39M, dad of school-age kids, laid off from corporate finance, started nursing school, dropped after first semester… should I go back?

I’m a 39-year-old dad of school-age kids, married, and I’ve been feeling pretty lost lately and wanted some honest opinions.

I worked in corporate finance for years, but I got laid off several months ago. Like many corporate jobs, finding another role has been rough — long interview processes, months of uncertainty, and honestly mentally draining.

During this time, I started thinking seriously about a more stable career. Nursing came to mind for a few reasons. Oddly enough, it started when I got really into biology and health during a long fasting period. I found myself genuinely enjoying learning about the body, health topics, and science. I completed my nursing prerequisites, got accepted, and attended my first semester.

Academically, I’ll say this as humbly as possible — school has usually come naturally to me. I’ve generally done very well academically throughout my life, so the exams and coursework weren’t the hardest part for me.

What hit me hard was the clinical environment and the reality of nursing. It was very different from what I imagined or mentally prepared for. I had watched tons of nursing/medical-related shows on Netflix, HBO, Prime, etc., but real life is obviously very different.

Then life happened.

My wife works full time, and in this season of life, I’m the main person handling the kids’ school schedules, activities, appointments, and daily logistics. Between family responsibilities and the nursing schedule, I dropped out after the first semester.

Honestly, this has been bothering me a lot.

Humbly speaking, I have never left school unfinished in my life. Dropping out feels like failure to me, even though I know circumstances mattered and family had to come first.

Part of me feels like I should go back and finish because:

• Nursing seems much more stable than corporate finance.
• I’ve seen some friends’ wives finish nursing school and find jobs relatively quickly.
• I worry about future layoffs and long-term financial stability.
• I genuinely enjoyed the biology and health side of things.

But another part of me wonders if I’m romanticizing nursing and ignoring the reality — clinicals, shift work, stress, emotional demands, and balancing family responsibilities.

Lately I’ve been feeling a little alone in all of this and wondering what my next move should be.

For people who started nursing later in life, especially parents, dads, or career changers:

Would you go back if you were me? What should I realistically think through before making this decision?