newbie:looking4change

[wwowfadeaway]

hello evryone

my name is jay. I am currently seeking a major change in my life.
As far as career goes. I am seeking advice on whether i should step into the career field of becoming a registered nurse. Let me also say that I am 34yr old and a single parent. I have a 5yr old son and currently going through a divorce. which honestly I'm not doing so well going through. I just wanted to know if this is a good choice for me. If so I am all ears for advice.

[imported_Aaron C.]

First off, welcome to the forum!

it's only a good choice for you if that's what you desire to do.

The money is good, but sometimes the work is not.

You'll always have a job, but it's not always easy.

You might try becoming a CNA and working in the hospital for a couple of months to see if it's your cup of tea or not. Of course, you won't be doing the same job as an RN, but most good RN's will do plenty of cna work (imo), but doing the job, you'll be working with and around nurses and that should give you a good enough idea as far as what you'd be doing for the rest of your life.

Just a suggestion of course.

[justatraveler]

hello evryone

my name is jay. I am currently seeking a major change in my life.
As far as career goes. I am seeking advice on whether i should step into the career field of becoming a registered nurse. Let me also say that I am 34yr old and a single parent. I have a 5yr old son and currently going through a divorce. which honestly I'm not doing so well going through. I just wanted to know if this is a good choice for me. If so I am all ears for advice.

IMHO You'll be going for the gold. I've been a nurse for almost 27 years. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Is it perfect. Nope. Is it difficult. Can be. Is it rewarding. Yep.

Try hemodialysis. With the two major companies you can get OJT as a tech. And then they will pay for you to go to RN school.

I was an LPN for 17 years. It was certainly a good foundation. Knowing what I know now I wish I had gone to get my RN much sooner.

In chronic outpatient hemodialysis you won't work nights. Yes we do do nocturnal hemo but that's mostly a volunteer job. You won't have to rotate to it. No Sundays except the week of: T-day, Xmas, and sometimes New Year's.

Rarely a poopie, sometimes a little vomit, but not so much now since we started using bi-carb. Yeah there is blood but it's over-rated. We don't like to spend time cleaning the floors.

A family atmosphere. You get to know you patients. Get to see them get better and maybe get a transplant and move on.


PM for more info if you are interested.

Good luck. Go for it.

[Annakin]

Hi, Newbie:looking4change --

I was a jet mechanic before the bottom fell out of the industry and I knew I had to do something different if I was going to raise my boys the best way I knew how. I, too, was going through a divorce ... but going back to college and getting into nursing counts way high on my "List of Things I Did Right".

Surgery is fantastic! I feel as though, in some ways, I'm still a mechanic -- because in the OR, we are the "fixers"! People come in, they're "broken", and we fix them. It's fabulous. At this moment I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing.

Anyway, good luck to you. Take care and think hard on this decision. Remember, anyone can become a nurse ... but it takes a special breed to be a GREAT nurse.

Annakin

[Wightlady]

Hi there. I began my nurse training at 42 years of age and never looked back....so....go for it. Good money. Nice people and good pension (I'll need that soon !!)
Good luck with it all.

[SoldierNurse]

hello evryone

my name is jay. I am currently seeking a major change in my life.
As far as career goes. I am seeking advice on whether i should step into the career field of becoming a registered nurse. Let me also say that I am 34yr old and a single parent. I have a 5yr old son and currently going through a divorce. which honestly I'm not doing so well going through. I just wanted to know if this is a good choice for me. If so I am all ears for advice.

The healthcare field is my second career. I did not start college until I was 32 yrs old. Two years later [as a single parent dad] I completed AAS in Surg Tech degree. Then, three years later [still as a single parent dad w/two sons] I completed my AAS in Nursing (ADN). Six years later [this time with my boys out of the nest], I completed RN-BSN program.

I found being a single parent dad & nursing to be very compatible in an ironic sense. No better way for a guy to get in touch with his feminine side than raise two sons, and be an RN, LOL. Another ironic twist, my present wife in an RN, too.

Yes, nursing is an excellent choice if you do so for all the right reasons.

[SoldierNurse]

Hi, Newbie:looking4change --

I was a jet mechanic before the bottom fell out of the industry and I knew I had to do something different if I was going to raise my boys the best way I knew how. I, too, was going through a divorce ... but going back to college and getting into nursing counts way high on my "List of Things I Did Right".

Surgery is fantastic! I feel as though, in some ways, I'm still a mechanic -- because in the OR, we are the "fixers"! People come in, they're "broken", and we fix them. It's fabulous. At this moment I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing.

Anyway, good luck to you. Take care and think hard on this decision. Remember, anyone can become a nurse ... but it takes a special breed to be a GREAT nurse.

Annakin

Wow, small world! I was an aircraft electrician both in the USMC and as civilian. I did not have my A&P license, which as you know in the civilian aircraft industry is a must. So, I decided to go to college and help fix people, instead of aircraft.

I've even spent a total of seven years in the OR, as a CST & RN. I now work in ICU.

[pdsgraves]

Hey this is to whitlady. I need some advice on going into nursing. I am 47 years old looking for a career change. At my age i am trying to figure out the best way to do this, to break into the field. Should i go for my CNA first, or get an associate degree in Health Science and then go for my RN. What to do what to do. Right now i am in a school setting being a wrap around for a child with special education issues. Want to change. Need some advice.

pamela

[cougarnurse]

Hey this is to whitlady. I need some advice on going into nursing. I am 47 years old looking for a career change. At my age i am trying to figure out the best way to do this, to break into the field. Should i go for my CNA first, or get an associate degree in Health Science and then go for my RN. What to do what to do. Right now i am in a school setting being a wrap around for a child with special education issues. Want to change. Need some advice.

pamela

Some places (such as up my way) require you to be a CNA before you get into Clinicals. Being a CNA does help you learn from 'the bottom up', so to speak. There IS the ADN program for RNs.

'Cat'

[Annakin]

Wow, small world! I was an aircraft electrician both in the USMC and as civilian. I did not have my A&P license, which as you know in the civilian aircraft industry is a must. So, I decided to go to college and help fix people, instead of aircraft.

I've even spent a total of seven years in the OR, as a CST & RN. I now work in ICU.

Heh! :cheers: Nice to meet another vet. I was in the USAF for four years, learned to be a ramp rat there on F-4's and T-38's, then got out and worked for gov't contractors in Transient Alert for many years before heading back to college at 38. Very nice to meet you.
I've spent all my time in the OR, from graduating on. I knew from my first semester in college where I wanted to be. I love it here.
Anyway, best wishes and best of luck in Iraq. Take care!

Annakin