What age is "too old" to switch from RN to APRN?

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Hi all. I'm early 40's, been a nurse for awhile -- almost all of it critical care. My plan was always to return to school for my masters so I could retire out of a physically-less-demanding but intellectually stimulating hands-on patient care role.

I've recently landed a critical care "dream job". I'm super stoked about all the professional growth this opportunity affords as it's in a new specialty for me with lots of new learning curves. I know I could stay busy learning this new specialty and working on new certifications, and just enjoying the work for awhile. I like the flexibility, the 12 hour shifts, the pay, the challenge.... its all good.

But it's very stressful and very physical and I'm not getting any younger. So I keep thinking about advanced practice and wonder how long I have to pursue that route. While I had planned to work and go to school at the same time, I'd like to put school on the back-burner for awhile and get into a groove with this new job and just be able to focus on it.

But how long is too long for me to put off school? How old is "too old" to become an NP?

Specializes in CVICU, MICU, Burn ICU.

Thanks everyone for sharing and your encouragement! Reading your replies is helping me relax a little --- like it will be OK if I don't start a program in the next year. NP programs are tough to get into around here (a good thing!) -- and if I do it, I'm committed to only going to a great school. I don't even know if I'll get in for this next cohort -- but with my new job, I'm not sure I really want to start that soon anyway. It's good to know if I do get in, but don't feel it's the right time to start, that I can put it off another year or two (or more!).

Ya'll are awesome and I really appreciate the feedback!

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Yikes that is like saying that just because someone has passed boards and have an active license they are competent to practice. I wish it were true but disagree in some cases. Unfortunately I have seen many skilled providers continue to practice when they were no longer competent due to the natural aging process. My personal opinion is our profession as well as physicians should have some age related requirements similar to airline pilots however in the case of this OP not even close to relevant.

Well, then let them do Psych - you know something where competence isn't really a requirement ...JK LOL

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
Well, then let them do Psych - you know something where competence isn't really a requirement ...JK LOL

I'd laugh too if in my area we actually didn't have a fair amount of 1/2 senile old farts still writing for whatever pills their clients with SUD were requesting. At least anecdotally that is what I find in psych with many of the older prescribers both MDs and NPs 70yo+. They seem to lose their discerning edge aren't able to read between the lines when patient's report and presentation are incongruent. They are unable to say no and tend to just keep loading the pills on as long as the patient keeps complaining. This isn't just with SUD patients but in general, again just anecdotally, way too much poly pharmacy. Two psychiatrists lost their license to practice in the past year and let me tell you it is similar to CPS taking your kids. Someone has to be ridiculously negligent to have either entity strip you of your rights.

Perhaps even worse than the above is an aged neurologist still insisting on spinal tap for patients who already meet the present criteria for a MS diagnosis. He has trained his NP to require the same. :(

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Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.

We have a but of that too Jules. I always just thought that maybe after 50 years of clinical practice they just got too tired to fight with people and do CMEs.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
We have a but of that too Jules. I always just thought that maybe after 50 years of clinical practice they just got too tired to fight with people and do CMEs.

Lol, very possibly, and for whatever reason it makes for disturbing outcomes. I'm glad someone else has noticed this and it isn't just me in line for the accusations of ageism. :) I truly don't think blindly encouraging someone to do something without actually considering the reality is as supportive as some might think. There are practical reasons why at least to me it makes no sense to embark on an expensive new career at 60+ when in fact it is likely many will need to retire in the next decade for one reason or another. Although I truly wish 60 was the new 40 looking at my sliding face and delayed reaction time I'd beg to differ. I chalk it up to another aspect of Americans feeling that if we want something or someone else has it we also deserve it.

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Specializes in Leadership, Psych, HomeCare, Amb. Care.

I truly don't think blindly encouraging someone to do something without actually considering the reality is as supportive as some might think. There are practical reasons why at least to me it makes no sense to embark on an expensive new career at 60+ when in fact it is likely many will need to retire in the next decade for one reason or another. Although I truly wish 60 was the new 40 looking at my sliding face and delayed reaction time I'd beg to differ. I chalk it up to another aspect of Americans feeling that if we want something or someone else has it we also deserve it.

Blind encouragement is not wise, but it making an informed decision is .

If one considers the cost, the ROI, the number of years it takes to recoup that investment, ones health status, and an anticipated retirement age, that's a much different scenario. I thought long and hard about going down this path. In a year or 2 I may change my mind, and decide to just ride out my current job till retirement, but at least I have that option. I'd much rather quit a path than to say, "Damn I wish I had started that program."

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

The cohort age span was 23 all the way to 54 when we began in 2012. People made comments about both ends of the spectrum. Guess who was still standing when we graduated in May? That's right, the youngest now 27 and the oldest not 58. Cohort began with 40 and we graduated with 13. So I think will and determination count more than age sometimes. Good luck to you on your endeavors.

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I am thinking when I am 80 i will switch to CRNA, I heard its a gas!

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

I will be 52 when I begin the Post Masters NP program.

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Specializes in CVICU, MICU, Burn ICU.
Blind encouragement is not wise, but it making an informed decision is .

If one considers the cost, the ROI, the number of years it takes to recoup that investment, ones health status, and an anticipated retirement age, that's a much different scenario. I thought long and hard about going down this path. In a year or 2 I may change my mind, and decide to just ride out my current job till retirement, but at least I have that option. I'd much rather quit a path than to say, "Damn I wish I had started that program."

Right. I don't think there should be any sorts of cut-offs based on age -- for working or going to school. That said, I am an advocate for tightening up standards and testing competency. I share the same concerns many of you have regarding the dilution of nursing -- and specifically advanced practice nursing.

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Specializes in medical surgical.

The oldest in my class was 54 when she started and she works in mental health in a top hospital on the east coast. Myself, I was 50 when I went back and I am happy with my choice.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.
The oldest in my class was 54 when she started and she works in mental health in a top hospital on the east coast. Myself, I was 50 when I went back and I am happy with my choice.

Yes, I don't want regrets. I will take it a semester at a time.

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