Want to start a nursing career..

chevyv, BSN, RN · Sep 5, 2012

It's hard. There are threads here regarding your exact question. Check some of them out and good luck!

Tobygo2 · Sep 5, 2012

Hello
I currently work full time in a totally different job and want to go into nursing. I have my bachelors in Business Management and have not taken any science classes in college. How hard do you think it would be to change careers? I was leaning towards getting my associates first then maybe going back for the bachelors. Any advice is very much appreciated!
Thanks!!

I did the same thing! Three years ago was a Marketing Manager and now a nurse :) Best decision I ever made. I started off taking one class to be sure I was ready to go back to school. From there things moved quickly. PM me if you want more information. Since you already have a degree I'd recommend an accelerated BSN program.

newyork305 · Sep 5, 2012

Hi Tobygo2

I am new to the website so i cannot send any PM's yet. Would you be able to send me some info on pm? I would love your advice!

sashaalicia1 · Sep 5, 2012

I did the whole second degree in nursing thing also. Just graduated this past August. The route you take to complete the pre-requisite courses is totally up to how long your willing to spend taking them, when the schools you're planning to apply to admits students, and the number of courses required. Have you researched any schools yet?

newyork305 · Sep 5, 2012

I have been looking online, but not sure if I should just do the associates. I work full time, so i would have to go to school at night/weekends..what would you reccomen?

newway · Sep 5, 2012

if you already have a bachelors get a bsn it will be about the same amount of time.

llg, PhD, RN · Sep 5, 2012

If you limit educational opportunities to only nights and weekends, you may find that you are excluding most of the better-quality programs. There are few high quality programs that don't include some weekdays.

hiddencatRN, BSN, RN · Sep 5, 2012

If you limit educational opportunities to only nights and weekends, you may find that you are excluding most of the better-quality programs. There are few high quality programs that don't include some weekdays.

Agreed. Once your prerequisites are done you might need to bite the bullet and quit your job to commit to school.

cally527, RN · Sep 5, 2012

I have a BA in Business Admin/Management with a minor in HR. I have been unemployed for over a year. I decided in January '12 that maybe I had the right idea in high school and nursing was what I should be doing. (I am 35 now) I looked at the programs in my area and signed up at the local community college for the science classes I needed. Most of my classes from my BA transfered and I only needed to do the scinece pre-reqs. Then the stars aligned perfectly and the FT ADN program at my school extended their application deadline to May 15th, so I applied as soon as my spring classes ended.

I just had my first day of nursing school today!

It is possible. Good luck!

timmedico · Sep 6, 2012

Depends on how committed you are to changing careers. The prerequisites may vary, but I'd say if you took a full-time load of sciences for one semester at a nearby community college (such as Anatomy & Physiology I and Microbiology along with others) and then some during the summer, you could be ready in about 6 months. If you are driven, go for it! I started the first semester of a nursing program and I've only been out of high school for a year. Check what you need, plan for course, set your goals, and start your journey!:)

tigerlogic · Sep 6, 2012

In my experience, changing careers is a mix between exciting, boring/tedious, and humbling. I'm super commited to being a nurse but having to take pre-reqs that were mostly a waste of my time was super annoying, like taking statistics when I have more than enough hands on experience (working in a biochem lab) and advanced calculus in my academic background. I'm a CNA now and I love lots of things about it but I don't like making crap money in the name of getting super awesome experience or being at the bottom of the problem solving totem pole. I'm super excited to start school but the reality of the huge loan I need to take out also scares me. I love working with people and I love the chaos and absurdity of the human condition. I love helping people and being run off my feet. I love knowing I made someone's horrible night a little better. I'm fascinated by gore. I love the hugeness of specialties. I'm SURE I want to be a nurse, so the sacrifice of starting at the bottom is worth it. So, be sure, as best you can and be aware that going back to school is hard.