35 and looking for a career change - is nursing it?

[mamab3]

Hi there,

I am not a nurse but would love to pick the brains of nurses!

I will provide a little background info first and then personal info before I get to my question. :)

I am 35. I started undergrad at 17, as a pre-med major. I had some pretty crummy life events that really ruined my early undergrad experience and I dropped the pre-med. But it was my lifelong dream to be a pediatrician. (I used to read medical books for fun. Huge medical nerd!) I got my BA in psychology with the intent of becoming a PsyD.

I was a case manager for 2 years for dual-diagnosis (drug addicted and mentally ill), mostly homeless clients. I burned out on it HARD and decided I'd rather work with the young and innocent.

I went back to school and got my Master's in Education. I taught 3rd, kindergarten and 1st.

After my first child was born (he is now about to be 6), I taught half-day kindergarten for a year before I realized that teachers get paid poorly, and the educational system is broken. I was stressed out and handing my entire paycheck to our daycare provider.

I did childcare out of my home for another year until my second son was born. I was a SAHM for about a year and a half. I enjoyed the time with my children, but suffered from pretty debilitating anxiety and migraines during this time. I learned a lot about the importance of self-care. I had to see specialists for the migraines, anxiety, took some aromatherapy/essential oil classes, got to know some acupuncturists and in general became very interested in a holistic approach to health.

My husband was laid off about 18 months ago and I realized that nothing in life is a sure thing, and decided that I'd like to work, at least part-time, so that we will always have my career to fall back on.

I am entrepreneurial in spirit - I have a real estate business with my father, it is essentially college funds for each of our children.

I got licensed as an in-home childcare facility and turned the lower level of my home into a preschool. I have been open for a year and have a waiting list. As a licensed and certified teacher, I know what I am doing planning the curriculum, and it's part-time, but it is a LOT of work to maintain a school within my home.

I am now pregnant with #3 and trying to decide what I want to do with my preschool next year. I have done a lot of self-reflection and realized that I did it out of monetary necessity and not necessarily true passion. Preschool, and education in general, is not something I want to do forever. I do love to educate and advocate, but the schools just don't pay enough for me to feel like it's worth it to go back.

I have always had an interest in the medical field. I love medical research. I have particular interests in midwifery/L&D, psych, educating lower SES families on healthier choices for their families, holistic and alternative health, and nutrition. I think I would LOVE educating others on how to be healthy.

Family and friends have always joked that I am an "armchair physician" - I learn from medical books (pre-Internet), medical studies and articles, medical shows, etc. I have friends who come to me for advice and almost always I can tell them how to follow up and if it's serious or not.

All of this being said, I am no spring chicken. (Not old, but 35 and going back to school isn't the same as 19 and starting out fresh!) I have also come to truly value life/work balance and self-care.

I am blessed in that my husband makes a salary our family of 5 can live on. I am looking for something to contribute as cushion money. I would like to work 15-30 hours a week from the get-go, not work nights (it really wrecks my mental health to mess up my sleep), make $30k+.

Is this a realistic goal?

I am smart, I am a hard worker, but I refuse to burn myself out as I have done in the past.

I have nurse and PA friends and have asked about their jobs, most seem to love it. Whenever we are in a doctor's office or hospital, I grill the poor nurses and PAs.

I have researched medical model vs. nursing model and think nursing model suits me much better.

I think eventually I'd like to be an NP, but don't want to just jump headlong into a career change if it's not a good fit for the life/work balance I am looking for.

Thank you for taking the time to read my enormous essay!

Penny for your thoughts!

[Lev, MSN, RN, NP]

Did your husband find a job since he was laid off 18 months ago? When you're in nursing school it's possible, but very difficult and not advised, to work. Having a husband with a decent job will help you focus on your studies and not have to worry. If you choose nursing, I would find an accelerated bachelor's program for people with an existing bachelor's. Some of the psychology credits may transfer over as nursing prerequisites. It depends how old. If you want to be an NP, it may be advisable to find a direct entry masters program at a school that has an NP program that you'd be interested in going to in the future. That way, the Masters level classes could transfer over and you'd get a head start on the NP classes. Just some thoughts. P. S. You may have to start off working full time as most new grad programs are full time, and depending on your location, there may only be night shift positions available to new grads.

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

Your resume is already impressive. There are a few direct entry midwife NP programs for people with a BS. You may have some of the coursework already done. Something to consider. You will get more specific answers if you repost in the student NP forum.

[julgard]

I am a former teacher and I'm about to graduate my RN program at at age 50. I think it is so important for nurses to be good educators and you have so many great experiences that will be able to share with your patients. Good luck!

[MissMeeks]

Hello! You and I have some similarities, so I am going to tell you what I have learned through my research. I too am close to your age (34) but unlike you I do not have a family. I was a Case Manager and then a Program Manager for a non-profit that "helped" developmentally developed adults. I became VERY disillusioned with the entire mental health system (so much so that I don't even think I will consider Psychiatric Nursing). Luckily (didn't feel this way at the time, but I do now) I was fired from my job and forced to really make some hard choices. The thing I hated about administration (I have a BS in Healthcare Admin) and management is that I rarely got to help someone. I was forced to take advantage of them in attempts to get the highest reimbursement rates and I was forced to make decisions based on money and not on what my individuals really wanted. When I stopped doing this-I was promptly let go. I am passionate about helping people-which includes educating them, healing them with my hands and with my words of comfort. Because I already have a Bachelor's Degree, my options are somewhat limited unless I want to get a Master's. It came down to a decision between a Master's in Behavior Analysis or a ADN. I found a program down the road from where my parents live that is well regarded and charges hardly anything. I literally sold everything that couldn't fit into my SUV and moved in with my parents. I know that working as a floor RN will not satisfy me. I know that eventually I will want to be a NP and there are MANY programs that offer ADN to MSN programs. My ADN program takes 5 semesters and a ADN to MSN program will take another 5 semesters. You will REALLY want to research who is getting hired in your area. I hear more and more that an RN via ADN is finding it difficult to get hired out of school. If that is true in your area, I would do whatever it takes to get into a MSN program. Also, I agree with the above advice that I would EXPECT to take whatever shift they offer you and it will likely be evenings or 5 days a week or something else non preferred. I don't think you will find many opportunities to work part time as a new graduate nurse. My research tells me that as a new grad, you are going to have to work at least a year in fairly undesirable conditions and THEN you can make more preferable changes. I also suspect that you and I will find it very difficult to care for people in the way that the facility demands rather then the way that WE want to treat them. The number of patients that one nurse has to manage is increasing and that is not going to allow for people like you and I to give all the love we want to give to each patient. I have already come to terms with that and I am choosing to do this anyway. I think nursing is an amazing field, but from what I have read from you so far, I think a NP is where you need to head. Just my very long opinion . Oh, and the other reason that I chose this path is that I know nursing is always going to be in demand, it offers a lot of flexibility (EVENTUALLY) and it pays well. Also, I think people who work, have a family and go to school are extraordinary human beings and it is not something I would want to put on myself. As our Dean just said the other day in orientation "Think of everything you do in a day. Kids, work, church, volunteer work, taking care of a parent...whatever it is. Those things are going to have to suffer because it can't be your studies...you will not make it otherwise."

[firstinfamily, RN]

Having a family of little ones might make it a little more difficult. Will your husband pick up the slack with the child care or help to meet their needs? I commend you for trying to seek out a new career, I think it is doable if you have support systems in place. It seems the nursing field has become more competitive with nursing students trying to out do each other for admission into the nursing field. Once you get through it, there is less competition but the job market is always changing. You would have to have some basic nursing experience before you seek the NP program. Many are finding they need a certain number of years in the field before qualifying for the NP programs(probably depends on the program) You will have to dedicate a lot of your time to do this, is that something you are able and willing to do with a family of 3 children?? Yes, there will always be sick people, thus nursing will always be in demand. The field changes every 5-10 years depending on what is occurring in the medical field, but nursing usually always comes out on top!! This would be a huge comittment on your part, and the only question would be: Are you ready??

[shan6802]

Go for your goals! I started my 15mth accelerated BSN-RN program at 33, 4 kids (ages 13-8-5-3) , worked PT & managed to push through! It's hard but what U want U will get!

[thecareerchanger, BSN]

I say go for it if you feel its something you. I am not a nurse either but do know from this site and from friends and family that are nurses that it can be a high burn out job if you are not careful. I am similar to you in that I am 34 (will be 35 in a few months) have 3 children (currently 10, 5, and 4) and currently work full time in human services/public assistance as a supervisor (3 years supervisor, 9 1/2 years total). I have a BS in computers from 2003 with intentions of working in a related field (instructional technology) but I never had a passion for it and only did it for monetary. A few years ago I started graduate studies in social work (MSW) with intentions of being a licensed/clinical social worker in medical or public health but never finished and ultimately decided after being in the hospital PICU for a few days with my youngest (he had surgery to repair hole in his heart at age 1) that I wanted to be a nurse. I enjoy medical field as well but would like to avoid nights so I don't know how that will translate in a 24/7 field. I am blessed that my husband is able to pay most of the household expenses as well but I will have to save while I am working now (and possible work p/t while in school) to really make going to school full time work. I am taking pre reqs now (1 per semester) and plan to enter an accelerated program, if accepted in either 2016 or 2017 (with the latter being more likely since my oldest will be 13 by then which would help childcare wise). I love helping people and always believed that I would work in a helping profession but I do not see me doing my current job for the next 20 years (or even the next 5) and I am not getting any younger either. If you plan carefully and appropriately and have some support, it can work, at least that is what I tell myself! Good luck with whatever you decide to do

[shan6802]

thecareerchanger I did the exact same thing!!! My intention was an MSW/LCSW/LCADC! Finished my CADC courses, but dropped out with 12credits left for my MSW bC I wanted to go to nursing school! Started my prereqs when I was prego with baby #4 & graduated from Rutgers ABSN program this past August when I was 34! best choice I ever made!