I’m 59 and have been an RN for 27 years. Am I too old to go for APRN?
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I am 72 and am completing my masters in nursing as i am fully active and working. Go for it!!
No, you are never too old to go gor something you want. I met a 74 yr old woman who obtained her PHD and told me never stop until your last breath. So go for it. 59 not old you will have it by 61 ir 62.
Absolutely not
Definitely not too old-I am 59 myself and in a DNP program and will finish at 62. Hard but doable and you will learn alot-about medicine, pharmacology, safe best practices, and yourself!!!
ABSOLUTELY NOT!!
I would much rather see a practitioner in your age range that has 27 years of nursing experience than someone who is twenty something fumbling through a lab values book to interrupt if my calcium levels are too high or too low...
Ask yourself this:
Am I going to regret getting my APRN?
If the answer is NO, Please follow your career dreams and do it. We need you.
Warm Regards,
Gabriella Sealander, LPN
Licensed Practical Nurse
Licensed Insurance Producer
You are never too old but are you doing it for personal goals to achieve or increase in pay? Advanced Practice RN sounds like more responsibility, more money, more work, when at your age, you might be thinking about slowing down and looking forward to retirement? I’m 56 and looking forward to retiring not more education and starting a whole new nursing entity. If you’re doing it for the money, get a side job, second job, side hustle, ask for more hours at current job. Good luck with everything!
Some of the best advice I heard was on Golden Girls. Mom told girls she was going to go to law school and Dorothy said “Mom, that’s 8yrs, you’ll be 80 when you graduate.” Mom replied “I’ll be 80 anyway!”
GO!!! If you are having a calling and passion to do this..PLEASE GO!!!!!!
Thanks
I started a masters program at 60 so I could teach. Will never regret it
I am a NP who is your same age. I have been a NP for 16 years so my answer comes from that frame of reference. Are you too old to increase your knowledge/obtain new degree? No Should you? That is a different answer. I would advise you to really think about the decision. You will incur debit or spend money to obtain the new degree/certification. Much of the US is saturated with FNPs, or the starting pay is often lower than most RN pay at this time for new graduates. If you are looking to move from bedside nursing or to try another field of specialty, then maybe you should look at areas which would use your current degree and expertise, like risk management or health informatics. look at ways to move into the management or administration side of the business. If NP is what you really want, look into psych mental health as this area has a great shortage at the present.
Go for it. There is mo age limit in education. Knowledge is power.
I feel your never too old! Go for it! I got my BSN and MSN after being a nurse over 25 years.
Everyone is right if you want it go for it! You are never too old. I would just go in knowing what you want to do... Family vs adult gero vs mental health vs peds.... Acute care vs primary. You have such a vast knowledge of nursing experience will serve you greatly... I will say it is a different experience being on the provider side though!
My job as an international travel specialized nurse ended with the pandemic so i retired early at 63 1/2. i went back to school. Wellcoaches has been great and the American College of Lifestyle Medicine www.lifestylemedicine.org - both are evidence based
My friend is a NP. When the pandemic hit, she was laid off. She couldn’t find a job as a NP (Kansas City area). She tried to get a job as a RN since there were more jobs out there but couldn’t because she was a NP. Nobody would hire her as a RN. Look into the area where you want to work. The opportunities may be more for RNs than NPs.
No.
Of course not. With all that experience of yours, you will be a great one! Go ahead and do it! I am an NP, 52 years old.
Absolutely not ! It will be a great learning experience and probably makes more sense with all that experience.
ABSOLUTELY NOT!! I know a LPN nurse that went for RN at age 67! GO FOR IT!!
Absolutely not! Never too old to increase your skills...may be harder, yet will be rewarding.
I am 67, nursing x 45 yrs
currently planning same thing !!
Absolutely not.
No. I am 58 and I plan to go back for my masters as well
So, you'll live to be 120 years old, this is midlife, another 60 years on the horizon, what would you like to do with them?
It's easy now because you have the discipline, critical thinking, clinical experience, as a mature learner, and it's a breath of fresh air to advance your education to deliver your ripe talents to the public.
Joke aside, if you live another 30 years, how would you love to enjoy them? Working at your FULL capacity is fun, rewarding, is TRUE living.
My first thought is what is school going to cost you? Will you be able to recoup the expenditure. Because at 57 we don’t have that long before we are not wanting to sustain a significant expense. I have been an APN since 2006 - and I am seriously considering going back to the bedside. Good luck to whatever you decide.
You are never too old for education. The question is: Do you want to make a change and continue working?
No . If you have a passion, go for it. Remember you bring a lot of invaluable experiences and skills. I see a trend with new RN's immediately going back to school for APRN who may not bring as much experience as you have. All the best to you.
