Various nursing specialties and age of retirement

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I am a 33 year old guy and am planning on entering a pre-nursing program in 2013 in order to achieve my pre-reqs. By the time I enter this program, I will be 34. By the time I earn my BSN (IF I do), I will be 39.

My concern, is this: from the age of 18 - 33, the time when most people are in college and then starting their careers and becoming stable financially and gaining seniority in their chosen profession, I was unemployed on a disability pension.. For those years, I was having some major struggles with depression, an eating disorder, social anxiety and borderline personality.

Now that I am 33, through much effort, have came to a place mentally, emotionally and situationally where I feel I am able to think about my career path. The problem is, that since I will 39 when (and if) I get my first nursing job, I am worried about the time I've lost, where I should have been working, earning money and saving... I would like to make some of that time up by working into my late 60s.

QUESTION: Are there nursing jobs that would make it easier for someone who wishes to work beyond traditional retirement age? To the high 60s? The two nursing speciialities I am thinking about now (though I assume things will change as I progress through my studies) are psychiatric and pediatric..

What nursing jobs can you think of, that would be least age sensitive or reliant on physical strength and power?

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Specializes in PICU, Sedation/Radiology, PACU.

Nursing is a profession that is attractive to many non-traditional students and those pursuing second career. You are likely not even going to be the oldest person in your program and there will probably be several other students the same age as you.

Also keep in mind that you don't have to stay in the same position/specialty for your entire career. Nursing is so diverse, there are a huge variety of jobs that you can pursue- some more physically strenuous than others. Inpatient, acute care floors and LTC, SNFs are more physically stressful choices. On the less physical side, there's office nursing, telephone triage, school nursing. You've also got job options that are outside of direct patient care, such as case management, research, legal nursing, education, and infectious disease.

Throughout your career as a nurse, you'll have the opportunity to explore several or many of these career options according to what suits your needs. When you initially graduate, you'll still be young and robust enough that you might want to take on a busy acute care position. As you age you can switch to something that's less physically demanding so that you can keep working for longer, if you choose. You're just starting out on this journey into nursing, so don't worry about which job you'll retire from. There's way too many forks in the road between here and there. Just enjoy the journey.

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Thank you Ashley. Your comments and thoughts are very much appreciated. I agree with you, I need to learn to take things as they come and enjoy the journey. As you've said, there are many forks in the road from here to there... Thanks!

Ben

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Specializes in retired LTC.

In all my readings here on AN, I've come to the belief that too far-in-advance long-range planning in nursing may be unrealistic - seems to be too many uncontrollable variables and not too many constants left. Healthcare is just too unpredictable. I can see intermediate-range planning with goals at best. Too much can change between now and then.

Ashley offers good advice and you've proffered some legitimate concerns, but you're talking some 20-25 years ahead! I'd suggest taking it a bit slower. You sound like you've got a good handle where you want to go now. And in the future, you may find a niche that's tangential to nsg and you'll soar with it. Good luck with your future endeavors, personal and professional.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

In all my readings here on AN, I've come to the belief that too far-in-advance long-range planning in nursing may be unrealistic - seems to be too many uncontrollable variables and not too many constants left. Healthcare is just too unpredictable. I can see intermediate-range planning with goals at best. Too much can change between now and then.

Ashley offers good advice and you've proffered some legitimate concerns, but you're talking some 20-25 years ahead! I'd suggest taking it a bit slower. You sound like you've got a good handle where you want to go now. And in the future, you may find a niche that's tangential to nsg and you'll soar with it. Good luck with your future endeavors, personal and professional.

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