OldNavySS

Thank you for the support and insight.

. I was career military and retired a few years ago. Now that we have all the children out of the house I'm ready for my final career change. I was going to enter a 2nd degree BSN program when I first retired but needed to continue working with 3 children still at home. I'm currently an engineering manager research facility but am completing my PreReqs (nobody at work knows I'm doing this) and applying for the ADN night-school program next spring. As my schedule now looks, I'll be graduating getting my RN at 55 years old. I have reviewed the advantages of a BSN and have looked at that but there aren't any available in my area. Would I really be at such a disadvantage with the ADN versus the BSN? Is it possible to earn an ADN, get the RN, and pursue a MSN based upon a previous BS degree? Obviously I'm full of questions with few answers. I could also really use some information to know that I'm not being stupid by pursuing this dream (that's what I'm hearing a lot). Because I have wanted to do this for so long I find it easy to present the reasons why this is the right thing to do. Unfortunately, I also hear a lot of "valid" reasons it may be silly to change careers at this age, mostly financial. I will be about 7 years from retirement when I start a new career path. Advice and assistance from experienced folks would be greatly appreciated.

OK, it is wonderful to see this thread on here. I was career military and retired over 10 years ago. Now that we have all the children out of the house I'm ready for my final career change. I was going to enter a 2nd degree BSN program when I first retired but needed to continue working with 3 children still at home. I'm currently in management at a nuclear engineering facility but am completing my prereqs (nobody at work knows I’m doing this) and applying for the night-school program next spring. As my schedule now looks, I'll be graduating with my ADN and getting my RN at 55 years old. I could really use some information to know that I'm not being stupid by pursuing this dream (that’s what I’m hearing a lot). Because I have wanted to do this for so long I find it easy to come up with reasons why it is the right thing to do. Unfortunately, I also hear a lot of “valid” reasons it may be silly, mostly financial. I will be about 7 years from retirement when I start a new career path. Advice and assistance from all of you wise and experienced folks would be greatly appreciated.