Midlife Career Change to Nursing - Advice, please

Nurses Career Support

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Hi all,

I'm a 42-year-old lawyer who's seriously considering making a career change to the nursing field. (I've been an unhappy lawyer, in several different law positions, for 18 years now...). I am looking for a career that allow flexibility in scheduling and geographic location (although I am by necessity in the NYC area now as I have two aging parents) as well as an active, on-my-feet kind of job that involves significant person-to-person contact, and nursing seems to fit that bill.

I'd still need to get my pre-reqs done (as all my science classes from college are too old to be considered, unfortunately) and then would go for an accelerated BSN degree.

What I'm suddenly concerned about is an article I've read as well as posts I've read here which all state that there truly is no nursing shortage and jobs are very hard to come by, especially for new nurses. Can anyone give me any advice about that?

Thanks so much

I agree! There are jobs out there. You just have to be willing to do what other won't do. That is how you get ahead in my opinion. Also, networking during clinical works wonders for potential job opportunities. I wonder if the original poster thought about the direction she may want to go? His/her own business, legal nurse, something that incorporates her current skills into nursing. It's hard to find your niche per say..

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Everything everyone said is true . competition for nyc jobs is in the 1000s . ny grads, ct, nj, pa, mass, ri etc. and all the other thousands in US that want to work and live in nyc and recent hospital closures. yes there are ltcs and dialysis and prisions but there is competition there too.Some can only find part time work. Many east coast big city grads had to relocate for jobs beginning in 2008 even with BSN. being a lawyer may be a plu us depending on who is looking at your resume. i like that i make wbout $25/hr, work 3 nights etc. those might be cons for you. The schedule may not be consistent. nights, days, holidays, weekends. I was able to relocate because I do not have other people I am responsible for but it was still rough. Oh and I am in my 20s and dont know if I can physically do this for 30more years ( a bit dramatic but it is not exactly a desk job) .

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Op, the geographic and schedule flexibility works well for the employer more than employee eap in a desirable market. Unless you mean rural montana night shift or part time in nebraska. do not expect any hrs you want where you want in boston, nyc, anywhere in california etc .

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
Wow! So so cynical :( I am sure she appreciates the honesty, but not one person could say anything positive. I hope I never become this way.

I don't know you've been a nurse for very long, or if you even are a nurse. But speaking as an experienced nurse, not one response here has been cynical. We are honestly answering a question that asked for honest answers. We do not have st*rs in our eyes. We are real nurses who understand the current real nursing environment.

And yes, IF you are a nurse and IF you find a job, you will one day be realistic like us.

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Wow! So so cynical :( I am sure she appreciates the honesty, but not one person could say anything positive. I hope I never become this way.

You need to begin thinking in real vs positive/negative feelings as a nursing student. I think you are reading these posts with the impression that some sort of cynical teen angst is behind them. Positive/negative?! Nursing is not some sort of "idea" or "feeling", so positive or negative "feelings" don't enter into a real conversation about nursing.

Why is it that so many have this unshakeable fairy tale notion of nursing? I wonder, what other profession draws so many with such off-base ideas? I feel that if you grab these people and shake them and make them listen that nursing is not folklore, they'll just break down and cry or something. I wonder if nursing attracts so many because they feel they will be able to use it to fill some sort of need, or fix something in their lives - totally not gonna do that for ya, peeps.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
You need to begin thinking in real vs positive/negative feelings as a nursing student. I think you are reading these posts with the impression that some sort of cynical teen angst is behind them. Positive/negative?! Nursing is not some sort of "idea" or "feeling", so positive or negative "feelings" don't enter into a real conversation about nursing.

Why is it that so many have this unshakeable fairy tale notion of nursing? I wonder, what other profession draws so many with such off-base ideas? I feel that if you grab these people and shake them and make them listen that nursing is not folklore, they'll just break down and cry or something. I wonder if nursing attracts so many because they feel they will be able to use it to fill some sort of need, or fix something in their lives - totally not gonna do that for ya, peeps.

Cannot say AMEN to this strongly enough. I have to think that the Florence Nightengale nursing angel paradigm persists to this day. Probably, only the professions of teaching and ministry carry the same sort of idealism.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

Not cynical, truthful. You don't know how many people we interview that are new grads in their 40's and they can't believe they can't have 3 weekend off a month "Buy my kids play XXX sports and I have never missed a game" or "My family always goes on vacation for 2 weeks in July, you mean I wouldn't be able to get this? ".

And it is demanding to be on your feet for 12 hours a day with only a half hour break , if you are lucky!

It is just the nature of the beast.

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Run as far as you can in the other direction! I am not being cynical, I am being truthful. Healthcare is going in the wrong direction and nursing morale is currently circling the drain. They just keep dumping more work, more liability, and more responsibility on the nursing staff while the pay and differentials are going DOWN. The benefits are the worst I have ever had in my life in ANY job. I worked part time at a coffee shop during nursing school and had better health insurance than I do now. And with all the aches and pains from lifting, bending, pulling, and catching confused people as they fall- you need a good health plan. I am so tired of dealing with combative confused and high patients. It is taking a toll on me. I wish I could rewind a few years and save myself, but I cannot so instead I will try to save you!

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Wow! So so cynical :( I am sure she appreciates the honesty, but not one person could say anything positive. I hope I never become this way.

I am guessing you are not a nurse yet. My advice, save yourself too! Change programs before its too late and you become (cue evil music) ONE OF US!

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I wonder, what other profession draws so many with such off-base ideas?

Law. I speak from experience, not only my own but from that of someone who has interviewed many, many law students in my life. All of your complaints about nursing could apply equally to my field (well, except for being on our feet. We sit on our butts for 13 hours a day and get very wide very young :) ), but thank you all for your comments as every opinion is very valuable to me.

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Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

At the risk of being totally flamed by my e-colleagues, I have to speak up in support of going into nursing.

I was a graphic artist and made a good salary before I changed careers and went into nursing. The reasons I went into nursing were personal, and I am so thankful that I decided to change careers.

Yes, there are more than a few downsides to our profession; I am not challenging that. But there are downsides to EVERY profession.

The nursing world opened doors for me that I never dreamed I would be a part of. I have gone to third world countries on surgical mission trips with a group of orthopods to do charity surgery. I have set up and organized a mobile surgical hospital for the state. I have been able to contribute to "brainstorming" sessions within my surgical group to come up with better and more efficient ways to streamline our services. I enjoy teaching new nurses.

It all depends on what you seek, and what fulfillment means to you personally.

I think you should go for it.

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You are a lawyer so you already have a valuable degree. If you really wish to enter the health care field I would suggest something in the medico-legal sphere; administrative rather than floor nursing. I would suggest this for multiple reasons, many of which have already been put to you eloquently and persuasively in the earlier responses. The fact is that floor nursing is a thankless, exhausting, painful and often bitterly unhappy work milieu and you could not pay me enough to go back to it. I am old enough and have enough experience as an RN to know the difference between cynicism and realism, so please don't mistake my meaning. Best of luck.

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