Feedback welcome / needed

[psburke]

Hello all;

Here's the deal. I'm 50 years old, been in the IT field for 25 years (have a masters in Info Systems Mgt). I like helping people, and find the medical field fascinating. When our son was small (and with the inspiration of shows at the time like Rescue 911) I went through and completed EMT basic certification. After so many years I let my certification expire. I have decided I want to change careers and get my LVN certification and go into informatics.

Am I to old?
Am I crazy?
What advise can you offer?
Is there really "that big" a demand for nursing?

Thank you all for your input.

[jeholly]

Best Careers 2008 - US News and World Report (usnews.com)
Nursing will continue to be in demand for a long time. Last years stat was for everyone RN that retired; 6 RN's are needed to meet the demand.
Age/crazy are subjective
In my opinion, you are going to need a lot more than a LVN cert. to get into nursing informatics...it is called experience...to be able to advocate for nursing you have to have the ability to say "I know what your going through". Pursuing an RN associates might be a better path as LVN/LPN's are almost extinct. For instance, my health system DOES NOT hire a nurse unless they have a BSN. Good Luck

[DigitalRN]

Hi PSBurke,
There many universities offering accelerated degrees in Nursing, if you already have a Bachelors degree. The programs are typically 18 months in duration. I know here in AZ, U of A and Northern Arizona University offer them. That would be the way for you to go, since you would sit for the RN boards and become a Registered Nurse.
To find out more - go to your local university websites and see if there are any offered near you.
Once you are an RN, there are post master's certificates available in Nursing Informatics.
There are lots of NI jobs available out there as care transformation takes place in our hospitals.
Lots of people are making career changes at 50 (me too!). Lots of those people are getting into nursing too. My husband - at 50 is working on the last of his prerequisites and will start Nursing in January 2009.
We are not crazy. We still want to make a difference!
Judy

[ALICIA21]

Originally Posted by psburke

Hello all;

Here's the deal. I'm 50 years old, been in the IT field for 25 years (have a masters in Info Systems Mgt). I like helping people, and find the medical field fascinating. When our son was small (and with the inspiration of shows at the time like Rescue 911) I went through and completed EMT basic certification. After so many years dicom viewer I let my certification expire. I have decided I want to change careers and get my LVN certification and go into informatics.

Am I to old?
Am I crazy?
What advise can you offer?
Is there really "that big" a demand for nursing?

Thank you all for your input.

You are never to old!!