Change of Career at 30 - Have you ever done it?

[Nda]

I've been a project engineer for almost 5 years (this Dec). Graduated from good university (BS of Mechanical Engineering) and got this job in 2006 (graduated in 2006). Pay is good and decent, they paid for car allowance (using personal car when visiting local projects, etc), they paid for gas. I am grateful about everything since it's really hard to get a job in this climate. But lately I've been thinking about career change into nursing.

A little bit of my background: I am the eldest in my family. I came to US when I was 18 , and when I was 21, got my green card. Then I went back to school to Junior College (got my AA) then transferred to university to finish my Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering. Prior to that, I was going into Chemical Engineering but after working during two summers interning at a Chemical Plant, I realized my dislike being near to chemical, the hazards, smell, etc. That's the reason I went with Mechanical Eng. I am currently single with not much of burden but helping in family paying mortgage of the house which is the biggest concern at the moment.

I always like medicine. If not because of family related notion that the eldest in the family provides for the family i.e. mom and dad when they are old, I would have take the long way, long debt to get into medical profession i.e. doctor. But now, I think I want to do something meaningful to others, to help, to care for others and I can do that as a nurse (RN).

So any advice or thoughts? I would like to stay in my current job while I am finishing up my BIO requirement since I did not have to take BIO class i.e. anatomy, micro, etc when I was doing my engineering degree. And then when I get accepted into the nursing program, I will quit my job. I heard that getting a job in nursing now is very competitive right now, but I think if you are passionate about what you are doing, it wont be such a chore anymore when you are at work place. Working feels like a chore now(dealing with projects, lead time, orders, design, P&ID, etc)....and really fed up with stuffs at the office.

Perhaps this is my midlife crisis as some of my friends said it, but i beg to differ. Some of my other friends, they said that they can really see me being a medical profession.

Anyone has ever change in career at 30 years old or older? I would like to hear your experience and/or any nurse that can offer advice, encouragement, or discouragement are welcome as well

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Very few people follow the same career path for their entire working life. You're smart. You'll be fine.

 

[PliotronX]

Got to know a lot of nurses in two hospitals that my mother has stayed at awaiting heart surgery for three months. I've been thinking about it myself. Good people doing good work. One of the nurses' mother told them that they could do whatever they wanted in life after they spent one year as a nurse. Good luck in whatever you pursue

 

[SandEagle]

26, midlife crisis? lol
you're Indian, aren't you beta?


"do what you like, the money will follow"

 

[Nda]

26, midlife crisis? lol
you're Indian, aren't you beta?


"do what you like, the money will follow"

me? no, i am 30 this oct hehe. I am chinese indonesian.

 

[tcsenter]

You might want to look into biomedical engineering instead. Its not direct patient care, but it kind of blends the best of both worlds for you; engineering and medicine. Obviously you still have some substantial interest in engineering else you wouldn't have pursued it.

 

[alkemyst]

I went back to school at 30 to pick up a Bachelor's degree in another path from Biology/Chemistry/Zoology...

 

[edro]

You have to clean up blood and waste and deal with constantly sick and dying people.
I personally could never do it.

My grandmother was in the cancer center for weeks before she died.
We spent a lot of time there and there is no way I could be that kind of nurse.

I also couldn't deal with the constant worry of contamination from patients.

If you can overcome all of these or don't think they would bother you, you can make a lot of money being a nurse... and I am sure it is very rewarding.

 

[StageLeft]

A nurse was recently telling me how on some very obese patients it can be hard to find the particular "hole" you're looking for, so they'll basically use one finger as a placeholder in the first hole they find and from there use it as a launching point for their other fingers to properly find the hole, like when setting up a catheter, for example.

I'm glad somebody does the job and I'm glad it's not me.

 

[alkemyst]

 

[bignateyk]

Yeah, I've been working for about 5 years now (also graduated 2006) in Electrical Engineering.

I want to do something else, I just don't know what. I just know I don't want to sit behind a computer for another 40 years. *Bangs head off desk*

 

[Hyperblaze]

If you want to play it safe, try volunteering some of your time to an organization which provides medical support (on a volunteer basis). There are quite a few out there (I'm actually part of St. John Ambulance). I have no medical background beyond what they taught me as a First Aider. However, I do enjoy helping people out too. I enjoy volunteering as a first aider, however I would not be able to see myself doing it professionally. For you it might be a completely different story

But at least you could get your feet wet to give you a taste of what it could be.

 

[rudder]

You've got to find a job you love to do... otherwise you will be miserable. I changed careers after 30. Of course, I went from doing something I love to working in IT. I have had enough... and I am thinking of earning my doctorate and doing something else. Crazy as it seems I would like to be a school principal.... the school systems here suck and I might actually be able to do something good.

 

[sjwaste]

I have a buddy that left corporate life to go to nursing school. We worked together at a large company, and you could just see the guy dying a little every day. He's much happier now as a nurse.

He was single, too. Said nursing school was a wonderful experience in that regard.

 

[RaistlinZ]

I would suggest seeing if you can volunteer at a hospital or do some kind of internship first to see how you like it. The perception of nursing might be better than the actual day-to-day work. And if you leave a secure job for something that you haven't actually tried and may not enjoy, well that would really suck.

 

[meltdown75]

nope. i'm 35, been here 11+... only 19 or so more to go... 0_0

 

[Nda]

You might want to look into biomedical engineering instead. Its not direct patient care, but it kind of blends the best of both worlds for you; engineering and medicine. Obviously you still have some substantial interest in engineering else you wouldn't have pursued it.

I was thinking about it, but I don't think I want to sit in front of computer anymore. Not that nurse won't have to deal with computers but at least not 8 hrs a day everyday.

You have to clean up blood and waste and deal with constantly sick and dying people.
I personally could never do it.

My grandmother was in the cancer center for weeks before she died.
We spent a lot of time there and there is no way I could be that kind of nurse.

I also couldn't deal with the constant worry of contamination from patients.

If you can overcome all of these or don't think they would bother you, you can make a lot of money being a nurse... and I am sure it is very rewarding.

Understand, thanks!

Yeah, I've been working for about 5 years now (also graduated 2006) in Electrical Engineering.

I want to do something else, I just don't know what. I just know I don't want to sit behind a computer for another 40 years. *Bangs head off desk*

Exactly!! I can't hang to this anymore, I really want to do my nursing but sadly I do have to take my BIO classes and I am going to do it with night classes and weekend while still in this profession.

You've got to find a job you love to do... otherwise you will be miserable. I changed careers after 30. Of course, I went from doing something I love to working in IT. I have had enough... and I am thinking of earning my doctorate and doing something else. Crazy as it seems I would like to be a school principal.... the school systems here suck and I might actually be able to do something good.

One of my best friend in work said the same thing. He also said that he wants to be a school principal.

I have a buddy that left corporate life to go to nursing school. We worked together at a large company, and you could just see the guy dying a little every day. He's much happier now as a nurse.

He was single, too. Said nursing school was a wonderful experience in that regard.

I do feel like that sometimes. I talked to one of my engineer mentor. He is now the national project engineer or something like that and he said that things are stressful. His situation is abit harder since he has a newborn baby and a wife and he just moved to Houston to get this position. But his body is getting bigger (not in a good way) because of the stress and it's really shown when I met him last time.

I would suggest seeing if you can volunteer at a hospital or do some kind of internship first to see how you like it. The perception of nursing might be better than the actual day-to-day work. And if you leave a secure job for something that you haven't actually tried and may not enjoy, well that would really suck.

Yea, i am planning on volunteering soon in my community hospital.