Anyone start their career late in Life?

I am 39 yoa; male; BS Finance and I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up

Hello,

I am in a similar position. I am a 29 years old male with a B.S. in Business/Economics. I have been a Financial Advisor and Pharmaceutical Sales representative. It took me years to realize, or I was blinded by $$$$ that I never accepted my complete and utter dissatisfaction for sales. I am not sure why I ever chose the career in the first place.

I have completed all of my science prereq's, while awaiting acceptance into a nursing school. There is a Hospital program in collaboration with a local community college which starts in january of 06. I am crossing my fingers and praying to be accepted.

One thing I stopped doing is thinking about the "what if, I did this or that" factor. I understand my business degree will assist me in various nursing pursuits. I feel every experience builds on the next and I know nursing is suitable to my personality profile. Call me an idealist, but I have to do what makes me happy. In all honesty this career change has been really tough thus far. I guess we are all in the same boat.

I don't believe it is too late. I am 48 years old and a mom of two daughters. I worked as a paralegal for 25 years and hated it. I needed to find my purpose and always knew it was nursing. I will gradate from my LVN nursing program in five weeks (Nov. 18, 2005) hooray. I am four classes away from applying to the RN program but will work as an LVN while finishing my prereqs. It's not easy, but boy will you feel good when you accomplish your dream. I had days when I didn't think I could do this and yes I am exhausted. But then there are days when I feel like I know this is where I was supposed to be helping others. I wasted too many years of my life making lots of money and for what. Pushing paper was not my thing. I had a few others in my class who were in their forties. My 21 year old just started the RN program and I will follow behind her. Life here on this earth is short and I think you need to make a difference and help others in some way. Nursing is a great way to do that. Good luck to you. You can do it. I did. Future LVN/RN in California five weeks from graduation!!!!!!!!!!

Hi, I'm married, a mom of five and had a Bachelors degree in another field from several years ago (and then upon graduation I could not find a job in that field). I returned to school several years later and I graduated at 45 (a year ago) with a Bachelor's degree in nursing and I found a job right out of college. I've been an RN now for a year. Nursing offers many opportunities. Just check out the newspapers in any big city and count the various opportunities for nurses......

I'm 52, new grad from a BSN program, in orientation in an MICU in a large medical center. There are days I wonder why I did this, but there are certainly a lot of jobs out there! (As opposed to IT, where I came from).

A fellow classmate of mine was a CPA, and hated corporate life. He works in the tele unit of the same hospital I am at, and he loves it.

Oldiebutgoodie

I'm in my second semester of a three semester LVN to RN transition program. I will be 45 when I graduate. I'm not the oldest in my class either. You will be the same age in say 3 years whether you go back to school for nursing or not.

I am 58. I graduated from nursing school at 22. I worked as a nurse for two years and then as an elementary school teacher for 25 years. I retired a few years ago. I took a refresher course, and now I am applying to get my MS in psychiatric nursing. I have noticed a lot of threads about being too old. One young girl made the wisest comment. She said that we are never too old, because we have no idea when our last day on earth will be anyway. If you really think about it, she is so smart. If you begin a new career at 50 and stay in it for at least 20 years, you have done a good thing! Someone else said that age is not the problem, saying "I Can" is. I would suggest that you do a search for all the threads on this subject. You will learn a lot and get a lot of encouragement from people of all ages. Just do what you want to do, and forget about age as a factor completely-that is my advice to you! krisssy

I am 48 and graduate in Dec of 05 after 3 years of school. I worked for the previous several years in accounting/payroll type work. I am so glad I have changed careers. I believe I will like it. The school was very intense due to? Not sure if it is my age or the school that made it so intense. There are a few older than I and several right around the same age. We lost many of the real young ones up front. Good luck and God Bless.

I waited until I was a wife and mother of 2 to go back to nursing school. I went to school with many "later in lifers" One I went to school with went after our associate degree program to get her bachelors and graduated with HER SON. :hatparty: She now teaches at a local vocational school, amazing woman.

Another "later in lifer" turning 50 this year, asked me to return to school with her for our bachelors. I'm going!!

A previous post warned you nursing school is hell Yes, and you will swear some of your professors and mentors are the devil himself . But it weeds out the ones whose heart isn't in it. Good luck to you!!

Started my carrer very late in life. I turn 50 in about 5 weeks and will graduate in June of 07. I was in retail all my life and made a life decision after 9 years of managing a company store and they informed me that they were putting all their stores up for sale and if my store sold I would be OUT. So made the decision while I was still working to start my college credits. Applied to the nursing school in our area and I just started nursing school in August with all but 1 college course done. I'm doing clinicals now and I love it. It is hard work but the best decision I ever made. Oh, by the way the store was sold and I lost my job this past June.
GO FOR IT!!!!!!!!!! I'm going for RN