Considering nursing

Active Poster Joined: May 07 2012 Posts: 84

I am strongly considering going back to school for nursing.
I am nearly 40, already have a degree from college years. (In a science-related field. I like sciences).
Anyone here an RN or BSN?
Can anyone give me any insight as to how you work this career being shomer shabbos?
Feel free to post or pm.

Senior Member Joined: Jul 14 2011 Posts: 192

I went to nursing school in NY with some frum women in their 50's, both having 8 kids! I graduated from nursing and moved OOT and always had anxiety about the whole shabbos thing. I live now in a much more modern community where some nurses work on shabbos. This was something I was not willing to do. For me I ended up getting a job at a Long term care facility Mon-Fri 7-3:30. Perfect for shabbos, thank G-d. Smile

Active Poster Joined: May 07 2012 Posts: 84

Thank tou Just,

I do get having to work on shabbos when you are a nurse. I do want to know more about frum women in nursing. I have considered a careeer in midwifery. I know there is a great need in the frum community about womens health. many women are so unaware of how their own bodies function...it astounds. me. there are so many nursing options where I live. Hopefully, I will hear more input.

I am glad to hear of women older than me going into nursing. It seems like only yesterday that I married, had babies, stayed home with them, and now am back in the work field.

Gold Member Joined: Jun 29 2011 Posts: 1210

I am not sure where you live but in different countries things work differently. I live in New York and I am currently in Nursing school. I have some jewish classmates some in their 30's with a few kids. As far as working on shabbos I dont see that you should have that issue since you can work on sundays instead. Just want to let you know that nursing school is really hard but if you think its for you than go for it. You can pm me if you have any questions.
_________________

Senior Member Joined: Mar 05 2006 Posts: 171

Another nursing student here. I'm also a "second career"-er, went back to school for nursing after my first degree ended up not panning out (economy...). I do still have little kids at home, so it's a little different, but it's definitely doable (I went back to school after working for several years - and women in my program have worked worked for decades and are now back in school, doing really well I might add). It's like a full-time job basically. Many women in my program, both frum and not, have children (the non-jewish mostly have 1 child - but still, being a single mother with no support is quite time-consuming and draining). Just so you know, there are 'dual degree' programs where you can do a bachelors and master's either consecutively or overlapping (there are several in ny - but I have heard of others OOT) - there are also "accelerated" programs for students who already have bachelor degrees (my program takes 15 months (after pre-reqs) to finish the BSN portion).

Feel free to pm with any questions.

Posted: Fri, May 11 2012, 6:24 pm Post subject: re: considering nursing

I am about to graduate from Nursing school June 15th.. Honestly, I am going back for my bachelors - most hospitals want a bachelors/masters degree.

Also the market for jobs are not easy, I have friends that graduated last semester and of a class of 35 only 5 have jobs so far.

I have kids age 9, 12, 13 - and it's not easy.. My last semester we have to do 12 hour shifts 8 times, and it's giving my family an idea of what it will be like when I have a job.

But I love it!! I cannot wait to graduate, take my boards and please hashem find a job Smile

I also hope to do something in my community, but unfortunately the states are not really set up for such a thing. People are afraid to start their own clinics, because if someone decides they are not happy with your care insurance rates are insane. People are sue happy, and your license could be at stake

Silver Member Joined: Jun 14 2010 Posts: 694

There are many accelerated nursing programs for those with a prior BA/BS (the AACN has a list of every such program in the US) that can allow you to earn your BSN or MSN in as little as 13 months, though you will likely have to take some prerequisites beforehand. I got my master's in nursing in 16 months since I already had my BA.
I went back to school with 3 little kids at home, and I loved that my program - because it was for second career students - had a very wide range of students with respect to age, background, gender, previous careers, and life skills. I would say to go for it. Your age should in no way impede you. And the fact that you have a science background will help you getting into programs as well as in the program and in the field.
Baruch Hashem I got a great job straight out of school (don't despair listening to the naysayers... if you get good grades, make good relationships with the right staff members, and seek out opportunity, and most importantly don't live in NY!) so it's not as dire as it seems. And even though getting a first job can be a challenge, once you are over that initial hurdle and are considered an "experienced nurse" (ie; have at least 1 year of experience) there are so, so many job opportunities. I thank Hashem every day (or try to, at least) that I b"h have a good job now and whenever I consider moving to a new job, I find that there are tens of jobs that are available to me. Go to any hospital website and look how many RN openings there are. True, the catch is that they are mostly looking for someone with experience, but as I council many new and studying RNs, I tell them to think of their first job as part of their schooling. You may have to settle (for a first job only) for a job that is farther away than you want, on a less than desirable unit, or for a shift you would not have preferred. But if you can manage that first year and think of it as part of your education - only you are getting paid - then after that the opportunities are almost endless.
With regard to working on Shabbos... in eretz yisroel you might have to, but I don't know of any frum nurse (and I know many of them) in the US who has to work on Shabbos. You might have to work more Sunday's than other nurses on your unit to fulfill your weekend requirement (if you work in a hospital setting) but it should not be an issue at all.
Hatzlacha rabba - I'm excited for you. You can PM me if you have any questions.

Silver Member Joined: Jun 14 2010 Posts: 694

There are many accelerated nursing programs for those with a prior BA/BS (the AACN has a list of every such program in the US) that can allow you to earn your BSN or MSN in as little as 13 months, though you will likely have to take some prerequisites beforehand. I got my master's in nursing in 16 months since I already had my BA.
I went back to school with 3 little kids at home, and I loved that my program - because it was for second career students - had a very wide range of students with respect to age, background, gender, previous careers, and life skills. I would say to go for it. Your age should in no way impede you. And the fact that you have a science background will help you getting into programs as well as in the program and in the field.
Baruch Hashem I got a great job straight out of school (don't despair listening to the naysayers... if you get good grades, make good relationships with the right staff members, and seek out opportunity, and most importantly don't live in NY!) so it's not as dire as it seems. And even though getting a first job can be a challenge, once you are over that initial hurdle and are considered an "experienced nurse" (ie; have at least 1 year of experience) there are so, so many job opportunities. I thank Hashem every day (or try to, at least) that I b"h have a good job now and whenever I consider moving to a new job, I find that there are tens of jobs that are available to me. Go to any hospital website and look how many RN openings there are. True, the catch is that they are mostly looking for someone with experience, but as I council many new and studying RNs, I tell them to think of their first job as part of their schooling. You may have to settle (for a first job only) for a job that is farther away than you want, on a less than desirable unit, or for a shift you would not have preferred. But if you can manage that first year and think of it as part of your education - only you are getting paid - then after that the opportunities are almost endless.
With regard to working on Shabbos... in eretz yisroel you might have to, but I don't know of any frum nurse (and I know many of them) in the US who has to work on Shabbos. You might have to work more Sunday's than other nurses on your unit to fulfill your weekend requirement (if you work in a hospital setting) but it should not be an issue at all.
Hatzlacha rabba - I'm excited for you. You can PM me if you have any questions.

Posted: Sun, May 13 2012, 10:33 pm Post subject: re: considering nursing

Nursing can be a good field to go into - but honestly not in the NY area. I heard elsewhere there is more options. The field is flooded with frum new grads and its all about the right pull to even get a hospital interview and then the job. Just realize that you have to just take any job for that first job - get that first years experience and then can look for a more desirable job. Which most probably means working night shifts for the first 1/2 year at least. I graduated 2 years ago and never got that first job - but then again I have little kids at home and I am being picky. At a hospital interview the women told me bluntly that if I'm not a night person - don't even take such a job because I will not make it through the year. She advised me to wait it out and think out of the box for a first job.B'h I am quite busy at home and hope one day to use my degree. But I do see that the women with the older kids in the house are able to juggle the schooling and then the career much easier than those with little kids at home. Hatzlocha on your decision.

Posted: Mon, May 14 2012, 10:38 am Post subject: re: considering nursing

It's nice to hear about other frum mothers going to nursing school with kids. I have 3 little ones at home and I'm starting an accelerated program in Sept, G-d willing. I'm very nervous about how I will manage it but I'm taking out an extra loan just to cover babysitting help as this is not the year to cut down on conveniences.

In regards to the nursing market, I've spoken to many nurses who are recruiters and in supervisory positions and most agree that there are ebbs and flows in the demands for nurses. Back in 2008, when my DH was going for nursing, everyone he spoke to told him that they got a job very easily and there was a major demand for nurses. 2 years later, the economy hit hard, some hospitals closed down, hospital staff was downsized (read: overload of work for remaining hospital staff) and the demand decreased. There is still demand, but for experienced nurses. However there is expected to be a major turnaround in 2013/14 as that is the year designated for many older nurses to retire. So if that will be the time that you graduate, there is a good chance it will be easy to get a job again.

Make sure nursing is what you want to do, the work is very physically draining and the hours are long. Speak to as many other nurses as you can.

Some of DH's classmates got jobs in other areas straight out of school, not necessarily in a hospital, although clinical experience is highly preferable. Once of his classmates (frum girl) is working in a school for special children. Another is a one on one nurse for a child with medical needs in a mainstream yeshivah. There are other options out there, although lower paying. Most jobs however do require prior hospital experience.
_________________