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

Specializes in being a Credible Source.

I graduated from nursing school in 2009 at the age of 45.

I was not able to find a good job right away but did find *a* job which required many sacrifices: Working 200 miles from home, doing nights, for $29/hr with lousy benefits.

But...

3 years later, I found a *great* job 20 miles from home making nearly $50/hr.

- Working 12-16 hour nights is hard on the body but it beats the heck out of sitting on my butt at a desk for 10 hrs/day as I often did at my last jobs...

- and it's nice to be paid for every 1/4 hour of OT I work as opposed to being a salaried chump working 55 hrs/week while getting paid for 40

- and it's nice to leave work behind when I walk out the door...

- and it's nice not to have to be the person making all the decisions... there's a freedom that comes with being the implementer of orders rather than the generator of orders...

- and I'm in a strong union, building seniority...

- and I really like the folks with whom I go to battle every night... which is often what the big-city ED feels like

- and some of the patients touch me in a way that never happened with my other customers

- and I like working with docs... and I love working with residents (meaning MDs, not in the LTC sense)

- and I like knowing my job will never again be outsourced to China

You will be taking a huge risk, as you can tell from what you've read here, but it does pay off for some people... and sometimes very quickly.

To your original point, though: There is * NO NURSING SHORTAGE * at all.

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Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.
I graduated from nursing school in 2009 at the age of 45.

I was not able to find a good job right away but did find *a* job which required many sacrifices: Working 200 miles from home, doing nights, for $29/hr with lousy benefits.

But...

3 years later, I found a *great* job 20 miles from home making nearly $50/hr.

- Working 12-16 hour nights is hard on the body but it beats the heck out of sitting on my butt at a desk for 10 hrs/day as I often did at my last jobs...

Amen to that!

- and it's nice to be paid for every 1/4 hour of OT I work as opposed to being a salaried chump working 55 hrs/week while getting paid for 40

Double Amen!

- and it's nice to leave work behind when I walk out the door...

Isn't it, though?

- and it's nice not to have to be the person making all the decisions... there's a freedom that comes with being the implementer of orders rather than the generator of orders...

Ah, so nice.

- and I'm in a strong union, building seniority...

That must be nice. No union here...

- and I really like the folks with whom I go to battle every night... which is often what the big-city ED feels like

LOVE LOVE LOVE my co-workers

- and some of the patients touch me in a way that never happened with my other customers

And that makes all the difference in the world!

- and I like working with docs... and I love working with residents (meaning MDs, not in the LTC sense)

Yes, it's like free education!

- and I like knowing my job will never again be outsourced to China

Bwahahaha! Right!

You will be taking a huge risk, as you can tell from what you've read here, but it does pay off for some people... and sometimes very quickly.

To your original point, though: There is * NO NURSING SHORTAGE * at all.

I love your response. Spot on!

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Specializes in Oncology, Med-Surg.

I'd go for an accelerated program (for people that already have a bachelors in another field) and go for the MSN. One of my friends did this and took a position in risk management in a hospital after doing only 6 months of floor nursing.

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I am sorry, but I find it cynical to completely dissuade some one from being a nurse.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
I am sorry, but I find it cynical to completely dissuade some one from being a nurse.

Again, come back when you're a nurse and have been for some years.

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Specializes in MDS/ UR.
I am sorry, but I find it cynical to completely dissuade some one from being a nurse.

She is the one who will make the decision. We can give our opinions, as can you, but in the end. It is her choice. We can't make her do anything.

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I wouldn't dissuade just anyone from becoming a nurse.

The OP has an excellent career, and nursing is not a step up for her in terms of pay. You have to pay for school, often taking on debt to do so. Who wants to take on debt in a down economy when you are in your mid-forties?

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What makes An excellent career is a pretty personal thing. I'd think that if the OPs career was an excellent fit for her she wouldn't be considering a change.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

Just being truthful! I love my job but like I said, we are seeing more and more people in their late 40's and they are set in their lifestyle of not working this that and the other. After being on my feet for almost 30 years, 36-40 hours a week, sometimes up to 60, I can't imagine starting in nursing at this point in my life.

I agree, the poster could easily look into risk management after getting her degree.

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Canesdukegirl -

I wanted to thank you for your PM. I haven't participated here on the site enough to send a pm back, but I wanted to make sure you knew that I read your PM. Thank you, thank you.

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Being a nurse i one of the greatest thing happen to me ever!.

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I am in Baltimore. I am 39, and have been a social worker for 15 years. About 3 year ago, I decided to return to school in be a nurse. I was afraid, but I worked full time, and went to school at night and on weekends (in 1 semester taking anatomy 1 and micro!! with labs). I am starting a 2nd bachelor's porgram for RN in fall. I also have heard rumblings about no nursing shortage anymore, but when I go into the sites like indeed, they say that nursing is going up in need due to people living longer and needing more care. They say there will be another big shortage by 2016. I work in a hospital now (for now still as a social worker) and all they talk about is that there are not enough nurses (all the departments in our hopsital are under a hiring freeze EXCEPT nursing)

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