It's Never too Late to Start - Or to Finish

Nursing Students General Students

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Nurses and nursing students come in all sizes, shapes, colors.......and ages. Gone are the days of a "cookie cutter" nursing student. This says a lot for the flexibility of the nursing profession. Are you are second-career nursing student? Or are you one whose educational path has been interrupted? What has your nursing school journey been like?

I just joined allnurses and I'm glad I did... First congrats BSNbeDONE. I'm one of those people who started many years ago in the nursing program and life happened... I am now 41 and taking all my science classes over and was feeling like i'm too old to go back to nursing school or will I get hired. But after reading all of these post that was the extra motivation that I needed.....

I'm very, very new to this all. I'm a second-career (future) nursing student who will officially begin nursing school in Spring 2016. Until then, I have already returned to my favorite Alma mater to do the BSN, starting with the standard nursing school prerequisite courses (two chemistry courses, anatomy & physiology I and II, etc.). I am very nervous! I also know that I have nothing to lose. I started as an accounting major, then went to my first love, English literature with the hopes of becoming a teacher, or continuing in my education to become a professor of American literature. Unfortunately, at the age of 32, I discovered that I don't like studying English at the graduate level as much as I'd hoped. I also haven't been able to find a teaching job since graduating in 2011. I even spent a year in Scotland doing a postgraduate diploma in a program I ended up hating :(. So now I am back in the US and pursuing nursing, a career I always gave thought to but never really considered until my aunt gave me the idea. I never hated the profession, but was always so hopped up on the prospect of becoming a professor of English literature that I never felt I needed to consider it.

I am glad that I found this forum, and everything that I have read so far has been very encouraging! Thank you. I was worried that I was too old to start over career-wise, but now I am more confident than ever that I am making the right choice. :up::)

In reply to dbrenda1510.... Wow, this is so encouraging to me. I am 52 and have been thinking "I'd become a nurse if I were younger."

How many years do you expect to be able to work after finishing? How long did it take you to get through nursing school?

RebeccaB46 You made me smile. You are only as old as you let yourself be. I bet you don't feel like you are 52, right? I don't feel 57 either. It's just a number. Sure going to college after being out of high school for almost 4 decades was tough, but it was tough on those much younger than me as well. During my first year, first semester's orientation the speaker said, "Look at the two people sitting on each side of you. One or both will not make it to the second semester". He was right. Out of 132 at orientation only 48 graduated! I was one of the 48 so that must mean I did okay to be a 57 year old student. Right? lol No, I didn't make great grades in nursing school but, I did pass every course without any repeats. I am saying this to let you know you are not to old to go back to school. If your passion is to become a RN (like mine has been since I was 14) then don't allow something so trivial as age stand in your way! You may have to work a little bit harder or a study a little bit longer than some but trust me, you can do it. As for how long do I expect to work once I pass this darn NCLEX test, I plan on working as long as the Lord allows me to do so. I don't see myself retiring at 65. There are just too many options out there for nurses. I don't know if my age will have an impact on finding a job or not but I do believe it will be positive. The ones doing the hiring will likely be seasoned professionals so I am hoping they will see the qualities that I have as an older RN as opposed to the disadvantages. Lastly, you asked how long did it take me to get through nursing school. It took me 3 years. The first year was getting the pre-rec's out of the way (chemistry, A&P 1&2, psych, etc.,) and the last two years was just nursing school. I did not repeat any courses. I had been a good student in high school and that carried over to be true in the first year of college with the pre-rec's but once I got into nursing school my grades dipped just like most of the other students. I went from an A student to a glad-to-be B & C student but, I made it and if you want to you can do it too. I will tell you that my nursing school did not prepare us for the NCLEX at all. I we been taught how to do critical thinking and practiced it during school I don't believe I would be in such a battle to pass the NCLEX now. NONE of the tests I did in nursing school were like the NCLEX. My advice is, if you want to be a nurse do not let your age be an issue. If you do go to nursing school please take pointers from all of us who are trying to pass the NCLEX and start preparing for the test from the start so you will be ready when you graduate. Good luck to you!

You age but your heart doesn't. Being a great nurse is within your heart :)

Specializes in hospice, HH, LTC, ER,OR.

After playing around part time with a Pre-vet med major part time and partying, I decided to get real about a career. My sister talked me into nursing and I received my first LPN diploma at 28 in 2008. I took some time off from school and helped sister achieve her LPN diploma at the age of 40 after 15 years of being a CNA. I earned my ASN 2013 and on December 13th 2014 I will have earned my BSN! I will take a few months off and began to look for an MSN program. Never give up on your dreams :)!

Started college 16 years ago with the plan of going into education, did two years at C.C. and a couple of semesters at EMU when I decided that I didn't want to teach. Spent a few years unsure of what I wanted to do, until about 8 years ago decided I wanted to go into nursing. Went back to my C.C. and started working on additional prereq's that I needed and was able to get a job at a LTC where I was trained on the job for my CNA. Dropped out of my classes that fall semester because I was having a hard time working overnights and going to school during the day. Spent the next 7 years, working as a CNA, sometimes being so burned out from the job that I had no desire to return to school, or even wanting to stay working in the health field. Some changes in where I was working, finally allowed to overcome the burnout that I had experience, and with my recent job for that I have been at for the past year my desire to go back to school to go for nursing returned.

I am am finishing up my last two semesters of prereqs right now, and will be applying for my program this coming spring. I am also looking into a program that MSU does with my C.C. to start working on my BSN while I am completing my ASN. Form there who knows, I will may continue on for my masters.

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