At age 45, would you start an RN program? Honest advice please

[Possible Career Changer]

Hello everyone,

Can I please get honest advice from current RNs, please? My name is Daniel and I will be 45 years old soon. My background is in business. I have a BS in Business with no RN prerequisite courses. I am considering a career change to become a nurse. It is something that has always interested me. The current epidemic has given me an even higher appreciation for nurses and the work they do. I would not be pursuing this career for the "hero" status. It's not about how other people would perceive me. I genuinely have an interest in the nursing profession and the thought of helping people in need seems so satisfying to me.

I live in Los Angeles. The waitlists for nursing prerequisite courses at local community colleges are horrendous, I am told, not to mention the waitlists to be accepted into the actual RN program. At age 44, soon to be 45, I don't have time to waste. I have looked into a couple options and I would like to please get current RNs honest assessments.

Option #1: the second bachelor's BSN program at National University in Los Angeles. Time duration is about 39 months NOT including 9 prereq courses I would need to take before even applying to the program. Cost of the program NOT including the 9 prereq's is about $66,000. At least one prereq course I would have to take at National University, not at a community college, and the cost for that course alone is like $1,700 (I know Cal State LA and Cal State Northridge also have second bachelor's BSN programs, but since the acceptance rate is so low - around 10% at Cal State LA - I am not even seriously considering these two schools. My undergrad GPA was 3.14 cumulative. Not bad, but not outstanding either.)

Option #2: the ADN program at American Career College in Los Angeles. The advantage of this program would be the relatively short time to completion. I would be able to complete the program AND all the prerequisite courses in only 20 months. However, the cost is ... ugh ... $74,000. Short time to completion but expensive. Also, I have noticed the handful of RNs I know who work for Cedars Sinai and UCLA Ronald Reagan all have BSNs; so does this mean a new grad with an ADN from American Career College has little chance to be hired by those two big-name, prestige hospitals? Or any hospital in LA? Or is it just a coincidence that the four or five people I know who are RNs at those two hospitals just happen to all have BSNs? Going into debt for an ADN and landing a fulfilling job is one thing, going into debt for an ADN and then having to beg my current employer for my current job back would be a living nightmare. I already paid off my loans for my BS in Business degree, so I know what it's like to have student loan debt. 

Option #3 - slug it out in community college waitlist hell at age 44 and finish .... ever at all? 

Option #4 - the LVN route. LVN programs in Los Angeles are around $30,000 and time to completion is 13 months. Thirteen months and then I could start working as a nurse. However, is it really practical to say "I am going to work full time in a new career as an LVN AND go to school to become an RN AND have some semblance of a life?" Thoughts? Please be honest. Also, as RNs, do you look at LVNs and think, "Why didn't you just go for your RN in the first place, are you dumb or lazy or something?" Is that at least partially accurate or way off-base?

Is there another option I am not aware of? I love the idea of helping people in need, hence the desire to seriously consider becoming a nurse. However, could you honestly say if you were me, at 44 going on 45, with a non-nursing background, you would pursue a nursing career given the extreme amount of cost and time involved? Not to mention living expenses in Southern California! Please do not sugar-coat your responses. I am in need of honest, brutally honest advice from people who know. The "follow your heart" advice I have already heard. I am in need of an honest assessment based on practicality, time and money. Thank you in advance for your time and your candor. Thank you also for the important work all of you are doing. 

Daniel

[StrawberryblondeNP]

At your age, I would advise against obtaining that amount of student loan debt. It seems that you have done extensive research into all of your options. Have you considered applying to out of state RN programs and potentially moving, even if it is temporary? I think that would be much cheaper than the amount in tuition dollars you listed. Once you get your RN, you could always move back to California. Not to mention, out of state programs may be easier to get in with shorter ( or no) waitlists.

[caliotter3]

At your age I went your route with nursing and wasted my retirement nest egg, only to be disappointed in the results.  I would not do it again.  When a person is 45, their concern needs to be on what is their life going to be like at 65 or 70.  Do you have a solid retirement in place apart from your emergency fund and day to day savings?  What will you do if midway through the program, you become terribly ill and can not complete it?  Can you afford to spend good money and your time and not reach your final goal?  These are questions you should ask yourself before you succumb to the allure of nursing.  At 25 a person can better afford to make career mistakes or start over than they will find possible at 45.  You don't have those bumper years to work with.  Make a well thought out decision based on several "what ifs".

[Possible Career Changer]

Hi StrawberryblondeNP,

Thanks for taking the time to respond. Yeah, going out of state seems to be an option for sure. I hadn't even thought about that before I started reading the comments to my post. 

[Possible Career Changer]

Hi caliotter3,

Thanks for taking the time to reply and for your candor. You're right - I wouldn't be able to afford to not complete the program. Not in the least. I have some retirement savings, but it isn't nearly enough. If you don't mind me asking, what made you "disappointed with the results?" Is it the day-to-day tasks involved with being an RN? Something else? 

[SpokesAndCoffee, ADN]

First, you need to get the most thorough portrayal of nursing you can. Talk to nurses, shadow if possible, and maybe go through CNA training. While a desire to help people is important in this profession, I don't think that alone is enough. Will you still feel like you're helping someone who defecates in the bed because they think it's funny that you have to clean it up, or someone who shows up on your floor every few weeks due to repeated substance abuse? I'm not saying that such things are the norm, but they do happen, and something has to drive you forward despite such instances.

If nursing is your ultimate passion, go for it. Just realize that even if a program is two years, you'll have to add at least another year for prerequisites. And, no, you probably won't work much during that time. That's not to say people don't juggle both, but many of the people who try end up failing out or having to drop down to part-time school.

At 45, with little savings, I don't think you need to completely switch gears and go deeper in debt just to help people. You could use your business degree at another company, or maybe take online courses for a masters degree in health administration.

[NDNurse]

I started nursing school as an older than average student - I was 40. I worked VERY part time as a clinic CNA and my children were in elementary school. It wasn’t easy, but you can do anything you set your mind to. My school was affiliated with a local hospital and by agreeing to work for them for 2 years, they paid half my tuition. That would be one suggestion.  I don’t know if moving is an option, but I know a few nurses who moved to our area because there are more opportunities for new grads. 
I have my BSN, and will graduate with my MSN in April. Personally, I would not recommend the associate degree programs. For starters, it can be limiting. Hospitals in this area require a BSN. Nurses with 2 year degrees can work in clinics or nursing homes.  I have a WOCN certification and a BSN is required. I have looked at the curriculum for the community college in my town and the requirements simply aren’t the same.  
The first year or so was rough, and I really questioned my decision to become a nurse. Now, I love my job and couldn’t imagine doing anything else. 

[Possible Career Changer]

SpokesAndCoffee, 

CNA training keeps being mentioned, including by you, so I have started looking into that. Thanks for your honest advice. You told it like you see it, and that's exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you. 

[Possible Career Changer]

NDNurse,

Thanks for taking the time to give your advice. Yes, it seems like the BSN route is leaps and bounds about the ADN, especially in my area. If you don't mind me asking, what about your first year or so in nursing made you question your decision to be a RN?

[NDNurse]

Hello again,

It took me a bit to get my feet under me.  I had an awful preceptor and really just had to figure things out on my own.  I also started at the same time the facility was changing from paper charting to an electronic medical record. The first year I ran around a lot, going from computer to computer.  Of course you complete your assessments, change dressings, pass medications, but I never felt like I was able to give each of my patients enough time. It improved as the year went on and I think some of this can be attributed to learning better time management.  As one of the other commenters mentioned, following someone would give you a great idea of what you might be signing up for.  

[FallingInPlace, ADN, BSN, RN]

I went to nursing school at 48 and finished at 50.  Some days I regret my decision more than others. Although I find I enjoy my work most days, I don't always enjoy the circumstances under which I work.  I would do it again only if I were convinced I had a true passion for nursing and a good understanding of job conditions.  I thought I knew what nursing would be like, but it's more difficult and I have far less autonomy than I thought I would.  I would also not go into much debt for nursing school at 45, because of the need to save for retirement.  I was able to get an associate's degree from a hospital system that repaid my debt as I worked for them as a new grad, which was a great deal for me financially.  If I had been just a little bit younger, I probably would have gone on to a FNP program, but decided that the costs far exceeded the benefits at my age.  My last piece of advice is to research the subspecialties that will allow you to advance in your career most easily.  A background in critical care (ED, ICU) will boost your options more than others, in my opinion.  Have you considered another role in healthcare, such as becoming a radiology technician?  That field definitely allows you to advance to more lucrative jobs with more responsibility, such as being a dosimetrist.  Best of luck in your decision!

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

Another what if: what if you fail a class? It happens, and if your savings are iffy, you need to think on it. Also, you want to work in CA. Many new grads in the Bay Area (and CA in general) have a hard time landing that first job, especially in the acute (hospital setting)-there are many threads and posts on AN regarding this.  Besides possibly moving for school, are you prepared to move for your first job if necessary? Nursing is also physically tough, and not all settings have assistive personnel, you know, cost cutting and all.

I'm not trying to dissuade you, but want you to go into your decision making process with eyes wide open. I've been at this for over 25 years. Knowing what I know now, I probably would have chosen differently when I was younger. I used to feel like I was providing good care instead of rushed care, staffing was better, and it was good to be a nurse.  Now, short staffing and upper management that worships the bottom line more than concern for patients is causing nurses to leave the bedside in droves. I'm glad that I work in a clinic setting, and like what I do. I avoid the hospital setting like the plague. There's my 2 cents, good luck with your decision. Let us know what you decide.

[Possible Career Changer]

Hi FallingInPlace,

Thanks for your input! I wasn't aware some hospitals reimburse the costs of a RN program. That sounds like a good deal! You and others are advising against going into debt at my age, so that is really hitting home. I did look into the Radiologic Technician route, but it seems a little monotonous to me (correct me if I'm wrong).