Becoming a nurse later in life

[YYCGuy]

Hello. Thanks for reading.

I'm a guy in my mid-40's thinking about becoming an RN. Am I crazy to do so? Are there others who have done so successfully?

My education background is a bit odd to be considering this. In the very early 90's I became an electronics technologist. Since then I have continuously taking both classroom and distance learning courses in technology and business. For about the past 15 years I have been involved in business development related to technology.

I will complete a bachelor's degree in 2016 (Technology Management).

I've been thinking long and hard about a serious career change. One that I get to work with and help people. Coupling that with something that involves science and technology brought my mind to becoming a nurse.

Looking into how I could make this happen, I have looked into Bachelor of Nursing Accelerated Track (BNAT) program at University of Calgary, the Bachelor of Nursing - After Degree at University of Lethbridge, and the Master of Science (Applied) in Nursing - Direct-Entry at McGill.

For any of these programs, I would need to do some prerequisite work before being accepted. However, knowing myself I feel pretty confident that I can get into them.

Does anyone know if there have been people my age that have successfully graduated from one of these programs or similar – and been working after?

Any and all opinions are welcome J Thanks.

[YYCGuy]

OK, reality check.

The Alberta job market isn't great.

You will be close to 50 when you graduate. Many Alberta nurses retire at 55-58 with their pensions.

You will be a new grad competing with other new grads. Are you willing to work as a casual for 2-3 years with no benefits or pension rights? Can you afford to do this?

AHS and it's affiliates use seniority as a determining factor for hiring for permanent lines. They also look at how long you will be there for them.

The reality is yes you can do it academically. Getting hired isn't that easy. A 50yo v. a 32yo? They will go with the younger nurse every time because of the investment they make in you hiring. Are you willing to go to the bottom of the vacation/seniority totem pole and wind up working most stats and working every other weekend? Can you adapt to rotating shift?

People aren't appreciative of the help we give them, over the two decades I've been nursing in Alberta, the patients have become more demanding and have great senses of entitlement. They see only themselves. They want what they want when they want it and they are not reluctant to tell you that they pay your wages.

With your background have you looked into the technology of healthcare equipment and it's maintenance.

Nursing isn't rosy and it isn't ugly. But if you think in this province it's a safe, stable job with people who will be greatful for you care, you are coming in for the wrong reason.

The further north you go in this province the needier and more entitled the patient population. Frequent flies from Fort Mac, GP and the fly in reserves are common in the larger hospitals.

Thanks for your comments. You do sum up some of my fears quite well. Being 50 and competing with 25 year olds for entry level positions is a very real concern of mine.

I'm not particularly tied to Alberta. I'm here now and like it, but I wouldn't be broken up about having to move.

As for your experiences with Patients, is it really that bad? I'm sure sometimes it must be horrible, but is the good that must also be there enough to balance it out? I think part of what started this thinking for me was a 5 day stay at FMC - I was both grateful and impressed by the care that I received there.

[Psychcns]

My brother has what seems to be a good job in clinical engineering. He takes care of ventilators and other hospital equipment. He has a degree in biology and likes to work on his car and has built computers. If you have this kind of inclination it might be worth looking into.

[Fiona59]

BC and Ontario are also in bad shape employment wise. Read the posts on this forum.

When you have a "good patient" it's great but they are few and far between. I work inner city. Addicts are a very different patient. I have friends who work in a smaller hospital with a patient population from a higher socio-economic background. From what we've compared there is no difference in the patients. I personally know of six nurses who have been assaulted while performing basic care. If the patient has dementia we are just expected to accept it. By some with addictions? Same thing. I've been punched by an alert, orientated patient and the three other people in the room never saw it coming either.

There are great days but over the last five years they have become fewer and further apart.

As the economy goes down and the threat of staff cuts increase morale suffers. My unit works short a lot. Sick calls aren't covered, vacations aren't covered. Yet we are expected to smile and pretend it's all right.

Have you ever worked 5.5 hours without a rest break? It's becoming the norm on some units. Labour code violation abound but we are expected to work through them.

I've worked in two provinces and it's been the same.

[YYCGuy]

Which province do you intend to work in? Is McGill the only university in Canada that has direct entry masters of nursing program? If so, is it because Quebec has different licensing requirements for RNs than other Canadian provinces do?

From their website, the McGill program says that they are a "unique program in Canada".

As for the reasons, I am not sure.

[Autumnaries]

You give me great inspiration!!

[Ladybug993]

I'm doing the CNL program at AU in Georgia.

Oh ok

[dishes, BSN, RN]

From their website, the McGill program says that they are a "unique program in Canada".

As for the reasons, I am not sure.

Quebec has different licensing requirements than the rest of Canada, when chosing a nursing program look at the education and licensing requirements for the province you plan to live in. I would not attend a nursing program in Quebec unless I planned to practice there.

[dishes, BSN, RN]

I have been in nursing thirty years and have been through three nursing shortage/surplus cycles, the latest surplus cycle started in Ontario in 2008 and is related to the global economic downturn and the provincial deficits, it doesn't look like the surplus cycle will be changing to a shortage cycle any time soon. The prediction that a large number of nurses would retire early has not panned out, because most nurses cannot afford to retire without full pension. The exception seems to be middle management positions, where early retirement is not uncommon. With your business background, you might be able to find work as a manager once you have gained a few years experience as a staff nurse.

[eris08, BSN, RN]

YYCGuy yes there are fears, but apply if nursing is truly what you want to do. One of my professor from my accelerated program told us that the oldest person to ever be in our program was a 60 year old male. Now he is an ADN and doing extremely well in his field. So don't give up if you want to be a nurse.

[Fiona59]

YYCGuy yes there are fears, but apply if nursing is truly what you want to do. One of my professor from my accelerated program told us that the oldest person to ever be in our program was a 60 year old male. Now he is an ADN and doing extremely well in his field. So don't give up if you want to be a nurse.

The ADN does not exist in Canada. It is a highly unionized workplace up here, with majority of nurses retiring between 55-58 years old with a fairly good pension.

[eris08, BSN, RN]

Oops I meant he is an ANP and oh I guess I missed the part that he is from Canada.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

Will you have loans, and if so, roughly how much owed when you graduate?

The only way I would consider pre-requisites, time, and money for a degree in my late 40's is if the job prospects were decent, and I had no debt after graduation.

The job market is terrible, unless you don't mind relocating to a remote town for full time hours. Places where most people don't want to be. If you don't mind that, then yes. However, if you are set on working in a city, be prepared for casual or temp jobs.