Am I too old to go into nursing?

[midlifecareerchange]

My entire family works in health care ie; doctors, nurses, hospital adminstrators. I have always been attracted to nursing and have successfully raised 4 children, three of them boys so I feel like there isn't anything I haven't seen. Also spent a day at a morgue and feel that I have what it takes to deal with trauma of all sorts.

I'm 48 years old and have no college degree. Am I crazy to take on the challenges of nursing at my age? My mother has been a nurse for over 35 years now. She recommended that I start as an LVN/LPN but some of the posts I've read here on allnurses.com indicate that there are many who cannot find employment.

I have worked in sales all my life and the stresses of living on commission only have worn me thin. I always envisioned spending the second half of my life helping others.

Where do I start? I need to support myself and two sons that are still at home so I thought about becoming a CNA first while I'm putting myself through school.

Please don't pull any punches with me. I want the unvarnished truth from you, a group of professionals that I have profound respect for.

[lvnhopeful]

Way to go Midlife!

I was 54 when I started school for LVN, graduated this year and just passed the NCLEX. I am 55 now and plan to go on to getting my RN.

Like you, I somehow envisioned helping people in my later years and am glad to have taken the plunge.

Good luck to you.

[forcolin]

Wow, I am so happy to find this thread!!!! I'm 36, spent 15 years in publishing and got burned out. I have been a stay at home mom for the last 2 years and have been trying to figure out what else I wanted to do, could do, but just couldn't decide. All I did know was that I wanted a career that was fulfilling. Well, in May I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy at 29 weeks due to a placental abruption after a very unstable pregnancy and much time spent on hospital bedrest. My son spent 7-1/2 weeks in the NICU. You know what got me through? It was the nurses. The way they were with my son, the other babies, with ME that got the light bulb flickering above my head. I don't know where I would have been without them patiently answering my questions over and over again, being able to read the onset of panic when something was wrong, talking to me like a human being, and chatting me up to help pass the time that made me realize that nursing was something that I wanted and needed to do. Something that I could do to pay it forward for that kindness and humanity.

I'd just started to feel a little overwhelmed at this getting started process when I read this. It's so nice to see that I am not alone in wondering if it's too late. I'm going for it, and so should all of us that have a dream. Thank you so much for sharing......

[maptl]

Never to late to go for a dream. I have had it since I was in my 20's so now that my children are all through school and it is just my husband and I it is time for me to follow my dream. So it hasn't been easy but the goal has out met the challenge. I have worked as a CNA since I was 20 years old some 34 years later it is a dream that is coming true. NEVER GIVE UP!

[MusicityRN1!]

I started nursing school when I was 45. I went to school full time and worked full time. It was the hardest thing that I have ever done. Hard but not impossible!

[UVA Grad Nursing]

Go for it! We regualrly enroll new nursing students who are in their 50s (two this year). Their life experiences and valuable observations have added so much to the class discussions. Plus, you've got many years in time management and balancing the demands of real life (that some of your prospective classmates have not had yet).

One of my favorite sayings from Mark Twain is that it is a shame that education is wasted on the young.

One of my favorite recent students enrolled in our second degree program at 58. She has worked as a social worker with the Department of Corrections and now wanted to work with the incarcerated as an RN. She's loving her job as a nurse now.

[blueheaven]

My entire family works in health care ie; doctors, nurses, hospital adminstrators. I have always been attracted to nursing and have successfully raised 4 children, three of them boys so I feel like there isn't anything I haven't seen. Also spent a day at a morgue and feel that I have what it takes to deal with trauma of all sorts.

I'm 48 years old and have no college degree. Am I crazy to take on the challenges of nursing at my age? My mother has been a nurse for over 35 years now. She recommended that I start as an LVN/LPN but some of the posts I've read here on allnurses.com indicate that there are many who cannot find employment.

I have worked in sales all my life and the stresses of living on commission only have worn me thin. I always envisioned spending the second half of my life helping others.

Where do I start? I need to support myself and two sons that are still at home so I thought about becoming a CNA first while I'm putting myself through school.

Please don't pull any punches with me. I want the unvarnished truth from you, a group of professionals that I have profound respect for.

GO FOR IT!!!!!!!! Once you finish, there are so many opportunities and paths you can take:yeah: I know of quite a few older adults that have went to school for their RN. Shoot, my mom would still be working if she hadn't broken her hip (on the job) at 68....lol. I plan on cruising the halls and passing meds from my "hoverround"!!!!!