The Glade 4.0

I've been thinking long and hard with my fiancée about my future. We decided it'd be best for me to do a 180 in life.

Currently, I'm working at a $12/hour job at a medical device company which offers tuition reimbursement. I've been working and going to school since I began two and a half years ago. I haven't been able to take more than two or three classes at a time due to work, as well as having a family at home. I'm one class away from finishing up my associates degree in Marketing, which got me looking into my future options for furthering my education. Since I work 2nd shift, I was considering online courses at one of the many online business schools. After looking into the credibility issues with many of them, I reconsidered going to the local university (Western Michigan University) to complete my bachelor. After meeting with a WMU counselor, I learned that my two years of schooling (actually more when you count actual credits) would only get me one year of schooling to transfer. Essentially, she told me I have about three years left, even though I'm 25 and been going on and off to community college for 7 years now. The thought of trying to get through three full years of school (meaning 15-17 credits per semester, with full loads in the summer) while working 40-50+ hours a week isn't even an option for me. Taking two classes a semester, even with a summer class sprinkled in there here and then, it'd take another 7 years to graduate with my bachelor.

This brings me to my big change in direction (It's actually two changes rolled into one huge one):

Change 1:

I plan on quitting my position to return to school full time, leading to my fiancée and I moving back home to my parents for a couple years. I never thought we could afford me to quit my job, but I soon realized that most of our expenses are due to us living on our own, trying to pull the weight of the world (we both go to school and work, with a two year old as well). By living back at home temporarily (my parents are on board by the way), we will save over $900/month. My fiancée makes more than I do currently just waitressing 10-14 hours a week, compared to my 45. If I were to get a part time job, it'd open up the time to go to school full time.

Change 2:

Based on almost all of my education going to waste, I've actually decided to take this opportunity to change direction entirely, specifically my career choice. My fiancée is a little over two years away from getting a degree as a physician assistant, which inspired me to rethink a medical career. I had considered it previously, but I settled for business as a young adult since I felt it came easily to me. I figure, if I'm going to spend three years just to get my bachelor, choosing a different career path wouldn't necessarily hurt me. Now, the medical field is a very broad career path, so I haven't exactly landed on exactly what I want to do. My fiancée wants me to go toward an RN certification so I can walk out soon into a guaranteed, good paying job. Now, I know the stereotypes that come with that career path (e.g. Meet the Fockers), but I haven't ruled it out. I'm interested in starting as some kind of assistant, then furthering my education to advance my career later, after I've landed a decent paying stable job. With both my fiancee and I being in the same field, I feel it'd keep us both very flexible for jobs across the entire country, as well as bring in reliable income into the future. Also, many of these certifications can be done in less than 2-3 years, which it's going to take to get my bachelor anyway. By the way, I know many, many people with the same bachelor from the same school who are working as a bartender or waiter, with nothing available for years on end.

I've already used up almost all of my vacation time at work, anticipating that I'll be leaving my job at the end of July or early August. I'm actually extremely excited about this opportunity. To think, that in three years from now, we'll both be finishing up our education (though I'll still have some aspirations for more later in the future), I finally feel like I'm making the right move with my life. Making $24k/year while going to school for 7 more years, just because it's free, doesn't make much sense to me. I'd rather go in debt a little and be done in a couple years than take the slow road just to save a little bit of money that could easily be recouped by getting a job that pays double. Additionally, the money thing isn't really even an issue because my fiancée goes to school on a full ride, with the whole pell grant thing to boot. After she's done, she'll have no school debt, walking into a job that averages in the $80k range. I don't feel it's very smart to drag this school thing out any longer than I already have done at the age of 25. If our only debt is my school debt, with a combined income well over six figures, I feel it'd be in our best interests to have me get done with school sooner than later, regardless of what my current job offers for tuition. Time is more valuable to me than $16k at this point. If I can apply myself like I have been recently, I know I can make this happen.

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You should get your RN license...you can go to a community college and get a two year degree in Nursing, take the exam, become licensed RN, then get a job. There is no pay difference between an RN and a BSN, but BSN will move up faster. So get the two year degree, get a job and then the hospital will pay for your completion to BSN with tuition reimbursement. You can even get your MS or PhD. Men in nursing are so wanted also, if you have any motivation at all you can write your career path up to management. It is so worth it!!!

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Dream as if you'll live forever...
...Live as if you'll die tomorrow

Vivere Senza Rimpianti

Good luck Roophus!

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I'm a software engineer with almost no upward mobility... I think I want a change too. =\

Interesting Roophus. Let us know what direction you decide to go as far as your degree.

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The Dude abides.

Good luck! Sounds like an exciting time!

Right on, man, sounds like a good plan. Good luck!

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This cold and dark tormented hell
Is all I`ll ever know
So when you get to heaven
May the devil be the judge

I know several honest hardworking top shelf male RNs, that I wouldn't want to talk down about. Don't let the stereotype get to you

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I prefer to think of them as "Fighting evil in another dimension"

If I could go back and still decided to go medical, I'd 100% get an RN for all the reasons you said.

Furthermore, stigma? **** that. As a male RN you'll get paid more, have more job offers, rise faster, and just plain be in better demand your entire life.

Get the fastest, cheapest RN certificate you can. Then go back to school later if you want for a higher-level RN degree or, if you want to go into management, get an MHA.


As an anecdote for you, I have a close friend who works 36 hours a week, night shift, on the rehab wing. He takes home $65k and has 4 days a week off. Never takes his work home with him as he's never on call and has no paperwork. It's a good life.

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“The duty of a patriot is to protect his country from its government.” - Thomas Paine

Good Luck Roophus!

I setup an appointment for early next week to enroll at a local community college to join their RN program. Unfortunately, it's not the closest one to me. Most all schools around here have 1-3 year waiting lists for their nursing programs (or anything medical for that matter). Fortunately, this other college doesn't have any wait list and I can start this fall.

As for the whole 36 hour, 4 day week thing....yeah, I know! I know other nurses who have very similar schedules. I've been told the standard for RN's is to do either three 12 hour shifts, or four 10 hour shifts. Either way, it leaves a minimum of a three days or more to play golf, raise a kid, and enjoy life. I really don't think there are many jobs that pay that well and offer you that kind of lifestyle. If there are, they certainly aren't in demand at the same level as RNs are and will be well into the future. Even if I went for some other dream job, I'd still have huge regrets if it didn't offer me the same type of free time that being an RN could offer. The things I love most in life come outside of work, and few of them are things I could actually turn into a career. I'm not going to make it to the NHL or PGA, but I love playing both sports so much. I doubt I'll be turning my love for *playing* video games into a career. I doubt I'll turn spending time with my family and friends into a career. People always say to follow your passion, and find a way to make money doing it. Unfortunately for me, that's just not likely. So I say, why not do something where I can help people, simultaneously living a more free lifestyle that will allow me to be truly happy?

Thanks for the support everyone. It means a lot to have people there to encourage me on with such a drastic change in direction. Fortunately, my entire family is supporting me as well, so I'm ready to make this happen.

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Good luck!!! My sister in law is an RN and she loves it!!

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"Said I never had much use for one, never said I didn't know how to use one!"~ Matthew Quigley

"nothing like a little meow in bed at night" ~ Bruskey

"I gotta float my stick same as you" Hondo Lane

"Fill your hand you son of a *****!"

Sounds great, Roophus! Looks like I wont be alone in nursing school...but you may get there before i will...still paying off some credit card debt from my attempt at a CIS degree (when i was trying to get out of healthcare).

Couple of things: Dont plan on starting nursing school just yet. Trust me on this that you will want to get all your co- and pre-requisite classes out of the way first. A lot of your basic credits from your previous degree program will transfer...but i kinda doubt that Marketing had you take classes like Ananatomy & Physiology, Microbiology, or Organic Chemistry. Get those out of the way, then apply...you wont want to try to be taking a heavy heavy study and memorization class like A&P at the same time as your nursing lecture and clinicals. Talk to your nursing program counselor...your program may be different than mine.

Also, seriously consider taking a CNA course and then getting a job at a hospital as one. Youll get yor foot in the doir and some valuable experience along the way...and maybe even your entire nursing degree paid for (my employer offers this...i just guarantee them 2 or 3 years as an RN after i graduate). You could get a resouce pool or perdiem position where you would only be required to work at least 2 shifts per month to keep your position...but you can sign up for as many hours as you can handle. This could work great if you keep your current job, but youd still get bedside experience as well as getting known by potential RN employers. On the other hand, if you go and make the CNA gig your only job, you could start that 3 or 4 days off a week schedule you like while you're still in school...and you might be making the same or more as your current job.

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Women are from Hoboken, men are from Trenton. ~ Jimmy Kimmel

I've already determined I have 12 credits of pre-requisites before I will be applying to the program. A couple of my classes do transfer from my marketing program (English and Psych).

I'm not especially worried about getting my employer to pay for the schooling, as it's only two years of community college. I really just want to knock it out and be done with it. If I follow through with the plan, I'll start in the fall with the pre-requisites, then begin the actual program in the winter semester of this upcoming school year.

My fiancée is actually just finishing up her two week CNA course. It's definitely an option for me, though I'm going to start by just looking for any random part time jobs I can find around town, so that I'll have a job during school in the fall.

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Empower yourself!

Good plan Roophus, you are making your own future.

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The U. S. Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself. B. Franklin

"A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone." -- Tyrion Lannister, A Game of Thrones

I work 3 12's and usualy pick up OT as much as I can right now. But just the 3 12's is a great schedule, you can bunch your days and have a mini vacation without taking vacation days! It's so great to be able to get through in an associates program and then the hospital will pay for the rest, usually just have to committ to a couple years. I love being a nurse, the people you work with are fun and it is so fulfilling. They say you need at least a year of med/surg nursing before critical care but, it really depends on the acuity of the hospital. It's not so hard to jump into ICU right away if you are confident and can handle a little stress. ICU is way better than med/surg. But that's my niche, I don't like walky/talky, gimme 2 patients that are on a vent with 12 drips each that are sedated! The adrenalin rush is great when you work really hard and save someone too! There are just soo many options Roophus! The NCLEX is a hard test but if you study right it is a breeze . If you have any questions PM me

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Dream as if you'll live forever...
...Live as if you'll die tomorrow

Vivere Senza Rimpianti

Thanks for chiming in!

Technically, I've already worked in Med Surg for over two years, just in a different manner. Stryker Medical, the company I work for currently builds hospital beds, stretchers, cots, etc. I've been working for the Med Surg team now for a while, though not in nursing

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Kirra's talking about patient care acuity levels, Roophus. There's ER, OB/Gynecology/Labor and Delivery, Medical/Surgical, Telemetry (heart monitors), and Intensive Care. Each has different staffing levels (nurse to patient ratio) and some specialized skill sets.

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Women are from Hoboken, men are from Trenton. ~ Jimmy Kimmel

Yeah, I'm aware. I just thought it was ironic that I work on the Med Surg department at a medical device company currently.

As far as my own direction in any specific level, I'm not sure what I'd plan on pursuing. I suppose I'll just get the ball rolling first.

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much <3 for stryker beds!

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Dream as if you'll live forever...
...Live as if you'll die tomorrow

Vivere Senza Rimpianti

Good for you. It is never, ever to late to change your life to do things the way you want to do. Work / employment is one small part of life in the grand scheme of things. Don't let it over run ya.

ever read cafepharma forums?

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“The person who tries to live alone will not succeed as a human being. His heart withers if it does not answer another heart. His mind shrinks away if he hears only the echoes of his own thoughts and finds no other inspiration.” - Pearl S. Buck