I wasn't accepted into the nursing program. I left my community college to pursue another nursing program hoping that it would get me closer to being a nurse. It was a bad decision and set me back some. Right now, I am not even sure if I want to be a nurse anymore. I am getting older, and I just don't see myself still living at home in the next few years. And when I do move out to support myself it will be incredibly challenging to pursue nursing school at the same time. The long waiting lists, being told to possibly wait to get accepted in 2010, 2011 is just not promising to me. I'll be too old. And the older I get the less motivated I am. I don't want to be like some women who are in their late 30s, 40s chasing after nursing school their whole life. I have ran across a lot of them
I made a thread about going into health administration, maybe that will be a bit more realisitc for me. I won't be tied down every single day for 8 hours, and I can go to class, work, and be able to finnacially support myself until I get a degree. I don't know, I am just confusd. I dont know what direction I need to go in with my life
Sorry you feel that way about us 30-40 somethings chasing after a nursing career. I am 42 and will be 43 when I graduate. I didn't do anymore time "chasing" than anyone else (same as the 18-20 somethings lol!). I chose to begin my life differently by raising a family first and than pursue a career. Please forgive me I am not here to defend my choices but offer some advice... if you want something (whether it be nursing or something else) than it doesn't matter how long it takes or how old you are... you should just go for it. Before I started college (at age 40) I was hesitant because of my age (feeling old with all those "yungins" around) and when I told my older sister she asked me a simple question, "how old will you be in 3yrs?" (response 43) She than said, "Well I guess you'll be 43 with a degree or without a degree; it's your choice" You should not worry about how old you are or going to be and continue to go after what your hearts desire is. If your not feeling nursing is it, than my friend don't waste your time or money, but if you do feel that it is your desire, don't let anything get in your way (even a slight delay in time). I completely understand about feeling disappointed due to the wait time for an opening. I actually moved out my home state and went to one that had more more colleges with more openings. When you have a dream you have to be willing to do what ever it takes to make it happen. I wish you luck in your decision making and your future. Hope to hear that something good and wonderful has happened for you.
I was a designer for many moons prior to deciding that I wanted to pursue nursing. I will be graduating in May at the ripe "old" age of 34. Honestly, I don't think I could have handled the rigors of nursing school back in my twenties; I was entirely too flighty. We are all inevitably doomed go to get older (unless you're that Benjamin Button guy, heh). Don't ever let age get in your way; it's only a number.
Too funny I didn't read the first messages until now and what it took me to say in a "HUGH" paragraph you saind in a few lines (lol) kudos to you and my sentiments exactly
I started nursing school at 31 and I thought I was old but looking back I was young. Any earlier and I may not have appreciated it as much as I do now.
Hang in there. I understand your frustrated but life goes on and it will continue to go on whether it goes on the way we want it to or not. I'm 23 now and thankfully am one year into my program, but it wasn't easy. I started school in 03 worked for a degree in bio then took a whole different direction and started towards my BSN in nursing. Well, nothing that I took applied towards my new degree so I felt like I had waisted two years of my life doing absolutely nothing and I felt like I too was growing older and getting nowhere. The first time I applied I didn't get in. My ego was so bruised and I think that's whats going on with you. I cried for days and finally my dad pulled me aside and said, "this is nothing. It's a bump in the road and no matter what you think tomorrow is another day. You have to keep climbing those stairs of life because if you don't, you'll wake up one day and realize you 've been standing in that same step for the last 20 years." I argued "But dad I wont graduate untill 2010 or 2011 or 2012. I'll never get in." I felt like giving up because this is what I wanted to do and the reality was I couldn't do it in a fast enough way. I also felt like I had let my family down. But, most important, I thought I wasn't going to do this as fast as I wanted to. This is my point. We want everything now, well listen, it doesn't happen that way but what matters is that it will happen if you work hard enough and long enough for it. Once you have this degree in your hands, you'll forget there ever was a time that you felt so frustrated for not getting in. You'll look back and think how silly this whole feeling of giving in to your frustrations is. Cry,, feel bad, then move on... if you want this, your motivation will never go away. It does not matter how old you get, if you want this bad enough and for the right reasons, then motivation should never be a problem. No one will be upset at you for not getting in, the disappointment from your peers and family only comes when you decide to give up with out really trying.
You may need to take a break for a year. Take a job in something completely unrelated. Breathe. Have some fun. Make new friends. You may be surprised to find that this might re-affirm your committment to being a nurse. It also may sweep you into a completely new direction.
Nursing will always be there as a choice. I think what you are seeing in those "thirty - forty" year olds that are still "chasing" a nursing career is not the age, but the sadness that can come out of a person single-mindedly over fixating on one particular goal. This can lead to overlooking other experiences and opportunities that life holds out to you.
I spent many years trying to fruitlessly to climb the corporate managment ladder. That's what my family saw as success. Then I did a "crazy" thing at age 38 - I quit my well paying job I hated and took a job as a nursing assistant on a medical surgical floor at a local community hospital.
Now, at age 46 I'm an ANP and I practice in several settings and have prilvileges at several local hospitals. Maybe something like my scenerio awaits you a little further into your future.....or something different, but equally wonderful!
I don't care how old you are now, it ain't over 'til you're dead!
See, I love it when I see replies and quotes from people like yourself, because it motivates me even more. I have no idea how in the world I could do the schedule for nursing school, but I'll have to figure something out.
Best of luck to you!
Hi Monkey, I got in a program that was summers only and I went very part time on my job. I took out a load of loans, and am now on a government repayment program because I work at a disporportionate share hospital. I will still be owing a lot, but even with my loan repayments I make so much more as a new nurse than I did an experienced social worker it is ridiculous and this allows me to afford my part of the loan repayments. I am hoping to have more reimbursements as time goes on but who knows. I will take what I can get.
Our local Community College offers the AN starting every two years at night. Some people who have only the option of day programs switch jobs. I know some who waited tables at night.
I made another thread, but I'll say it in here. I have decided to give it another try after reading all of the responses on here. All of the posters stories were truly inspiring, I just felt that I was a failure because things weren't going smoothly, ya know. I thought everyone else was getting into nursing school with no problems and here I am going to one school getting rejected, enrolling in another school to try again...to my parents, it just looks like I am not serious and like it'll never happen. They never went to college or knows how much of a challege it can be. To see everyone else experiencing the same roadblocks as i am and not quitting influenced my decision to give it another try:)
I realize I wasn't truly ready for the program anyway. I must admit, my math is a little weak and the portion on the TEAS test I scored the lowest. So, I feel that by going to community college and taking an Algebra course will strengthen my skills so when I do take the NET over again, I'll be ready.
I checked out my options, and decided to go to a school with a waitlist. I was put on the list last dec. and I start nursing classes on monday. they told me 12-18 months. In the mean time I took all my required classes so I have nothing to do except nursing, I also started looking at what would transfer for my BSN,MSN and took a few classes for that. The way I looked at it is I am paying to go to school I wanted a great chance to get in, the only things that would have kept me out would have been failing the net 3x and having a GPA under 2.7.
Don't let your parents push you into something you don't want to do, do what makes you happy for your the one having to do it daily.
I am hoping to have more reimbursements as time goes on but who knows. I will take what I can get.
luquacious
16 Posts
Sorry you feel that way about us 30-40 somethings chasing after a nursing career. I am 42 and will be 43 when I graduate. I didn't do anymore time "chasing" than anyone else (same as the 18-20 somethings lol!). I chose to begin my life differently by raising a family first and than pursue a career. Please forgive me I am not here to defend my choices but offer some advice... if you want something (whether it be nursing or something else) than it doesn't matter how long it takes or how old you are... you should just go for it. Before I started college (at age 40) I was hesitant because of my age (feeling old with all those "yungins" around) and when I told my older sister she asked me a simple question, "how old will you be in 3yrs?" (response 43) She than said, "Well I guess you'll be 43 with a degree or without a degree; it's your choice" You should not worry about how old you are or going to be and continue to go after what your hearts desire is. If your not feeling nursing is it, than my friend don't waste your time or money, but if you do feel that it is your desire, don't let anything get in your way (even a slight delay in time). I completely understand about feeling disappointed due to the wait time for an opening. I actually moved out my home state and went to one that had more more colleges with more openings. When you have a dream you have to be willing to do what ever it takes to make it happen. I wish you luck in your decision making and your future. Hope to hear that something good and wonderful has happened for you.