Too old (40s) for CRNA?

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I am in my early 40s with couple of years' RN experience in a Med-Surg/Tele floor. Before changing career to nursing (2 years ago), I had been working in research laboratory for almost 10 years with a MS major in Microbiology and Immunology. I have passion with critical care. I am also inspired to do CRNA. However, I am at my early 40s now. I just wonder whether it's too old (maybe 45) to start to be a CRNA, if I do the application and ICU experience and CRNA program within the next 5 years.

Your input is greatly appreciated.

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Specializes in ICU.

I don't think anybody is too old to go back to school. But the other day, I talked to a pharmacy tech in his 40s saying he was goin back to school to be an xray tech. i asked him why not just go to pharmacy school. What he said totally made sense, and I never really thought about that before. He said, if I did that, I will be almost 50 by the time i'm done. At 50, I do not want thousands of $$$ in debt. I do not want to work the next 15 or 20 years of my productive life paying off that debt. At 50, i want a paid-off house. I just feel like his statement was worth sharing. So i guess i should say, I don't think anybody is too old to go back to school, as long as you can afford it and it makes sense in your situation.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

You will be one of the older classmates in anesthesia school, but it is not unusual to have someone in their 40's going through nurse anesthesia school. One of my classmates was in his mid-40's during school. It can be done and your MS in micro/immunology will get you through the academic portion of nurse anesthesia school.

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Specializes in ICU.

I would of finished when I turned 40, I felt like I was one of the older ones. Was the third oldest in the class.The oldest was 49 fininshed at 51. And I have to agree with the first posting. I pulled out and changed to FNP was having a lof of life changes at the time( husband lost job the month I started school among many other things), he was to be the financial backer while I went to school, felt like I was in white water wondering if I was going to come out alive. THankfully I did. My priorities changed and I dont wanna be 50 with a lot of debt. So I am working while going to NP school.

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