It sucks that you lost your job, but it is awesome that you are thinking about moving into the nursing field. I feel I can offer some real experience with a number of loved ones who went into nursing, and especially advice for an educational path....


Since you said you've been working in the computer industry, you probably hold a Bachelor's degree already. If you do, you're in luck!!!


Many schools (the one I'm familiar with is Drexel University in Philadelphia) offer an "accelerated" program for folks who already have a BS. Basically, they assume you know all of the introductory classes, and just cram in a massive course load of advanced nursing topics, getting you a Bachelor of Science Nursing in just one year. It's an intense program and a lot of hard work, but you could conceivably be employed in a hospital very quickly.

There are also nursing-specific student loan programs, so you could use those to raise some extra money, whether to cover tuition or living expenses while you suffer through the accelerated program.


Good luck - I've heard a great line - that doctors diagnose people, but nurses heal them. There is definitely a grain of truth to that - nursing is a noble choice of profession, at any age or gender.