I've posted and read other posts about the *slightly* older student and the overwhelming sentiment is "Wow! So great to hear I'm not alone!"
I thought it would be helpful and encouraging to centralize the over-40 newbies in one thread so we can refer to it for inspiration! And, those who are in their 30s can feel young again :)
So, list your situation (first degree, second career, other), your school, and your ultimate plans once you receive your nursing degree. Any other details about your decision to become a nurse and the aftermath (how have others reacted, what challenges you've faced or will face . . . ) would be great too!
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I just turned 40 and am about to begin my ADN program at a local community college. I have a BA in English and a MEd in Teacher Education. I was a high school English teacher prior to staying home to be with my two children (ages soon-to-be 3 and 5). I have two years before they are in school full time so I figured NOW is the time . . . before soccer, baseball, dance . . .
While I know it will NEVER be easy and I am going to be struggling to maintain any semblance of a life for the next two years, I did work hard to get rid of every class but my nursing core. I would ultimately like to attend Ohio University (it is near where I live) and bridge to the MSN or FNP program...I've looked into it and it will require that I just take the nursing core for the BSN since I already have a BA. I'm hoping that will still be well received, but I'm still awhile away, so I'm sure I'll get plenty of advice between now and then.
I decided on nursing because I have an ANCIENT background in healthcare and an abandoned pre-med major. Life happened. I loved to write. Loved technology. Explored both as careers. Loved them. Life happened again in the form of two little people and I thought WHY NOT!?! Plus, how cool to tell my children all that mommy did and that I GET it when they say they just don't know what they want to be.
I've encountered a few more challenges than I anticipated. Of course, there is the element of time, the fact that I can't stay up late and function like I used to, and the somewhat disappointing response by some of my friends, though, I get it. I thought that I might end up in a PhD program in education, but something kept telling me that was not what I wanted, at least not now. I LOVE education, perhaps that's why I very well may be a perpetual student. I believe nursing has a lot of the components I loved about education (and I'm sure quite a few I may not love--you'll get that anywhere). Plus, who knows, it would all come full circle if I became an nursing instructor . . . or professor :)
