I received an email from a friend wanting to talk to me about nursing, because she says her husband "is considering becoming a nurse. He has talked about this for several years as something to do after he retires from XYZ company".
Really? He's just a few years from retirement, an early retirement but still, he's probably around 57-58 years old, and he thinks he can just "become a nurse". Do people really think it's that easy? That it's something to keep them from getting bored in their retirement years? I don't know why, but I'm sort of offended! I've known this friend from before I went back to school to start my 2 years of prereqs, my 2 years of ADN nursing school, my 1 year RN-BSN bridge program. Obviously they didn't realize that it took me 5 years of school. She also said he wanted to talk to me about work schedules. I haven't followed up with her yet, but I imagine it's something like "yeah, I want to just work part time while I'm retired, or PRN, just pick up a shift or two a week". They obviously have no idea that nursing takes time to gain experience before you can get hired anywhere PRN. They think it's just a little something to do in retirement, like a hobby. Nursing is actually a specialized field! How can people not know that? Makes me feel like the general public thinks of us as people who take vital signs and hand out little cups with pills in it, a semester or two of school and you're good to go!
She wasn't in any way trying to be condescending, I guess I just took it that way.
People don't always look for the easiest or most leisure things to do when they retire. Some people simply want a new challenge in life and do something completely different or something they put off earlier in life. Even if he just wants to do it part-time or PRN to keep busy, I see absolutely nothing wrong with that.
Strange you did that , i guess things change since an RN degree was not required for the original IBCLC.,even though nurses and MDs also sat for the original exam in Chicago.
I don't see reason for outrage here. A guy is considering a second career, and thinks nursing might fit him, and wants to talk to an actual nurse. Doesn't seem like something to be offended about.
Now, I'm not going to say BEING a nurse is easy, but BECOMING isn't necessarily that hard. Personally, I spent about a year and a half on prerequisites, and could have finished them sooner, but was applying to more than one program, so I did several extra courses to be eligible for each program. Then I spent 1 year in an ABSN program. Exactly 2 1/2 years from a prerequisite's prerequisite (summer intro to bio so I could take A&P 1 in the fall) to graduating with a BSN and passing my NCLEX.
I don't know this man's educational background, but he might have many of the prerequisites completed already. And if he's retiring in a few years, he could easily take a class or two a semester and be done with his prerequisites by the time he retires. He spends the first two-ish years of his retirement in an RN program, gets a year or two of experience under his belt, and he's looking at being able to work PRN within 3-5 years of retirement from his first career. It might not all go to plan, and I have no idea what the RN programs are like in your area, but it's really not an unreasonable or far-fetched possibility, especially if he does his homework and learns what steps he needs to take now.
As for "a little something to do in retirement," I think that's an extremely condescending way to refer to older workers or second careers. There are many people putting off retirement or seeking out new jobs because they want to continue to be productive, even after they have a financial need to work. Hell, my husband makes enough to support our family comfortably, but I work because I suck at being a stay-at-home-mom, and I need to get out of the house and use my brain with other adults. I work because my mental health requires it, but that doesn't make it "a hobby." People have lots of reasons for working, and if this man has been talking about becoming a nurse "for several years," there's a good chance he's actually interested in nursing. Try to be a little less judgmental, and be open to seeing him as someone who is paying you the compliment of wanting to be a nurse like you.
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
Strange you did that , i guess things change since an RN degree was not required for the original IBCLC.,even though nurses and MDs also sat for the original exam in Chicago.
I assume you're talking to me. I did not say that an RN was required to get the IBCLC. I said it was the fastest, easiest way to get it at that time. It has since changed, and now it takes a lot less time/training to qualify to sit for the exam.
I worked with nurses in their 70's, both in LTC facilities and in home health. No reason why someone who trained later in life can't do what they were doing. I'm close to pushing up daisies myself and I really wish I had completed my training when I first started, way back at the tender vittles age of 16. Had I done that, I could be retired today. Frankly, that guy can take my place at work if he wants to. I won't stop him!
This is common for a lot of jobs. Most of us are not well-informed when we start out. Some people will look at the prerequisites, time commitments and work involved and change course.
He spends the first two-ish years of his retirement in an RN program,
Plus, who is to say that he does not want to become an LPN. (not saying that it is easy to become and LPN, and certainly not implying that he would not be a nurse if became and LPN...just saying that this is an option which would require a shorter time commitment vis-a-vis school).
I'm at a point in my life where I realize my energy and patience are finite resources. We can spend them on certain things - I'm not sure of the tone of the email, so I can't question whether you should be offended or not. That being said, this might be the perfect time for spending some of the energy on clarification and education. Are they wanting to get their BSN? Maybe due to their age you could tell them about LPNs? It's a little faster to get (still gruelling from what I hear) but may allow him to practice sooner.
I have had a lot of problems with assumptions about being a CNA, and I'm sure I'll face more in the future when I become a nurse. I don't like it when people diminish what I do, but that just makes me more careful about where I spend my energy - I can get mad, or I can use it on clarification and education.
I truly believe that she and her husband were just looking for information, and I'll def spend some time with them to help them see what options would be reasonable, depending on what his objectives are for a post retirement job.
umbdude, MSN, APRN
1,228 Posts
People don't always look for the easiest or most leisure things to do when they retire. Some people simply want a new challenge in life and do something completely different or something they put off earlier in life. Even if he just wants to do it part-time or PRN to keep busy, I see absolutely nothing wrong with that.