Becoming a Nurse After 40

3 Just thought I'd start a thread about this, because I am probably not the only one out there that feels this way.

So I will be one of those individuals that starts a career in nursing after the age of 40, and I sometimes feel envious of those nurses that are around my age that already have 20 or so years in the profession. So by the time we are 50, they will have @ 30 years while I will only have less than 10. The way I calculate it, I will probably only be able to give 35 years max into the profession, and will be at an age older than most other nurses retire (I don't want to retire at 65, I want to keep going into my 70's). I find myself sometimes wishing I had followed my fleeting instinct to do nursing during my first undergrad years. People try to tell me that I should be proud of the years I spent in another profession (which I am) before I embarked in nursing but the more I spend with nursing, the more I feel regret that I did not start with this profession earlier. I try to resolve my feelings by convincing myself that I can always blend my prior career into nursing (something many people cannot do) and that will give me an edge, which means I will not be delegated to floor nursing for the rest of my working years. I do want to work as a staff nurse for at least 5 years to get the raw experience of nursing, I have no desire even to supervise other nurses right now. Been there with management, done that, and happy to just do my job and make money for now. I think also that in becoming a nurse after 40 not many people will peg you as being a new nurse right away ... but then again, people do say I don't look my age

I just brainstormed the paragraph above so forgive me if it sounds like jibberish .. hopefully you all understood my point. Just want to get new perspectives on this, thanks!
I am a new grad in my first med/surg position. I am 49. I don't look my age either...most folks think I am in my mid to late 30s. The nurses know that I am a new grad, but they treat me very well and don't expect me to know more than any other new grad. I do share with some patients that I am a new nurse. They are surprised, but excited that someone can change course 'late' in life. They congratulate me.I am thinking of eventually merging my prior IT career with nursing and going for nursing informatics. For the time being, I am loving my position. Age is a state of mind. Take care of your body and you can be very active well into life! I also think it is a great example for my kids to show that you are never too old to do something with your life!

I became an LPN 2 months after I turned 39. (2008)I will graduate from my RN program a month after turning 44. (2013)BSN should be around age 45-46 but that age won't stop me.Like you I think to myself.. you should have done this after high school. Would have had a LOT of years in by now. Then I remember everything that happened in my life did so for a reason. After high school was just not the time for me to do it. Things did not fall into place until I was much older. The way I figure the government is saying I cannot collect full social security benefits until I am 72..that minimum age keeps creeping up and up so I may have more years in nursing than I realize..haha.The average age in my classes is early-mid 30's.

Quote from Paco69Just thought I'd start a thread about this, because I am probably not the only one out there that feels this way. So I will be one of those individuals that starts a career in nursing after the age of 40, and I sometimes feel envious of those nurses that are around my age that already have 20 or so years in the profession. So by the time we are 50, they will have @ 30 years while I will only have less than 10. The way I calculate it, I will probably only be able to give 35 years max into the profession, and will be at an age older than most other nurses retire (I don't want to retire at 65, I want to keep going into my 70's). I find myself sometimes wishing I had followed my fleeting instinct to do nursing during my first undergrad years. People try to tell me that I should be proud of the years I spent in another profession (which I am) before I embarked in nursing but the more I spend with nursing, the more I feel regret that I did not start with this profession earlier. I try to resolve my feelings by convincing myself that I can always blend my prior career into nursing (something many people cannot do) and that will give me an edge, which means I will not be delegated to floor nursing for the rest of my working years. I do want to work as a staff nurse for at least 5 years to get the raw experience of nursing, I have no desire even to supervise other nurses right now. Been there with management, done that, and happy to just do my job and make money for now. I think also that in becoming a nurse after 40 not many people will peg you as being a new nurse right away ... but then again, people do say I don't look my age I just brainstormed the paragraph above so forgive me if it sounds like jibberish .. hopefully you all understood my point. Just want to get new perspectives on this, thanks!

I am 48, and I do regret that I don't have that 20 years that other nurses have. I feel like I have much less time to achieve my dream job by getting my BSN or MSN, getting my Med Surg experience. I feel a time crunch because Med-Surg jobs are scarce around my area. I'm in LTC and really love the relationships, but feel the need to keep expanding my skills. I find myself being drawn to cardiac stuff--I've taken 12 Lead ECG Interpretation and I think I want to eventually end up on a cardiac unit, but that means a drive of an hour or so in my rural area. I don't think I'll ever leave the floor, but worry about my stamina ten years from now. I have trouble pushing my regrets aside and looking forward and doing what I can to get where I want to be. I also worry about balancing my wants (money for advanced degree for me) against those of my middle school age children and what they want to accomplish in their lives.

I have a sticker on the inside of my locker--"How old would you be if you didn't know how old you were?"There are days I feel in my 30's and days I feel 90. I finished my RN in 2010, my LPN in 2007. I hope to have my BSN this year, and my NP by the time I'm 50. Go as hard and as fast and as long as your body lets you!

Quote from CT PixieThe way I figure the government is saying I cannot collect full social security benefits until I am 72..that minimum age keeps creeping up and up so I may have more years in nursing than I realize..haha.

I started nursing school at age 45 and now have my masters degree and several years experience. When I started working the families assumed I was the experienced nurse because of my age. It was actually an advantage because I had life experiences to fall upon and could handle crisis without too much drama. Good luck!

Don't let regrets consume your soul, be grateful for the here and now.

Quote from Allison NY RNSome say, "Nurses eat their young", but I would never tolerate this at my age. People judge within the first 3 seconds of meeting you, and you will not be an immediate threat to them, as you may not appear naive. Once again, as I have only heard some of the things nurses do to their own, it may all be just heresay. I never experienced this type of behavior.

Age is nothing but a number right?

my oldest student was 63. she had been married for forty years to a man who told her she was stupid and worthless and never let her do anything she wanted to do, least of all nursing school. and when the old b****** died she took the insurance money and went to nursing school, bless her. she was a typical student in some ways, except although she was new to nursing she was not new to life. in that she was years and years ahead of the 18-year-old chickies fresh out of high school who were her classmates. she had experienced the vicissitudes of life over decades, had raised kids, and so much else, so she could identify stressors and situations in patients, and they trusted her to listen to them more than someone whose hair wasn't already well on its way to white.another friend went to med school at 32. when people said, "you'll be forty by the time you finish!" she said, "i'll be forty anyway." good attitude.good luck!

My husband was able to put this into perspective for me. When I was lamenting that I would be in my mid-40's when I completed my education, he said:You will be in your mid-40's whether you complete this education or not.