A Calling Beyond Careers: A Narrative Inquiry into the Experiences of Late-Career Changers in the Nursing Profession

Elizabeth Montes Maghinay

doi:10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i06.62872

A Calling Beyond Careers: A Narrative Inquiry into the Experiences of Late-Career Changers in the Nursing Profession

Author(s)	Ms. Elizabeth Montes Maghinay
Country	Philippines
Abstract	This study explored the experiences of individuals who transitioned into the nursing profession later in life. Guided by the constructivist paradigm and Clandinin and Connelly’s (2000) narrative inquiry framework, the research examined how late-career changers constructed meaning, reshaped identity, and navigated challenges during their transition. Using a qualitative narrative inquiry design, six participants aged 30–52 who previously worked in non-nursing professions were selected through purposive and snowball sampling. In-depth semi-structured interviews were analyzed using the three commonplaces of narrative inquiry: temporality, sociality, and place. Findings revealed five major themes: (1) Push and Pull of the Vocation, wherein exhaustion and lack of fulfillment prompted reconsideration of career directions while encounters with compassionate nurses inspired pursuit of nursing; (2) Midlife Reinvention through Education and Purposeful Career Transition, characterized by courage, renewed purpose, and self-rediscovery; (3) Family Influence and Support, where emotional, motivational, and financial assistance played a critical role in sustaining persistence; (4) Identity and Belonging, reflecting struggles with age differences, role adjustment, and eventual integration into the nursing community; and (5) Resilience and Perseverance, capturing moments of doubt, physical strain, and emotional burden countered by faith, determination, and meaningful patient encounters. The study highlights the importance of understanding non-traditional pathways into nursing, especially amid workforce shortages. Implications suggest enhancing institutional support systems, developing age-inclusive learning environments, and strengthening emotional and academic scaffolding for adult learners entering the nursing profession. adult learners; career transition; late-career changers; narrative inquiry; nursing identity
Keywords	adult learners, career transition, late-career changers, narrative inquiry, nursing identity
Published In	Volume 7, Issue 6, November-December 2025
Published On	2025-12-09
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i06.62872

View / Download PDF File

E-ISSN 2582-2160

doi

CrossRef DOI is assigned to each research paper published in our journal.

IJFMR DOI prefix is
10.36948/ijfmr

Downloads

Research Paper Format Copyright Permission Form and Undertaking Form Cover Page Vol 8 Isu 2 Cover Page Vol 8 Isu 1 Cover Page Vol 7 Isu 6

All research papers published on this website are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, and all rights belong to their respective authors/researchers.

CC-BY-SA

About IJFMR Fees & Payment Current Issue Publication Archive	Submit Research Paper Track Submission Status Publication Guidelines Publication Ethics Peer Review & Plagiarism	Join as a Reviewer Editors & Reviewers Reviewer Referral Program Get Reviewer Membership Certi.	Website/Journal Policies Usage Policy Content Policies Privacy Policy

Contact Us		+91-9687-828-838	editor@ijfmr.com

International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research

A Widely Indexed Open Access Peer Reviewed Multidisciplinary Bi-monthly Scholarly International Journal

A Calling Beyond Careers: A Narrative Inquiry into the Experiences of Late-Career Changers in the Nursing Profession

Share this