For many nurses, a second career in nursing is not a detour but a calling that waits until the timing is right. Some nursing journeys move in a straight line. Others take decades, shaped by caregiving, responsibility, resilience, and an unwavering sense of purpose. Carrie Rodevick, Grad RN, ADN, CPC, CPMA at Luminis Health, followed the latter path—one that proves a calling can wait patiently until you are ready to answer it.

A Calling That Never Faded

From her earliest years, nursing was already part of who she was. Her mother kept a small book documenting each school year, asking Rodevick what she wanted to be when she grew up. Every year, the answer was the same: a nurse.

She may not know exactly what sparked the dream, but she knows why it endured. She has always loved taking care of people, and nursing allows her to do that effectively and compassionately during some of life’s most vulnerable moments.

Putting the Dream on Hold, Not Letting It Go

That dream was set aside, not abandoned. Rodevick wanted to be a mother more than anything, and for many years, she devoted herself fully to raising her children. After becoming a single parent, the responsibility of supporting her family required a practical shift.

She built a long and meaningful career across healthcare, working for nearly 30 years in roles ranging from front desk receptionist to insurance follow-up, eventually earning certifications in coding and medical auditing and becoming a compliance professional. Staying close to the hospital kept her connected to nursing, even when she was not yet living it.

The Moment That Changed Everything

The decision to return to school came through both encouragement and timing. After completing a leadership course at Luminis Health, Rodevick found herself listening more closely when her daughter finally said what she had heard her mother say for years. It was time. Her daughter made the process tangible, helping her apply, navigate financial aid, and step back into student life.

Caregiving as a Shared Foundation

Their bond had already been shaped by caregiving. Together, they cared for Rodevick’s mother at home during hospice, serving as her only caregivers for three months.

Watching someone they loved decline created a connection that changed them both.

While her daughter initially planned to pursue nursing alongside her, she later discovered her own passion for trauma care and chose the EMT and paramedic path instead. Rodevick fully supported that choice, knowing how important it is to follow your own calling.

Without her daughter’s push, she would never have accepted her seat in the nursing program.

Three Full-Time Jobs and No Easy Days

Balancing nursing school with a full-time job in the Compliance Office was relentless. Rodevick managed lectures, labs, exams, and weekend clinicals while carefully using paid time off to meet academic demands.

She describes the experience as having three full-time jobs for three years. Her support system made it possible, but perseverance made it sustainable.

When Life Tested the Commitment

Then came another test. During her second semester, her husband suffered a heart attack and required double bypass surgery. School leadership worked with her to reschedule an exam, but she still had to complete the clinical requirements.

One of the hardest moments of her journey was leaving her husband in the hospital to finish her final clinical weekend. Until that point, she had barely left his side. His sister flew in to stay with him so Rodevick could complete the semester. It was a moment that revealed the sacrifices nurses are sometimes required to make, even when it feels impossible.

Doubt, Determination, and the Power of Experience

There were moments of doubt.

After earning A’s during her first two semesters, the third challenged her confidence and made her question whether she was too old or no longer capable. Instead of giving up, she leaned into experience, improved her time management, and achieved honors. Maturity, she found, became an asset rather than a limitation.

Choosing Health as Part of the Journey

During this time, Rodevick also made a major commitment to her own health, losing 115 pounds while in nursing school.

Early clinicals had made her confront physical pain and fatigue, and she realized she could not care for patients well if she did not first care for herself. The impact was immediate and lasting. She gained stamina, confidence, and clarity, and she no longer felt conflicted about teaching healthy habits because she was living them herself.

Becoming the Nurse She Hoped to Be

That transformation reshaped the nurse she hopes to be. She feels confident, visible, and assertive. She brings deeper compassion to patients struggling with weight because she understands the challenges firsthand and encourages them from a place of lived experience rather than theory.

The Moment It All Became Real

Graduation was both quiet and overwhelming. As Rodevick walked into the pinning ceremony, the realization finally settled in that she had done it. Her daughter watched the livestream while working, still present in a moment that would not have existed without her encouragement and belief.

Rodevick told her the night before that none of it would have been possible without her love and support.

What This Journey Shows

• Nursing can be a powerful second career—even decades later

• Caregiving experience deepens clinical compassion

• Balancing work, school, and family is common for nontraditional nursing students

• Maturity and lived experience are strengths, not setbacks

• Choosing action over regret can change everything

A Message for Anyone Still Waiting

As she now steps forward into nursing practice, her journey stands as a reminder that perseverance, lifelong service to healthcare, and personal growth often unfold over time, not in straight lines.

Her message is simple and grounded in experience: it is never too late. A few years pass more quickly than expected, but regret lingers. Choosing action over wishing can change everything, and answering a calling, no matter how long it takes, is always worth it.