Am I too old to become an NP?

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I'm 43 y/o and thinking of becoming an NP. I will be an NP by 50 y/o. uhhh! Is that too old to make all the hard work worth it? I would do Family Practice. That gives me 10-12 yrs to work, then it will be time to retire and travel. What do you think? Its not about the money I will be spending on school or the income I will earn. Just the time. 7yrs of school for 10-12 yrs out of school.

Specializes in ER, Forensic Nurse, SANE.

Hey, Thanks everyone! You guys are great! I guess I thinking of a 7 yr plan because of going to school Part Time. When I wrote this I was feeling really "old" thanks to everyone for the "Pick Me Up!" Im planning on getting my NP so when I retire in 10yrs and my kids are grown, I can do missionary work with Doctors Without Boarders & SIMs

@ factorviia: How can you get from an RN to Np in 2 yrs and 9 months? Let me know. where are you going to school? Im in South Florida. .

@ fkm: I like the idea of the Moblie RV clinic .

Thanks for all your positive comments.

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Specializes in ER, Forensic Nurse, SANE.

Thanks for the encouragement!!! I'm going for it!

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Specializes in Correctional Nursing; MSN student.
Thanks for the encouragement!!! I'm going for it!

I hope you do. This thread has been very encouraging for me as well. I just got back from a walk where I was contemplating the issue of grad school. I asked for a sign...came in to find your post. Thanks!

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Same situation.I don"t know if this post is still on. I'm 43 Rn. have a BsN on something else.I'm down here in S.Florida.I think it would take be about 46 months to become NP between the bachelors and the NP.I don't know if still worth it.I don't work to much as Rn already but still NP itas way better. I think I'll be done by 48 if I do the Barry Univ program.

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Specializes in Primary Care.
I think I'll be done by 48 if I do the Barry Univ program.

It looks like you are looking at 4 years with the post-baccalaureate option. This is what I did - I had a previous unrelated BS degree, so I sorta did an RN-FNP program.

See here: Post-Baccalaureate DNP : Doctoral Programs : College of Nursing and Health Sciences : Barry University, Miami Shores, Florida

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

I am 51 and am planning on beginning a Post MSN NP program when I am 52. I will be 55 when it is complete. I thought I was too old. :) I don't see myself having the ability to retire prior to the age of 67. So, I am going to go for it. I will enjoy what I am doing.

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Specializes in ICU, Triage, Home Health, primary care FNP.

I'm so glad to have found this thread. I have two children, I'm 40, and I work part time as a bedside RN. I'm seriously contemplating about getting my NP and have been discouraged by the tuition, my age, and etc.

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Attention All: I am so tired about hearing nurses complain about the cost of education...here is how I got my RN, NP and DNP for free and received $750. stipend ...I simply joined the military and they paid for everything! Why doesn't anyone ever think of this route of action instead of complaining ???

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Specializes in ICU, Triage, Home Health, primary care FNP.

I am a military vet and used my first gi bill for my first undergraduate degree. I also served during Iraqi freedom and qualified for post 9/11 gi bill but unfortunately expired by the end of this month.

I have thought about joining again, but I am 40 years old with two young children. I would rather pay for my loans post NP than risk being deployed again like I did 10 years ago.

People have different reasons why they don't utilize the military route to pay for their school.

Good for you for doing that! Unfortunately, many people probably have different reasons for not doing what you did. We need to support each other instead of criticizing others' decision.

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Specializes in Primary Care.
On 9/2/2012 at 1:34 PM, SeaH20RN said:

@ factorviia: How can you get from an RN to NP in 2 yrs and 9 months? Let me know. where are you going to school? Im in South Florida. .

This is 9 years late (and my username changed), but I ended up doing RN-MSN/FNP  I have a prior unrelated bachelors degree, and I took a couple pre-reqs concurrent with ADN. I’ll be 51 starting my PMHNP cert program this Summer. LOL. Am I too old?  F-word NO!!

 

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