Career Change To Nursing At 40

Put Yourself Out There

You are most likely going to have to leave your comfort zone to start switching careers at 40.

Reason-being, your comfort zone is built on the experiences you have lived thus far. So that means your current career is in your comfort zone.

Even though you may be feeling stagnant and unproductive in your career, it is still your comfort zone. This helps explain why so many people are unwilling to pursue a career change.

If you want to improve your prospects of launching your new career, you are going to need to attend industry events.

Whether these events are local or a large conference that everyone attends, you want to make it a priority to go. Ideally, you want to start with local events because they may be a more intimate setting.

Many of these events have a professional development component where you can see what skill-sets, certification, and education people are looking for. Here you can find 17 best careers worth going back to school for at 40.

You can almost survey the group and build your plan of action according to the responses you receive.

The bonus of exposure to your new industry is you may find yourself getting lucky and creating a valuable relationship or landing an interview.

The Why Behind Changing Careers To Nursing

Nursing is a compelling career choice for many reasons, but perhaps the most convincing is the salary data. Registered nurses earn a median annual wage of $70,000, which is approximately double the average for all occupations. There are even more lucrative options within nursing at higher levels. The next section explores some of those lucrative nursing career opportunities in more detail.

For many people, though, changing careers to nursing is more about the passion to help other people. Its no secret that nurses are some of the most caring professionals. In fact, for 17 straight years, nurses have earned the top spot among all professionals for honesty and ethical standards, according toan annual poll from Gallup.

Maybe youve encountered high-quality care from a nurse who made a loved ones or your stay in a hospital or other medical environment better. Lengthier stays can highlight the difference that nurses make in peoples lives and treatments, and that may be whats driving your career change to nursing, as is often the case. A lot of people have positive experiences with nurses and want to have that same type of impact on others. As a result, they consider changing careers to nursing.

Whatever your motivation may be, a career switch to nursing can offer you the opportunity to make a difference for the people who need it most, and it can also have several benefits for you, which are highlighted in the next section.

Make A List Of Careers Youre Interested In

Ideally, you will make this list when you are still working as a nurse. Look into your heart and find out what you really want to do with your life. Your childhood dreams are a good place to start.

If you want to leave healthcare completely, make a list of possible career choices that you feel would be positive. Your talents, skills, interests, and passions will push you in the right direction. Research the roles youre considering to find out the pay range, career growth outlook, working conditions, and the qualifications required to get started.

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Classes To Become A Nurse

Youll need to be able to pass courses in a variety of sciences to become a nurse. Nursing degrees and certificate classes typically include biology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, microbiology and behavioral sciences. Youll also need to learn how to fill out care-related paperwork and learn medical facility practices and procedures. Part of your training will include working with actual patients and the same equipment youll use on the job.

Youll be observed working with patients, so youll need to be a people-person enjoy working with patients, nurses and doctors and have good communications skills. Good communication is critical when you are filling out medical paperwork and writing down instructions from a doctor or other nurse.

Some hospitals and health care facilities offer training via certificate or diploma programs. Youll get your training while working and will usually have a job waiting for you when you earn your certificate or diploma.

However you decide to prepare for a career in nursing, make sure the program thats training you is accredited and that you will be able to sit for your states licensing exam upon completion of your studies. Potential employers will be able to tell you whether or not they will accept a certain programs certificate or diploma.

The Demand For Nurses Is Growing So Dont Hesitate

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 7% growth rate from 2019 to 2029, faster than the average for all occupations. There are several reasons more nurses are needed:

• The population is aging. Elderly people have more chronic medical conditions, and simply require more care and education.
• Healthcare costs in acute settings are skyrocketing. Health care providers discharge patients as soon as possible, often to other settings, such as rehabilitation, long-term facilities, and outpatient clinics.
• Home health, including palliative and hospice care, is growing.
• One-day/same-day care centers will continue to expand. Patients will receive services like chemotherapy, surgery, and rehabilitation.
• More procedures and diagnostic studies are being performed in clinics and physician practices.
• Telehealth and remote consultations are necessary to keep patients safe from infectious environments.

Over 221,000 more nurses will be needed by 2029. Depending on geographic area and work setting, nurses can earn good salaries and benefits. According to BLS, 2019 earnings average:

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Dont Limit Yourself To Working In Hospitals

Im sure youve watched the documentaries, binge-watched ER and heard the stories about the demanding nature of the nursing profession.

Butdont be fooled to think every single nurse works in the same conditions and long hours shown in these Hollywood type shows, because they dont.

I want to get you excited about the endless job opportunities which exist with a nursing degree.

Here are a few of the amazing possibilities:

• Nursing in a day procedure clinic.There is generally no night shift which is a huge plus for those nervous about working nights.

• School nursePerfect for the moms and dads or grandma and grandpas wanting to see their kids or grandkids more often.

• Traveling nurseWork independently in rural and remote areas caring for our communities most vulnerable groups. Youre in control of your schedule.

• Nursing on cruise ships

• Planning, directing and coordinating medical and health services

• Occupational health and safety nurse

• Nursing in a range of different health clinics For example: sexual health clinic, womens health, IVF clinic etc.

• Case management nurses

• Agency/bank nursingThis means you work on a casual basis moving from place to place when staffing is dire. Your agency will call you, generally a few hours before the shift, asking for you to fill a vacancy. The money is good but you normally dont know anyone or the environment but what a thrill!

There is a nursing position which is right for you but you just might need to look outside the square

Reasons To Consider A Career Change To Nursing

Have you been thinking about a career change? Youre not alone. According to a Washington Post/Schar School poll, nearly 1 in 3 Americans under the age of 40 have considered changing their occupation since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Opportunities in nursing, like other healthcare fields, have done nothing but growand through Bethels post-baccalaureate nursing program, those who hold a bachelors degree in any field could make a change to nursing in as few as 15 months.

We connected with Kristi Gustafson, director of Bethels post-baccalaureate nursing program, to hear more about why people choose to study nursing. Here are some of the top reasons to consider nursing as a second career:

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Prepare For Financial Or Scheduling Changes

Switching careers can also affect other parts of your life. For example, you may need to enroll in a program to upgrade your skills, which will require that you spend money and take time away from your family. It also might take a while for you to find a new job. Make sure youre prepared for this, and that all of the people in your life who may be affected are on the same page as you.

Try Your First Experiment

After crafting at least one experiment, its time to try it out. A common weakness of this phase is that experiments can continue indefinitely.

Since youll not have quit your current job yet, it will be difficult to find the time. You can avoid losing momentum by making your experiment a project. The project needs to have a couple of things in place. They include:

• A defined boundary for easier management
• A concrete and clear goal
• A series of steps to ensure that you can complete the project

After scheduling time and allocating enough resources, start the project. Have a deadline and a clear goal. When you are finished, take some time off and reflect on what youve learned.

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Older Nurses Embrace Your Wisdom And Life Experience

As a nurse in my late 20s I love working with older nurses and Im not just saying that to flatter you.

They often have clever, time-effective ways of doing things which quickly become the norm once the cats out of the bag.

Your valuable life lessons are almost always backed up with a funny story to keep our serious jobs light and positiveand the profession could use a whole lot more of it!

Embrace your past experiences because I can almost bet youll have others admiring the way you nurse, communicate and how you read particular social situations all learned in past experiences.

Keep your eyes open and dont be afraid of being the older one as it could just be your best asset.

Youve been on this earth for longer than most of your colleagues and this gives you an enormous advantage.

Youve seen, heard and personally witnessed things your younger colleagues have only seen in the movies or read in books.

You never know what direction your past life experiences such as well, simply being an adult, can take you within the nursing profession.

Better focus

Remember how distacted you used to get as a teenager or young adult? Life is different now allowing you to focus on the task ahead and probably be much more time effecive.

Emotionally You Cannot Prepare For Everything

The stories which dont make the news and nobody else knows about can and possibly will affect you when you least expect it.

While you cannot prepare for every single situation, doing a short course in death and dying or trauma, for example, can help you prepare mentally.

Such courses could be the Grief and Bereavement Counselling Certificate or the Psychology of Old Age Certificate.

Your support network of friends, family and health professionals offered through your workplace or privately to provide support and advice will be your go-to people.

There is nothing embarrassing about seeking help when you need it or think you might need it based on past events.

I have cried SO many times in my bosss office, friends houses and even on the drive home about the things I have seen during my shifts. Life can be cruel and you are at the forefront of it all.

Personally, I think this is a privilege to assist during these tough times but it does take resilience and a good support network to push through and do it all again the next day.

Carers need to be cared for too so dont ever forget that. Even if you think Im older and should have the coping strategies for this!

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Nursing As A Second Degree

The BSN is a preferred nursing degree for many healthcare employers. Thanks to the more rigorous education requirements, BSN-trained nurses can meet more complex healthcare demands and carry more responsibilities than ADN or LVN trained nurses. Without any prior college education, BSN programs can take about three to four years to complete. Students enrolled in these programs are fully trained for a variety of skills, including patient care, nursing fundamentals, pharmacology, and more.

Nursing As A Second Career

Nursing as a Second Career: There are a million reasons why moving to a career in nursing as a second career can work well for a person. Even many of the career analysts can agree that the field of nursing and its future look bright, due to several options/specializations, well-rounded salaries, benefits, career mobility, etc. It was only last year that the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics made the projection that 1.1 million additional nurses will be required to prevent a further shortage as well as the employment opportunities will grow at an even faster rate in nursing than all other occupations till 2026. This shows that the demand for qualified nurses is increasing at a fast pace. Another study published in Health Affairs projected a shortage of between 3,00,000 to 1 million nurses by the year 2025, which is greater than any nursing shortage experienced in the US in more than half a century.

Nursing as a second career: For a candidate to becoming a nurse after 40, they must have a:

• Degree from an accredited registered nursing program
• Current Registered Nurse license in the US and the state where they live
• Two years of full-time work experience as a Registered Nurse

Read More: jobs for doctorsor tolink verified healthcare professionals.

Content for MD: Becoming a Nurse at 40 What are the ways to pursue your choice of career or the right age to become a nurse? Find out.

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The Second Time Around

For many reasons, a move to nursing as a second career is a good choice. Many career analysts say nursings future looks bright, its options are many and its salaries, benefits and career mobility are all good.

Still unsure? Browse all the open nursing jobs on our jobs board in your area to see how many nursing opportunities exist.

Nursing is a profession that can take you from the hospital bedside to the boardroom and allow you to work in acute, ambulatory or long-term care with patients of all ages. The profession can include staff, management or administrative roles, along with opportunities in business, sales, education, law and more.

You can even work on weekdays or weekends, day or night, or on full-time, part-time or per-diem schedules.

Nursing is diverse and inclusive in employment and patient care. All patients are cared for and all nurses are welcome to apply, regardless of age, gender, sexual preference, race, ethnicity, religion or socioeconomic background.

Is It Possible To Become A Nurse Later In Life

Yes. According to Raines, D. , approximately 26% of second-career nurses are over the age of 40 and the remaining 74% range in age groups, educational backgrounds, and motivations. Many individuals who enter nursing later in life bring a diversified history of work experience to their new profession that can enhance their success in their second career, including interpersonal communication skills, critical thinking, and effective problem-solving.

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Evaluate Your Physical Condition

It’s important to make a realistic physical self-evaluation before you start looking to join a nursing school. Nursing is a physically demanding career. For example, you may need to move and lift patients. You may also need to stand and walk around for long periods throughout the day. Make sure you can handle those working conditions while considering your new career.

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Is It Time To Make A Nursing Career Change

Nursing professionals decide to leave their jobs for many reasons. A study published by the JAMA network asked nurses who had recently left their job about what contributed to their decision. Here are the top five results:

Maybe you are seeing some of the same problems at your job. If so, it’s good to realize that many of the traits that serve you well as a nurse can help you excel at other jobs, as well. Important soft skills, such as communication skills, problem-solving skills, teamwork, professionalism, and empathy, come in handy in a variety of non-nursing jobs.

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Your Previous Career Experiences Equip You To Thrive

No matter the industry of your previous career, youve almost certainly cultivated the experiences and skills youll need to be a successful nurse. While clinical knowledge is essential, any number of soft skills will see you through a career in nursing and allow you to reach new heights in your new career. So, even if youre going back to nursing school as a 30-year-old, 40-year-old, or older, see how your previous professional expertise is bound to help you settle into this new career.

You Probably Wont Be The Oldest One So Dont Stress About It

Through creating this blog, weve received endless emails from people in the 40s, 50s and beyond wanting to pursue a career in nursing but thought they were too old.

While the average age for nursing students is probably somewhere in the mid 20s you are not the only late bloomer into the nursing profession.

Interestingly, in Australia, the average age for nurses is 44.4 years old.

In the United States, majority of registered nurses employed full-time and part-time in the U.S. range in ages from 45 to 59.

As a real-life example, I recently read about 90-year old Lorna Prendergast from Australia who graduated from the University of Melbourne.

She studied the effect of music in assisting those affected with dementia after her husband passed away.

Her message was this

Nobody is too old to sit down and say Im too old, I cant do it.

The stories of men and women graduating from college in their 90s to pursue their dreams inspires us and showcases, its never too late.

However to be a realist, here are a few things to consider before diving in to study.

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