Thinking of retraining as a nurse...

Jo_R_2

I too am hoping to retrain as a nurse in the next couple of years - plans have been made and remade due to relationship break-up, new relationship and new baby then another new baby due soon!

I've done a lot of soul-searching over what career path to take. For me, I have already been to uni (for more years than I'd like to think about now!) and due to various reasons, decided not to pursue that career path.

My mum was a nurse since she came to live over here as a young adult, having asked her about it (obviously this was a while ago) she said it did take a lot of work but she enjoyed it - enough so that it was her lifetime career and she worked her way up the ranks, in rehabilitation, on the ward, nursing people who have had strokes etc back to health, always doing night shifts so it fitted in with us kids:D and my dad's job.

My sister and BIL also work in healthcare in good careers (although not nursing, they do have direct patient contact.) For me, I want to qualify as a nurse so I can become a Health Visitor - which involves further training after the nursing degree - although my path should be slightly different to the 'traditional' degree as I already have a degree, I am hoping to be accepted onto the two year graduate programme.

I am aware of the demands of uni study (and that's without kids), and factoring into this shift work, I am now working out when will be the best time to start applying to study. I always wanted my two DDs to be at school (aged 6 and nearly 4, DD2 starting school this Sept) but now I have a 1 year old and another on the way, I am looking at least two years into the future, but very excited!

Good luck - I hope you come to the right decision for you!

moneypanicker

I did the two year graduate nursing diploma. As i had previously done a degree i can tell you that being a nursing student is completely different from being an "ordinary student". For one the course was very intense and holidays very few. You are unable to skip lectures and cannot go on holiday when you want. You also can't go out and get drunk every night as you have to be up early on the wards.
Parts of it I hated and parts i loved. I'm not sure why i ended up in nursing as i'm not a natural nurse - however i love it now. It's not without it's problems the politics etc but you kind of have to get used to it.
It suits me with kids working longer hours to save on childcare although shift work is not for everyone and you have to have flexible childcare as generally they are not accomodating on certain shifts etc especially if you work in hospital.
The pay is not as bad as they make out - although more would be nice I earn a fair wage for being part-time.

You haven't said if you have kids. I certainly wouldn't have been able to do the training with children but i know others who have managed. It is hard work though!!

Good luck with whatever you decide

JaneRN

I qualified in 1992 and have had a varied career. I travelled quite a bit when I was a Clinical Nurse Specialist for medical equipment / disposables company. I have managed in both the Private sector and the NHS. I am now an Advanced Nurse Practitioner as I didn't want to continue down the management route and move away from hands on nursing. My student nurse training was very different to todays, we were included in the ward establishment and took charge during our training. We also had assignments and exams to do throughout the 3yrs, which is tough but do-able.
I have loved most of my nurse training & my career (and hated some of it too) as it has been so varied. For me it has been a case of "you only get out what you put in". I've embraced opportunities to work in different areas and enjoy change and a bit of a challenge. I think I am really fortunate as I know I have many transferable skills if I ever wanted to move away from nursing - although I think that is unlikely.
Wishing you well in your future.

clodagh_trubble

I qualified in 1980 (can't believe it was so long ago), and have worked in General Practice for almost 20 years now, and am now an Advanced Nurse Practitioner. Really love the job and it has been so varied over the years with so many opportunities that there's never been chance to get bored. There are downsides - can be stressful, political change all the time, sadness for patients you get to know who have bad times,you'll never be a millionaire and so on, but overall for saying it's a career I never intended to have I wouldn't change it, and wish you Good Luck for your future in nursing

dawn2dusk

bubblegum6000 wrote: »

Thank you so much for all your replies :j

I would be wanting to do the diploma and do have the qualifications etc, but know I only have next year to do it!

Thanks for all the advice about gaining some experience, I'm going to have a look at the NHS professionals website and see if I can get any bank work

It's been great to hear peoples experiences, I'm going to check out the student nurse forum site too, thanks The_bride

will mull it all over and do a bit more research! Thanks again everyone:T

Apply to NHS Professionals as soon as possible, with CRB checks and red tape it can take as long as 3 months. They will want you to do a written test which is basically common sense. You have not said which branch of nursing you would like to apply for. i qualified 8 months ago from being a support worker before nurse training. I have found the transition hard at times, but gaining experience and support from team members, i think it is definately worth it. Go for it it, you have nothing to lose.