Why Now is a Perfect Time for a Career Pivot to Nursing

You’ve always liked the idea of being a nurse. You’re smart. Nurturing. And you have a genuine interest in medicine. But one thing happened and then (as so often is the case) did another. Now you’re thirty-five, and while you’ve accomplished some things in your life, becoming a nurse isn’t one of them.

Is it too late?

Well, if the answer was yes, this would be a considerably shorter article. The truth is that many people pivot into nursing later in life. Now is a great time to do it. In this article, we talk about why you should give nursing school a try, and what steps you will need to take to make it work.

Why Now is the Perfect Time to Pivot into Nursing

There are two ways to look at the concept. First, let’s talk about you. If you are reading this from the perspective of someone who is in a position to “pivot” into nursing, it most likely means that you are an established adult. Following that logic, you are:

• Responsible: At least more responsible than you were at age eighteen. Returning to school in adulthood sounds unappealing, but it is important to keep in mind that your age can also be a strength. You know how to organize your time and manage responsibilities better than you did when you were a kid. That can be very impactful in nursing school.
• Liquid: You also might have access to more cash than you did when you were a teenager. If you have a career or some other source of stable income, you might even have the option to pay cash for your education. If not, you might at least have lines of credit that aren’t typically available to teenagers (for example, a HELOC).
• Sure of what you want: Asking eighteen-year-olds to not only decide what they want to do for the rest of their lives but also borrow enough money to purchase a house to make that choice come true is one of the craziest things we do as a society. Predictably, college kids often choose majors that don’t turn out to be a good fit for them. That’s an expensive mistake to make. As an established adult, you most likely have a good understanding of what you would like to do.

Nurses are also just in super high demand right now. Fair warning—much of that demand owes to the extremely high rate of turnover that the nursing profession experiences. While said turnover speaks to how challenging the job can be, it also creates an opportunity for incoming nurses.

With openings popping up all over the country it is now easier than ever to find appealing jobs. Salaries have also been slowly creeping upward, so you stand to be on the receiving end of some good compensation.

Now you know why it’s a good time to start thinking about nursing. But what will the process of getting certified actually look like? Read on to learn more about how you can become a nurse.

Step 1: Seek Funding

You don’t want to pay for the whole thing yourself, do you? Full-rides will be hard to come by, but there are plenty of grants and scholarships available. It’s always best to start as local as possible and go from there.

Are there charitable organizations in your community that provide tuition support? Or maybe there is a state-provided grant that you are eligible for? The more local the opportunity is, the fewer applicants there will be, increasing your odds of getting the grant.

Depending on where you work, you may also be eligible for employer-provided tuition support. This can get a little tricky because most businesses are primarily interested in education paths that are relevant to what they do. However, it’s always worth speaking with your boss to find out what they offer.

Step 2: Find a Program that Works for You

There are now lots of ways to go to nursing school without leaving your home (much). Clinical hours do still require in-person participation, but the proliferation of remote learning has made the classroom aspect of school more accessible to people who can’t necessarily drive to the university for class at two in the afternoon.

Everyone has their own learning preferences. Find the academic environment that works for you. Keep in mind that if you do want to try remote learning, you aren’t necessarily limited to schools within driving distance. As long as the school you pick will cooperate with local hospitals for your clincials, you are good to go.

Step 3: Choose Your Type of Program

If you already have a degree, you won’t have to enroll in a four-year program. In fact, there are accelerated course options that could see you certified in as little as eighteen months. Obviously, these programs are vigorous, condensing four years of work into a handful of months.

On the flip side of that equation, there is no rule saying you have to go quickly at all. Work at your own pace. School is a marathon, not a sprint.

Step 4: Tap into Your Support System

One of the downsides of going back to school as an adult is that you might have more responsibilities than you did when you were a teenager. If you have a family or a job, school will be considerably more challenging.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. If you have a support system that can step in and take care of chores or other household responsibilities, it may have a positive impact on your learning experience.

If you don’t have that sort of support, you will need to give it to yourself. Practice self-care. Eat right. Exercise. Sleep as much as you can, and keep close tabs on your stress levels. Burning the candle at both ends won’t do you (or anyone else) any good.