I've decided to go into nursing at 32. Is this a good choice?

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I'm 32 years old and pregnant with my 5th child. I've been on food stamps most of my adult life as well as having used up my 5 years of welfare. I'm sick of being poor. So while this is something I want to do, it is for the money as well. I've always dreamed of being a midwife but thought I would love to start out with nursing and then be able to provide for my family. I want to be able to send my kids to college one day. My grandmother was a nurse and I've been told by many people I would make a great nurse. Blood and poop do not bother me.

I want to start next fall when the baby is old enough to be away from me. My partner is being supportive.

My main concerns are: spending 4 years in scool (2 years to do the pre-req)

Not being able to find a job here on the Big island of Hawaii

It would be impractical for me to move my whole family somewhere else.

Anyone else have similar experience or any advice?

Specializes in Respiratory Step Down, telemetry, hospice.

I started back at 38 and graduated with my BSN at 42.....the same year my youngest son graduated from high school. And for a humorous note...my oldest son and I took chemistry together.:up:

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

You're 32 now. If you go to school for four years, you'll be 36 when you finish.

How old will you be in four years if you don't go to school?

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Specializes in PDN; Burn; Phone triage.

I really can't imagine that you'll be able to support yourself and your five children on a nurse's wages, especially after having to pay off the student loan debt that you'll have to incur. Nursing is a thoroughly middle-class profession with a severe case of wage compression, assuming that you can get a job to begin with.

Age has nothing to do with it. But you might be better off researching wages, student loan debt, and employment prospects before jumping into something that may not give you what you want.

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You're 32 now. If you go to school for four years, you'll be 36 when you finish.

How old will you be in four years if you don't go to school?

Yes, that is a good way to think of it. Thank you.

Thanks for all the advice from everyone. I am going to go for it.

I do qualify for financial aid and the local community college seems cheap enough.

The school here offers a practical nursing program that is shorter and it seems to me from reading here and in other forums that I should go for that first and then go for RN.

I like that I can advance pretty far in nursing. The local schools here go all the way to a doctorate.

I really think this is best thing I could do for my family to get us out of poverty and doing something I would love. I am a doula and even assisted 2 women here who couldn't afford or didn't want midwife (something I don't think is a good idea and won't do again) but the blood and body fluids don't bother me at all. I've even assisted twice in giving stitches. I'm fascinated by it actually. Maybe I'm weird but I do the opposite of shy away from blood. It seems like Nursing is calling me!

So happy to have found this forum.

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I really can't imagine that you'll be able to support yourself and your five children on a nurse's wages, especially after having to pay off the student loan debt that you'll have to incur. Nursing is a thoroughly middle-class profession with a severe case of wage compression, assuming that you can get a job to begin with.

Age has nothing to do with it. But you might be better off researching wages, student loan debt, and employment prospects before jumping into something that may not give you what you want.

Well I will be making a heck of a lot more then I bring in right now. My partner is unemployed (and his unemployment ran out) and there are NO jobs here, except for odds and ends here and there, doing landscaping mostly. I live in Rural Hawaii and the poorest part. Believe it or not 97% of the people in this part of the state are on food stamps. It's crazy. I'm a designer and seamstress right now and I like it but no one wants to buy expensive clothes and I don't blame them.

I bring in about $1000 a month to take care of my whole family. It's hardly enough to pay for gas to get the kids to school and drive around a little.

I imagine that in 10 years of working hard to be a nurse I could easily make 5-6 times that. I don't imagine that I'll make that much making clothes, plus I'm getting bored with it.

I'm assuming that financial aid will pay for most of my schooling since I have so many kids and low income.

I get so depressed thinking that if I don't change something, things will stay the same. I'm sick of telling my kids that we can't afford anything more then basic survival. So I am HIGHLY motivated.

If I have to move to the mainland to make my life better I'm willing.

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Specializes in LTC Rehab Med/Surg.

Never doubt you can do whatever you want.

At least until you've tried.

I wish you success.

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Specializes in Med/surg, Telemetry/PCU, Bone & Joint.

If this is truly what you want to do, the first thing you should do is contact health care facilities on your beautiful island and find out 1) if they are hiring new grads and 2) what their requirements are for new grads, as many medical centers are now requiring nurses to have Bachelor degrees. This will be your starting point.

I graduated two years and 3 months ago in NYS at the age of 44. Upon graduating, the hiring freezes and Bachelor degree requirements were not enough to stop me from working in the field. I found out that most long term care facilities would hire new grads and were great starting points. This is what I did for one year until I was then hired at a local medical center as a float RN where I've been for a year and 3 months.

I've since then become arrhythmia certified and am soon to be ACLS certified. All this, leading me in the direction of critical care where I would like to be AND all paid for by the hospital. I am now pursuing my bachelor degree part time online while once again, the hospital pays for, all while I get paid (a great salary) to work.

I had a dream, a goal and I took whatever steps I needed to in order to get me where I am today...a very happy RN that brings smiles to patient's faces each and every day. What more could I ask for! If this is truly what you want, then go for it. Just do it smart by doing your research and homework first on the job prospectus of being an RN "where you live or are willing to live." Good luck!

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Do it! But don't do it just for the money....do it because you want to make something of your life...I'm not a nurse, I start nursing school next month and I'm in my late 30's..why am I doing it?

Because I wanted to be a nurse for a long time and I have the opportunity to do it. I saved and saved and saved...

Will it be hard...heck yes but I am going to do it. I wish you luck and I also give you kudos that you want something more.

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You can do it - it won't be easy but nothing in life that is worthwhile is ever easy! As far as your age goes - it should not be a factor. I didn't start my prereqs until I was 46 yrs old and just graduated a month ago at the young age of 50! :-)

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Specializes in Transitional Nursing.
You're 32 now. If you go to school for four years, you'll be 36 when you finish.

How old will you be in four years if you don't go to school?

Well said!

"No day but today"

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you can do it! I graduated this January - 1 week later - I turned 40! Just started my first job 2 months ago and - it is hard work but I love it!! If it's your dream - go for it!!

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