What do I do

[MaryEllen17]

Hello! I am in a bit of a bind and I would greatly appreciate your expert opinion and advice. I am currently a 26 year old college student wondering who is a 2 time cancer survivor. Due to being in and out of the hospital so much I really have the desire and ambition to become a nurse. My issue comes in the fact that due to being sick I am 26 years old in college and I could have graduated years ago but due to my illness (not in my control) and due to changing my major so many times I find myself still in school. My family is baffled that I cannot decide what I should do as a career. I am currently a geography major but my heart is half way in it. If I stick with geography I graduate in 3 semesters, but if I change to nursing I am looking at graduating at 29 or 30 years old. Should I go to nursing (my heart) or suck it up and stay with geography just to appease my family?

[Scrubs_n_sirens, MSN, RN]

We had a gentleman in his late fifties who graduated with us. No shame my dear!

[sakiandscout]

I started my prerequisites in 2014 at 42. I am now 44 and will start nursing school in August. I'll be 45 when I graduate and I plan on pursuing a masters at Baylor. This is your life you are talking about and you only get one. You don't want to wake up 20 years from now and realize what a huge mistake you made by not following your heart.

[Mandy2016, BSN]

For goodness sake DON'T FINISH THAT DEGREE!! If you already have a bachelors, you don't qualify for almost any financial aid

My advice is to go with a short program ASN to get your RN (preferably cc so everything transfers if you want other degrees). You may be surprised to hear there were only about 5 of us 26 & under in my class, you won't feel alienated don't worry lol. A very important thing to consider is talking to the schools you're interested in because, if you are actively undergoing chemo & radiation, you may need to take a leave of absence during obstetrics. Some schools make reentry nearly impossible and others are very flexible. If nursing is what you want to do then don't let anyone stop you! Everyone who matters will be proud of you for becoming a nurse whether you're 29 or 79 :)

[hellfirecat, LVN]

Okay so my entire life I wanted to be a doctor but due to things that happen in life I had to change my major to nursing. I'm still in community college and will be graduating next year at 26 years old going on 27. I've decided to apply to an ADN program and let's just say that by some miracle I make it in the first time I apply I won't be graduating from nursing school until about 29/30 years old plus I'll have 1 more year at a major university to get my BSN. I won't be done until I'm about 31/32. Honey age is just a number. So you may have took longer that everyone else, who cares? You're gonna be that age anyway, why not be that age and be happy doing what you love. There's a quote going around online that goes, "Just because you took longer than others doesn't mean you failed, remember that." Do what will make you happy because at the end of the day it's your life that you have to live.

[TexasNurse2B]

I absolutely love this thread! I am in the same boat as you but much older (will be 35 in August). I am going back and forth so much because I am getting my bachelors in Accounting right now. My heart is in nursing but my current boss, coworkers and family are pushing me to stick with accounting. My husband told me something that stuck with me until recently, he said why even bother going to nursing school now?? Once you hit a certain age it's a waste. Last week I told him my final decision was made and I am taking the Hesi A2 this fall and applying to the nursing program. Don't let anyone discourage you! Do what is in your heart. Good luck!!

[llg, PhD, RN]

I don't see your age as an issue ...

But I do see your inability to stick with a career decision as a problem and can understand your family's concern. You say you have changed your major many times -- meaning that you think you know what you want to do and then you change your mind. You've probably been spending a lot of your family's money on those past bad career decisions, or else you are digging yourself a huge hole of financial debt. Your family is understandably doubtful that you will stick with this most current career path either.

Perhaps you need to take a break and actually get a job for a bit while you pause and reflect on your life. Get a job or volunteer in a health care facility so that you can see how you react to being on the "other side of health care." Perhaps you should take a CNA course -- it's only a 6-8 week investment -- and see if you like working with patients as a care-giver.

I wouldn't recommend spending more money on some nursing school without first "dipping your toes in the pool" to see if you like the water. You've changed your mind too many times to be sure you will stick with it. So test it out first with a CNA course. That will give you and your family some valuable information to help you with your decision.