motivation and determination

[RotBaron]

and prolly strength, and bravery lol.

Where do you find it within yourself when you need it. I'm not speaking about tragedies where it seems to come from nowhere (divine?)

I'm talking about finding from within, reaching down grabbing it, owning it.

I'll explain further, but if you feel the need to say suck it up punk or some other carp, and you REALLY need to say it, PM it to me, that way it'll keep the carp riffraf out of the thread and maybe someone else will find the thread useful for their own purposes.

This is about nursing school:  I might, if all the cards fall properly, have the opportunity to transfer to the only CC that does/offers summer school here. Lots of moving pieces on this one.

Provided that I may get lucky enough to get an open spot, here's my sitrep:  I'm now very comfortable where I am, it will be a learning curve again in a shorter period to get acquainted and up to speed. There are things I like about where I am, there are things I detest about where I am and lots in between. I'm just not that excited about the thought of fighting traffic across town to do this almost every single morning this coming summer (once it gets hot, I'm even less friendly).

You get the gist I imagine...

The pros to this are huge, getting my RN and a job possibly 6 months earlier, roughly 30K $.   And at Christmas I was tired of sitting around after 2 weeks, 3 months maybe I lose focus (that's scary). A change of scenery might be helpful too.

Oh well, smoke if you got em. Hoping I don't regret putting this out there, bbs been quiet lately.

[RotBaron]

I probably should add $. I'll not be able to rely on any Fed student loans; only available for summer/fall.

That and it's OB/pediatrics; not something I ever see myself doing.

I also should explain the real concern here, is not passing. If, Lord, forbid that would happen, I would see none of the benefits that I hope to gain by making this move. AKA failure not an option.

[Bizman]

I studied in an evening school while working. Two evenings weekly plus a Saturday every month. Half of our group changed during the first year...

My motto was an old saying: A man will stand one week even as a fence post. Or two years of evening school. Besides, I found studying much easier and more relaxed than working (as a travelling salesman). It was so simple: Learn what there is to learn as good as you can and pass the exams.

[Getback]

I worked on my Bachelors degree while working up to 3 jobs and dealing with an insane wife, (I'm not joking), and with 3 kids. Graduated at the tender age of 36. Only took 8 and a half years. Then at 54 I graduated with a Masters in Accountancy. At 56 I passed the CPA Exam. Anything is possible if you really want it.

The funny thing is when I was school I thought school really sucked. When I got out in the workforce I thought worked really sucked and went back to school. Never in my life did I think I would have so much schooling.

[MrKrabs]

Sometimes I am glad I never went to college... But at the same time regret it because the stuff I am good at they typically don't hire without educational background. Well at least with a large amount of time investment or playing to the politics found in every workplace to a unneccessary degree.

[Copprhed]

Rot, nursing is a great job to go into, IF you have the ability to deal with the stressed that come with the job. my oldest son is an RN, Critical/Cardiac care. Where do I get my determination from? it's a combination of cannot allow myself to fail, and also an absolute commitment to being the best at what I do. Sometimes it does involve just sucking it up, but also, look FORWARD to the end of the journey and the benefits that will come, along with the knowledge that what you're doing ACTUALLY MEANS something.

[SPKmes]

Future proof yourself... perhaps at this stage you don't believe you will go into the area you study but the extra qualifications will help in future endeavors.... It is still that bit more than others may have and the better qualified the better the chances. It will be a summer of your life which could be a career of a lifetime not missed.

These days study and qualifications rule... never stop learning
 

[SlipKnt]

Nursing is a pretty big deal.  Weird hours and really hostile patients and their families.

You have to ask yourself if this is what you REALLY want?  Don't chase a job that pays "just above average" to start if your heart isn't in it.

Think about what you have done so far to get where you are.  At the VERY beginning, when you decided to persue this dream, was it a passion back then?  After all this time, is it still a passion for you now or just a goal to reach for the now until you can position yourself into a better situation later? 

If you still WANT this and this is your PASSION, then the traffic shouldn't be too much an obstacle.  If the passion outweighs the frustration, then make the commute.  I drive 30 miles one way for a job I am satisfied with but it is no dream job.  It simply pays the rent, puts food on the table, and clothes me and my family.  Nothing more and nothing less.  It takes me on average 1.25 hours one way in traffic and traffic sucks in the DFW area in TX. 

Basically, putting it out here is a good way to use us as a sounding board, however, only you can make the decision. 

I can only wish you the very best in your quest for life!  I truly hope you do well!

 
SlipKnoT

[RotBaron]

Thanks for the replies.

Yes, a RN career in health care is absolutely something I want and my heart is in it; completely.

The transition to the summer program (accelerated) has several moving pieces; should they all fall into place, it would be a chance to enter the workforce ~6 months earlier than my peers. There will, however, be a big (anticipated) learning curve at a different CC; learning who is in charge, how they teach (nursing semesters have multiple profs to answer to, atm I have 4), how they test, etc., etc.

Most of my peers this summer are either going back to their previous jobs, sitting around or some are going to take the license to practice as a LPN/LVN.

The LPN would require about a month of study, a couple weeks to get the license and then find a job; by that time I imagine most are already back into the fall semester, i.e. (for me) that does not make much sense.

Sitting around and working the infrequent IT/part-time work I've done for a while is not very appealing. The bigger concern I have is getting out of the groove and loosing some skills/knowledge I've gained thus far.

AZ was reported 2014 as the highest 1st attempt pass rate for RN licensing in the country; we were told ~5% over the next state, Oregon. Maybe that has something to do with the difficulty of the curriculum. The exams have been a lot harder than I anticipated; much more effort and sometimes difficult than my BS in info systems. I guess it really is the condensed/accelerated (summer) format that looks a bit formidable.

 

[Gray]

You want this. Focus. Do it.

[Serenity]

For me? Trust me, I didn't want to go to college at all. I'm as lazy as they come. Heck, I have to force myself to get up and go for a run every day. I'm sitting here next to an enormous NATOPS book, an FWOP I need to memorize, and about a dozen checklists I need to practice, and I'm here on the BBS.

What keeps me going? I love the job. This is exactly what I've always wanted to do my entire life. Could I fly civilian and do WAY less work? Sure. Why don't I take the out? I'm narcissistic. Honestly, I imagine introducing myself to someone, or hitting on a girl at a bar. I picture myself saying "Yeah, I'm a pilot for Delta." Then I imagine saying "Yeah, you've seen Top Gun? I do that." As horrible as it sounds, that helps a LOT. I love my job, and I love learning this stuff, and I will never stop trying to get better, but it's a constant battle of motivation vs laziness, and I find narcissism helps. And anytime I see someone score higher than me on a test, I remind myself that I know I'm better than them, and I should be showing it, so I need to go back and work harder and study more, so that I can show I'm better.

Again, that sounds a bit arrogant and immature, but I'm at a point where I COULD skate by with minimum effort and PASS, so clinging to the arrogance is what pushes me to go for more than just passing, and REALLY try to be good.

[pipz]

Try not to doubt yourself or dwell on negatives. Don't worry about win or lose just focus on the task at hand. Have confidence in your abilities and put your best effort out. Most likely after some ups and downs it will all fall into place.

When I was at my old job I worked my way into running a real easy machine. It was cake every day. I was comfortable. There were things I liked and didn't like. I decided one day that running this easy machine may be great now but there wasn't any real demand for it anywhere else. So I got back in the game and got placed on a much harder machine. With some effort I learned that and it was a good thing. That place ended up closing down! I had been there 13 years. With the skills I forced myself to learn I was able to pick up another job and I am better off now for it. Usually forcing yourself to learn new things is good for you in the long run.

[cpxxx]

These days study and qualifications rule... never stop learning

This, I could never be a nurse but the above is true. I'm only a pilot. My wife is a medical professional, a medical scientist and laboratory manager. She earns the six figure salary. She didn't get there without working hard at it. But even now she wants to do a business course. Not surprising in a family with four Phds.

You never stop learning. But it's not just about qualifications. It's nursing. It's people and that's what reduces my lovely wife to tears at times. Not just patients but staff. But mainly patients. If you can't deal with that side you are useless. No amount of qualifications make up for that. I cannot tell you how often my phone rings and my wife is in tears on the other end or she comes home wound up. I can only listen.

Something to bear in mind.

[RotBaron]

Unfortunately I was not able to pursue this.

I'm concerned about losing skills and knowledge acquired over the last 10 months, but not much I can do about that.

Gotta take care of mom now and worry about the other half of my nursing requirements later.

I did however find out that I can jump over a BSN and earn a Master's in nursing without having to take the GRE/GMAT; what a relief. I can potentially start some of those classes this summer; we'll see.

Thanks for the support gents.

 

[Oldman731]

Gotta take care of mom now and worry about the other half of my nursing requirements later.

Agreed.

Good luck, dude.  Keep us posted.

- oldman