Starting over at 45?

Betty, I have gone to school with students finishing the program in their late 50's and early 60's after raising families. Also, I know several people that are in nursing as a second career. No, it is not too late for you. The only thing I would caution is taking care of where you work as a nurse so that you can protect your body. Physician offices, opthalmalogy floors, certain types of psychiatric floors, and management are examples of non-physically taxing jobs that I can think of. Insurance is a good area after you get a little direct patient care under your belt. With insurance, there are so many areas to work and learn from. I am sure that other posters can think of others.

Check out this thread: https://allnurses.com/forums/f200/anyone-start-their-career-late-life-125963.html

If you're in reasonable health, with a healthy weight (we all could loose a few pounds can't we, and there are many overweight nurses, but the older we get the more important a healthy lifestyle?) with a good back, and want to work into your 60s then it's a reasonable investment of time, money and effort. Otherwise it's a physically demanding, expensive and stressful proposition.

Go for it! 45 is the middle of life and you have half a live left to live.

Looks like there are plenty of us either "in this boat" or about to "board", I'm 50, male and was a military officer for 20 years, so already had a B.S. (in Biology, as I was pre-med but was a very undisciplined undergraduate student (2.89 GPA)so no way was I getting into Med school, and I had to serve on active duty for 4 years because an ROTC scholarship paid my undergrad) I loved the military live with it's nomadic move from place to place style and they even paid and sent me to a full-time program for a Master's Degree. I've never been married and had kids so the lifestyle that can be hard to adjust to in the military wasn't so hard for me. I worked in a few different business roles for a few years since with little or no job satisfaction and nothing near the salary I made as a military officer. Money isn't everything but it is something I always say, or the way I put it, not all rich people are happy but most poor people could probably have happier better lives with money being the main thing preventing it. Anyway I'm doing my pre reqs for an Advanced Program that I can do for a BSN in one year May to May at what appears to be a highly regarded school ( Univ of Rochester SON ) the cost is high about 45K for the year, but it looks like alot get scholarship aid in grant form and I love the fact that the school is associated with a major medical center and school in a reasonably sized city. I looked at the program and there is a huge amount of clinical in the year which I think is great. I figure it's going to be very interesting going from on of the last bastions of male dominance in a profession ( the military ) to one that is substantially female and hey maybe I'll meet "the one" along the way, LOL, but who knows...Good luck to all, and this is a great site for all of us to share concerns and questions...and yeah I really do want to marry Abby from ER, I've always loved her!!! not much chance there though...Damn!!!

How funny you wrote that!

Since watching ER and deciding mid-life, 2nd degree to join the nursing bastion, I have wanted to BE Abby from ER!!!

Chloe

RN-BSN, BA

Hey Chloe...LOL.......yeah I've been hung up on Abby for years, Sam's not bad either but Abby's my fav., looks like you're down in "Hotlanta" now........but moving up my way eh, sure can't be for the weather, Eric

Hey Betty

I started nursing school at 37 as a 2nd degree student. I graduated at 39 in an accelerated BSN program in a prestigious school of over achievers. I was sooooooooo scared and intimidated. But I wanted it. I had a goal and I persevered. :grad:

I like to think my experience in the world and age actually bring something to the table. If I can do it, you can!! I should be coming off orientation in my new career end of next month and celebrating the big 40!!

I hope my experience sheds some light to helping you figure out your own destiny. Keep us posted on what you decide!!

P.S...Eric, thanks for reminding me I have to change that profile ID! I'm in NY now and loving the snow!!!

Chloe

RN-BSN, BA

I feel your pain. I went back to school last year and I'll be 45 when I have finished.

But I just look at it this way....I'll be the same age if I don't go.

Hello everyone....

Just looking to get opinions here - - I want to change careers and enter into a Nursing program. By the time I finish I will be in my mid-40's and just starting out in the nursing field. I know that my age shouldn't matter but I'm hung up on it. Does it sound/look ridiculous to start a nursing career at 45?

I was 46, when I started Nursing School, finished when I was 51. I worked full/time, work would interfere, and I'd have to drop-out a semester a couple of times. I couldn't take a leave of absence, and my employer was paying for school. I did my 2nd year part-time, theory in the fall, clinicals in the spring.

BTW, I wasn't the oldest in the class. :wink2:

Good luck to you! You can do this!

Asia

I feel your pain. I'm just about to finish up my pre-requisites for my local LPN program. It is absolutely killing me that I will now have to wait 5 months to see if I've been accepted to the next level of the program....... I don't have that many good years left!!

What I do know is this - as a forty something student I.....

• Enjoyed school more
  
• Got great grades ( 43 years of collected useless knowledge )
  
• I am confident
  
• I am driven
  
• I was able to mentor the younger students around me

Most importantly, I understand my own motivations for doing this and appreciate the opportunity so much more than I would have years ago.

Some things are sweeter when you have waited for them longer.

Best of luck to US!

Hello everyone....

Just looking to get opinions here - - I want to change careers and enter into a Nursing program. By the time I finish I will be in my mid-40's and just starting out in the nursing field. I know that my age shouldn't matter but I'm hung up on it. Does it sound/look ridiculous to start a nursing career at 45?

I was 44 when i graduated. You can do it because you are mature and know what you want and are willing to work for it. Age is only a number.