Nursing career, where do I start?

First you need to decide if you want to be an LPN or an RN. LPN programs are usually offered at technical / vocational colleges and most of the programs are certificate only, not an actual degree. It takes about 12-18 months. If you choose RN, you can become one through two main routes, either an Associate's Degree or a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing. The ADN programs are usually found at community colleges, but some regular 4-year univeristies offer this degree option. First you take pre-requisite courses, which might take about a year, then you are eligible to apply to the nursing program, which is usually very competative no matter what school you choose, so find out early their selection criteria and try to keep a high GPA while taking your pre-requisites.Once you're accepted, it's 2 years of sequenced courses, and upon graduation you are eligible to take the NCLEX licensure exam in your state. If you choose the BSN you usually apply to the college / university, start taking pre-reqs and general ed. courses for the first two years or so, then apply to the nursing major and usually start the nursing courses during your Junior year. The ADN programs cover just the fundementals of nursing, the bare minimum you need to know to become licensed, but the BSN programs give you more general education, and the extra nursing courses are geared towards professional issues, research, leadership, public health, etc., so later on in your nursing career you are more qualified to move into positions beyond direct patient care, like supervisory / management / administrative jobs. You could always start with the ADN and complete the BSN later, many employers offer tuition assistance as part of their benefits packages. It's important to meet with the academic advisors at your schools of interest to spend time 1:1 going over the sequence of courses you will need, and make sure you fully understand how students are selected for the program. For a list of programs in your area, you could google "Massachusettes State Board of Nursing" and their website should offer a page dedicated to state approved nursing programs so you know you aren't wasting your time on a school that's not accredited.

There are many schools and training places; look online at the different types of nursing (there is lots to choose from) and choose one that you know you will be able to do. Then see what kind of training/schooling is involved. Expect to spend quite a lot of time searching, as there are many schools, and not all are legitimate :]