I’ve made some stupid choices career-wise.

[thebestinterest]

Sorry not an AIBU, but I’m really interested in hearing from nurses / medical professionals on what your day to day looks like, so I’ve posted here for traffic.

I want to go back to school and earn my BSN to become a nurse anesthetist.

I’m 35 and I have never had a career.

I come from a very privileged background (not stupid money), which meant that working for others (non family) was optional (as horrible as that sounds!!!).

My parents founded successful businesses (service based and real estate) that I learned to operate and manage well, as I’ve always known that I would inherit them, but I’m still incomplete. I’m not happy. Also the thought of having to run these businesses fills me with dread as it means that I would be confined to their locations.

Anyways, for about a decade now I’ve wanted to return to school and become a nurse.

I love the fast paced environment and feel actualized when I am caring for others. When I was younger I thought I wanted to be a Dr… so I got into medical school but left after 2 yrs. The reasons for that were safety related as well as not being able to cope with the coursework att.

Now I am mid 30’s, career-less and with a young family (DH + 1LO). I know it’s not too late to pursue a career but I am seriously kicking myself for not trying to do this sooner… as it will not be any easier with a baby.

So my question is, has anyone attempted this?
A career change that meant either upskilling or retraining entirely whilst having a young child (under 2)? What was it / is it like for you?

I am terrified of being a 60yr old with no career, just waiting to inherent a business I will then have to run, when I would could be thinking about my retirement.

I am also motivated by the amount of posts I see on here of women who are SAHM who are screwed when their ‘d’h cheat on and leave them.

Are you not currently running those businesses? Would you only run them if you inherit them? From a succession point of view, shouldn't you be working in those businesses even before your parents pass on the businesses?

When you say the businesses will confine you to those locations, is there any where else you would prefer to be located?

Having a young baby is one of the worst times to do retrain from a timing point of view. I assume money is not an issue. How many dcs do you plan to have? Can you wait till the youngest is in school?

In the kindest possible way, if you dropped out of medical school, and that was presumably a good few years ago, I'm not sure if nursing as it is now would be a suitable career choice. You might get accepted on a course. Some universities are truly desperate for students and God knows most hospitals are crying out for nursing staff. However, in 15+ years in the NHS I've never heard anyone say they went into the job because it makes them feel actualised.

Are there any local nursing schools that you might be able to have a chat with to help you get some insight into just how tough a job it is these days? I don't know if any hospitals would do work experience or shadow shifts for your age group though some of the hospitals I've worked in have regularly run open recruitment days.

I hate to say it but I think you've got rose tinted glasses on about the profession. The numbers leaving should give you a bit of a clue. There might be another healthcare profession that would be more suited to you as a person and still let you have a career where you can help people - pharmacist, physio, maybe one of the allied health professions? People definitely train later in life for some of those, some of our pharmacy apprentices are quite a bit older than 35.

Good luck though, whatever you decide.

How on earth will you run your parents businesses when they're dead if you're not doing it now?

Honey I am 51 and have just started studying nursing. I am not the oldest person in my course either. Do it! Life is too short to drag yourself to a job you’re at best ambivalent about.

If you can afford to take the course without too much hardship then go for it. You will learn a lot and you can decide at the end what you want to do.