I'm at a crossroads. I have a decent teaching job right now. In 5 years I'll have 20 years in the school system. I just turned 42. I have the opportunity to be an RN in 3 years. I'm already in the RN program having completed all my pre-req's . The classes are night and weekend for us working folks.
Here are the negatives I'm looking at:
1. I'm just about burned out on education. I'm tired of scraping to survive and it doesn't look any better for teachers anytime (15 years in the system and I still don't make 40k)
2. I'm old! I don't know if I can handle a career change this late in life.
3. I'm a technology guy- I teach CAD. I don't have a background in healthcare.
4. Teachers in my area are being let go due to a shortage of young people. Lots of us old farts around here though.
Now my question is this- Is it going to pay off?
Is three years of classwork, losing my weekends (24 hours of classes ever other weekend), classes after work until 10 on Mondays and not to mention all the work/studying going to be worth it in the end?
I haven't had any problems with the classes (had a 4.0 till Pharm) but I just don't know if there is a place for a 45 year old NEW RN with my skillset (I've been a DJ, a surveyor, and a drafter). I only took the classes to support my wife who was a phlebotomist for years but wanted to be a nurse. Now she is dropping out due to neck problems and here I am with the opportunity to keep going.
Are there any older guys out there who are new nurses who can share their experiences?
Thanks!
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Wow, I'm overwhelmed at the constructive advice offered, thank you all.
I am 99% sure that I am going to drop my classes tomorrow. My biggest problem is I feel like a quitter and I haven't ever quit anything.
As several have gathered, I'm not the most empathetic person. I'll take care of my kids,wife or whoever is in need to the bitter end, but I'm your typical guy, lacking the "motherly" qualities that I would probably need to be an effective nurse.
I'm not so much burned out on education- I love teaching, but spending 6 hours a day (vocational teachers teach longer hours than high school teachers usually) with high school students for the past 15 years has about burned through my optimism concerning much of our current youth, not to mention no raises for 6 years and none in sight.
I would still like a career change, I just don't think there is a place in nursing for me. I'm a hard worker, and in good physical health, I just don't think I have the "heart" of a nurse and that would probably make all the difference. Thanks again to all!
I'm not the "motherly" type at all and probably wouldn't be described as having the "heart" of a nurse.
I am, however, described as being a great person work with and as an excellent nurse.
Motherly, nurturing ways are not needed to be a nurse. A healthy dose of compassion, yes. But being tough and having the ability to keep moving forward while people around you are falling apart is key. If you can do this, you don't have to be a bleeding-heart type.
I graduated at 45, and was hired immediately at two ERs, with no medical experience - I was in advertising before. I am physically fit and I am a woman. I love the ER bc the quick thinking and strategizing are fun/challenging for me. And I like having male nurses around as much as female ones, sometimes more (less drama). I describe hospital nursing as a sport: you have to be quick thinking and fast on your feet. If you want to do this, don't let others discourage you.
Please research new grad salaries in your city or state. If you are making less than 40k after 15 years as a teacher in your state, then, there is a good chance that nursing salaries are also on the low end there. From what I've read on here, new grad salaries average (+/-) 20k - 75k, depending on where you live.
I would keep the teaching job and retire with your health benefits and pension. Then, pursue a nursing career, if you still wish to. Also, we need more male nurses!
I have to say that as a whole, the population on this forum has really impressed me. Your posts are causing me to re-think my decision, simply because it would be great to spend a workday with professionals of this caliber (I know, I know, not everyone is going to be great to work with).
I took my wife to an appointment this week, and while she was in the waiting room (for 2 hours!) I had ample time to wander about the hospital (Don't know if I should say where) and talk to several RN's. I have to say everyone was positive and some were downright enthusiastic about their jobs.
The one exception was a young RN who was working on the Cardio floor. He simply said it was a good job if you liked where you were at in the hospital, but that the variance of liability, patient load, and stress was large.
I got the feeling he felt like others in the hospital had less of a load that he did, but he still did not discourage me from pursuing nursing.
So, I got out my planner (thanks for the tip) and loaded up my google calender with all my assignments, tests, reading schedule, clinicals, etc... and I'm going to go to class this weekend and try to become a nurse.
I stayed up last night and wrote one of two papers due Sunday. Already the first unit test has me sweating (a test on 9 chapters... really?) I have a ton of other stuff to catch up on, but I'm going to give it my best shot.
I really think my area here in Va. has nursing salaries that are equally as low as the teacher salaries. A young lady I went through anatomy with just got her first job after graduating, and I believe it was just under $22 an hour. As a teacher I make $25 an hour (working the required 200 days a year), but to put that in perspective she is $3 under me and I have been at my job for 15 years. As a teacher, it would be very hard for me to simply to move to a new area and find work in my field, as a nurse I think I would have a better chance.
So,for my family sake, so I can continue to grow as a professional, and so I won't be crying "what if" in a few years, I am going to continue my classes.
Thank you all again for the heartfelt advice, it is much appreciated, and needed.
I graduated nursing school at 29. Went straight into the OR. If you are a technology guy then get in an area with a lot of tech. The OR and cath lab have a lot of it. My first full year out of school, in san antonio Texas, with call and OT I made $101k. My average now is 130k. I take less call now and work way less hours but my hourly is a lot higher and the call pay is $10/hr. I currently work 3 days a week so 72 regular hours a pay period and usually about 10 hours OT plus whatever on call I have. Fresh out of school I was at $25/hr, went to $32/hr within 3 months,, now at $45 about 7 years later.
In regards to tech.... In the OR there are numberous machines/equipment you have to run, there's robotics, integrated imaging/computer systems..... Tons of stuff.... In cath lab it's the same deal minus robotics. In each of our ORs we have 6 different integrated computers. If your techy, your a hot commodity. If you can, rotate as much as possible into different areas during clinicals, if your given the chance do an extended clinical in each of these areas. Take acls and pals while in school, its a requirement in a lot of the better clinical areas and will give you some great clinical knowledge that you won't get in class, I would do them in the break between semester 3/4..... They will also give ou a leg up on others when getting a job.
Nursing has been a great line of work for me and a wonderful way to provide for my family. It is one of the best decisions I made, going back to school for nursing. The nursing community itself is pretty old, you will be avg age. I feel young most days still at 37.
I wanted to add that I am also your typical guy. I'm not the motherly type but I do understand people. I don't put emotions into my decision making and do what has to be done. I care about my family first and this job has allowed me to do that to a great extent.
The way I am with people and the fact that I'm a guy and not an emotional one has been perfect with going into leadership roles. People love that I treat everyone equally regardless of if they are good friends or people I don't get along with the greatest. A lot of people have a very hard time doing his. Usually guys with a guys mentality don't.
Even when you do become an RN you are still a teacher and can always do that again. I will say though that the training in the specialty areas I mentioned are tough and in the hospitals I have done training programs for, about half of the people quit because the technology and personalities are overwhelming. If your not emotional and don't internalize stuff, you will fit in perfectly. You will always be learning and teaching new things and people in these specialty areas.
To the OP: I am an older guy and I don't know if you could really call me a "motherly type" LOL I do believe that Christians are called to help heal the sick and that is one of my motivations. Another is that I see so many people who have health problems but have lack of awareness and need to be taught healthy behaviors and holistically how all things like nutrition, body chemistry, immunity etc all tie in together. Nurses are on the forefront of this sort of public health education. This is projecting way into the future but possibly when I am nearer to retirement and I am literally too old to run up and down the corridors of a busy hospital (some of what I do now) maybe I can use some of my education and experience to spend the last few remaining years of my career in a classroom teaching future nurses and/or the public about nursing and health/wellness. Just a possibility, God willing. Would require me to have an MSN w/ ed. emphasis of course, we will see after I complete the BSN program. I may be burned out on school myself by that point, hard to say right now. God Bless, and best wishes on whatever you decide to do
PS: I just wanted to add that the other guys on here are correct - not being "motherly" is OK, I'm really not either - probably the best quality to have is being calm and cool under pressure when everything and everyone else around you is falling apart. I myself have a rep for that where I work - my nursing supervisor once told me at review time that I have a "calming influence" on whatever nursing pod I happen to work on - her words, not mine. I think that as a nurse that is the most single important quality to have no matter where you work as a nurse. Are you the type who remains calm and focused even in a life and death emergency? If you are maybe this is your line of work - think about it
Judging by your posts on this thread, you seem to be a very aware, intelligent, and conscientious person, and the fact that you were a teacher shows at least some compassion for other people (I would hope). So I think you are probably making a good decision to do nursing if you are ready to get out of your field. Just be ready to be doing some dirty work.....handling things you never thought you would and interacting with people in ways you probably never imagined. :) No, all new hire positions don't pay incredibly well, but the nursing world is a big one with a plethora of opportunities, so good luck.
I went back to school at 45. I graduated when I was 48 from the RN Program, I have Doubled my income and have a chance to try different things. I enjoy JOB satisfaction.
I had a Bachelor of Science degree before this, but I started back to school again in my mid-50's and I am now an LPN at 60. I have enrolled in an LPN to BSN program. You are NEVER too old to do any of this
I spent 20 years as an over the road truck driver. I'm now 44 and in my first semester of an ADN program. When I graduate I'm going to take a year to get some bills paid off then start an RN-BSN program and eventually get a Masters for CRNA. Tell me that I am too old.
I'm not a guy, but I started late- graduated school at 39, and came from completely non medical backgrounds( other than being a candystriper way back when -see, I'm old :) )
Did factory work for 17 years. Also dabbled in teaching horsebackriding lessons/managing stables during that time too.
Sometimes a bonus is that pt's think you've been doing this longer than you have. Or they are more comfortable with you being older.
I know a college by me has a bachelors to rn program. They also have bachelors-RN- MSN program too. Check out your local colleges
Oh, and don't worry about motherly type( something I am definitly not) people want you to be the competent type
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I am, however, described as being a great person work with and as an excellent nurse.
Choose well for yourself.