Nursing Degree at 54?

[NowOrNotNow]

I'm 54 and burnt out after 30+ years of working in Accountancy roles that have destroyed my soul!! I'm now at a crossroads where I could retire (with some pretty big lifestyle adjustments and definitely no spare cash for holidays etc) but I think I still need something to occupy my brain. My husband would also need to keep working for another 5 years so I think I would be bored and lonely. Sooo I have been looking at possibly applying for a nursing degree. I would get a maintenance loan and a bursary which would help financially, and it's something I think would be really different and I would enjoy. But I'm 54!! Would a university even accept me?? Would I find to too physically demanding as I'm used to a sedentary office job? Is this a totally stupid idea?!?!

How are your pensions? When are you looking to retire?

I’m same age and have also considered a similar degree. But have decided against it for a number of reasons.

first is I’d like to retire by 60. I want to travel, go to the gym, get my body in good shape while I still can. Have time to do all the things I want to do.

if I do a second degree that’s 3 years on a minimal income, 3 years less pension. I’ll graduate at 56, a year training/post qualification. By the time I’m back up I’m on a decent salary and over the junior years I’ll be over 60. I really don’t want to be working until I’m 70.

i’ve found a job that’s not in my field of training but I utilise all my skills. It’s interesting and makes a difference. So I’ll stick with that for 5 years then hopefully be in a place where I can retire. Plenty of other things to keep my brain occupied!

There was multiple over 50s in my nursing course so it’s not unusual. However, it is a physically demanding job with long shifts. I wouldn’t recommend it if you are already feeling burnt out. A LOT of people of my course left during the course and shortly after qualifying. And a lot end up with joint/back injuries even at young ages. You can also get funding for a second degree for other health degrees like occupational therapy or physio. They seem to have much nicer working conditions.

Might it be worthwhile chatting the whole thing through with an independent financial advisor? It’s something I opted to do when it became clear my chances of working ever again were beyond slim thanks to a worsening neuro disorder The financial advisor helped us to financially plan heading towards retiring as a couple and it was an huge relief to discover we had more put aside and only needed some tweaks to maintain our lifestyle when we do retire. Until then I thought we were both doomed to work forever till we dropped and that was a horrible place to be.

My friend retrained as a TA. Works 4 days per week, 13 weeks annual leave, finish at 3/3.30. Doesn’t earn a fortune but doesn’t have many financial commitments either and a nice life style as not kids or mortgage

I am an Accountant myself. Can’t complain too much about it, it has been ok and has provided a good income; but getting a bit bored myself. Maybe is a mid life crisis, menopause, who knows.

Not at 54 in all honesty - the sheer physicality of the work would be too much. I had a colleague who left our place and did nursing training in her late 40s. I admired her for making the move but a part of me did think she was quite mad to do it too!

OP I did similar at 40(for similar reasons) not to be rude but I felt that I was too old then, not to go to uni or retrain but running up and down a ward for hours on end often fire fighting as it was so full on, shift work etc. I was often so tired when I got home I could hardly get out of car and walk into the house.
It left me wishing I had done it at 30. Although I had not got bored of my first career by then. I ended up diversifying as I could not see myself continuing at that pace and from listening to others it has got worse.
I think you health would suffer ultimately and no career is worth that.
There must be other options you could consider 😏

Would you consider physio? Specialise in MSK-it’s honestly so rewarding. Technical, patient focussed, you can help people take away their pain, no heavy lifting, no nights (if you stick to msk), work life balance is good and focus on fitness and physical health is great. Would recommend to anyone.

You would need to do night shifts, it’s physically demanding, and I echo other posters - even if you were accepted onto a training course I think it would be unfair to have all that money spent on you to train and then give it all up after a few years.

For context I am now a band 7 moving into higher management (hopefully) but I did many years doing shifts in ICU and it ain’t pretty. It’s a really hard slog physically and emotionally and I couldn’t go back to shifts now I don’t think and I’m in my early 40s. Having said that there is always the odd one that’s still doing nights in their 60s and beyond.

Could you work for a charity?

Would you need to have a maintenance loan or could you get by with just a tuition fee loan and live off your savings/husband/part time work?

The OU lists a bunch of sciency degrees that qualify for tuition fee loans if you are already a degree holder.

https://www.open.ac.uk/courses/fees-and-funding/equivalent-qualifications

Also I don't know if this is out of date but this gov.uk site lists a bunch of health related degrees that are eligible for tuition and maintenance loans if you are a degree holder:

• Nursing (adult, child, mental health, learning and disability)
• Midwifery
• Dietetics
• Occupational therapy
• Orthoptics
• Orthotics and prosthetics
• Physiotherapy
• Podiatry/chiropody
• Radiography (diagnostic and therapeutic)
• Speech and language therapy
• Operating department practitioner

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-bursary-reform/nhs-bursary-reform

Maybe look into some of these options that might be less physically demanding than nursing.

Sorry this sounds a bit selfish and shallow. Oh I’ve got loads of money but I’ll be bored at home so I’ll train to be a nurse as it’s got a bursary but I’ll then retire when my husband does so won’t actually give anything back.

So you sound like you want to use the degree as something just to give you an income via the student loan for three years? You’re not sure if you will work afterwards? It costs more than the student loan to train a student and you wouldn’t even pay it back even if you did work! If you were going to work until you were in your late 60s then I guess why not.

But with your plan of not working it’s a waste of taxpayers money. 🤷‍♀️

The course is beyond hard, the job equally hard. It’s not just the night shifts and 13 hour shifts, working weekends and been sent to a placement 90 mins from your house and doing back to back long days so you get about 5hrs sleep after travel time. The assignments and general stress is hard too.

You may also find you can’t as a NQ just do bank work. Most hospitals are now saying you have to consolidate your skills with a substantive contract and won’t allow a NQ to just bank.

Only you know what’s best for you to do. Pick up some HCSW shifts and see what you think.
You can reduce the risk of injury if you follow safe manual handling practices. Also, get physically fit, lean and strong to protect yourself, eat healthily and stay hydrated.

I’m a bit younger than you and burning out fast so I do appreciate what it’s like. Like you I can’t afford to retire yet. But my plan when I reach the end of the line is to apply for admin work. I have admin work experience and a lot of transferable skills. I can see me spending a few years doing an admin job on a lower salary than what I’m on now and being happy with it. To keep me going until I retire.

How did you get into this if you don't mind me asking :)

I did 2 years nursing training when I was 26 many years ago and left to go back into office roles- its very hard going and quite thankless at times - I loved lots of aspects but know full well I couldn’t have coped with it physically or mentally beyond 50 - I got far too attached as well and found many aspects very upsetting which suprised me as I’m a tough cookie generally. I honestly think if money wasn’t the issue but wanted something different and interesting I would rather be a teaching assistant . Still hard work but with a rewarding aspect but I do think more doable , don’t need the degree and no night shifts etc

@TheIceBearmuch smaller workload though as it’s 1:4.

Not where I live it isn’t. I’ve had up to 8 patients and sometimes even more on nights.

@Toddlerteaplease plus in certain areas you could be busier with 2 patients than 8 patients depending on what is going on with them so 1:4 doesn’t always mean a smaller workload

@TheIceBearthats shocking! We would never be put In that position. But doing agency work as extra in DGH’s has made me realise how protected we are in a large childrens hospital.

Would recommend that you look at NHS allied health professions. Dietetics, podiatry, speech and language, physiotherapy, occupational health, all qualify for a bursary and generally 9-5 working.

Hell no! I’m almost 54 and work as a TA in a lovely SEN school. I love my job, but as one of the oldest TAs there now, I am knackered at the end of most weeks and that’s just working school hours!

Also, I don’t know where you are with menopause OP, but maybe that is something to factor in too?

As others have mentioned, by the time you qualify, you would be working 10 years at best ( good mental and physical health permitting)

I would imagine some ( not all ) nurses would be ready to jump ship at 54, not board it!

It’s your call totally of course.
Perhaps also do some volunteering on a ward? Shadow a nurse? That will give you an insight into the role? You may even need to complete x number of hours in a HC setting, prior to starting the course?

Good luck..

Could you retire and then maybe take up a part time job? Or volunteer for a bit? Citizens Advice often take on staff in later life.

Ah, sorry to hear that :(

What about working in tech? I’m assuming you are a woman? There are free industry sponsored courses for women wanting to get into coding, I’ve done some. And a mini degree course with a job interview guaranteed if you pass done by Code first girls codefirstgirls.com/courses/cfgdegree

I’ll investigate this further. Thank you