Question for Male RNs OR All Nursing Administrators (Male or Female)

Question:
I am 45 years old and want to return to school to become an RN. (I have no previous nursing experience. I've been a clerical worker for the past 27 years.)

I am seeking a career change, and I want to invest in an education that will serve me through retirement age (and hopefully beyond, in some capacity). Therefore, my question is: Are there opportunities for a male of my age in nursing -- and secondly -- will there will be opportunities for a male nurse in his 50's and 60's? (Although I do know several nurses, I know none that are males, and I can't find anyone who knows any male nurses approaching their 50's or 60's -- which is the age range that I will be spending the bulk of my remaining career in, if I become an RN).

I am at a crossroad in my life where I must select a path that is not only rewarding, but that is also practical. Going to nursing school will require significant sacrifices on my part, but sacrifices that I think are well worth making -- IF -- it is a feasible career choice for a male of my age. (I attempted to go to nursing school 25 years ago, but was discouraged by the two schools I contacted -- due to being male. They weren't rude at all, but politely suggested that I reconsider becoming a nurse due to being male.)

If it influences your answer (on opportunities that are available) -- my chief area of interest is working with the elderly or mentally retarded. I have worked with both in the past (on a volunteer basis) and found it very rewarding.

I would appreciate any comments you may have. I would like to become an RN, but because of my age, plus the cost of returning to school, etc., I must choose wisely and therefore am seeking comments from someone who understands the profession as you folks do.

Answer:
Don't know how relevant my answer will be as I'm in the UK but just to let you know that my Dad trained as a nurse in the late 1950s. He was dual qualified in general and psychiatry but only practiced for about 10 years before leaving and going into business as the pay was so low. Well he retired at 50 and after a couple of years started work as a paid, but unqualified nurse at the local hospital on a ward for the 'elderly mentally ill’. He got on so well that they suggested that he reactivated his registration which he did. Now he is 67 and still working as a mental health nurse in the community - he has tried to retire again, unsuccessfully, as they always persuade him to stay 'for just 3 more months'! Much of his work involves doing assessments for Alzheimer's (dementia) and arranging respite care so you can imagine how I tease him!
I'd say go for it. There are many factors affecting your ability to become a good nurse, but age and gender are irrelevant. And as I understand, the nurse shortage is worldwide - we need enthusiastic, motivated newcomers.
I am not a male nurse but I am a person who just finished their nursing studies. I believe that if that field is the one you really want to work in then yes you have a chance. They are so badly in need for nurses right now they are willing to take almost anyone. But fact remains that our population is ageing and there is no one to look after them. As long as you are in good health mentally and physically, I believe you have every chance at getting a job. As far as being a male, well your right 25years ago they may have frowned at you but now a days, there are more and more men getting involved in nursing. That doesn't mean you will have tons of men in your class, but at least two or three.

The person from the UK is clearly giving his father’s experience as a nurse in the UK. The culture is quite different there. His favorable assessment of nursing may be appropriate and correct for male nurses in the UK. It probably is.
As a clerical worker, you are responsible for your own work and generally have the ability to set your own pace with regard to the same and are responsible for and can control both the quality and quantity of the same. There is, generally, little stress. You are, generally, judged by clearly objective standards about the quality and quantity of work performed. There is really little opportunity for individuals to interfere with your work without the same being readily detected.
Nursing, at least in the USA, is quite different. You, generally, can not set the pace of your work. The pace of your work is set by patients, doctors, and our fellow co-workers. The same have the ability to interfere with your work often times without the same being easily discernible. This because the co-dependency within the work environment for nurses is much greater than for clerical workers and other professionals. This, amongst other things, causes a great deal of stress. Your quality of work is generally judged by subjective standards in nursing. Such subjective standards often represent nothing more than the personal prejudices of the person making the same. Generally, in any employment and/or profession, if some one has the power to make subjective evaluations of another persons work, no matter what profession, these evaluations will reflect the personal interests and biases of the person making the same rather than the true value of the work of the person evaluated. That is just human nature. Thus, in the USA, if you are a working class female, you will probably, much more often, receive high performance evaluations than if you are a male that comes from an upper middle or upper class back ground. For both males and females in nursing, the job stability is much poorer than in clerical work and/or other professions. One reason is that nurses must please so many people while at the same time living up to certain professional, ethical and legal standards. It is not unusual for a physician to have a nurse terminated because the nurse contacted him or her because of a significant change in the patient’s condition. This nurse is required to do both because of legal and ethical considerations. For example, because the nurse called the MD in the middle of the night to report a low SPO2 concentration, the MD might have the nurse fired. Another false reason will be given
for the dismissal of the nurse. Many nurses in nursing homes,
hospitals, and other wise are afraid to call doctors to report a
significant change in a patient's condition because they are afraid
the doctor will have them dismissed because of the same. They know
than another reason will be given for the dismissal.That sort of thing
doesn't happen in clerical work because rules are to be followed and
those that do follow the rules are the most successful clerical
workers. The level of and respect for justice in clerical work and in
other professions is clearly much higher is the same than in nursing.
Clerical workers are, in general, treated with much more respect and
dignity than nurses, in my opinion.
There is hope, however. The percentage of males in nursing is
gradually increasing. With the same, I expect the nursing culture to
change reflecting a more professional atmosphere with more justice
being shown by, for, and to nurses.
However, given the above, I suggest that you make your own decision
about entering nursing. However, being fore warned is being fore
armed.