What is the best route to take, I am finally changing my life!

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Hello!

This week I have finally decided to go ahead and take the plunge and follow my dreams. I have made plans to quit my job, move back home to Georgia (I will get in-state tuition there), and enter into a nursing program :yeah:. I started thinking about this when I was 27...but there was always a reason why I shouldn't.

- At 27, I would be 30 and I wanted to be married and starting a family.

- At 30 (still unmarried with no family), my excuse was that I had already put so much time into my existing career and by the time I graduated I would be in a great and higher place in my current career path...why should I risk it all and change.

- Now at 33 (still unmarried and no family :-)), I still keep wanting to become a nurse. My current career is not fulfilling, I want to do something that really makes a difference in the world around me. I have had the pleasure to encounter some amazing nurses over the years, I want to be more like these people. If I had only followed my dreams 6 years ago!

The path I have planned to take is:

1 - Attend a Georgia Perimeter College in Dunwoody, GA to complete the prerequisites that Georgia State requires for their Accelerated BSN program (there are about 9) and get all A's,

2 - Apply, get accepted, and enter into the Accelerated BSN program at Georgia State to become a Registered Nurse over a 16 month period,

3 - Take the NCLEX-RN exam and start working as an RN, and then

4 - Choose a specialty and complete the schooling for this.

I know an extensive amount of schooling is involved, but thanks to already having a degree I can take the prerequisites and the Accelerated BSN program and be finished in 2 1/2 years. The sticker is that I am still paying off student loans from my first time in school (in the past this had made me feel trapped and kept me in my current job, but I won't let it anymore) so I want to do this without taking out more loans. This means I will need to be working. My first choice is to become an LPN to have money coming in and gain experience. But this will make my pocket-book incredibly tight. Another idea I had, that I don't love but I think it offers me the greatest flexibility with both time and money, is to go back to waiting tables like I did in college several years ago. I can make a descent living while having a great flexible schedule for full-time school.

Does anyone have a recommendation of how I can work, gain experience, pay my tuition and become an RN? I am open to any advice and ideas. Thanks so much for your help!

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I am happy for you! It's good and healthy to follow your dreams. I think your plan you have made for yourself is good. Just stick to it. I've thought about doing the LVN route to RN but I've found that it wasn't for me and I've decided to just stick to the RN route. But everybody is different. Different people different circumstances. Whatever works for you and your situation. I'm sure you'll find your way! :) God bless!

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Specializes in PICU.

Firstly, congrats! The first big plung is often the hardest and scariest!

I think the lvn route would be very helpful for gaining experience and earning money, but its usually at 1 year full time program unless you are lucky enough to have a night and weekend program in your area. If you have the multitasking and time management skills to earn As in your classes and do a full time program then I would say go for it. But if not it might not be the best option.

If CNA's are paid enough in your area to support you financially you can always work as a CNA one day a week and wait tables on the other days. That way you still can gain some experience along the way.

Another option to consider is becoming a CNA and working either part time or full time doing that. At a hospital you can make anywhere from $10-20/hr doing that and still gain experience without the long program that the LVN program has. I don't know what the pay rate is in Georgia but in California as a CNA you can make $20 an hour as a CNA. So its something to consider.

Best of luck, God Bless

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