I'm a new nursing student. 2nd career. I'm 48. I've been doing a lot of student shadowing at my local hospital in the different departments lately and its been amazing! Everything from NICU to Cardiac Cath lab the whole gambit. One trend is a lot of 20 something early 30 something nurses. Both male and female. Primarily female. All very professional and knowledgeable. What happens to the 40 to 70 year olds? They make so much money they retire early? haha really?