Who has changed careers and become a nurse after age 30?

I am 38 and just graduated from nursing school. I start my 1st job as an RN on Monday. At least 1/2 of my class was 30 or older. Many have previous degrees in a variety of fields. My best friend is in her 30's, has 4 kids under 7, did 1-2 extra classes EVERY semester on top of the ADN program, and still graduated with just under a 4.0 gpa. So it's totally do-able. In fact, I think those of us with a little bit of life experience found nursing school easier than our younger counterparts.

I graduated from an ADN program at 35 (I had a previous BA degree and some graduate work in another field). I am now 42, newly graduated from an MSN program and will start teaching full time at an ADN program soon with 7 years of nursing (primarily L&D) under my belt. I agree with the last poster that I think nursing school may have felt a bit easier to those of us who had more schooling under our belt. At least as far as the tests and papers go. The hands on stuff was still pretty daunting! Although I have to say that having three kids made that a bit easier as well. I had been vomited and pooped on and been in charge of another life before.

I LOVE being a nurse and am so looking forward to teaching others. There is just no other job that can compare to nursing in the way we help others be and become. I had started to train to be a counselor, but I am finding so much more satisfaction in helping people in a different and more practical way.

My advice would be to expect challenges and be flexible. Nursing school is tiring. Make time for your family (I scheduled it!) when you are not thinking about school. The practice in compartmentalizing will come in handy when you start working. Be ready to have your heart broken and filled to capacity within the same 12 hour shift and then go home to your same routine life--this can be a comfort! I see nursing as an adventure with many different options. There is one for everyone. Have fun finding yours.

It is definitely doable, but it will not be easy. Depending how much support you have from your spouse and family, it can make it easier, but nursing school is just a lot of work. My best advice would to be make sure you really want to be a nurse. If I hadn't really wanted to be a nurse, I don't think I could have kept motivated enough to get through everything. I graduate this December and can't wait.

Also the job market right now for new grads is not good. I know my area is not really hiring new grads and the main hospital got rid of their nurse residency program because it was too expensive. By the time you graduate the job market will hopefully be much better, but if you aren't able to relocate to where the jobs are, that might be something to consider as well. Looking at the cost of school and job prospects is definitely different when you're 30+ vs. 22. I have to get a job right after graduation, because I have no way to pay my bills otherwise. Most of the other students in my class are not too worried, because they still have a lot of parental support.

If you want it enough, you will find a way to make it work

I've always wanted to be a nurse. In my senior year in high school I took the CNA program on Saturdays. My dad lost his job during the 90's recession. He couldn't support me for a 2-year program ( you couldn't work during the rn program back then).
I had to let go of the idea to be a nurse. Now, I'm over 30 and laid off. There's a beautiful hospital opening soon behind my house. I want to go back to nursing, but my pre-reqs are over 10 years old. I have to start all over.

Better get started!