Many years ago, I was in college planning to go to nursing school and, as things go, an alternate career oportunity presented itself. In need of money at the time, I took the oportunity.
Now I am 46 years old (male, if that matters) and am seriously considering pursuing the career that I really wanted...Nursing.
My question to you experienced folks is, do you think 46 is too old to begin a journey into this wonderful field of health care?
Absolutely not!!!
I went back to school to become a nurse at the age of 35... after a long career as a professional drummer. I worked through an agency that pretty much billed me as a 'hired gun' , and worked with many national recording artists who were on what they call the 'has-been' tour!!! It was fun while it lasted, but I needed more out of life.
So go for it brother!!!!!
Thanks Tracy! It just feels right.
nope 46 isn't too old. The nurse manager of our OR (male) was laid off from the coal mines now has a MSN and a son that's an ER nurse. If he wouldn't have been laid off he'd still be in the mines.
I am mid fifties and just finishing all being well, go for it man.
For those thinking they are 'too old' to go back to school.....
I always mention this whenever I hear people talking about the subject:
When I was finishing up undergrad, one of the last classes I ever took had a 77-year-old woman in it who was just as energetic as any of the other students. She actually made the class better because she had a lot of views and opinions that the rest of the students never could have brought themselves.
People need to realize the only limitation is in their head!
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I wish I could write a job ad that reads:
Older people make excellent nurses!
I do a lot of student precepting and have this to say, the adult college student, most often, does better than his/her peers. All college students technically are adults but to me, an adult student is one who returns to school after being "out in the world." As nursing students, these individuals more readily adapt to the demands of clinic and class and when it comes to working with the sick, injured and dying, seem better prepared emotionally to function.
This does not reflect negatively on younger students who follow an uninterrupted path, it just means that when it comes to healthcare careers, life experience is a particularly valuable asset.
R
Ricu, I agree with you 101%. I did not start college until I was 32 yrs old. Graduated AAS in Surg Tech at age 35. At age 38, graduated AAS Nursing (ADN). Then, at age 44 graduated RN-BSNprogram.
BTW, at age 43 I was commissioned 1LT in the Reserve Component Army Nurse Corps, three years later transferred into the Active Component. LOL, 15 years prior I ETS'd honorable discharge out the USMC.
Age is just a number... as long as you got drive & determination. Pssst, just watch Brett Favre throw laser perfect passes down the field at age 40!
Lugnut made 3 post in 2004, then... I'm curious if he ever went to nursing school. Weird how some will post & then leave us hanging. Kind of like reading half way thru a book then losing the damn thing.Originally Posted by cougarnurse
Cat, good idea about the bump, though. For many, nursing is their second or third career and this thread always makes for a good conversation for those thinking of same.
Well said, Cary. It sounds like you really hit your stride after thirty. I think I did too, after twenty-something, at least.
Reading the long line of posts here particularly from men, it seems that after we go around the "adulthood" block a few times, it's now common to pay closer attention to that inner voice and look at what else is out there. Maybe it's because we finally have a sense of how we're wired and what we're called to do in this world. It takes a tremendous amount of courage to make a career jump especially if we're financially stable and raising a family but unless we're doing what feel right, we're not really happy and happy is a good thing to be. Unless we're happy, we're not really good mates and parents, either.
I started career retraining at thirty and am still at it. Even though I wasn't satisfied with my career then, it may have taken me longer to make a move if I hadn't been laid off. Anyway, I'm really in a good place right now and maybe I'll finally be an APN when I hit retirement age, unless I go into landscape design...
BTW, who ever said that we HAD to stay in the same career that we began and who doesn't have more than one talent that could produce a livable income?
Here's to wisdom that only comes with age.
R
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