Hi, I'm 26 years old. I have a Bachelor's degree in a field that doesn't pertain to health care. I just got accepted into nursing school (ADN program). I have been in nursing school before a long time ago and dropped out of the program. So I know that nursing school is no joke, and you must be serious if you sign up for it! My concern is if I should take the nursing route again. I'm at the age I'm ready to get married, and I want to be self sufficient. I just wanted to know of ways that I could be able to support myself while I"m in school. I want to be able to afford a nice apartment, pay the bills I have, and have some free time for socializing or dating. Is there someone who could give me advice on ways to pay off debt, be able to work, and still have time to study. Also, do you suggest for me, at my age, to go back and try this nursing gig again? My family has become fustrated with this because I have been in school for a long period of time working on my bachelor's degree, and I have been in nursing school before and I wasn't serious about it. Should I go on and do this program while I"m young and not married at the moment, or should I just leave it alone? Any advice will help because I don't want to make a decision that I will regret! Also, advice from someone who has been in a similar situation would be appreciated! THANKS! :thankya:
If I were you, I would look into a one-year accelerated program, since you have your Bachelor's already. I would also, if your folks are willing, move in with them for that year, so you have less debt to incur, and less need of a job to support all of life (rent, car, fun, etc) and could maybe just have a little job to buy the fun stuff.
There is an entire world available in nursing-bedside care, OR, research, teaching. I'm sure you could find your niche somewhere. And if I were searching for a career, you can bet that the money you could make would definitely be a consideration. You will be working somewhere-why not make the best living you can, as long as you're giving good care to your patients?
i am in ns, and it has become my life. i do not hang out, socialize, go to parties, or on many vacations, i study study study. i do not work more than 1-2 days a week, it is just not possible..
Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.
i am at the stage i'm ready to get married, and i really don't want to put that on hold because i"m 26 and ready to have children. if i decide to do the nursing program, i will just have to find a way to date when i have free time. i know some say that you need to strictly focus on the nursing program, but hey i have to have a life outside of school and get my personal/social needs met.
i've been an rn for over 30 years. i originally got my adn and went back for my bsn 10 years later. i know about having financial debt.
will you believe me when i tell you that almost everything you will be exposed to in nursing school is going to be brand new information you have never been exposed to before? that makes the studying more intensive and stressful. 26 is not immature, but i was 24 when i went to rn school and it wasn't enough life experience to help me learn all those new concepts and i got ill in my last semester and had to have surgery. unless you are an exceptionally brilliant studier you are not going to be able to juggle a social life with a boyfriend, a job and nursing school. trust me on this. something is going to end up falling off to the side of the road and you really don't want it to compromise what you will learn at the expense of your patient's, do you? for 2 years a social life can be put on hold. you will be socializing with your fellow students. when you graduate from nursing school, get a job in a huge teaching hospital and set your sights on a resident doctor who has a great future and needs a sympathetic and understanding nurse for a wife. i have two sister-in-laws who are married to doctors. they both married in their early 30s and have terrific lives: beautiful homes, kids, nice cars, take great vacations all the time and have no financial worries. all their kids are going to private schools and will go to private colleges.
If your heart is not really in it and you are only in it for the money than no, nursing is not the right path. Simple as that. There are plenty of professions out there that can pay you well.
Some examples:
Teacher, Management (at Restaurants, banks, department stores, hotels all of which have a B.A. while place you at an advantage of getting), etc.
If you really need some extra cash go part-time for a grad degree (your student loans will be deferred and you can get $ to help with living expenses) while working a place you can advance in (such as a bank, restaurant, etc). Not only will this help you out immediately but make you more competitive for the job market.
Thanks for your advice. I saw you mentioned teaching as a career option. Teaching requires a lot of demanding work (just as much as nursing) and can be a very stressful job. I started doing the alternate route this summer, but I dropped the graduate classes because I didn't want to have any more student loan debt. Also, I wasn't sure if teaching was the path I should go on. Then I got a letter in the mail stating that I was accepted into nursing school for the Fall. I thought that was interesting because it added more decisions to make. LOL I guess it is a blessing in itself to have options to choose from. Anyway, thanks for presenting some more career options.
Not trying to be harsh but I would really think hard about why I want to go to NS. People who are willing to sacrifice a great deal are chomping at the bit for your spot who want to do it for other reasons than the pay :) HTH
I didn't say that I would do nursing strictly for the pay. Yet, why do people work? People work to provide essential needs. If you run a poll and ask how many nurses would do their job for free, I'm sure most of the responses would be no. Nursing is a very demanding job, and you should be compensated for your work and time. No one works for free in this country. Yet, I understand your point. If a person chooses to do nursing, no amount of pay could compensate for all the hard work a nurse sacrifices.
If I were you, I would look into a one-year accelerated program, since you have your Bachelor's already. I would also, if your folks are willing, move in with them for that year, so you have less debt to incur, and less need of a job to support all of life (rent, car, fun, etc) and could maybe just have a little job to buy the fun stuff.
There is an entire world available in nursing-bedside care, OR, research, teaching. I'm sure you could find your niche somewhere. And if I were searching for a career, you can bet that the money you could make would definitely be a consideration. You will be working somewhere-why not make the best living you can, as long as you're giving good care to your patients?
I thought about doing an accelerated program a while back. There is only one accelerated program where I'm from, and they only take admissions once a year. Also, the accelerated program is in a different city from where my parents live. So I would still have to find my own place to stay, and I know the accelerated program is from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. which would leave no time for working a job. I do agree that nursing has a broad range of areas a person could work and find their niche.
i've been an rn for over 30 years. i originally got my adn and went back for my bsn 10 years later. i know about having financial debt.
will you believe me when i tell you that almost everything you will be exposed to in nursing school is going to be brand new information you have never been exposed to before? that makes the studying more intensive and stressful. 26 is not immature, but i was 24 when i went to rn school and it wasn't enough life experience to help me learn all those new concepts and i got ill in my last semester and had to have surgery. unless you are an exceptionally brilliant studier you are not going to be able to juggle a social life with a boyfriend, a job and nursing school. trust me on this. something is going to end up falling off to the side of the road and you really don't want it to compromise what you will learn at the expense of your patient's, do you? for 2 years a social life can be put on hold. you will be socializing with your fellow students. when you graduate from nursing school, get a job in a huge teaching hospital and set your sights on a resident doctor who has a great future and needs a sympathetic and understanding nurse for a wife. i have two sister-in-laws who are married to doctors. they both married in their early 30s and have terrific lives: beautiful homes, kids, nice cars, take great vacations all the time and have no financial worries. all their kids are going to private schools and will go to private colleges.
lol, you made me laugh today about going after a young resident! thanks for your advice it made me feel better about going into nursing school if i decided to do it. i know you are being frank about the demands of nursing school and trying to juggle a relationship, job, and school might be too much going on at the same time. i talked with my boyfriend, and he said he would understand if i couldn't go out on dates as much. you are right that nursing school should not be taking lightly. you have people's lives in your hand, and you should know everything you are taught. again, thanks!
How many days is the 8-4 PM gig? Because you could work a job if it weren't, say, five days a week. I know of some classmates who make good money bartending and waitressing on the weekends. Don't know if that's something you would want to do, though.
The ADN program where I am has a two-day-a-week option, and it works out fine. I have plenty of time to study, and am considering taking on a part-time job during my second year. To cut costs, you could also take on a roommate, have social gatherings at home (cheaper than meeting friends at bars), cut coupons, eliminate non-essentials (whatever you deem appropriate) etc.
It's all doable, you just have to decide what you want and go for it!
How many days is the 8-4 PM gig? Because you could work a job if it weren't, say, five days a week. I know of some classmates who make good money bartending and waitressing on the weekends. Don't know if that's something you would want to do, though.
The ADN program where I am has a two-day-a-week option, and it works out fine. I have plenty of time to study, and am considering taking on a part-time job during my second year. To cut costs, you could also take on a roommate, have social gatherings at home (cheaper than meeting friends at bars), cut coupons, eliminate non-essentials (whatever you deem appropriate) etc.
It's all doable, you just have to decide what you want and go for it!
I think the accelerated program is 5 days a week. That would be nice if there were a 2 days a week ADN program here. That would be very convenient. You could easily work a job with that type of schedule. They should have more evening nursing programs. I guess the issue for most nursing schools is finding the instructors to teach night courses.
I didn't say that I would do nursing strictly for the pay. Yet, why do people work? People work to provide essential needs. If you run a poll and ask how many nurses would do their job for free, I'm sure most of the responses would be no. Nursing is a very demanding job, and you should be compensated for your work and time. No one works for free in this country. Yet, I understand your point. If a person chooses to do nursing, no amount of pay could compensate for all the hard work a nurse sacrifices.
When I was deciding about entering nursing school, I volunteered in a busy Emergency room to get a feel for the nursing environment and I loved it. If you're uncertain about the career move...try volunteering in the area. One thing I will say about my experience in nursing school...I HATE it. It is quite possibly one of the most disappointing experiences of my life. But, school and career are two very different things...and school is only the means to the end.
I hope you find what you are looking for...All the best.
When I was deciding about entering nursing school, I volunteered in a busy Emergency room to get a feel for the nursing environment and I loved it. If you're uncertain about the career move...try volunteering in the area. One thing I will say about my experience in nursing school...I HATE it. It is quite possibly one of the most disappointing experiences of my life. But, school and career are two very different things...and school is only the means to the end.
I hope you find what you are looking for...All the best.
What made nursing school a disappointing experience for you? What area of nursing do you work now?
thanks for your advice it made me feel better about going into nursing school if i decided to do it. i know you are being frank about the demands of nursing school and trying to juggle a relationship, job, and school might be too much going on at the same time. i talked with my boyfriend, and he said he would understand if i couldn't go out on dates as much. you are right that nursing school should not be taking lightly. you have people's lives in your hand, and you should know everything you are taught. again, thanks!
J9G2008
195 Posts
If I were you, I would look into a one-year accelerated program, since you have your Bachelor's already. I would also, if your folks are willing, move in with them for that year, so you have less debt to incur, and less need of a job to support all of life (rent, car, fun, etc) and could maybe just have a little job to buy the fun stuff.
There is an entire world available in nursing-bedside care, OR, research, teaching. I'm sure you could find your niche somewhere. And if I were searching for a career, you can bet that the money you could make would definitely be a consideration. You will be working somewhere-why not make the best living you can, as long as you're giving good care to your patients?