Every path to nursing is an individual path. We all come to it a different way.
I finished a two-year RN program in December. I did this after being a news reporter for eight years. I was a health reporter, and I spent so much time around nurses and doctors that the hospital started to feel like a more comfortable place than the office. Three things happened that pushed me to make my decision. First, I spent 150 hours working on a story about a little girl who needed a liver transplant. The photographer and I were literally scrubbed in for the surgery. Then, my partner quit the newspaper. Finally, covering Hurricane Katrina made me feel like I could do more than just write about it and take pictures. So I quit my job and went back to school.
I think you are taking great steps to see if it is right for you. My advice to you is, once you are in school, study your butt off. Nursing isn't a cake-walk, and you need to know a lot of stuff. Once you are in school, I have a lot of study tips for you. :) Also, if you are interested in becoming an RN, check the community colleges around you for 2-year RN programs (AASN-RN, Associate of Applied Science of Nursing - RN; may also be called an ADN program).
So that's about it for the moment. I'm sure I'll come up with some other advice soon...
Discussion Topic
Pursuing Nursing
Posted on 05/02/09, 11:38 pm
Hi everyone. I recently decided that I might be interested in becoming a nurse. I will be taking classes to get my CNA certification in June and will decide from there if I want to pursue nursing further. If I decide to move froward with schooling I would probably focus on getting a practical nursing AAS degree (two year program). I'm going to be 27 this summer and the idea of being in school for four years to become an RN would drive me nuts. I'd like to get through the schooling as quickly as possible. Anyways.. If anyone has any advice let me know! Thanks.
M
M
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Reply #1 05/03/09 8:27am
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Reply #2 05/03/09 1:50pm
Thank you so much for your response Monkey. Your story is really interesting. It takes guts to quit a career and go back to school for something completely different. Kudos to you! I did find a two year RN program at a local community college. I think that would be a better route instead of the two year LPN. I'm sure I will have more questions for you (I hope you don't mind). Take care! =) -
Reply #3 05/04/09 9:08am
I started down the RN road 4 yrs ago, I actually got into this a little backwards. I became an EMT for my local community (which we are all volunteer) once I started doing that I actually loved the medical field and jumped into nursing school. I am technially in a 2 yr program, but since there is an overabundance of students around here, I had to wait 2 yrs to get into nursing classes. I have 2 semester left and I will be done. I will be 32 when i graduate next may. I am married with 2 kids, and working 2 part time jobs and I am doing it. It's not an easy road Monkey is right, study you booty off cause what they are teaching you have to know it inside and out. Nursing isn't a job, it's a calling, if you're being called into the Nursing field there is a reason that you need to do this. Have faith in yourself, and take the leap. I know you'll be glad you did. -
Reply #4 05/06/09 4:17pm
Thanks for your response as well Bird. I give you a lot of credit as well. It sounds like you have a full plate between work, school and your family. I do feel that I am being called into nursing. I think it would be such a rewarding career. I only wish I decided to do this sooner. The thought crossed my mind several times throughout the years but I didn't think I could do it then. I was worried about the classes being too difficult but I really think I wasn't focused enough. Now I think I'm ready. I hope things are going well with your classes, etc.
Take care..
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