33 and wanting to leap...

Magnicious · Jan 16, 2014

I'm 29 and I have a nice job in Information Technology. But like you I wanted to be a nurse and I kept on seeing the years pass me by and the last thing I wanted was to look back and have any regrets. I applied to multiple nursing schools and it appears the school I'll be accepted into will be all the way in another state. However, my parents have a house out there that's vacant and I will be living there, quitting my somewhat decent paying IT job, and going to have to live totally off what savings I can muster the rest of the year, along with my military tuition assistance, and hope to God no loans. I've knocked out all my pre-reqs so I'll have to survive a year off of savings and whatever else I can survive off of. Like you, I'm taking a big risk however I have no children, no mortgage, but I will have a car payment to make. So, I completely feel you pain but you'd much rather do what it is you want to do, you're still pretty young and you have many years ahead of you so an investment like that in your future like that would still be worth it. Just search in yourself and see if that's worth it for you.

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Jan 17, 2014

Nursing is not so much a sure thing any longer. Have you looked into PT or OT assistant programs? The income is comparable to nursing but programs are not as competitive in most areas of the country. Hours are better also.

lub dub · Jan 17, 2014

If you have your heart set on being a nurse, I would go with the RN program. Not sure what "a school like National" means, however...

ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP · Jan 17, 2014

I would honestly consider looking into other healthcare professions. Nursing is experiencing a huge glut of new grads who can't find jobs. You have a mortgage and car payments....I would hate for you to go through school and be in thousands of dollars of student loans on top of having a house and car to pay off.

Palliative Care, DNP · Jan 17, 2014

I agree with Princess Bride. Pharmacy, PT, OT, basically anything but nursing. That is unless you can relocate to an area where there truly is a nursing shortage

ArtClassRN, ADN, RN · Jan 18, 2014

Hi
So I am 33, I work in HR and my undergrad GPA is horrible so I cannot get into any Accelerated programs. I have always wanted to do nursing so I am looking at making the leap. I do have a mortgage, car payment, and I am single so this is going to be challenging.
I would like some advice from those in the field or similar exp. Thanks!

Single is a huge plus. I was in your exact situation, only I was 6 years older. My bachelor's GPA was a tragedy, so I went to my local community college and asked if I could exclude my previous transcript when applying to the nursing program.

They said, "Yep, but you have to take every course, nothing can be carried over from your old transcript." So I started from scratch, crushed the prerequisites and walked into the nursing program with a 4.0. Same one I left with.

I had spent all my savings and accumulated 20k of school loans, but the $175,000 or so I've made since graduating sure takes the sting off.

Good luck!

loriangel14, RN · Jan 18, 2014

I was a single mom too and I went the part time route as well. It worked out really well for me.

FLAlleycat · Jan 19, 2014

I was a single mom of two (2 years and 4 years with no child support) when I returned to college. I didn't have a good job (worked in greenhouses) and no savings. I did have an AA degree and wanted to get my BSN ASAP so I could actually stop working 1 full-time and 2 part-time jobs just to pay the bills and allow me time to be a Mom! I took the nursing prerequisites at the local community college while working and managed 4.0. Based on that, I was accepted into state university. I didn't have a mortgage so I moved into the university's family housing (cheap). I also grabbed every grant/scholarship I could apply for and took out student loans. It was extremely difficult but doable. My motto was "C's and Sanity". I would've gone crazy trying to maintain the 4.0 or my kids would've been reported for abandonment! I'm glad I decided to just go for it rather than drag it out. Everyone is different, though. I really wasn't able to be an available parent working as much as I did, and I really wanted to do that before my kids were graduated!

LVN2RNMom, ASN, BSN, LVN · Jan 19, 2014

LVN to RN in 8 months? Are you in Texas or CA?

nursefrances, BSN, RN · Jan 20, 2014

I agree with Princess Bride. Pharmacy, PT, OT, basically anything but nursing. That is unless you can relocate to an area where there truly is a nursing shortage

I also agree, but research well. I know people who completed pharmacy tech, phlebotomist, and RT programs. They were all capable, hard workers and none of these people could find jobs, even a year after completing their programs. It's a tough time to find a job all the way around unless you are working in the food industry or at a department store for minimum wage. :no:

There are some new grad programs at hospitals. But they are very competitive. I have friends who have been trying to get into them. One friend starts an ER new grad program in February. She graduated last January, I think.

Palliative Care, DNP · Jan 20, 2014

I also agree but research well. I know people who completed pharmacy tech, phlebotomist, and RT programs. They were all capable, hard workers and none of these people could find jobs, even a year after completing their programs. It's a tough time to find a job all the way around unless you are working in the food industry or at a department store for minimum wage. There are some new grad programs at hospitals. But they are very competitive. I have friends who have been trying to get into them. One friend starts an ER new grad program in February. She graduated last January, I think.[/quote']
I'm not speaking about tech positions. My husband is a pharmacist with his own store. There are plenty of positions. Techs make very little. I wouldn't direct anyone to choose that as a profession. At most they make around $12/hr here and at minimum 7.25.