Career change from commercial diving

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I am currently weighing my options for a career change...I have always been interested in nursing, so I am just looking for some advice/input.

I went to dive school back in 1998 and have worked offshore ever since. I have been a life support supervisor for years and was wondering if my skills there would relate to becoming a nurse. My duties onboard (saturation diving vessels) were pre and post diving neuros, pressing divers into sat (pressing them in the chambers) where they would live for at least a month at a time, maintaining the correct depth, monitoring O2 and Co2 levels, split sat and deco and blending gas (HeO2) for the divers to breath at there current diving depth.

It also involved quite a bit of math (which I enjoyed) as well as maintaining diving gear, chamber and diving equipment repairs, detailed inventory of supplies and gas onboard and daily reports.

I won't bore you with anymore of the details...that is a pretty good summary of what I do. Also, I am used to working long shifts, usually ends up being about 13 hr days, 7 days a week for 6 weeks....and I am on a 6 week on/6 week off rotation.

Another factor I should put out there is I just turned 42. Basically I am a very healthy and in shape, just turned 42 male. But again, I have ZERO problems being on my feet all day and working long shifts. My age does concern me though....would it be wise to pursue something else because of it?

I do apologize if this was posted in the wrong forum, but I would appreciate any feed back you may have.

Alan

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

I think you could do it. See if you can shadow a nurse for a day or two to get a feel.

Plenty of people go back and do it in their 40s and even 50s. I am graduating, and at least 5 of my classmates are 45+.

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