taking the first steps - where do I begin?

[ORchaos]

I'm so lost with where to start, what path to take, I don't even know where to begin. I'm 25 years old, a single mother, and I work full-time. I know millions of people are out there doing the same thing, trying to stay afloat, but also get ahead.

I've been working as a CNA since i was 18 years old. I've worked in LTC facilities, Rehab facilities, for a nursing agency, I've worked on various units in well known hospitals that are in the area, and I've currently been working in the operating room for the past 3 years as an assistant. I've taken a couple of my pre-requisite courses - but then dropped them due to life being as crazy as it is. My high school transcripts are no where near what they should be due to having had goofed off a majority of high school. I know that this is what I want to do for my career, as my experience has allowed me to work first hand and be able to see what I am getting myself into. However, with the stress of life and everything else that comes with it, i just don't know where to begin.

What have some of you guys done? What paths, programs, and strategies have you guys used? ANY words of encouragement and any helpful advice would be greatly appreciated at this point!

I need to do something, and I NEED TO TAKE THIS FIRST STEP, LIKE, NOW!

Thank you kindly for reading!

[Simplistic]

Enroll in a community college and start taking the necessary prerequisites for your nursing program.

[blaundee]

Talk to your employer. Some of them will help you financially, or at least give you guidance. Also talk to nurses that you respect.

[vmmacias88]

I graduated high school in 2006. After high school I did not take my education seriously. Last year i got the opportunity to go to school full time and not have to work at all. I don't know how people with kids do it. I had to drop one class this semester and feel like a failure because I have no excuse but to be great.

Depending what your overall goals are look into schools that are near you. Start with a community college and TALK TO A EDUCATIONAL ADVISER!!

One of the biggest mistakes that I made early on was no talking to a consular.

Taking one or two classes a semester will be a start. It may seem like it take forever but in the end you will be better off.

Good luck to your future!

[Pianoplaya94]

I just completed an undergraduate degree at a university. The degree was not in nursing. I will be applying to second-entry (accelerated) nursing programs across the country with a hope to start in September 2018. These accelerated programs are 2 years (usually consecutive) and are quite intensive. However, you get the same bachelor's degree as if you did a 4 year program. I sort of regret not going to nursing right out of high school, however, I do like the route I took because over my years in undergrad I got a chance to gain a lot of clinical experience in the hospital and research experience. My undergrad degree was health-science related. This is actually an increasingly common ways to get into a nursing program. Many programs now require that you already have a bachelor's degree under your belt.