What to do, what to do....

Tricia76 · Apr 6, 2011

I say if you can afford to go to Nuring school then do it..I am a stay at home mom to..I have worked before but I had to have neck surgery so I haven't worked since..I will be startig my pre-requisites this summer..If its what you want to do then do it. Me and my hubby argue and all that to but I told him straight up..I am doing this with or without you..(he is on board now).

NCRNMDM, ASN, RN · Apr 6, 2011

Nursing is a very stable field, jobs are available, and you can make a nice salary as an RN. I think if you are interested in nursing you should look up some of the schools in your area that have nursing programs, and see exactly what you need to do as far as the admission process and prerequisite classes go. Some states require CNA I certification prior to beginning nursing school, and others don't; it's imperative that you determine if you need your CNA I, and begin taking classes to get it if is a requirement. You also need to determine what types of prerequisite classes you will have to take, and then take some time to really think things over. Can you handle the course load and all the work? Is pursuing a nursing degree going to be to much for you, or can you handle it? I just got accepted into a nursing program which begins in August of 2011, and I had to take a ton of prerequisites before applying. At my school we didn't have to have all our prerequisites completed prior to applying, but you looked very competitive if you had the majority of them done prior to application. Before I begin the RN program in August, I will have taken all of the following classes: anatomy and physiology I, anatomy and physiology II, microbiology, English 111, English 113, intro to psychology, developmental psychology, abnormal psychology, philosophical intro to ethics, humanities 212, intro to sociology, chemistry 111, chemistry 112, chemistry 114, college algebra, and statistics. This sounds like a lot because it is, and this is a typical prerequisite load for people who are trying to get into nursing school. Completing all the courses is hard and often frustrating, the admissions process is long, terrifying, and frustrating, and it often seems like there is no chance that you will ever get into the program of your choice. With all of this being said, I would never do anything besides nursing, and I think that if you really want to do it, and are sure that you can handle it, you should go for it. It will be difficult, and you will spend a lot of your time studying and doing homework, but it's all worth it in the end.

Tricia76 · Apr 6, 2011

Well said mattmrn2013..Its gonna take me like 3 years to complete my associates because all of the pre-requisites. But I am going for it!

babs4u · Apr 6, 2011

Does anyone here think it would be worth it to keep doing my MT training while also taking the pre-reqs for the RN program? There are quite a bit of them and it will take me awhile, plus the RN program is lottery based so there's no telling when I will get to it. So I was thinking maybe I should do both, but I still not sure if I will be wasting my time on MT or not.

ladylinton1 · Apr 6, 2011

Nursing is such in high demand, you certainly will be able to care for your family on that income. I know you have invested time and money in the MT field however the reward will outweigh the time spent. I am awaiting a decision on if accepted into nursing school and I am 40. With that being said dont let your age stop you from your dream. I would hate to see you get certified in a field that is not in demand. So pray on it, weight the options and do what is best for your future.

babs4u · Apr 7, 2011

I know you have invested time and money in the MT field however the reward will outweigh the time spent.

When you say this, do you mean that my MT training is worth it? Are you saying the reward after becoming an MT is worth it, or becoming a nurse is worth it?

Sorry if I'm confusing this! lol

caliotter3 · Apr 7, 2011

If this course is at little to no cost to you, then finish it. You probably won't be able to find MT work, but at least you will have the training to put on your resume. Meanwhile, check with the local nursing programs and get started again on your prerequisite courses. You have a long way to go. Don't underestimate your ability to sell the MT training to a prospective medical office employer.

ladylinton1 · Apr 7, 2011

Your not confusing it, my comment was confusing :). The reward will come from completing the nursing program and obtaining a job that will be very lucrative. You could always complete the MT find a job doing that so you can have income (the employer may even pay for your schooling since it is in the medical field) and return for nursing? Just a thought.

babs4u · Apr 7, 2011

What about me going for phlebotomy? I'm just trying to weigh my options and figure out what I want to do...I read a little on the web about phlebotomy being an extremely flexible (as in work hours) career. And with pretty good pay. So I'm thinking, maybe I should start out there, and if I want to, later start working on becoming an RN! I really don't know yet though, what it is I would be most comfortable doing. I just spoke to a man at CTI about their phlebotomy course, and he said the students practice on each other!!! WOW! Scared of that! But the course is 4 weeks and costs close to $1600.

Does anyone of you know about this field and could tell me a little about it?

caliotter3 · Apr 7, 2011

If you want a good stepping stone to RN school become a CNA. Some nursing programs require a CNA certificate to apply. A CNA certificate is a plus, and if you work as a CNA, that is even better. The other options, while they may look good on a resume, will not be as helpful if you don't find a job.