Curious how many are around my age (46) and made a career change?
I've been a professional guitarist, college instructor and private music teacher for many years ....but health care has always intrigued me and the nursing route is something I've been pondering for over a year. When Covid hit it pretty much flattened my music career for both performing and teaching, so Im taking this blessing/curse to start down a new life path in medicine. Starting pre req's for my ADN in the Spring, and considering getting a CNA certification to start working in the field.
Anybody else on a similar path or have been? Kind of scary at this age, but I take very good care of myself physically, mentally and spiritually ....so I feel up to the challenge and am truly excited about the new venture. Thanks for any insight or just resonance!
Specializes in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.
GuyInMarin said:
I am 52 and about to do an ABSN starting this Summer. I am a career changer, still not sure if this is the right choice but I love the thoughts of connecting with people in a meaningful way job-wise. I know the hours might be tough, but it's not like a CNA physically. Like a couple other people that posted I am also ex-military (a long time ago) and have always been used to pressure and thinking on my feet. I am concerned really about starting off in nursing, as I have heard the Bay Area is really competitive.
Tangled already touched on it and I second getting in to some externship, volunteering, or finding any job in the healthcare setting, better if it's the hospital to get your foot in the door while you work on your pre-reqs and even while you're in nursing school. Tiktok and reddit are filled with many new grads posting threads of not being able to find a job 6 months + anywhere. You have to do everything you can to make yourself sell-able when you finish.
I 100% believe that the new grad job market will only continue to get worse. On one side of the coin, we have many new grads struggling to find a job. On the other side of the coin, there are many newER nurses (having like 0-2 year experience) leaving bedside for a better life and/or for "soft nursing" that it's only compounding the nursing shortage as veteran nurses start to and continue to retire and leave. Do everything in your power now while you work on your pre-reqs and while in nursing school to get your networking profile going and get that foot in the door.
You were already in healthcare as an EMT. My change is from IT as software engineer. It's a significant drop in salary and more physically demanding work. It is a very hard decision for me and I am hoping that I am making the right one. Especially considering that it will be harder to do as I age as it it very demanding physically and mentally. If I were younger I think it would be a much easier decision ..
Specializes in EMT since 92, Paramedic since 97, RN and PHRN 2021.
GuyInMarin said:
You were already in healthcare as an EMT. My change is from IT as software engineer. It's a significant drop in salary and more physically demanding work. It is a very hard decision for me and I am hoping that I am making the right one. Especially considering that it will be harder to do as I age as it it very demanding physically and mentally. If I were younger I think it would be a much easier decision ..
Although this is very true , I was a Medic for a long time, making the jump to nursing was a whole different ball of wax. As a medic my job was to keep them alive until 8i got to an ER. My job as an RN, especially in the ER, was more focused on the whole picture. There was so many things that I had to learn for the ER job. Like when to put in orders for 6 hours later for repeat labs. Having to learn that I was now in the "mother may I" because working as medic I had a huge amount of autonomy to work.
I felt like moron my first day in the ER cause I had to learn to multi task big time. As far as a base knowledge anatomy and Physiology I was basically a new nurse and had to learn a lot before I was cut loose and cleared to take my own patients.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I felt like brand new nurse and had to learn the flow of everything that happens after that 20 minute drive to the ER. Once I dropped the patient I almost forgot about the patient to move to the next one. In the ER I had to learn a new skill set.
And im a firm believer that the older people get it enhances care as a nurse.
But alas, this question can only be decided by one that you , and only you.
I wish you good luck no matter what choice you make.
barcode120x, RN, NP
763 Posts
Tangled already touched on it and I second getting in to some externship, volunteering, or finding any job in the healthcare setting, better if it's the hospital to get your foot in the door while you work on your pre-reqs and even while you're in nursing school. Tiktok and reddit are filled with many new grads posting threads of not being able to find a job 6 months + anywhere. You have to do everything you can to make yourself sell-able when you finish.
I 100% believe that the new grad job market will only continue to get worse. On one side of the coin, we have many new grads struggling to find a job. On the other side of the coin, there are many newER nurses (having like 0-2 year experience) leaving bedside for a better life and/or for "soft nursing" that it's only compounding the nursing shortage as veteran nurses start to and continue to retire and leave. Do everything in your power now while you work on your pre-reqs and while in nursing school to get your networking profile going and get that foot in the door.