Not stupid at all!

Though I’ve heard that the path to being an NP is faster from RN than switching to PA. Might be worth looking at.

Worst case scenario, you end up having to job jump between PA and nursing until you find a job that lets you settle into a specific practice/position. Which is harder in middle age, but isn’t prohibitive imo.

From the patient side of things, an NP or PA with practical experience as a nurse is like gold. An MD might have more education and a broader knowledge base because of that; but nobody can match the hands on, dedicated skills of someone that’s done what you’re proposing. The best providers I have ever had in twenty years plus of disability have been the ones like that. You’ve not only been there and done that, you could teach all of it purely from experience.

So stupid? Hell no! The only stupid part is that the industry is so fucked that an experienced nurse wants to stop doing that job. What you’ll bring to the table is going to help people. That’s never stupid. It will be a harder road for you in some ways (though not as physically brutal as nursing for damn sure), but at least it will be different.

If you decide to go that route, good on you :)