Am I off my rocker?

DroogieRN · Apr 6, 2011

If your chosen school offers part-time education, then it's workable. Nursing school + work is tough, but not impossible.

With an AAS, you'll be an RN after you pass the NCLEX-RN.

I received my RN license at age 45. You're never too old.

Best of luck.

ParvulusPuella · Apr 6, 2011

I can help you out a little:

Education-wise, a major component of nursing school is clinicals, which depending on the school may be one or two days a week, or they may be more. You'd really have to research schools to find out how that would work out. I know for continuing ed, for RNs who go on to get their BSNs or MSNs online, there are ways they can pick where they can do their clinicals, as long as they have someone there to precept them, etc. But for the primary nursing degree, I don't know how well trying to do a lot of online would work. Hopefully others have a better idea.

I do know that it is possible to work full time and do part time school, especially for the ADN degree (which is the one you are referencing). A lot of my classmates did that, and I myself was working two part time jobs (totalling 40 hours a week), plus full time school. So going about it the opposite way would probably work as well. The only caveat I have about that is: I had taken all of my prereqs before hand, so when I was accepted into the nursing program, I only needed the nursing classes. Each class was at minimum 10 credits, so I was practically full time taking only the one course. It was 5-6 hours of lecture a week, with 16+ hours of clinical time, and at least another 4-5 hours for studying, and preparation for clinicals- care plans, etc).

The AAS would be the Associates of Applied Science in Nursing. You would take the NCLEX-RN upon graduating, and be an RN. (The ADN I mentioned before just means Associates Degree in Nursing- same thing). You could go on to get your bachelors or masters, online even, and be a BSN or MSN. But you'd still be an RN- they all take the same NCLEX-RN.

I went to school with several older men. One who I became good friends with and had clinicals with was 59, and he was absolutely brilliant at it. There's no reason why you can't do it, too. :)

It just might take longer, trying to balance work and school. I'd recommend beating out your pre-reqs, that way you can focus on the nursing courses one at a time, or however they are offered at the school you are looking at.

Good Luck!!

quietpatty · Apr 6, 2011

It's great that you made the decision to go into nursing. I'm sure it couldn't have been an easy one.

1. & 3. To answer your question about part time online education, I would suggest that you check to make sure that the nursing program is approved by your state's Board of Registered Nursing. I only know of programs that are full time with clinical hours. There were a few students in their 40s, a few that were even older, and quite a few were men. There were also a lot of students holding down part time and full time jobs. I don't know how they did it, but they made it possible. I couldn't have done it. Nursing school was too challenging and draining for me.

2. I'm not familiar with an AAS degree. My program was an Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN). Graduating from the nursing program qualifies you to take your state boards, which is the NCLEX. Passing the NCLEX gives you the license to work as an RN.

I hope this helps. Best of luck!

SNB1014, RN · Apr 6, 2011

hey, welcome!

i think its awesome that you are considering this field. i believe all of us are understanding regarding your need to keep your day job.

if you graduate with an AAS from your local community college or w/e, you will have an RN only if you graduate from a REGISTERED NURSING program. if you chose LVN route, you will have studied licensed vocational nursing and still received an AAS. you may earn your BSN through your local university, their distance education program or additional accredited online nursing programs.

in terms of pre-reqs, (math/stat/anatomy/physiology/micro/pharm etc whatever your desired program requests) they can frequently be offered at night or on the weekends. most nursing pre-reqs have a clinical/lab component that you must attend and complete satisfactorily. they are mostly only 1 or 2 days a week for a couple hours. if you feel up to the challenge, many local colleges offer "mini-mesters", aka a 6-8 wk condensed version of a normal semester class. it might be 4 nights a week for 4 hours each for 6 wks or so, for example.

and actually, there is a GRANDPA in my nursing program. all of us love him. hes intelligent, hilarious and brings us a dose of maturity when we need it! i respect him, not judge or speculate the reasons why he is "finally" in school, you know?

best of luck...go get 'em!

BrookeeLou_RN · Apr 6, 2011

Hi
I finally registered after lurking here for the longest time. I'm a 43 year old male and have had the desire to be a nurse for the past 15 years. I have a well paying corporate job that really offers no stability and little satisfaction. That said, I decided that I have put off my desire for too long. I want to go to nursing school and am gathering the information to move forward but have some questions I need answered.
1. Obviously at 43 I have financial reasons I'll need to keep my "day job". My desire is to get as much of my nursing education online on part time. Is it realistic to think I can get my education part time to work within my life?
2. The local college that I was looking at offers a nursing program and at the end they offer an AAS degree in nursing. After receiving an AAS in nursing, where would this classify me as far as my nursing level; BSN, RN, LPN?
3. Does a 43 year old male going to school non- full time have hope of becoming a nurse or am I reaching at a dream that's unrealistic?
Thanks in advance for your thoughts and comments - Tommy

First off an AAS or ASN degreee lets you sit for state boards to be a RN.. To get a BSN, either you go to 4 yr college or get your RN then take a bridge program to get BSN( many are online). If you go 4 yr college route then you would take same boards and still be a RN just with a BSN also.. LPN is a shorter program and different boards. All are available online but getting thru online school before boards is tough as you are required to do clinicals. I know one nurse who did this but she did it FT and quickly. Personally I would not recommend it but others on this forum may. Also AAS and ASN do not mean exactly the same thing to every college you may attend later for a BSN. There are nursing schools that offer evening classes but depends where you live.. Do you have a degree at all now? If yes, some general ed classes may transfer and this will help you. Most community college programs take more than 2 yrs.. the nursing component is two yrs but you need pre-requisites done first..

No if it is your dream than it is not unrealistic....but that said I would look at school during day and job in evenings, get RN then use online schools to get BSN. BSN is not required but helps secure more opportunities in some regions and in time to come may become even a bigger asset.

My biggest concern is you state you have "well paying corporate job that really offers no stability or satisfaction".

How do you know nursing will be any different? If you have been "lurking" on this site for awhile, I am sure you have read how new grads are having trouble finding any job, how experienced nurse can not change jobs easily, how starting salaries are some places actually going down... What does well paying mean to you?

I would suggest you actually shadow a nurse in a filed you think would suit you.. Maybe you have to take a vacation day or two to really investigate if this is really your "DREAM". If it is , you will do whatever to make it work. I would just hate to see you jump into something that is not quite you might think it is. Due diligence is required. Best of luck to you. Just keep both eyes wide open:twocents:

loriangel14, RN · Apr 7, 2011

No you're not off your rocker. Go for it and good luck.

VioletKaliLPN, LPN · Apr 7, 2011

you are not off of your rocker, but you need to be aware of a few things.

nursing school is not online, but pre requisite classes often are. you have to go to class, attend clinical rotations and in school "lab" practice and sessions. you do not get to pick schedules at most schools i am familiar with, they give you the days they have available.

evening classes are not available at every school, even most schools for that matter, nursing classes tend to be dominated by daytime programs. i am in school every day from 8:00am-2-3:00pm, and that is strictly nursing, not anything extra! then i go home and read and study.

you will have clinicals during the daytime, perhaps evening too at times, and we do not get to pick our schedule.

unfortunately, you may find that nursing school requires you to be more flexible than you are aware of, rather than it becoming flexible for you.

in my entire state there are only 5 part time nursing programs.

carolmaccas66, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2011

Hi Tommy

Welcome to AN!

I'm in Australia so don't know much re the US system. I am 44 so am near your age.

I worked and studied full time to get my Bachelor of Nursing and it can be done, but I have to warn you, you have to be dedicated if you want it.

I don't know what a AA qualification is - we are either RNs or ENs here - but if you can go at night after your work, maybe you can fit it in then. I would say try it for a few years, then if you do a few clinicals - where you go out to a facility/hospital on a ward or unit to do your nursing practice as a student - then if you don't like it, you can always look at something else.

But physically I find nursing much harder now that I'm in my 40s to when I was younger. When ur young you can bounce back from shiftwork, now it's not so easy - something to think about. But if u don't do it you will never know.

Nursing can have many wonderful sides to it, but people are very demanding as are the doctors, families, etc. Many days you are not just doing nursing, though I reckon ur corporate background will help you with the management aspect of the job. You also have to be a bit aggressive and forward with people and families/staff who are demanding, unrealistic and arrogant, as nursing can also be dangerous with unpredictable psych and aggreessive patients. I think nowadays you need to be tough as a RN!

And you also need to be a great patient advocate - which is a VERY hard job.

Good luck in whatever you decide. Let us know how you get on please and what you decide to do.

ADD: FYI - many of our universities her in Oz do external nursing, and they do take applicants from other countries, try: www.unisa.edu.au (University of Southern Austrlia); http://www.cdu.edu.au/ (Charles Darwin University, Northern Territory, Australia) and this one gives you a comprehensive list of course around Oz: http://www.hotcourses.com.au/australia/home.html

Probably Melbourne and Victorian Universities do external courses but I'm unsure which ones :)

laurah4k · Apr 7, 2011

I would highly recommend looking into programs in your area that offer night or weeknd options, they do exist! Sit down with an advisor or research the prereqs to see which courses you can get out of the way online or at evening classes, if you have a degree or have taken classes already some may count toward your ADN. Some colleges offer a planned extension so you can spread your course work out. The weekend program I start in January is every other weekend, no vacations no summers off for 2 calendar years.

Good Luck!

TexMex22 · Apr 7, 2011

You are not too old for sure. If you have a well paying job, SAVE MONEY. Seriously, bank as much money as possible for a year (or two) while you are doing your part-time classes. Then when you get ready to start your nursing core classes and do clinicals you will have enough money to finish hopefully without working... or maybe only working a minimal amount of time per week. I know a couple of people trying to work and do school. They are making it, but they are struggling. However, if you REALLY want to be a nurse for the right reasons in your heart you will find a way. Keep us posted! We need more men for sure.

ErinS, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2011

When I went to nursing school, we could get an ASN or AAS degree. The AAS degree at my school had one less math and english class. If you go on for your BSN you will have to catch up on those classes.

My school had a much lighter clinical load than many, and I actually did some of them on the weekend. This will actually likely start to be more common, as clinical sites can only hold so many students at a time during the week.

I worked part time and did school full time and it was hard, but doable.

Nursing is a great career and I have never been sorry for it, although I am quite a bit younger than you. Many of the best nurses I have met started nursing after a 'midlife crisis'. Your life experience is invaluable, and something I find I lack, being in my 20s. Good luck!