I am almost 35 years and I have 2 children and have been married for 14 years. I have owned my own business for around 9 years. It is in a vocation that I would never choose myself. In about 5 years I want to sell my business and I will financially finally be able to have a career that I want to do because it makes me happy not because it puts food on the table. So I am planning ahead...... I want to become a delivery nurse. I have NO experience what so ever in the nursing field but have a flexible schedule and a desire to learn.
Can anyone help me understand the schooling? I have been told that if I get a bachelors in science/ health management through university of phoenix then I went to Nursing school it would be considered the same as having an RN with a bachelors in nursing.
I live in California..The associate degree in nursing is very competitive..You might want to check out the private colleges instead since they are not that impacted.
Thanks for the replies. I am just having a hard time finding a way to become an RN part time. Without any prior experience. Anyone in California have any suggestions.
As far as I know there is no part-time RN school. All the schools I'm familiar with require that you go full time.
As for your age - I wouldn't worry about it. I started working on my pre-reqs at 41. Now at 45 I finally got accepted. You read that right. It took me 4 years of taking and re-taking classes, as well as jumping through multiple hoops to get accepted into nursing school. I thought I would make the decision to become a nurse and *poof* I'd be in nursing school. Not so. It has been an arduous, strenuous endeavor.
So be prepared. You might be in for quite a lot of hoop jumping of your own to get into nursing school. Depending on how long ago you took classes, you may have to re-take any science classes you've had in the past.
Make an appointment with an admissions counselor at a local community college and find out what you have to do to get in.
GO for it! I think being a mother and wife has helped me immensely in nursing school. Both in practice and having that extra support/motivation at home.
There has been excellent advice posted here already. As for me, I started my pre-req's at community college, at night. It took me about 2 years, including summers. As for nursing school, I think every program is extremely competetive. Some are strictly grade based, others take a more holistic look at each individual student. ADN can take as long as BSN depending on how easy it is to get classes. By BSN program is considered full-time, but usually only occupied 3 days a week.
best of luck, and follow your heart if it's telling you to go to nursing school! Where there's a will, there is a way.
I'm 32, I have 3 kids, a husband, and I'm a SAHM. I have a BS from a 4 year college but I want to be a L&D RN. Soooooooo....... here I go! I'm starting this fall taking my pre-reqs slowly and I will be applying for nursing school once I'm finished. It will take some time, but if I can do it... anyone can!
I would look up some of the local schools in your area. Community Colleges, Technical colleges, Universities, 4 yr schools.... everything. You can go into their sites and see what programs and degrees they offer. Some private schools offer evening and weekend programs but they are much more expensive. Anyway, that's where I started and I'm on my way! Woohoo! Good luck!
I was your exact age when I went to nursing school. I am 40 yrs old now and working in labor and delivery (also owned a business before I went to school). Would I do it again? You betcha!
I am 32...have a 12 and 9 year old, and will graduate with my BSN this time next year. I am SO glad that I decided to chase my dreams...it is never too late! There are several others in my class older than I am. If this is what you want, go for it. Don't let anything stop you.
I have 3 children 7-11 and I am doing it. I am taking prereq's right now. If I do well in Chemistry and a&p I will be celebrating at the end of summer. I am so excited as I got an A on my first a&p test last week! Let me tell you, it is so fun to go back to school. It is good for the mind and the soul!
I'm 34, have an 11 year old and a seven year old. It is very challenging but it can happen. Like buddiage said you have to get the help of your family. My seven year old loves doing the laundry, she use to just load and unload but she kept bugging me and when I would start to add the detergant and fabric softner she would stand there and tell me how to do it. So I started letting her do it, she says she's my little helper and a big girl now. I tell them all the time that they help me alot when they do some of the work around the house. Now that I have graduated my seven year old still wants to do the laundry. When she hears the dryer go off she takes off running and changes it out, then she starts grabbing dirty cloths and ask if they can be put in together. It is really cute.
When I was studying or working on weekends (which was nights) my husband would cook supper.
So if everybody is willing to work together it will work.
You can certainly go part time through school. I am a mom and wife so I went to a technical college to get my ADN. I took 2 classes each semester. First I did all my prereqs while waiting to get into the nursing program. (You will most likely have to wait at least a year or so to get into the nursing program). Actually once I started the nursing program I took ONE nursing class each semester. The classes are extremely demanding. There is a ton of studying. So taking 2 nursing classes can be very overwhelming. I did that one time but it was like all my time was taken up by school. It took me almost 4 years from the time I began until graduation. But with a family that was the only way. And I still felt like I ignored them all the time due to school stuff. And now after almost 2 years I am ready to do something besides nursing! But you never know if you are going to like a job until you actually do it.
our program for the adn was designed to finish up in 4 semesters, yes you are right it is very demanding, requires a lot of studying and writing the case studies late into the night and cramming for tests like no other classes i've taken before. for me it was all worth it, i had to remind myself often that; "if it were easy everyone would do it". it isn't for everyone.
a good support system and a very understanding family is crucial to succeeding b/c school takes everything you have on most days leaving little to give. but the pay off is in sight and very rewarding if you can all just hang in there.
.thumb.gif.fc0b5b00a77a1cf676541776e02de0f9.gif){kind=avatar}
Bala Shark
573 Posts
I live in California..The associate degree in nursing is very competitive..You might want to check out the private colleges instead since they are not that impacted.