Is it too late to become a nurse? Even if you’re in your 30s, 40s, 50s or beyond, you can indeed pursue nursing as a second career. Career change nursing programs use your previous education so you can earn a nursing degree much faster than through a traditional program.
You’ll find nurses of all ages working in healthcare facilities. Some joined the workforce early in life, while others transitioned to nursing as a second career. Is it too late to become a nurse? No matter your age, you can pursue a nursing career if you have the passion and drive.
Northeastern University fully supports older nursing students with our career change nursing program. The Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program is designed specifically for those with a bachelor’s degree switching careers or transferring with college credits. It allows you to leverage your prior non-nursing education toward earning a quality nursing degree in as few as 16 months upon successful completion of prerequisites.
As you begin to plan your career transition, you should consider what older nurses bring to the workplace, along with the process of becoming a registered nurse (RN) if you have a non-nursing college education. Becoming a nurse at any age does have its challenges, but careful preplanning can help you overcome them.
The Benefits of Becoming a Nurse Later in Life
There are some advantages to becoming a nurse earlier in life, like having more time to acquire experience and advance your career. Yet, becoming a nurse later in life doesn’t prevent you from gaining valuable experience and career advancement. Regardless of age, you will have opportunities to grow as a nurse and move up the ranks.
The advantages of making a career change to nurse later in life include:
- Life experience: Older nurses bring life experience to the healthcare system. Life experience is often paired with greater wisdom and maturity.
- Transferable skills: Nurses need strong clinical skills, nursing knowledge and soft skills like communication, critical thinking, interpersonal skills and problem-solving abilities. These are all transferable skills you likely already developed.
- Commitment: Older nurses tend to be more committed to professional development and lifelong learning, as well as to professional ethics and high work standards.
In addition, as an older nurse, you’ll benefit from a robust job market. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the expected job growth rate for RNs is 6% from 2023 through 2033, faster than average, indicating that healthcare employers expect to hire about 197,200 new nurses during this time.
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How to Become a Nurse at Any Age
The pursuit of nursing as a second career is a worthwhile one. The process starts with finding a nursing program that suits your needs.
Look for Career Change Nursing Programs
Nursing as a second career is possible with accelerated nursing programs designed for career switchers, such as Northeastern’s ABSN program. If you have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or at least 62 non-nursing college credits, you may be eligible to apply. After completing any needed prerequisites, you could graduate in as few as 16 months.
The coursework can be completed online, making it easier to fit into your life. You’ll still need to live near or relocate to one of our ABSN locations, as in-person learning components are required.
Complete the Admission Requirements
Unlike many ABSN schools, Northeastern does not require an admission test like the TEAS or HESI. You will, however, need to meet the prerequisite requirements. It’s possible that your prior education fulfills some or even all these course requirements.
Your admissions counselor will let you know which ones you must complete. They include human anatomy and physiology, microbiology, statistics and chemistry.
You’ll also need to complete and submit your application package, which must include:
- Official transcripts
- Updated resume
- Two letters of recommendation
- Goal statement
Older nursing students have plenty of options for paying for nursing school.
Graduate With a BSN
You’ll need a nursing degree to make a career change to nurse. The ABSN program will prepare you with the knowledge and skills needed for success in your career, from IV placement to patient assessment.
In addition to online coursework, you’ll participate in nursing skills labs, which allow you to practice clinical skills in a simulated environment. You will also participate in simulated patient care scenarios in nursing simulation labs, where you’ll apply the nursing process and develop clinical judgment.
You’ll put everything you’ve learned into practice during clinical rotations at nearby healthcare facilities. Here, you will work alongside experienced nurses and clinical instructors to provide patient care under close supervision. Clinical rotations can help build your confidence as a nurse and provide opportunities for building a professional network.
Pass the NCLEX and Obtain a License
Once you have a nursing degree, you can apply to take the NCLEX-RN examination to earn a nursing license. Nursing students typically take the NCLEX within a couple of months of graduating. You’ll want the information to be fresh in your mind.
After you pass the NCLEX, you can apply for your state-issued nursing license and begin looking for your first nursing job.
Challenges of Becoming a Nurse Later in Life
Before you decide whether to become an RN, you may want to consider the challenges you could encounter, especially as an older nurse. These may include:
- Long hours: Bedside nursing often involves long shifts, but some nursing specialties involve regular Monday-Friday hours.
- Physically demanding: You’ll need to spend long hours on your feet and be physically fit enough to lift and move patients.
- Stress: Nursing can be stressful, particularly if you work in the ER, ICU or trauma center, where you are most likely to lose patients.
- Technology: Nursing is becoming an increasingly high-tech field. It’s essential to have basic tech literacy skills so you can adapt to using various technologies, equipment and software programs.
While nursing has its challenges, there are plenty of solutions and tips you can try to overcome them. Nursing is a diverse field with dozens of specialties and working environments. In addition to hospitals, other options include home health nursing, school nursing and private practices.
Many of these environments offer shorter working hours that fit your needs. Additionally, certain specialties are less physically and mentally demanding than others.
Tips for Older Nursing Students
If it’s been a while since you were in a classroom, you might find it helpful to sharpen your academic skills before starting a degree program. Look online for free tutorials for mathematics and science fundamentals.
Additionally, any prerequisites you must complete before the program can help ease you back into the academic mindset.
Other tips that can be helpful for older nursing students include:
- Stay physically fit so you can easily withstand the demands of a long nursing shift.
- Care for your own health. Manage any conditions you have and receive health screenings and vaccinations as recommended by your doctor.
- Talk to your family about your desire to go to nursing school. Together, develop a plan for making it happen, both in terms of financial resources and scheduling.
- Don’t hesitate to ask your nursing instructors for clarification on a concept or for extra help.
- Take full advantage of your school’s resources.
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Achieve Your Career Goals With Northeastern
Northeastern University is a leading choice for those transitioning to the nursing field later in life. We provide flexibility and convenience, blended with high-quality education and attentive nursing instructors.
You’ll have access to a dedicated admissions counselor who will walk you through the admissions process. Once you’re enrolled, you’ll benefit from small class sizes, talented faculty and the camaraderie of your nontraditional nursing cohort.
Contact our admissions counselors today to find out how you can make a career change to nurse at any age. Northeastern offers ABSN locations near Boston, Massachusetts; Providence, Rhode Island; and in Charlotte, North Carolina.
