SAHM for 12 years. Training to be a nurse

[Joysmum]

I'm 40 and I've been out of the market for 12 years now and it's time to get back to working in a career.

I'm pretty sure I want to go into nursing which I believe means I need to do 3 A levels (including a science) fto achieve a ABB grades and allow me to meet the entry level requirements to do a degree in nursing.

I'm also thinking it'd be good to get some work experience, either voluntary or basic, in healthcare. Would being a home help carer be good enough and can anyone suggest other places/roles that would suit to enable me to get experience whilst doing the A Levels to boost my chances of getting a place at uni.

Tbh, I'm really doubting my viability to get the grades needed and wondering if I can do this at all but it's a dream and if I didn't train for something vocational I can't see me being very successful at scoring a decent job given 12 years out of work and my previous employers going bust leaving me with bugger all to be able to check on previous employment history (last job heading up a customer service dept for a small firm).

Any advice on how to proceed, or insights from those who have done the same would be very welcome.

Hello OP, good for you.
I'm not sure if its still the case but a while back you didn't need A levels but could do an access course at the same level.
It may be worth a look as you could complete this far quicker than A levels, so I believe.
I can't help with the w. experience stuff but if you speak to a course contact at uni they should be able to guide you.
I was a mature student, different subject though and I found the tutors so helpful because they know if you are older that you have seriously thought it through and mature enough to cope.
You will be fine, Good luck.

The access course runs at most colleges and only takes a year, it's also aimed at helping you back into studying, teaching academic writing and research skills. Go for it, nursing needs as wide a range of nurses as it has patients!

Home care and residential home care would be great experience, as would a bank HCA role at a hospital. Agency/bank work can see you through the whole degree as well as being good experience, as it's flexible and means you can earn around placements and lectures.

Have to admit I'm having a huge wobble after wrong this. I've always thought I'd love to be a nurse but after being out of paid employment for 12 years and faced with all that study I'm scared! Have to admit my self confidence has taken a huge bashing over the past few months.

Hi Joysmum, it's always daunting making big career decisions, especially when you've been out of the workplace for so long. Try and take it one small step at a time. You don't have to commit to the whole shebang straight away.

You might find it useful to look at this information about nursing from the National Careers Service, and investigate the Apprenticeship route...
nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/jobprofiles/Pages/adultnurse.aspx, as well as looking at the other links there.

If you have a yearning to nurse, go for it!

Thanks for that, I've been on that site and did the skills test. Guess what, it suggests I might suit nursing!

Looking into this further, I'd need to do either the A levels, or a BTEC national in healthcare.

I'm going to contact the uni to clarify how best to proceed to give me the best chance of getting accepted on the degree course. If I do children's nursing that'll be a 3 year course, combined adult and child would be 4 years. Add that onto the 2 years for the BTEC (I need to find where local does that course) and I'm looking at either 5 or 6 years of training before I would qualify, plus the fees. I don't need to work for the money but I want to work because my daughter doesn't need me for childcare now and my SAHM 'role' is so much less satisfying and involved.

I'm really concerned about confirming this really is what I want to do so will see what admissions have to say and I have time before the BTEC to either volunteer or get an entry level position to dip my toe in before I commit even to the BTEC which will cost thousands.

Its one hell of a commitment and I need to be as sure as I can be that this is what I want as it's going to be one hell of a change for my family who have been used to me working for the home.

Exciting and nerve wracking times ahead for me in 2014 I think. Thanks for your help.

Excellent news! I'm sure the Admissions staff will be helpful in guiding you to what they are looking for.

Just so you know, you can do an Access to HE course in a year (full-time). See: www.accesstohe.ac.uk/Access/About/Pages/Default.aspx
So you really don't need to do the A level/BTEC L3 Diploma.

After that, the degree is funded by the NHS - no fees!
More info on Nursing from NHS careers: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/explore-by-career/nursing/entry-requirements/

Trying to get some voluntary work in a caring capacity would be helpful - in a hospital/ hospice/ care home, or even getting a job as a care-assistant for a while...It would strengthen your application, and also help you to decide whether nursing is for you...

Good luck!

CareersDragon can't thank you enough for posting about the access course. I'll give the uni a buzz and arrange a meeting to chat through all my options. If that access course is accepted and there's anywhere near to me to do it then I'd be delighted to chop a whole year off my study

Just a quick update:

I've got my name down to do a 1 year part time access course.

Spoke to admissions and she suggested this as being the best option for me, but said that competition to get a place was hot and that the selection process begins in May. Candidates would need to go in, complete tasks for assessment and give a presentation. Those successful will be offered a place for September, those not will automatically be assessed for suitability for the BTEC in healthcare which would take 2 years. I can't wait till May! I love presentations and tasks.

I also decided to pick her brains whilst I had the opportunity and asked her about getting some experience to help me evaluate if this is going to be right for me, as well as optimising my chances of getting a place on the access course and at uni. She suggested I contact the volunteers coordinators at the local hospitals and try to get experience that way. So I now have application forms to complete and return for that.

I'll also be looking for a job as a healthcare assistant and contacting a couple of local agencies for their advice too. So I have 3 different avenues to explore re getting experience before the new school year in September. Exciting times

Fab news Joysmum! You're raring to go!
Thanks for the update - I wondered how you'd got on.

One further thing that might help you to get a place on the Access course, if it's so competitive...It is designed to help those who have been out of full-time study for a long time prepare for the requirements of degree level study. To show them that you're an outstanding candidate, you could try to do some relevant study on your own, in advance of the course.
I don't know if you've very heard about MOOCs? Massive Open Online Courses. They're mini modules, run over the web by universities across the world, and they're FREE. The best thing would be to choose something that you're really interested in, because then it wouldn't feel like work. Anything that is related to nursing, healthcare, psychology, society etc would be relevant.
The link to all the course categories is:
www.mooc-list.com

The link to one I found specifically about nursing (but run from Australia!) is: www.mooc-list.com/course/introduction-nursing-healthcare-open2study. It's a 4 week course starting January 13th & requires 2-4 hours study per week...

I wish you the best of luck xx