Mid Life Change in Career

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Hello everyone - I am totally new to the forum thing and am looking for some advice. I have just turned 40 and have been successfully self employed for about the past 15 years. Lately, my career has come to the point where I no longer enjoy what I am doing (Real Estate) - combine that with the recent economy and well... I have been thinking about this for quite some time.

My question is this - has anyone out there been where I am career wise and decided that their heart is really somewhere else? My nephew spent 8 months in the NICU last year, I was there almost every day to hold him and I just loved the nurses that saved his life. Every since, my heart has been calling me in that direction but I have been afraid to make the jump. My husband doesn't think financially that this is the right time - he thinks the RE market will come back and I should just hang on - my heart isn't in it tho - and we have always used my income for extra stuff - he thinks we will need to struggle to make ends meet while I go to school. I think there is something to be said for doing something you love and a steady paycheck.

Now, I have checked into the local nursing program - I already have a BS but will need several pre-requisites - which I can complete between January and August - then enroll in an Accelerated program to finish in 12 months. Has anyone completed one of these programs and is it correct to think that there will be no time for working during all of this?

Thanks for any advice you can offer.:twocents:

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I completed an 11 month accelerated BSN as a second career, I realized that a Geology degree was not employable. I definitely was not able to work during my program other then externing. You can work as a nurse extern in a NICU prior to graduation. However, I would really recommend asking the Nurse Manager (at the NICU where your nephew was a patient) if you can shadow a day shift and a night shift proir to commiting a program. You will most likely be required to work night shift after graduation, this can me a really hard adjustment from a previous career in daylight hours. There is definite flexibility within the field of nursing, however 12 hour shifts can be really hard on your body. It is pretty rare to find an ICU doing 8 hour shifts anymore.

Feel free to PM me

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Specializes in NICU.

I'd definitely check out the pre-nursing forum here. It's a long way to the NICU since you have to go to nursing school and do your pre-req's first, but you're right--gotta do what you enjoy, as long as it brings a paycheck. Nurses tend to make relatively good money as well.

Good luck!

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I completed an 11 month accelerated BSN as a second career, I realized that a Geology degree was not employable. I definitely was not able to work during my program other then externing. You can work as a nurse extern in a NICU prior to graduation. However, I would really recommend asking the Nurse Manager (at the NICU where your nephew was a patient) if you can shadow a day shift and a night shift proir to commiting a program. You will most likely be required to work night shift after graduation, this can me a really hard adjustment from a previous career in daylight hours. There is definite flexibility within the field of nursing, however 12 hour shifts can be really hard on your body. It is pretty rare to find an ICU doing 8 hour shifts anymore.

Feel free to PM me

Thanks for your honest response - I have been hearing that most likely the new kid on the block will be working the overnights - and I get that - everyone has to start somewhere! I also appreciate the honesty about the hours - I have to say tho that at times in the past 13 - 15 years, I would have welcomed a 12 hour shift - I haven't been in an 8 hour day career forever - but there is something to be said for handling lives vs. money and the demand and stress that goes with knowing one mess up can cost a little ones life.

:idea:The idea to shadow both shifts is a great one and something I hadn't thought of - I didn't think they would be likely to allow that due to privacy laws - but that would be a great experience. I am going to check into this.

I spoke to one of my collegues today about the dillema i am having as to wether this is the time to move forward with this dream or not and her response was - after talking to you, it is obvious to me that your heart :redbeatheis already there - now just get your head to follow.

Lastly, I am debating about just going to being a full time student vs trying to hold on to my RE business until the Accelerated program begins in August - it's just hard to give up a sure thing for something you don't know the future of - but I also believe that things happen for a reason and if I take the leap of faith, the good Lord will provide for me.:D

Thanks again for responding - will be in touch if that is ok.

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Specializes in Retired NICU.

i've been in nicu for most of my 29 yrs as an rn. it is my niche. it can be yours, too. but just bear in mind...every job has the bad with the good. making this change doesn't necessarily guarantee that you will "love your work". there have been many times throughout my career when i wished i could do something else, got burned out, hated my job...also, your perspective of what we do may be very different from reality. then there are the hospital politics...and administration...as well as the working nights, long shifts, weekends, holidays, and the nurses that will eat "their young" in the field. just a reality check. if your heart is there, then go for it, we need good nurses. just be aware of what you are getting into. it gets harder and harder as the years go by to be asked to be more and more productive, while at the same time being "perfect" and giving 100% family-centered care. i move slower and slower, i don't want to be at 150% every minute of my shift. that doesn't mean i want to stop doing what i'm doing. but, at my age, and i am older than you, i'm looking to planning my retirement, not starting a new career. i don't know if this is helpful or just seems like i'm trying to discourage you; i'm not, i just would hate to see you put out all that money and effort, and be disillusioned. i hear so many family members who visit, say to nurses, what a wonderful job you have, i would love to feed and care for babies all day...there's a lot more to it, not that we don't enjoy those moments when we have them, far and few between other parts of our job. how about managing the screaming, irritable, neurologically damaged infant; that cries continuously, and nothing you do helps; and don't forget, you have other patients to manage also. or the sarcastic doctor, that's no help, when you have a baby getting worse and worse. don't get me wrong, there are wonderful doctors and nurses to work with, but there are also some that aren't wonderful. :banghead: i do find my job challenging and rewarding frequently, but sometimes i'm just plain, tired. :heartbeat:nurse:

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Specializes in NICU.

At the age of 50 I decided that I needed a change as well. My daughter was just completing nursing school and I was living vicariously through her experience. She suggested I return to school. I graduated in May of 2007 at the age of 54 (my prior degree was in art and consequently I had many prereqs) and have been working since July 2007 in the NICU. It was the best decision I have made in many years. I love my work. Sure, it does have the negatives, but they are not as many as the positives. I work nights, but that works well for me because that was when I was able to get my work done when my children were growing up. Age is a number and nothing more, don't let it stop you from doing what you want. Those are the words of a very wise young lady--my daughter. Good luck to you!!

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At the age of 50 I decided that I needed a change as well. My daughter was just completing nursing school and I was living vicariously through her experience. She suggested I return to school. I graduated in May of 2007 at the age of 54 (my prior degree was in art and consequently I had many prereqs) and have been working since July 2007 in the NICU. It was the best decision I have made in many years. I love my work. Sure, it does have the negatives, but they are not as many as the positives. I work nights, but that works well for me because that was when I was able to get my work done when my children were growing up. Age is a number and nothing more, don't let it stop you from doing what you want. Those are the words of a very wise young lady--my daughter. Good luck to you!!

Thanks for the words of encouragement! I am on my way - I have registered for my first class (Chem) which I have to have completed in the next six weeks to be on schedule for the accelerated program that begins in August!

I talked to my sister this weekend and she said "You only get one shot at this - it's not like it's a rehearsal" - that combined with the lousy, degrading treatment I received yet again from my boss when I told him I was thinking of going back to school - made me sure I was making the right decision.

I know that every job has its ups and downs, some days more than others - I have had a long hard career thus far and am not afraid of hard work and disappointment - as much as I crave the self fullfilment of my work (I used to get this from my current career) - everything is what you make it! And I truly believe everything happens for a reason and for whatever reason - I am pulled in this direction, and everything around me is pointing that direction - so who am I to question.

I can't wait to get on my way in the NICU!

Thanks again for the encouragement!

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Specializes in NICU.

Dear ready4anything,

Hey, at age 40, you're just a sweet, young, thing. Sometimes all we can do is have faith and make the leap. I'm 58, near 59 and have been on weekend nights in my home unit, for 14 years with a year of travel nursing recently just to see if I could cut it somewhere else. 26 years of NICU in now 11 units . . . And I still love what I do and I can run circles around most of the young girls. The politics, and lack of a healthy work environment (you'll come to understand that term soon enough) stress me out at times, but rarely the babies or their families.

I knew from age 9 that this was my calling and it has been a great fit for me. I believe many of us NICU nurses are grown-ups who never got enough of playing with dolls. I love the detail involved and total patient care for 2-3 patients at a time. When my unit has been real busy and I was willing to put in the overtime I had some $90-100,000 years, so the money can be there, too. Best of luck to you. Study on.

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I'm 43 and I changed careers when I was 42. I completed the vocational nursing program this past December and passed the boards in March. Prior to attending nursing school I was an elementary school teacher. It took a long time for me to decide to leave the field. I was just hired at our local hospital and I can't wait to get started. Best wishes on your new adventure.

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Specializes in ICU / PCU / Telemetry / Oncology.

I'm in the same situation you are, I'm changing gears towards nursing after a fulfilling career in another field (fulfilling meaning that I have contributed all I can to the field and no longer have the desire to continue in it). I am also turning 40 (next month!) and just this month started my prereqs. One year from now I hope to be in an accelerated BSN program and graduating a year later. I have read up on the nursing specialties out there and the NICU seems to really be where my heart is. Perhaps it's because my life also started out in one! :specs:

40 is still a very young age, and besides like others have said: age is just a number. How many times I have been mistaken for younger (in looks and attitude), and that alone motivates me to go far!

Good luck to you! Interested to know how things are going for you!

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Pedi/Tele.

You sound just like me... I was in the mortgage business for 20 years and was laid off...I decided to start going back to school for my RN license. Right now I'm working as a CNA while in school. I just turned 40 myself. :cheers:

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

I think that you to do what your heart is telling you to do. If you feel a calling to nursing then you need to go to school and become a nurse. Life is way too short to spent wondering, what if? I agree with the user who said to shadow a nurse in the NICU which will give you a better idea of exactly what a NICU nurse does and it will help show you if the NICU is right for you. Sure, after you go into nursing school you may find that NICU isn't for you and you may find a calling in another specialty of nursing but either way you owe it to yourself to go out and give it a shot.

!Chris :specs:

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