Second Career Nurses

[DAL2010]

Hello,

I'm starting this thread to hopefully connect with other nursing students who are pursuing this as a second career. What did you do before? Why are you making this switch? Why now?

I am 32 years old, female, former high school English teacher. When I started college at age 17, I didn't know what I wanted to do - I couldn't imagine choosing a career to stay in for forty years when I was still a teenager! I wanted to take a few years off school and continue in my retail job at the time, but my parents demanded that I attend college. My dad had his BS from Purdue in Elem. Ed., my sister had her BS from Purdue in Elem. Ed. and I had to follow suit. (say what you will about free will and choice, but I was 17 and living under my father's roof - he had a lot of say-so over my decisions) I convinced my parents that I didn't want to do elementary school and I loved all aspects of English (language, writing, literature, etc) so I earned my BA from Purdue in English & Secondary Education. I always knew I wouldn't teach forever, but I gave it my whole heart for ten years.

Now, I am back in school taking advanced A&P, Med. Term., and Personal Wellness while waiting to see if I get into an ASN program for Spring 2012. I checked into the BA-to-BSN programs, but it is actually faster where I am (Northwest Indiana) to get the ASN then transition to BSN, which I will do pretty quickly after ASN completion.

As a 17 year old college freshman, nursing never entered my mind. It's just happened over the years that I wound up taking care of ill family members (grandmother with breast cancer and Alzheimer's, aunt with breast cancer, mother-in-law with breast/throat cancer, aunt with hypoglycemia, grandfather who lost both legs, etc) I don't actually know how I wound up being the person to take care of all these relatives - I'm just a generally responsible person who does the things that need to be done. I felt overwhelmed at times - remember I was a full-time high school teacher all along. I thought I would be relieved to not have these extra care-taking responsibilities. I was very wrong. Everyone has passed on except my grandmother, and I eventually had to place her in a care home. I was not prepared for the extreme feelings of uselessness I experienced when I had no one to take care of and it hit me smack on the head one day, clear out of the blue: I need to be a nurse and take care of people every day.

So, I realize this is a bit long, but I wanted to put it out here who I am and why I am making this career choice at this point in my life. Hope to hear your stories as well!

[iPink, BSN, RN]

There is another thread as well in the Pre-nursing student forum, similar to this one. Second career changers connecting with one another.

I'm one of them too. I have a BA. I was thinking about graduate school, but not in my field. However, the opportunity arose to pursue nursing instead. I'm half way through my ABSN program. I will graduate with my BSN at age 30, which is a good age for me to start a new career. My "tentative" plans after getting my RN is to work 1-2 years, and then go back to school to become an NP. At the end of school and having some real work experience, I will know if I want to pursue the NP route. My journey so far has been tough, but exciting.

[bear14]

I have a degree in psych. I wanted to do nursing when I was in my undergrad but chickened out! UGH! Regret it to this day!!! I didnt have the confidence in myself. At 35 I now know I could have done it all along. I did have a good career in social services though. Learned a lot and met one of my best friends so it did have its perks! vHowever, I am back in school and taking the bio prereqs and hopefully started nursing in the spring or fall!

[ladside, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN]

I drove a tractor-trailer over the road. I've been everywhere. I always hated the work, but I had to do something to make ends meet.

A few years ago I took the plunge, quit - got my CNA license and got a job at a nursing home. I decided I could tolerate the work and sometimes it was even rewarding. So, I decided to go to nursing school and here I am.

I hope to work in an ED when I graduate.

WOW!!!! I'm an RN and was, not too long ago, considering walking away from nursing altogether to drive trucks! It's amazing how the grass is still always greener on the other side.

[Hospice Nurse LPN, BSN, RN]

I'm loving reading about all the different careers yall have had. I thought I was the only one.

I was a "professional student" in my late teens and early 20's. I just took classes that looked "interesting" and not enough credits in any one area to earn a degree. I collected about 150 credit hours of "electives".

I worked as a vet tech w/ my first late hubby for several years. In my mid thirties in enrolled in a CC and actually did graduate! I earned my AD-PN. I've been working as an LPN since then.

I'm currently enrolled in a BSN program. I'm the only older student in my class.

[spore2008]

I am the OP of the other career changer thread. I am super-curious about the backgrounds of those individuals who were established in one (or several) careers, and what was the impetus for them to drop their job and enroll in a nursing program.

When I began undergrad, nursing school was the farthest thing from my mind. The goal was to go to law school or medical school. I graduated, worked in a lab in a very well known research university for three years and then attended PhD graduate school in the biomedical sciences followed by two years of a postdoctoral fellowship. My graduate career was a bumpy one and there were, indeed, many clues along the way that I would not remain a bench scientist as it was too isolating on a daily basis amongst other issues. Last January, I quit my postdoc position and enrolled at the local community college to take prerequisite course work I never took along the way (A&P series, Statistics, Dev. Psych, Nutrition and now Pathophysiology). I have been accepted to two programs that begin this January.

I am grateful there are established and well-worn roads ready for us to change our professional identities. Sure, it bites that I spent my entire adult life preparing for a career that will not happen (I am over 35 now). But, on the other hand, I have this opportunity to learn and enter a profession that is both personally rewarding and can allow me to take care of myself financially. My goal is to perhaps become a Psychiatric NP or DNP (the degree awarded seems to depend on the school).

Did any of you have an existential crisis? What prompted it? Why nursing and not social work or teacher or medical school?

Spore

One step at a time.

[DLS_PMHNP, MSN, RN, NP]

Former bank manager/loan officer.

Graduated with my BSN at age 38. I'm a hospice nurse and wouldn't trade it for anything!

All the best,

Diane, RN

[ImThatGuy, BSN, RN]

You don't have to know what you want to do or what you're going to do. I never did and had fun. I'm a career changer (if I do decide to change), and I know now that nursing isn't something I care to retire from if I do elect to veer off my current path.

[Pneumothorax, BSN, RN]

So...my first degree starting college at 17 i had NO idea what i wanted to do with the rest of my life...so my mom suggested i work on becoming a lawyer..i was like meh..., but i didnt really know what i wanted so why not right? Well, i started out as an English/PoliSci major and did just ok in my classes, didnt really care and was bored...

it wasnt until my senior year of undergrad that i met my fiance who was a paramedic..and id read his text book, and he would teach me stuff and i discovered this amazing thing "emergency medicine"... i loved it! and i thought to myself..well damn, ive got to finish this degree... he suggested i become a nurse i was like yeah! thats not a bad idea..so i went to advisement and switched my major...unfortunately it was too late for me to MAJOR in nursing, so i graduated with a degree in Sociology & Health Sciences. I also got my EMT license and now im in my senior year of nursing school and couldnt be happier :)

I cant wait to graduate and start working as an ER nurse, and later on do flight

[24gaDalek]

Did any of you have an existential crisis? What prompted it? Why nursing and not social work or teacher or medical school?

Yep. Battled Post Partum Depression after the birth of my 2nd (and last) child 3 yrs ago. Realized that life is way too short to be wasting it in a career that I didn't feel passionate about just to get a paycheck. Also decided that the time was going to pass anyway, so why not spend it doing something to achieve my dream? What had stopped me previously was the advice of my mom who said that being a nurse was not as good as being a doctor so why bother? I decided that after 10 years of second guessing my desire to be a nurse because of my mom's issues that enough was enough.

[CNAmom11]

Been in fast food/retail most of my adult life. I'm a "professional cashier" LOL. I took Phlebotomy back in 2001 (First day of class, believe it or not was Sept 11 2001) I believe I did well but was unable to find a job, because some of preceptors gave me good scores, others didn't. But oh well, on to something better. I will be starting a CNA course in the Spring. I wanted to do it this Fall, but i am getting divorced, so had to use my course money for that....

Once I graduate and have worked awhile, I plan on starting the RN program in Spring of 2012 :) Good Luck to everyone!

[jennrog33]

I am a returning student as well. I have done my rounds in sales and that wasn't for me. I have three children and have waited until the were all in school before I began my schooling. The economy hit sales really hard and I wasn't making any money, so why not?? We moved to a cheaper place, cut bills in half and bought school books. I am accepted and starting RN school in January and super happy! As a kid, I always wanted to do something in the medical field. I had a child right out of high school so time and money were always an issue. Once you have the house and cars you cannot afford to not work. I am relieved to be doing what I am supposed to do. Yay!

[mamayogibear]

Does being a bartender count as a real career? Before that I was a waitress and both jobs raked in the tips and most nights were lots of fun! But after becoming a mom I decided something was lacking from my profession.

In my original college days as a teenager I took some non-credit classes in massage, acupuncture, Reiki, herbology, reflexology, aromatherapy and all those other complementary medicines that most nurses won't touch with a ten foot pole. I loved the material I learned and integrated these modalities into my everyday life and the lives of those around me. I had never thought of making a career of compassion and caring since the few people I knew who finished massage programs were out of money and still waiting tables. My sister suggested I look into becoming a nurse. So I figured I'd give the classes a try.At first I was a bit apprehensive about diving into a career of allopathic medicine. But after reading a bit about nursing and caring theory and holistic nursing it dawned on me that this is what I had been waiting for. Oh why didn't I give this major a try a decade ago?