Help! Looking for information.

[richbtwo]

I'm a 37-year-old police officer, looking for a career change. Just wondering what the general consensus what everybody thinks of starting over at 37? Because of my current job, I've met a lot of different people from the medical field and find it to be quite interesting.

I guess, I'm also looking to find out the general starting wage (hourly, yearly) after receiving an RN degree. Is the course load tuff? I haven't been to school since my college day's (Legal Technology) 15 years ago. All responses are welcome. Was anybody else as old as I am prior to enrolling in this particular field?

[TreceRN]

Hi richbtwo,

I'd say "go for it"! In my nursing class we had a student who was 58! It's never too late to grow and change and re-invent yourself. I don't know where you are from, but starting RN wage in Washington hospitals/acute care is about $20.00 with shift differentials ranging from $2.00-$4.00 an hour. Some hospitals offer a week-end bonus ranging from $1.00-$4.00 an hour, and some offer certification/BSN bonus' of about $1.00 or so an hour. Then there are the OT opportunities (our facility pays double-time after two hours of OT). You can make a good living, have a solid profession that is in demand wherever you go, and become part of a tradition of healing and compassion that is finally being recognized for excellence and value by our society.

[Desert Rat]

Go for it! I've worked 25 years in rural Arizona (with an interesting summer 16 years ago in the Waterville, Maine area) One of our greatest resources in the middle of nowhere has been our police and ambulance staff. Starting pay is not great, but the opportunity for someone with law enforcement and health care background is great.

[VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN]

One of my students is an ex-police officer. He was tired of the disgracefully LOWWW wages.