Is 52 to old to start a career as a RN

Fiona59 · Apr 2, 2011

OK, I'll bite. Short and sweet, yes.

I thought about doing it but it worked out as financially not feasible for me. I'm 52. So here goes.

The degree is the only way to become an RN in Canada. Depending on how many courses you are looking at transferring into a university (and there is a cap of 60 credits) you could be looking at three years. So that brings you to 55 for graduation purposes.

Depending on where you are in the country full time lines are few and far between. Do you want to have a part time line and trying to pick up enough extra shifts to make full time hours?

Do you want to go to the bottom of the seniority as the "new" grad? Loose your seniority in the vacation list?

Do you want to work full time to pay back student loans?

Do you think you will earn enough pension credits to make it worthwhile?

Do you want the stress of full time school and clinicals again?

After looking at it that way, I said NO. I work part time and have no desire to work full time to repay a government loan. I don't want to go to the bottom of the seniority list. After looking at the student loan repayment, the having to work full time, and the fact that I don't have to work until I'm 65, it just wasn't worth it.

carz · Apr 2, 2011

[Thanks Fiona, I can always count on you to bite! No seriously, I read many of these posts and you always have such good comments to make, I knew you would have some good insight. I am also in Canada just like you, probably Alberta. You know I just dont know what it is, sometimes I will feel really good about being a LPN, but other times I think... the opportunities are so darn limited. Dont get me wrong I love nursing-always have, but the thought of writing all lthose essays and doing all that clinical time is a little exhausting. I unfortunately will have to work until I am 65 so I thought the RN route would be the way to go. I worry about the future of LPNs in our health care sytem, and believe my fulltime position may not always be there. I recall in other posts you saying you had another degree, would you mind if I ask what it is ?

loriangel14, RN · Apr 2, 2011

OK, I'll bite. Short and sweet, yes.
I thought about doing it but it worked out as financially not feasible for me. I'm 52. So here goes.
The degree is the only way to become an RN in Canada. Depending on how many courses you are looking at transferring into a university (and there is a cap of 60 credits) you could be looking at three years. So that brings you to 55 for graduation purposes.
Depending on where you are in the country full time lines are few and far between. Do you want to have a part time line and trying to pick up enough extra shifts to make full time hours?
Do you want to go to the bottom of the seniority as the "new" grad? Loose your seniority in the vacation list?
Do you want to work full time to pay back student loans?
Do you think you will earn enough pension credits to make it worthwhile?
Do you want the stress of full time school and clinicals again?
After looking at it that way, I said NO. I work part time and have no desire to work full time to repay a government loan. I don't want to go to the bottom of the seniority list. After looking at the student loan repayment, the having to work full time, and the fact that I don't have to work until I'm 65, it just wasn't worth it.

Well said and my reasons exactly. Only I figured I'd have to work to 75 lol.

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Apr 2, 2011

Do you want to go to the bottom of the seniority as the "new" grad? Loose your seniority in the vacation list?
I don't want to go to the bottom of the seniority list.

It's a funny thing how seniority lists work in Alberta. They actually go to the date of hire, not the date of graduation in this case. People who worked as UNEs are given full credit for those hours worked when they become RNs and are in the RN workforce. Same for people who were unit clerks or nursing attendants who subsequently went to school. In this instance, all that is "new grad" is the rung on the pay scale.

Fiona59 · Apr 3, 2011

Then it must be a recent change Jan. LPNs are in AUPE, when they go to UNA as RNs they traditionally went to the bottom of thelist.

Carz: how do you feel limited in Alberta? Dialysis, OrthoTech, OR Tech, Immunization designation for public health are all options for LPNs. Have you considered any of these?

With the way healthcare funding is going the areas are constantly opening up to LPNs to utilize full scope and trim unit budgets. Emerg has LPNs in Calgary and Edmonton. Calgary has LPNs in their ICU, I've been told. The Cross Cancer has hired LPNs in the last six years.

I know that a couple of units that were RN heavy at my hospital have hired an increasing number of LPNs to work around funding. Diagnostic Imaging, Day Surgery, etc are increaing their LPN numbers.

Where exactly do you work in Alberta that you feel so restricted?

carz · Apr 3, 2011

No Fiona

I think you misunderstood my statement, or maybe I just was not clear. What I meant to say is there is far more opportunity as a RN in comparison to a LPN. I do have some of the above certifications and presently do work within community, I have for the past 8 years. I guess my worry is that what happens if I want to leave this area because lets face it a job gets very routine after a while, my opportunities will be very limited . I guess I just have always wanted the greater scope that the RN has and the for lack of better words,the recognition that goes along with it. Jan you mean to say that if I do go ahead with the RN route my senority would be recognized from date of hire with AB Health, and not from when and if I graduate as a RN?

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Apr 3, 2011

I'm pretty sure... but let me look into it. I know some people who have gone from UC to RN who would know.

whoopi · Apr 6, 2011

Gosh I hope not!! I was a PSW for 10 years; RPN for 5 and graduated last Spring as an RN. I am 52 (53 this year) and decided there were so many more opportunities as an RN - like teaching, travel, day jobs, consulting work, even sales reps for health care equipment & supplies. I don't want to be slugging it out at the bedside when I am 60. it is a lot of work - but if you love to learn and can afford to do it - go for it. I was lucky and have a very supportive husband; and since I did not work a lot when my kids were young, we need to build for retirement.

the bridging is 3 years full time or 5 years part time; if you have an RPN certificate rather than the newer w year diploma, then you have to do additional bridging before you can apply.

AS far as the seniority stuff - where I am when you change designations you go back to the bottom of the list. Good luck!!!

carz · Nov 4, 2011

Just curious Whoopi

Did you have any trouble finding employment as a RN when you graduated? I know that age is not suppose to be a factor but I just wondered if it was hard to find work. Also wondering where you are located.

Cheers, Carz

whoopi · Nov 4, 2011

I am working part time but that is by choice. There are full time but you may take a year or so to get one. Foot in the door is the main thing. I am not sure if I would start now at almost 53: I guess it depends on how long you plan on working. I am at a small hospital in southern Ontario. But I also have a teaching assistant contract at a university as well. I am hoping to get my masters do.e by 60 so I can teach for a few years after leaving the hospital.

carz · Nov 7, 2011

Wow, yiou are an ambitious lady! I use to live in Southern Ontario, I worked at the Dieu, are you familiar with it?