Starting late

[miamibreeze]

Hi everyone

I'm looking for people that have been in my position or those that can offer valuable advice.

I'm soon to be 46 years old and having a late start into starting school for nursing. I have 11 pre-reqs that I need to finish in order to apply into our nursing program; I have to work full-time (I work in an ER; 3/12hr nights) so I can only take 2-3 classes per semester, which will take me about another year and a half to complete at my pace. I have the option to apply to the program earlier, but I don't think it would be to my advantage to take the remaining pre-reqs along with my actual nursing classes. I feel it would be best to only focus on the nursing courses. With all this being said; am I too late in getting a start on this, I feel like I'm starting too late in life. A lot of my older peers and other in the field are telling me to find another field because nursing isn't like it once was. I've considered Radiology but was told that those jobs are hard to come by. I have a background in computers as well.

I know the decision is ultimately up to me, but I'm looking for experienced opinions and valuable advice.

[MyAimIsTrue, BSN]

I'm soon to be 48 years old and will start nursing school this fall. I will graduate at 50, which is almost too old. But I'm healthy and smart, so I'm going for it. If you feel healthy and smart then I think you can do it too.

[quazar]

One of my classmates when I was in nursing school was in her 50's. She was lovely.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Considering the fact that you probably have another 21+ years to work before you're eligible for retirement.... don't you think that this will be a decent return on your educational investment? Many nurses continue to work past their minimum retirement age because even part time work is relatively lucrative. The only caveat would be your physical health. If you're unable to cope with the physical requirements of the job, this could change all the outcomes.