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?!?!

Have you thought about civil service? Lots of finance roles that aren’t stressful.

Would you believe i worked for one for a huge chunk of my career. I would try with another but nothing is coming up. I think I just have never enjoyed accountancy - I fell into it. 30 years working doing something you get no satisfaction out of is the soul destroying bit. A colleague recently called accountancy “where dreams go to die” as so many people end up doing it when there dreams lay elsewhere ha!!

Thank you. This is useful.

The degree is intense, with high drop out rate. It involes 3 years of attending placements whilst studying and submitting uni work. Constant essay writing, OSCEs and other examinations. Its a really is a challenging degree and I'm not sure there is a bursary anymore.

It's not a profession to enter on a whim. It helps to be passionate about nursing, resilient and have a dark sense of humour (for the people you will encounter).

Where did I say that? My husband isn’t actually keen to retire in 4 years but would if I wasn’t working. I’m also not keen to retire now or in 4 years - hence the post about needing to occupy my brain. In we retire in 4 years we lose huge amounts off our pensions and have a retirement with no holidays etc which isn’t what we want. What I want is to find a new career now that I would be happy to work at to much closer to state retirement age. Yes that may only be 8 years but in fairness I’ve worked and contributed my entire adult life with not a single gap!!

How about a business manager type role in an educational setting?

It's a terrible idea. It's absolutely gruelling. It's a career for young people. You get burnt out really quickly. I was a nurse for 25 years and it wrecked my health.
I retrained to be an NHS podiatrist in my 40s and im still at it in my 60s. It's great very interesting 9 to 5 every weekend off and very quick career progression. You can work until 75 if you want to ot go private. Private podiatry is very lucrative and very flexible.

No my intention is to work till mid 60’s but if I couldn’t manage full time then the backup plan had been bank. But I know what people are saying is correct so if I go this route it won’t be nursing.

And no I feel zero guilt about taking from the state and not potentially repaying a loan. I’ve worked 35 years paying huge amounts into the state. When I’ve needed state provided help I haven’t received a penny. This includes the right to a state provided education and the right for my ASD daughter to sit exams - all paid for by me not the system who totally abandoned us - cost thousands and thousands of pounds leaving us in debt for years!! Ironically me paying for these things when the state wouldn’t, allows my daughter to now work in the NHS!!! So no there’ll be no guilt here!

What about becoming an ODP? Every day will be different, it's mentally challenging and endlessly fascinating.

i always felt that nursing was the career I should have had. My mum and daughter both do / did nursing and enjoyed it - I think If id done it earlier maybe. My daughter strongly believes it what I should be doing.

Sorry what’s an ODO? Thanks

ODP

https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/allied-health-professionals/roles-allied-health-professions/operating-department-practitioner

Look at some of the apprenticeship options - radiographer / sonography are crying out for staff (there is an NHS apprenticeship website) these may give you the people service feel of nursing but may be kinder as you are a bit older - I’d also volunteer on a ward for a bit go and see what it’s like and see if you could cope (I know I couldn’t ). As you believe it’s in you then you may manage the harder stuff - good luck - you only get one life so I’d say grab it with both hands and don’t look back - you’re experience and confidence having worked for so long will pay dividends

If you wouldn't get paid to do it, would you? I would expect this new profession to also be busy so bear that in mind.

Unis are taking anyone these days, some of the students we get through are 18 year olds with the emotional intelligence of a banana. However your on the other end of the spectrum with life experience though you’ve got 10 years max working as a band 5 once qualified. Are you physically fit to do the tasks, shifts with weekend and night work. Most nurses can’t wait to retire at your age. I’d reconsider and find a less demanding role.

There are lots of people who qualify as nurses in their 50s so you almost certainly wouldn’t be alone in your cohort (does depend on your uni though!). Why do you want to do nursing specifically though? You’d need to be able to demonstrate clearly in an interview and on your personal statement what draws you to nursing. If you are just wanting to do a degree there are other options that may be less demanding than nursing but still offer a bursary and student loan funding

I read your update. I went into nursing in my 40s and am now in my 50s. Yes, at times it's physically and emotionally hard but I've also had the most rewarding experiences and have met the most amazing people. I love my job, no 2 days are the same. You see people at their worst and best. You encounter amazing acts of love between people. I think every nurse could write a book on strange and funny situations.

The nights are hard but you don't have to do them. There are so many different areas and ways you can nurse.

Good luck.

I wouldn't. You'll be qualifying at aged 57/58. Most nurses semi retire or wind down between 55/60. You'd only be starting out. Working in the nhs is grim and getting worse by the day.

I know several 50 something nurses. Even those (few) who enjoy their jobs are now knackered. It's very physical, you walk miles and the night shifts are a killer!

I think it’s perfectly normal to want to do something else after 30 years in one career, OP - and clearly you think nursing might be for you. You’ll never know if you don’t try. Do your finances allow for you to be a healthcare assistant at first and then see if you want to go further?

I’m a nurse lecturer. Age isn’t a factor but general fitness and stamina is. I do have a couple of students that are approaching 50 in my group. They have worked as clinical support workers though so knew what they were taking on. I would try to do that personally before you embark on a career change.

No, don’t do it

i am 37 and a specialist nurse (so not ward based and no shifts) and I do not recommend nursing as a career and definitely not later in life