Originally Posted by kungaviva
I'm 54, and most people tell me that I shouldn't 
become an RN because:
1. You'll
have to lift 200-pound patients regularly during student clinicals 
2. You'll have to lift 200-pound patients
frequently (up to
10-20 times daily) as a
new,
'just-out-of-school' RN
3. You'll have to spend
most of your day cleaning feces, vomit, and other bodily fluids--from bodies, floors, sinks, beds, and everything else in the room
4. Nurses are
frequently disrespected by doctors, and are often cut off mid-sentence when attempting a 'consult' on a mutual patient with 'I have no time for this' from the doctor
5. Nursing
students are
considered a pain in the butt during clinicals, and often
treated badly by their trainers, or handicapped from really learning
6. RNs are
locked into horrid schedules, frequently asked to work extended shifts, overtime, weekends & holidays, and
almost never allowed to take vacations or time off for continuing ed conferences 
7.
Only RNs with 2+ years' experience get hired in hospital departments (e.g., oncology)
not requiring
all-day-long heavy lifting and massive feces-vomit-blood cleanup 
8. It's
very hard to get non-hospital nursing jobs unless you have 2-3+ years' experience doing med-surg in a hospital
Are any of these 'myths' and 'legends' true? If not, what IS true? 
I'm obviously concerned about starting school at 55-56, being a new RN at 57-58, and not having the physical stamina to do such unending hard labor!
Want to be RN 
but afraid I won't be physically able (at 56-58)! 
You can end up needing to assist in lifting people (varying weights). Not all the time though.
I have not spent most of my day cleaning feces, vomit or anything like it since I was a nursing assistant.
Yes, some doctors are a real nightmare. Just like with any other profession, you will run into those few bad apples, they can't all be categorized that way. Same with your mentors at clinicals, some bad ones. Others LOVE to teach and will be wonderful.
I have been an RN for over 4 years. I have yet to work a Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc. You don't have to be locked into a horrible schedule. You need to pick your job according to your needs/wants
No you do not HAVE to spend 2-3 years in Med/Surg (though it is highly recommended) I went straight to ER out of school. Then I moved on to Ambulatory Surgery (3+ years) and now I am an infusion nurse (m-fr 9-5)
But if you are not careful, the nightmarish schedule can be true. It depends on your nurse manager and dept. So pick carefully. We are in short supply, you have options.
Good luck in school
Would you like to comment?
THere are a fair number of over 50's in my program, it really is never too late to try something new. You will always benefit from it. Those years are going to pass regardless of what you do, you may as well do something that you are really interested in. I say go for it!
) I'm 47 and at the best time of my life (so far), and I am enjoying going back to school to become an RN! Good luck to ALL of us!!! 
