Just thought I'd start a thread about this, because I am probably not the only one out there that feels this way.
So I will be one of those individuals that starts a career in nursing after the age of 40, and I sometimes feel envious of those nurses that are around my age that already have 20 or so years in the profession. So by the time we are 50, they will have @ 30 years while I will only have less than 10. The way I calculate it, I will probably only be able to give 35 years max into the profession, and will be at an age older than most other nurses retire (I don't want to retire at 65, I want to keep going into my 70's). I find myself sometimes wishing I had followed my fleeting instinct to do nursing during my first undergrad years. People try to tell me that I should be proud of the years I spent in another profession (which I am) before I embarked in nursing but the more I spend with nursing, the more I feel regret that I did not start with this profession earlier. I try to resolve my feelings by convincing myself that I can always blend my prior career into nursing (something many people cannot do) and that will give me an edge, which means I will not be delegated to floor nursing for the rest of my working years. I do want to work as a staff nurse for at least 5 years to get the raw experience of nursing, I have no desire even to supervise other nurses right now. Been there with management, done that, and happy to just do my job and make money for now. I think also that in becoming a nurse after 40 not many people will peg you as being a new nurse right away ... but then again, people do say I don't look my age
I just brainstormed the paragraph above so forgive me if it sounds like jibberish .. hopefully you all understood my point. Just want to get new perspectives on this, thanks!
Well if you had started when you were younger there is more chance you could have sustained a back or neck, shoulder injury taking care of the many bariatric patients you encounter, a greater chance you could have a needle stick or blood exposure. Count your blessings, but be very careful and protect yourself. Most hospitals have safe needles thanks to a law during President Clinton's time. Some hospitals have decent lift equpment, but definitely not all as they is no law for them to spend the money, sad to say, to protect yourselves from back injuries. Seems only laws talk for many hospitals, if its not required they go the cheapest route and too bad for those who end up injured in the process!
Just remember as an older person you are more susceptible to back/neck pain and must be careful if you become a nurse. There are many healthcare workers living in chronic pain and I've witnessed people become seriously injured and disabled during my time as a nurse. So be careful!
Also make sure you have disability insurance if you are able and remember you have less years left to one pay off student loans so keep them low and second save for retirement so keep that in mind. You do not want to be paying off your student loans from your social security and what little pension/savings you can muster. They will garnish up to 15% of your retirement/disability to repay student loans and even if the govt declares you disabled that is not enough for the student loan people who will still garnish your SSI check 15% so be warned!
Like others have said, looking back and second guessing is a waste of time. I 'misspent' my younger years in lower paying jobs in the medical field, then became a medical assistant for a few years and Ophthalmic Assistant for ten years.
I graduated from my ADN program and got my RN this year at age 57! I am fully physically and mentally capable of doing all that needs to be done and have no worries here. Most patients are very receptive to older nurses, thinking I have lots of experience and feeling more relaxed. I have no desire to get my BSN unless the hospital I (hope to) work for wants to help me financially, as the pay scale is no different for ADN's vs BSN's.
I agree that ergonomics have improved for nurses over the last 30 years, but we still have to be careful. There are so many more options for nursing now that the sky is the limit in what we can do.
Though I graduated this past June and have yet to obtain a full time job in my first choice of med/surg nursing, I am working a temp job now to get into the field.
Don't be discouraged, we are only limited by our own imagination
I worked with a RN only last week who told me she was 2 years past retirment and mate, she could have run rings around the younger ones.
I went into nursing near 40. Nobody questions you, they just accept it. And you obviously have experience in another career so that is great.
And just tell patients etc up front you are a newbie. They will respect you being so honest.
It's natural to worry a bit and think of the future, but my Mum says if people stopped worrying about the future and the 'what ifs' all the time, they would enjoy life more. Some other people will always have more experience than you anyway, so why worry about it?
I've only got 3.9 years RN under my belt, but I won't be staying in nursing forever. Sounds like you would regret not doing it, so just give it a go and see where it leads you. I knew an Irish nurse who didn't start nursing till she was older; she travelled the world working - even after she got married -she & hubby used to take the baby with them!
Do it and just enjoy yourself I reckon and good luck.
I'm 46 and am going back to nursing after staying home with children for about 12 years. After being out that long, I wouldn't want anyone to be a client of mine. I'm a little rusty. I'm required retake the NCLEX and am glad about that as I feel it'll make it safer for all. So it's kind of like going back to school and starting a new career. I'll be working with some nurses that will have less experience than I do, but at the same time I will be new. Things have changed since 1999. The NCLEX has changed since I originally took it in 1987. It feels like I'm starting a new career also. I have a lot of respect for people such as yourself who are taking on the challenge. Way to go!
Good luck and congrats to you for going back! :yeah:I was almost 50 when I graduated in 2003-just wish my joints weren't feeling like they are 150:crying2:
Right there with you girl....41 years old and applying for nursing programs right now. And in the middle of a classic midlife crisis on top of everything else, feeling very abused by 20 years in my current career (as a social worker). I spent months hating my work, complaining to everyone I know, and regretting not taking another path. I'd like to go back and meet my naive 22-year-old self and give her a good talking-to!
But...what are you gonna do? Shake it off and move forward. We just have to do our best, making decisions with the information available to us at the time. Good luck to you!
Oh the shoulda, woulda, couldas...I've got a million of them. My goal was to graduate from nursing school at 40. Check. BSN by 45. Check. MSN by 50...OOPS!
Too expensive. Anyway, feeling behind at the beginning of my career, I made a decision to transfer units every 4 years or so. I've worked med-surg, ICU, trauma/neuro, ED, OR, and oncology. Each specialty involved new training and study. I loved all of it! I now call outpatient wound and ostomy care my home and plan on never leaving until they drag my old carcass out of the building!
THANKS to everyone that has posted so far! I have read every one of your posts and it makes me feel better.
I think this is exactly the boost I needed to keep going forward. Not that I was slowing down any in my quest for a BSN (which I am 6 months shy of earning), but I just needed some mental motivation to stop worrying about things as I have.
Special mentions here:
In fact, you don't really know that, if you had chosen nursing 25 years ago, you'd still be a nurse now. I see from your profile that you are an attorney. For all you know, if you had chosen nursing way back when, maybe by now you'd be sick of it and you'd be looking for a change, and you'd be a 40-something law student wishing you had chosen law way back when.
Never thought about it that way ... I have in fact often thought about the person I was 20 years ago and realize that I was not the same person I am today. I don't think however I would have taken the law school route later in life, but that's just me talking ... who knows, you might be right? We will never know. But I need to be more grateful for my path so far, I am learning to do that slowly.
Well if you had started when you were younger there is more chance you could have sustained a back or neck, shoulder injury taking care of the many bariatric patients you encounter, a greater chance you could have a needle stick or blood exposure. Count your blessings, but be very careful and protect yourself. Most hospitals have safe needles thanks to a law during President Clinton's time. Some hospitals have decent lift equpment, but definitely not all as they is no law for them to spend the money, sad to say, to protect yourselves from back injuries. Seems only laws talk for many hospitals, if its not required they go the cheapest route and too bad for those who end up injured in the process!
Never thought about this either, and how the nursing of that era would probably be different from what it is now. I actually can't imagine going to nursing school in the pre-internet age, LOL!!
Again, thanks all for sharing and giving me some renewed motivation :)
Got the Bachelor's degree from the Big Prestigous University at 22....worked in Big Corporate for years.....and felt.....well.......empty. So, had baby #1 at 38, started prereq's......ooops.....baby #2 at 40, HUGE blessing, but a minor setback timewise, and am taking my final exam for Block 1 this Saturday, 1 day before my 43rd birthday. And I am so looking forward to my new life. :)
I started nursing at age 55 but I don't regret it one bit. You can always look back and say, "I should of . . ." but it doesn't change the past and it's not very constructive. Just live for the present and make your future.
I had an instructor whose purpose was to weed out nursing students who were 2 out of 3 of the following criteria:
1. Over 40
2. Male
3. Gay
We didn't know this until later, once the clinical rotation started. I will not name the institution but the bottom line is: there is a lot of prejudice against new nurses over 40. I hope this will change over time with the baby boomers moving into retirement age.
brandy1017, ASN, RN
2,910 Posts
Well if you had started when you were younger there is more chance you could have sustained a back or neck, shoulder injury taking care of the many bariatric patients you encounter, a greater chance you could have a needle stick or blood exposure. Count your blessings, but be very careful and protect yourself. Most hospitals have safe needles thanks to a law during President Clinton's time. Some hospitals have decent lift equpment, but definitely not all as they is no law for them to spend the money, sad to say, to protect yourselves from back injuries. Seems only laws talk for many hospitals, if its not required they go the cheapest route and too bad for those who end up injured in the process!
Just remember as an older person you are more susceptible to back/neck pain and must be careful if you become a nurse. There are many healthcare workers living in chronic pain and I've witnessed people become seriously injured and disabled during my time as a nurse. So be careful!
Also make sure you have disability insurance if you are able and remember you have less years left to one pay off student loans so keep them low and second save for retirement so keep that in mind. You do not want to be paying off your student loans from your social security and what little pension/savings you can muster. They will garnish up to 15% of your retirement/disability to repay student loans and even if the govt declares you disabled that is not enough for the student loan people who will still garnish your SSI check 15% so be warned!