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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To become a nurse at my age?

42 replies

Lillyrosey · 05/10/2019 17:31

Hello all, so any advise welcome. I. Would really love some advice from nurses though.
I am 38, single parent and ive just gone back to college to do my gcses which was huge for me in itself.
Ive been a mobile beauty therapist for a few years to fit around my children and had various part time jobs over the years.
The thing is i want to be a nurse!! And its all i think about.
I actually starting training as a nurse when i was younger but life - pregnancy, getting married and putting ex husbands career first an becoming a stay at home mum happened.
I lost alot of confidence, however im finding my feet again and i really want to become a nurse.
I was in hospital alot as a child and ive always felt i want to give something back to society in the way in which i was so kindly cared for.

The question is am AIBU and unrealistic? To start again.
I understand there will be placements and alot of study. Will i be able to do this wity my kids?? My youngest has just started school btw.

OP posts:
Marlena1 · 05/10/2019 17:34

I would think you should go for it. It's never too late to follow your dreams. What's the worst that could happen?; you don't like it and go back to what you're doing now. No education is ever wastedSmile

user1573334 · 05/10/2019 17:35

I really don't want to put you off if this is your dream, and hopefully someone will come along to say otherwise, but I would imagine it to be very hard to find a job (and maybe placements) without shifts that fit around standard childcare for such young children. Would their father or your family be able to help with shift work?

lastqueenofscotland · 05/10/2019 17:36

I would say go for it but be aware you will not be given any special consideration for having young chicken

lastqueenofscotland · 05/10/2019 17:36

Children!!!

june2007 · 05/10/2019 17:37

My friend did around this age she now worka at Addenbrookes on Cambridge. Go for it.

CAG12 · 05/10/2019 17:37

Im a nurse! When I went through training it was almost a 50/50 split between young ones straight from college and those that were perhaps a bit older.

In my opinion, nurses with more life experience are better at the job.

Go for it!

PinkSnowAndStars · 05/10/2019 17:38

Do it! I really want to, but I have no alevels so I can’t

CAG12 · 05/10/2019 17:40

But PP are right though - shifts can be a nightmare with childcare. However PLENTY of my single mum colleagues do it, so its defo do-able x

BubblesBuddy · 05/10/2019 17:40

It’s a long way to go from GCSEs to nursing so have you looked at what qualifications you need? How did you start training if you didn’t have the right GCSEs? I assume A levels are now required and a degree which will have work placements. It gives you a bit of time to plan. Yes, it’s possible, of course.

Greywalls12 · 05/10/2019 17:40

I'm a nurse. Will you be able to juggle childcare around placements? 37.5 hour weeks with shift work 7-19.30 so it's not within school hours.
But if you can, go for it! And i say this as someone who's actually leaving the profession to study medicine Grin but nursing is a great career

CAG12 · 05/10/2019 17:40

@PinkSnowAndStars theres access to nursing courses that you dont need a levels for. Its a year long course

Basketofkittens · 05/10/2019 17:40

Well you probably have another 30+ years to work until retirement!

Have you got any experience of healthcare? You will probably need to volunteer in a hospital first and then apply for paid healthcare assistant work.

I think you need A Levels to do a nursing degree. It’s a very intense 3 years with lots of written assignments, exams and placements.

Why nursing? It’s very hard work, unsocial hours, demanding patients etc. Do you have help with childcare? There are other courses such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy or radiography but they are very competitive to get on and require good A-levels.

www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/nursing/studying-nursing

The nursing associate scheme might be a good fit and can lead onto the degree and being an RN in time.

Greywalls12 · 05/10/2019 17:41

And i don't think you're ever too old to be a nurse. The oldest nurse training on my course was 57!!

Otterseatpuffinsdontthey · 05/10/2019 17:42

It is "doable" - you will have a lot of hard work/studying ahead of you.
Age shouldn't be a factor. At 38 - you have, approximately, another 30 years till you can claim your pension!
Lots of mature students do their training. Have seen Student Nurses far older than 38.
Think about your childcare options.
Best of Luck Flowers

GrimDamnFanjo · 05/10/2019 17:43

I know someone who has just completed training. Single parent, mid-forties.

babyburrito1 · 05/10/2019 17:44

I trained as a nurse over ten years ago and my cohort was around 30% mature students, including a 50 year old woman who had a similar story to yours having put off her childhood dreams to have a family and support her husband's career. When they divorced she took the opportunity to do something for herself. She absolutely loved the degree and didn't seem to have any difficulties with the long hours although her kids were grown up so childcare wasn't an issue. If it's something you've always wanted then I would 100% go for it, you'll have life experience and an appreciation for nursing as a career that many 18 year olds wouldn't and a university would see that. Nursing is hard work but it's also really fun and actually once you've qualified imo makes childcare easier as you're usually only working 3 days/nights per week.

DeRigueurMortis · 05/10/2019 17:44

I'm not a HCP but I just wanted to say that I think you should go for it.

It's never too late to achieve your goals and the fact it's been a vocation for so long means it's something you're likely to excel at.

Nursing is such a vital profession and the idea that people such as yourself want to it is wonderful.

Good luck!

rugbychick1 · 05/10/2019 17:45

As a mature student you can do an access course to get into doing your training as opposed to doing A levels I think. You do need maths and English GCSEs though. Worth looking into.
You will need robust child care though to fulfill the practical side of the training-earlies, lates, nights etc

Original poster
Lillyrosey · 05/10/2019 17:46

Sorry for the typos

OP posts:
heath48 · 05/10/2019 17:47

Go for it!! I was a Nurse all my working life,one of the girls who dropped out of our set has regretted it ever since.

If you don’t try you will never know.

I did a return to practice course when I was 55.

sleepylittlebunnies · 05/10/2019 17:48

I qualified 15 years ago alongside mums, single and partnered much older than me. However we didn’t have to pay for our training and even received a bursary. I’m not sure how expensive it would be and it’s not a course you can work alongside. All the nurses I’ve spoken to who were parents while training have needed to rely on family or friends providing childcare for the training at least. Once you are qualified you can choose not to work such unsociable hours. I’ve stuck with night shifts since having my 3 DC as it keeps life simpler. Good luck in whatever you choose. You’ve got years ahead of you to work so you need to do what you will enjoy.

In fact it might be worth joining the NHS bank at your local hospital as a HCA so you have an idea of what the job entails as well as the stress.

Original poster
Lillyrosey · 05/10/2019 17:53

Wow thanks for all your comments. So i have gcses. But the requirement now is to have atleast grade A-C in mathematics which i do not have a have a D and im doing a science - biology to brush up my skills.
I previously did an Acces to Nursing but it is now outdated as it was completed 13 years ago so im starting again 😏😁 xx

OP posts:
Original poster
Lillyrosey · 05/10/2019 20:17

Thanks for all your very positive coments and all your sensible advice about childcare etc. Ive only just sat down after bathing kids etc so thats why i am only now replying.
So ive decided to go for it.
I figure while its going to take a good few + years to actually finally qualify as a nurse from where i am, i am going to look at that as a good thing, in those years my children are going to get older... Hence childcare wont be such a huge problem.
Ive researched a university that does the three year degree two ways after you complete access you can applh and if you get a place on the nursing course you can choose either to do it over three years full time... Or six years part time. This would be ideal for me as by the time i do the access and my gcses thats two years so then add the part time degree and its 8 years.
My eldest will be 23... No childcare needed 😂 my middle child 17 hopefully no childcare needed and then theres my youngest who will be 12 and although she will need more childcare shes going to be in secondary school in clubs becoming more independent and i figure its gonna be alot easier to get help with childcare for one rather than 3.
While im studying the degree and on placements thier father will have to help me theres no other option, ive supported him throughout his career so its payback, plus hes also self employed and he can choose his hours. I will be 46 by the time i qualify, i think thats not so bad actually. Id rather be training to something ive always wanted than a dead end job and then wake up at 46 and say where did those 8 years go 🤔
Thanks for all your support x

OP posts:
Cockadoodledooo · 05/10/2019 20:33

Definitely go for it. Apprenticeship is another route in that would leave you with less of the student debt.

ChimpyChops · 05/10/2019 20:41

I will be 38 in 2 weeks and have started my access course this year. I am loving it. I am the oldest on the course too.

I am much more focussed than I was when I was younger and have more of an idea what branch of nursing I want to apply for at uni.

Go for it!