Hi - I'm strongly considering changing careers. I work in the business field today and am not happy at all and am just getting by until I can be done. I'm not fulfilled where I'm at so therefore I don't apply myself like I could or want to. I want to find "the career" where I make a difference and actually feel like I'm helping someone and not just working behind a computer.
For those of you who went into nursing after having a previous career(s), did you find it difficult being a little older? Was it hard switching gears and completely doing something different? Was it hard to apply yourself? I think I've just been in this rut for so long that I'm starting to feel like I may not be of much value to any field. I know that's not true but being underappreciated for so long does that to a person.
Thanks in advance for any feedback you can give! :)
I wanted to second some of the things oldiebutgoodie just said. I was one of the first few "rah rah" posters on this thread, and yes I still think you should go for it, but YES, nursing school is TOUGH. It's much tougher than you'd think, I remember staying up until 1 or 2am working on careplans, drug cards, etc. They are VERY tough, it truly does appear as though they're trying to weed out the weak ones. I saw MANY people fail out of nursing school, even though they may have been successful in previous careers.
And as far as being a newbie on the floor once you're out, that's true too. There are lots of nurses and doctors who don't want to have to train yet another new grad, it slows everyone down and they resent it. Everyone has to start somewhere but somehow they forget that. I remember more than once thinking "i'm too old to feel this stupid!". I also remember thinking, many many MANY times that I'm just not USED TO feeling dumb, inadequate, I was always good at anything/everything I tried. But my first few months in the ED, I felt stupid so many times, had people laugh at something I did or said and literally cried in the car on the way home! Sometimes I didn't even get to the car, I was in the bathroom crying, because someone had yet again made me feel like an idiot!
Having said all that, I made it through. The one year mark people talk about didn't do it for me, maybe I'm a perfectionist, but it took me a full 2 years to feel as though I'm competent and really good at my job. But I got there.
So yes, nursing school is very very tough, and so is the first year or 2 after graduation. But you can do it, if it's what you want to do.
It should be said as well that we get more oppertunities. Life experince and maturaty go a long way. I had three offers on the table. I took the one that had the best hours. now i work all days and 1 weekend a month... Love it
Specializes in Mostly: Occup Health; ER; Informatics.
At age 49, I achieved my R.N. license after two other careers. I still have mixed feelings.
"did you find it difficult being a little older?" -- As an older male in nursing school, I felt like a pariah. As a nurse, having that life experience has made it easier for me (as other posters have stated).
"Was it hard switching gears and completely doing something different?" Yes. It is so completely different that it took months to feel like a non-imposter. What really helped was being a nurse aide for a couple of months before starting nursing school, to test out the idea. It helped me make the mental transition from high-paid infosystem consultant to pericare-provider.
"Was it hard to apply yourself?" Each of my careers took perhaps a couple of years to find and test-drive, then I applied myself 24x7 until I reached a competency level. So I think that is something you must ask yourself -- is your need to change greater than the discomfort of change? Have you been able to spend 2-3 years at building a career in the past? (because that's what nursing will take).
You'll always have a job...if you can stand it. You're income probably will be less than business or technology. (I make 1/3 of my preceding career's income...but am 4/3 happier.) Spend lots of hours in this forum, and look at the "Why I Like Nursing" threads as well as the "I am Leaving Nursing" threads. I feel good about helping people stay and get healthier, but the key is quickly finding a nursing environment that gives you the energy to come back every day.
There are many threads here about older new nurses, career changers, job satifaction, etc. Invest the time now to look through them, to help you decide whether nursing is your Next Big Thing.
I am an older student, 34, and I too started nursing school 4 months ago. I am in an accelerated program, meaning that in most schools you take a class and it lasts 3-4 months. The school I am going to the classes are anywhere from 4-8 hours a day, depending on the class, five days a week, AND is completed in one month. OMG! Mind you, I have been out of school for 17 years and have had no schooling in between. The school I am in you have to pass with 80 or above, three tests, go in front of the schools nursing head, THEN MAYBE get in. I made it the first try. My shock came, as I said these are accelerated classes, when my first class was Anatomy and Physiology I followed the next month by Anatomy and Physiology II. After being in class 5 hours a day I would go home and study 8 more hours. LOL.
I do find that being an older student I am more centered, not worrying about impressing the boys at school or anyone else for that matter, not partying, and the instructors across the board say that the older students as a general rule do better because of these reasons.
Oh yeah, I was a truck driver before this. Talk about a HUGE change. I always wanted to be a nurse or doctor.
Good luck....See you in white scrubs one day!!!!!!!!!!!
I have to agree with everything said so far. I am graduating from a BSN program in 1.5 weeks (YAY!). I retired from the Air Force as an aircraft mechanic after 22 years, 8 months the week AFTER I started nursing school, at the age of 42. IT IS HARD - but you will get older whether you change or not. Only you can decide if its worth it or not - many people I worked with in the AF get jobs as Wal-Mart greeters upon retirement - but to me, making a dream happen was the the best way to go. GOOD LUCK!
vampireslayer
74 Posts
I wanted to second some of the things oldiebutgoodie just said. I was one of the first few "rah rah" posters on this thread, and yes I still think you should go for it, but YES, nursing school is TOUGH. It's much tougher than you'd think, I remember staying up until 1 or 2am working on careplans, drug cards, etc. They are VERY tough, it truly does appear as though they're trying to weed out the weak ones. I saw MANY people fail out of nursing school, even though they may have been successful in previous careers.
And as far as being a newbie on the floor once you're out, that's true too. There are lots of nurses and doctors who don't want to have to train yet another new grad, it slows everyone down and they resent it. Everyone has to start somewhere but somehow they forget that. I remember more than once thinking "i'm too old to feel this stupid!". I also remember thinking, many many MANY times that I'm just not USED TO feeling dumb, inadequate, I was always good at anything/everything I tried. But my first few months in the ED, I felt stupid so many times, had people laugh at something I did or said and literally cried in the car on the way home! Sometimes I didn't even get to the car, I was in the bathroom crying, because someone had yet again made me feel like an idiot!
Having said all that, I made it through. The one year mark people talk about didn't do it for me, maybe I'm a perfectionist, but it took me a full 2 years to feel as though I'm competent and really good at my job. But I got there.
So yes, nursing school is very very tough, and so is the first year or 2 after graduation. But you can do it, if it's what you want to do.
VS