home feeling exausted and having a job than searching for one.

Most of my friends are nurses and love it. So I wonder why not join them =]. Plus I have a lot of personal experiances that made me want to choose nursing.

Stockbroker and Certified Financial Planner for over 20 years. I was laid off from a company I was with for 17 years. After that experience, I decided to follow my original childhood dream of becoming a nurse.

my "divorce" from my job became "final" today. here's my exit letter to my fellow co-workers:

my 14 year "marriage" to at&t is officially over today at 4:30pm. the papers are now final. as you all know, i've been having an "affair" with "school" for the last few years of my "marriage" to at&t. at&t knew about the "affair" and was gracious enough to allow it to continue for as long as it did. at&t and i separated briefly for six months while i pursued my "true love" of nursing with a great passion. although it was scary stepping out on at&t and on faith alone, i found that nursing was my first "true love" and with all new relationships, it required a lot of hard work. i put in the work and decided that me and nursing were made for each other. there is just a love there that i really can't describe. you know how it is when you start a new relationship; there are butterflies in the stomach and the anticipation of something knew. when at&t offered the "divorce" (vtp offer), i jumped on the chance.

now, it's no longer a secret; me and nursing are an item. you will see me proudly in my scrubs and a stetscope around my neck from now on. now, the future looks bright, and i am anxiously awaiting to start my "marriage" with nursing with a wedding date of may 2009 (graduation) which you all will be cordially invited.

i so anxiously await to be given "rn-bsn" as my new hyphenated surname with a nice "ring" (pinning) to boot.

coming to an er/or at a hospital near you, and this is one time i can say i hope to never have to see any of you in my new career! :) stay healthily and be blessed!

it's been a great ride for the last 14 years, but it ran its course.

My sig says it all. Former Paramedic, before that EMT-Basic, before that high schooler working at a grocery store.

Peace,

Tripps

Hi all -

Just wondering - if nursing is your second career, what was your first career? why did you leave it?

I was a production planner for a major electronic company but it down sized and closed their company in the island; decided to study what I had always dreamed of since doing volunteer work for the Red Cross. While working for an engineering group I went for a BSN, passed my state license exam and was shocked to see nurses earning 13 & 14 an hour as well as responsible for about 30 patients 2 - 3 practical nurses to help. New grads are suppose to earn 2,300. per month, where as an experienced BSN 2,500. and we still have hospitals defying that law. No I am not working yet because I am trying to workout a budget (have a daughter attending university) so that I can survive with this wage. But no luck yet..I love nursing and people and am desperate to enter the health field.

I won a nursing scholarship coming out of HS but being a male, I did not think I would do well 23 years ago. In the meantime, I have been a cop, an army artillery officer, an air force jag, a prosecutor and now a disability attorney. I finally came aroundand started nursing school this summer at 41! I hope to love it.

You won't love it if you don't go through with it. I started being a full time student at 47 while working fulltime as well. I am 52 and was informed on Valentines' Day that I had passed my license exam. I have no regrets at all and my family and coworkers at office are still in shock and very proud....

In Order, (if I remember them all...)

Lifeguard

Beauty Queen

Public Relations/Tourism Development

Realtor

Adult Continuing Education Instructor

Volunteer EMT

Volunteer Firefighter

Paramedic

Career Firefighter

ER Unit Clerk (for hospital experience!)

College Instructor - Emergency Services

Registered Nurse!

and coming soon......

NOT SURE, I just know that I am not done.

I'm a former teacher. I was almost finished with my masters degree in early childhood special education when I just decided teaching didn't interest me anymore. My real love was to be a nurse in a NICU. (My oldest son was in a NICU when he was first born). So, here I am. I start the local cc's RN program in the fall.

--Marci

Active duty Air Force, supply and systems analyst. Left to raise my babies and go back to school (on my GI Bill).