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.
In my nursing class, there were several of us "old" people and we knew exactly what we were getting into. Don't assume he doesn't know. I went to nursing school in my 50's. I love what I am doing. I also do it part time as that is my choice.
Talk with them and find out what it is he is wanting to know. I think you are assuming a lot of things about him.
I see what you are saying, and if that is his attitude I agree wholeheartedly.
That said, giving them the benefit of the doubt:
1) does he have vested interest in retiring from his company... a pension maybe, which seems to be going the way of the tan M&M?
2)
2A)retirement doesn't have to mean inactivity. My soon-to-be ex has been saying as long as I have known him, that he will only stop working when he is physically or cognitively unable to work.
2B) By FAR the most useful class of my RN-to-BSN program was geriatric nursing. The prof was a GNP whose knowledge rivals Google. Seriously, I haven't met another as committed to EBP and lifelong learning and patient/resident centered care and innovative geriatric care.
She told us she counsels men to continue working in some capacity as long as possible -- because it is so beneficial to their mental health.
2C) Life expectancy has increased with no proportional increases in fixed income. perhaps he can't afford a comfortable retirement.
3) perhaps nursing has been a longtime goal, but adulting has gotten in the way
4) indignant as it makes some, nursing is a decent ROI. We typically are paid well, especially considering it can be done in 2 yrs
I think you're reading in to it a lot. I get asked a lot about becoming a nurse when I'm out and about in my scrubs either before or after my shift and I think people are looking for guidance and tips.
If her husband has talked about it for several years it doesn't sound like a whim but a dream for when he's done with his current job. Perhaps there are reasons for him to stay until 57 for work retirement packages but he's not actually interested in retiring completely and is postponing a career change? And perhaps he's interested in starting the prerequisites while still employed?
FWIW, I went to nursing school with many students who went to minimal work hours pretty soon after graduation. And local places I contacted just wanted a year of experience before you were eligible to apply for PRN or float pool positions. So I don't see becoming a nurse to work per diem as an insult to people who work full time?
Also, I went in to nursing as a second degree student. I did 2 years of prerequisites and my nursing program was a year. If he has a degree it might be a 3 year timeframe for him, not 5. My class was huge and there was a mix of fresh grads who decided they wanted to be a nurse and completing their first degree made the most sense and career changers in their 20s-60s.
quiltynurse56, LPN, LVN
953 Posts
In my nursing class, there were several of us "old" people and we knew exactly what we were getting into. Don't assume he doesn't know. I went to nursing school in my 50's. I love what I am doing. I also do it part time as that is my choice.
Talk with them and find out what it is he is wanting to know. I think you are assuming a lot of things about him.