First Post- Not a nurse yet... advice for an old guy?

Mr. Murse · Sep 3, 2013

I'm 33 and about 2 years into nursing, so I'm a bit younger than you but still a little bit of a late bloomer too. The first thing that popped into my mind when I read your post was that if you were doing it purely for pragmatic/financial reasons, then you probably shouldn't. Nursing is not what most people imagine, so maybe you could go shadow a nurse at a hospital and see what it's really like and if it's down your alley. If you work in a hospital, as I do, it's a whole lot of physical work too, a lot more than teaching I would assume. So that is to be considered depending on your physical health. Lastly, again depending on where you go, starting pay for most RN's is not as fantastic as some people believe. I mean it's decent, more than I had ever made before, but you probably won't be in the 40-50k range right off the bat, but the possibility of getting there quicker would be better than that of a teacher.

As for you skill set, I wouldn't worry much about that as long as you feel like nursing is something you could enjoy doing and do well. Before I got into nursing I had worked factory jobs, warehouses, a few random coffeeshops, and played music, and had no healthcare experience until clinicals. It dawned on me one day that it was something I was actually really interested in and could enjoy doing and I have loved it ever since I started.

So basically, in my opinion if you feel like you would actually enjoy the job itself, aside from the pay, then go for it. The nursing world just has a ton of people flooding it right now because it's supposed to be a solid, reliable, decent paying job and not because they really want to do the dirty work. This is leading to a lot of crappy, apathetic, unhappy nurses giving poor patient care.

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · Sep 3, 2013

I would perhaps think about getting certified as a principal, a superintendent, a information managment person within the school system, that type of thing. I am not sure that in the end of the three years you will be any better for salary than what you are making now.

If nursing is what you would like to do, I would see about an accellerated program. For people with bachelors already. Another thought is to go on to get a doctorate in nursing, and teach at a college level. With that being said, you could get a masters/doctorate and teach CAD at a college level. Or at a vocational school that also has adult ed and the option of teaching on evenings and weekends.

As another thought--if you wife was orginally the one who wanted to go into nursing, and those plans have changed for her due to her health, be mindful and careful with this decision. It may cause strain where none was intended, but never the less, a great deal of resentment and envy can occur if you are fufilling her dream instead of her. Just food for thought.

cardiacrocks, BSN, RN · Sep 3, 2013

First of all you aren't "old." I started a new career in nursing at the age of 47, yes, I started 2 years ago when I turned 47. I was never in healthcare before, I was in the insurance industry. I held a B.A. degree in psychology but decided that is not what I wanted to do. I can tell you this, I have been an RN for 2 years now and will probably gross about 80K this year. I'm not in this for the money but it does help. I went back and did all my pre-req's first and then continued on to the BSN program at a local college here. Now I am currently enrolled in the DNP program at a University, I work full-time and am enrolled in the graduate program full-time as well. I have 2 children and I am also married. It is A LOT of work and requires a great deal of dedication. I am going to get it done! You can do it too, if you are looking to change careers it is a great career to get into. Good luck at whatever you chose. I just wanted to let you know, there are a great deal of us "old folks," going back for second careers.

Lola Lou, BSN · Sep 3, 2013

Aside from the points made in previous comments (which were all great!) I want to assure you that you are really never too old to change careers if your heart is no longer in the one you currently have. My mom went back for her ADN at age 50 after waitressing and doing private CNA work for years. She worked on the floor for 3 years and then decided to go back for her BSN which then bridged in to a master's program from nurse education. She couldn't be happier with her decision to change careers. Another major factor that you need to consider is that some new nurse graduates are having a hard time finding employment after graduation. If you search around allnurses.com you'll read that it has taken 6 months to a year (some longer) before these new nurses were hired. This all depends on where you live and if there actually is a "nursing shortage" in your area. Most people assume that you are offered a job as soon as your diploma is handed to you. This is definitely not the case in all parts of the U.S.. When I need to make a big decision such as the one you're facing I try to break it down in to simple terms. The good old pros and cons list may help you put things in to perspective and prioritize. I wish you the best!!!!

Guests · Sep 3, 2013

I'm at a crossroads. I have a decent teaching job right now. In 5 years I'll have 20 years in the school system. I just turned 42. I have the opportunity to be an RN in 3 years. I'm already in the RN program having completed all my pre-req's . The classes are night and weekend for us working folks.
Here are the negatives I'm looking at:
1. I'm just about burned out on education. I'm tired of scraping to survive and it doesn't look any better for teachers anytime (15 years in the system and I still don't make 40k)
2. I'm old! I don't know if I can handle a career change this late in life.
3. I'm a technology guy- I teach CAD. I don't have a background in healthcare.
4. Teachers in my area are being let go due to a shortage of young people. Lots of us old farts around here though.
Now my question is this- Is it going to pay off?
Is three years of classwork, losing my weekends (24 hours of classes ever other weekend), classes after work until 10 on Mondays and not to mention all the work/studying going to be worth it in the end?
I haven't had any problems with the classes (had a 4.0 till Pharm) but I just don't know if there is a place for a 45 year old NEW RN with my skillset (I've been a DJ, a surveyor, and a drafter). I only took the classes to support my wife who was a phlebotomist for years but wanted to be a nurse. Now she is dropping out due to neck problems and here I am with the opportunity to keep going.
Are there any older guys out there who are new nurses who can share their experiences?
Thanks!

I was a 45-year-old man when I graduated from nursing school and my only regret is that I wasn't 25 when I did it.

I've been an RN for 4 years and, while it took a few years to get a good job, I'm now delighted with my choice. I find the work interesting (to a degree), the money is excellent, and I work with some great people.

There are a lot of crappy jobs in nursing but there are some good ones too. It just depends which you're fortunate enough to land.

IrishIzCPNP, MSN, RN, APRN, NP · Sep 3, 2013

If you want to be a nurse because nursing is something you want to do...go for it. Let me tell you this though...if our area is anything like mine stay a teacher if money is an issue. Nurses are paid horribly, horrible health benefits, terrible stress on the body, terrible retirements, crappy vacations and hours. When I listen to the teachers around here complain about making $50,000 after 3 years I want to puke. I wasn't seeing that after 5 years as an RN on a speciality unit with a certification, worked some part of every holiday, horrible vacation time and more.

So think about why you want to go into nursing and what your area really has for nurses.

nightbreak · Sep 3, 2013

Cadman - go for it! My dad became a nurse in his mid-forties with absolutely no background in healthcare. Zip Zilch. He made a pragmatic decision to enter a career that would provide well for his family and one that also provided value in his community. It wasn't always his 'dream', but it did offer him 20yrs of financial stability and the opportunity to become a top-notch ICU nurse.

School districts everywhere are downsizing due to years of declining birth rates. What a perfect time to segue into a job where the user population is growing! Being a technology guy is going to be a plus for you - tons of technology being utilized by nurses in hospitals. DJ, drafter and surveyor? You'll be surprised how some of the 'soft' skills that you utilized in those careers (and in teaching) will be extremely helpful in a nursing career.

I've just finished my first year as a hospital RN and I'm half a century old. The slog to get through school was definitely worth it; I love the people I work with, and enjoy every day I spend on our unit. Also, the fact that I made almost 90 grand in the last twelve months doesn't hurt.

Warning: start networking for a job position now, while you are still in school. Treat every clinical you attend as a learning opportunity AND an opportunity to present yourself as a future job candidate. Never sit down, always offer help, bring donuts.

llg, PhD, RN · Sep 3, 2013

For most (but not all) people ... I think they are better off building on the expertise and experience they already have rather than start over at the bottom of a totally new field. It would probably be easier for you to carve out an advnaced/specialized career related to education than to start at the bottom of the nursing field. Switching to nursing would mean that you are "jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire." Nursing has a major "burn out" problem and we see TONS of people like you who think the profession is going to be the answer to their life problems -- and who leave nursing after only a year a two because they were not prepared for the realities of it.

Advancing/specializing in something you already have the foundation for would open up career possibilities that would give you a better salary and probably take care of the "burn out" problem. You would be an experienced expert in your chosen specialty and not at the bottom of the ladder -- having to wait another few years (and may get even more education) to move up that ladder. Why not invest your "free" time into taking some classes that will elevate you into a higher (more lucrative) branch of education -- instead of investing it into taking classes that will put you at the bottom of a career field you know little about?

Don't throw away that 20 years of experience -- it is valuable and can be used to help you get somewhere better. And what about the benefits (pension, health insurance, etc.) that you will probably lose by switching?

The ONLY way I would recommend someone in your position to go into nursing if if you had a burning desire to be a nurse -- and actually do the work of beginner-level nursing. I don't see that in your post.

Mossback · Sep 3, 2013

You're definitely not too old to be a nurse. I worked for 33 years in a non-healthcare field, then started pre-reqs at 55. I went to nursing school at 58 and graduated at 60. I took the NCLEX about a month after graduation and was hired into a med-surg unit at a university-affiliated medical center a month-and-a-half after that.

Be aware that the job is demanding on a number of levels. A busy med-surg unit (where you're most likely to start) is a high pressure environment. There is a significant burnout rate for nurses. In particular some new nurses are unable to hack it. There are physical demands to the job too, since part of the nurse's responsibility is to reposition and assist patients who are very weak or are unable to move themselves. Some of the patients will inevitably be obese. On my unit we have had patients up to 600 pounds. Nurses spend much to their shifts on their feet, so you'll need to be fit enough to keep moving for much of a 12-hour shift. You should also be aware that there is a high likelihood that you will need to work nights for at least a year or two. Some people adapt readily to working overnight, while others never seem to be able to make the transition. I encourage you to ask yourself if you'll be able to cope with working a 12-hour overnight shift.

On the positive side, your maturity and experience will help you in your career, especially where dealing with stress and coping with difficult people are concerned. I find I'm able to stay calmer in crisis situations than some of my younger colleagues. If approached with the right mindset, nursing can be an enormously satisfying job. Depending on where you are planning to practice, nursing can be financially renumerative. Salaries vary widely depending on local cost of living, whether or not nurses at a particular facility are represented by a union, and the general economy of a particular locale. I'm in California, where salary levels are quite high. After two years on the job I'm making just over $100,000 per year.

As a final note, I'll echo the sentiments of other posters. Don't go into nursing if you don't really want to be a nurse. It can be physically and emotionally draining for those who are not committed to the profession, and clearly takes a toll on even those who love the job. Age, however, is not a barrier to being a good nurse.

Good luck in your endeavors!

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Sep 3, 2013

1.) You think you're burned out on education? 5 years into nursing will make THAT look like a walk in the park.

2.) 42 is not too old to do anything, unless YOU have the mindset that it is.

3.) Technology is about 50 % of what nurses do.

Only YOU can make it pay off.

Nursing requires some level of concern and compassion for others .. that is not included in your post.

thecadman99 · Sep 4, 2013

Wow, I'm overwhelmed at the constructive advice offered, thank you all.

I am 99% sure that I am going to drop my classes tomorrow. My biggest problem is I feel like a quitter and I haven't ever quit anything.

As several have gathered, I'm not the most empathetic person. I'll take care of my kids,wife or whoever is in need to the bitter end, but I'm your typical guy, lacking the "motherly" qualities that I would probably need to be an effective nurse.

I'm not so much burned out on education- I love teaching, but spending 6 hours a day (vocational teachers teach longer hours than high school teachers usually) with high school students for the past 15 years has about burned through my optimism concerning much of our current youth, not to mention no raises for 6 years and none in sight.

I would still like a career change, I just don't think there is a place in nursing for me. I'm a hard worker, and in good physical health, I just don't think I have the "heart" of a nurse and that would probably make all the difference. Thanks again to all!