How old is too old to do this?

Phoenix4 · Aug 31, 2011

I am considering going back to school for a midwifery program. Problem is that I've been considering it for about seven years. If I had done it then, I would be finished & practicing. Now here I am, 37 yrs old w/ three kids, and I feel too old to do this now. I have about 6 mos of L&D experience from long ago, but I love the field & am a big believer in holistic medicine. To add, I HATE my job w/ a passion, but I love the pay & steady income. Oh what to do???

Hm. No particular advice, but I have to say that I hope you are not too old to consider doing this. I just retook my NCLEX and passed. I graduated 27 yrs ago, passed NCLEX then and worked 7 yrs in several different areas. I've spent the last 18 yrs homeschooling my kids and decided to study up and take the exam again. (My kids were my biggest encouragers as I studied!)

My goals... well, getting a nursing job again (helping us get out of debt and helping kids in college), and I plan to take my ASN to BSN, maybe specialize after that. My oldest child is 31 (and in school specializing, he's interventional radiology tech now, heading for RPA). So, Calzo, if YOU are too old, I am WAY too old! :eek:

I know that's no help, but given your question, I just had to offer this:lol2:

MrChicagoRN, RN · Aug 31, 2011

37? That's nothing.

I finished my masters past 50! But the longer you wait, the harder it is.

What else will you otherwise be doing for the next 30 years of your career?

Calzo · Aug 31, 2011

Wow! That really puts it into perspective. I don't want to be a nurse at all. I just keep thinking it's too late to do anything else. My thought process is that I already went to college & got my degree for a career. But when I think about being a nurse for the next 30 yrs, I want to puke!

Phoenix4 · Aug 31, 2011

Oh, Calzo, if you hate nursing (and I certainly hate many aspects of it myself), you really may want to consider doing something else entirely! It is totally NOT too late to do that. There are so many online possibilities that you can work at your own pace to get a degree in something else while keeping your regular paycheck for now.

Look into CLEP exams, a great way to get college credit cheaper and faster and be able to apply those to the degree you want. (Read policies carefully, not all colleges accept them, but most do.)

A friend told me about her dad who wanted to be a lawyer when he was 20. Not enough money, had to be working, etc. so he didn't. When he was 30, he wanted to be a lawyer, but was married, had kids, etc. so he didn't. When he was 40, he wanted to be a lawyer, but had kids starting college, bills, etc. so he didn't. At 50, he wanted to be a lawyer, but had almost all of his 10 kids in college ('nuf said on that kind of expense!), so he didn't. When he was 60.... he went to college and did, indeed, become a lawyer.

So my question to you is what she asked me... In 10 yrs, how old will you be if you DON'T do what you wanted to?

MrChicagoRN, RN · Aug 31, 2011

I have about 6 mos of L&D experience from long ago, but I love the field & am a big believer in holistic medicine. To add, I HATE my job w/ a passion, but I love the pay & steady income. Oh what to do???
...I don't want to be a nurse at all. I just keep thinking it's too late to do anything else. My thought process is that I already went to college & got my degree for a career. But when I think about being a nurse for the next 30 yrs, I want to puke!

Learning never ends if you want to successful.

You can keep doing what you're doing, & hate it.

Train in midwifery...and maybe love it.

Train for a new career, or maybe start a business...and maybe love it.

In any event, if you want a change for the better, it appears it will take a lot of effort on your part.