Will I ever become a nurse?

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Hi everyone!

So a little background...I graduated from High School in 2007 and I immediately went to a community college here in town. Ive always wanted to be in the medical field but was having trouble deciding exactly where in the field. I took many general ed classes and a few other ones. One semester I took anatomy but dropped it because I wasn't sure if I was going to need it. I continued going to college for a few years when I decided I wanted to do nursing. I spoke to an awesome counselor who motivated me and gave me advice, one of them was to volunteer at a local hospital, so I did. I also got an ed plan where all the pre-requisites for nursing where listed and found that I needed to retake that anatomy class even though it was going to affect my GPA for the nursing program. Well I re took it and got a B, next semester I took physiology AND the lab as well as micro all while volunteering at a hospital. As soon as i was done with the semester, I enrolled in a CNA class and had my first experience ever working with patients (it was scary!:nailbiting:) I passed the class and the state exam and was finally done with all the pre-requisites for the RN program! I applied for the RN program at the CC at the beginning of last year and got rejected but I got into another one with approx a 4 year wait list:down:. Last May I graduated from college with general education with emphasis in natural sciences and started working at an ALF.

Today, I am 2 months away from being 25 years old, still going to school, this time trying to get into the LVN program and working at the ALF. I am just going through a really hard time in my life and feel as though I will never achieve anything. I have been in college since I was 18 and people sometimes tell me I could have already become a doctor since I've been going to school for so many years.

All I can think of is...what if I don't get into the LVN program? What am I going to do? I will feel like a failure, I'm already starting to feel that way. I don't even feel smart enough. I regret not starting earlier with getting my CNA and applying to the LVN program first.:crying2:

I guess I need motivation or advice on what to do...I just have no idea what I will do if I don't get in. What will I do with my life?

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Specializes in Cardiac.

Haters are going to hate. If you want to be a nurse, be a nurse! I graduated high school in 2008 and am starting nursing school this year. I felt at times like I would never get here. I was having an especially hard day once and someone said that I have to remember it's a marathon and not a sprint...ok but sometimes it sure feels like a crawl-backwards! I thought. But time will pass regardless of what you are doing so you might as well be pursuing what you want. In 10 years you will be well into your nursing career or you wont, but 10 years will still have gone by. Broaden your horizons. Look into other programs, don't limit yourself! Move if you have to. I know you feel old but you aren't! There are people twice our age starting nursing right now. You can do this if you want to! Just a little perspective. Hugs :)

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Keep on going! There are Soooo many nurses who become one late in life, well into their 40's and older. It's never too late. You are still very young. There are older people right now just starting college who wish they were you and 25!

You'll make it. Look how far you've come already. Plus if you decide nursing isn't for you, there are hundreds of other things in the medical field you can be. Hang in there :cat:

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Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.

I accumulated many college credits before deciding to pursue nursing.

There were negative people- such as my husband, who is now my ex because he didn't want me to go to school for nursing.

I was 29 when I decided to start the prereqs for the RN program.

Along the way I became a CNA and an LVN so I could earn as I continued in school.

I'm now 34 and taking the last classes needed to apply to the RN program.

It's your life and your choice and you're not too old nor have you been in school for too long.

Do you!

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Were about the same age and I just finished up my cna so this is my beginning to my career I don't have any college credits and I have 2 kids. But that's not going to stop me. I'm going to go for my lpn next when I feel the time is ready. In the meantime I need to find a job. lol.

Do not get discouraged we have plenty of time. Every ones paths of life are different. Some of us aren't teach fresh after high school some are forced by their families into such careers and some are just pursing for the salary they will be earning. Nursing is always on high demand were always gonna need them. And there are so many branches of nursing you can do all it takes is motivation.

Where are you located if you don't mind me asking? Are there any junior colleges or technical schools? I'm in nyc but we have a Lincoln tech campus in NJ and CT that provide lpn. It's only one year and my friend says it's great she's an lpn now. I was going to a junior college in Puerto Rico but dropped out to come back to nyc but the college was a 2 yr associate in nursing and you didn't need any prereqs I was taking math a&p and it's lab and nursing fundamentals and it's lab. In the first semester. The following semesters included nursing classes and Spanish and English that is all. I wish I would've never left I would've been finishing up this May. :-(

i wish i could find a college like that here. It was accredited and transferable. And their clinical lab was so big it looked like a clinic best lab I have ever seen.

any ways back to the topic! Do not give up. Look look and keep looking always think about how good you're going to feel in the end. Good luck!

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Becoming a nurse is a long process. I've been completing my prerequisites to apply to nursing programs for the past two years. For a normal person (read: non-insane--ie someone who doesn't try to work 50 hours a week and take two 8-credit classes), it might take 3-4 years. If I get in when I apply this fall, I'll be starting next spring--and IF I take a ridiculous course load, I might be able to finish in four semesters.

If you don't get into the program you want, you have to apply to others, or reapply again until you get in to the one you really want. If you have the right grades and the right scores, it'll happen eventually. I know it's frustrating, but nursing requires a lot of education and training, and it won't happen overnight. Sure, you might have figured it all out earlier and taken different path--but you didn't. No point in worrying over that now. Instead, find the shortest path to where you know you want to be and focus on getting there.

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Specializes in NICU, Trauma, Oncology.

I graduated high school in 1997. College with a degree in chem in 2003. Masters in 2011. And now going to nursing school at 35. Don't let your age bother you. Do what you wanna do. Keep on chugging.

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Specializes in Hospice.

I'm 50 and just finished my first year of NS (RN). Do it now. I wish I hadn't wasted all those years as an office manager! Go straight for RN if that's what you want. LPN bridge programs to RN will keep you in school an extra year or more.

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I say apply to as many LVN and RN programs that you can afford (more RN than LVN). You said you already have a B.S. degree? Then apply to accelerated BSN programs. Just don't stop moving forward. I wouldn't listen to the naysayers. Neither one of those people will be feeding you with whatever degree they earn. And neither one of those people will fund/earn your degree for you. They really do not matter. If you use their comments for anything, let it be motivation. This too shall pass. Enjoy your journey.

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Specializes in ICU.

I cannot believe that schools have a 4 year waitlist and they expect people to wait. That is crazy. I'm guessing you are in CA. I would apply to some other schools and apply to several schools for the LPN programs and then bridge to RN. Something else I would look at would maybe to be a lab tech or EKG tech until you can get into nursing school. Just some ideas on other things you can do while waiting.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

You will get there.

Started at 18, didn't succeed an ASN program at 19, dusted myself off, continued pre req's for the BSN, was a tech during that time, applied and went into a diploma PN program; became a LPN, got my AA from my CC and had to finish up MORE pre req's got while working, then life happened and got in the way, dusted myself back up AGAIN, and got into a BSN program and FINALLY became a RN; took about 12 years after my "expected" graduation year-I don't regret my experiences either-It has made me a better ME, and a better nurse. :yes:

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Specializes in IR, Cardiac Tele,Burns, Peds Trauma & ER.

On top of all of the other words, I graduated HS in, eh-hem, 1993... PLayed in the EMS field for awhile and in 2000 I got bored and went and slung bottles for awhile (bartended). Got back in school in 2008 and worked my way through several difficult parts of life. I finally got back into it in 2008 at an MA program, went straight to my AA (which I took 2.5 years to complete) and now I am proud to say that I am about to graduate from the #1 nursing school in the nation with my BSN. It was difficult and I cried like a little girl with a scraped knee several times, but I got through it. Dont let up... You got this

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