Nursing..a middle age career?

Nurses General Nursing

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So just recently, I read a statistic that I found to be somewhat startling. Less than 10% of all nurses are under the age of 30. The average age of a nurse is 46.8 years old.

So, I was wondering, why is nursing, a profession that sometimes requires some heavy lifting, an "older" field? Are there benefits to being older? And are younger nurses (under the age of 25) at a disadvantage?

Thanks.

Specializes in Critical Care.

In General, Nursing has an older workforce than other careers. A few years ago, the number of Nursing students who were entering Nursing as a second career surpassed 50%. While this does make us more of a middle aged profession than others, Nursing in particular benefits from a diverse background of life experiences.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
So, please be careful when you reference what an "older" person can or not

do for themselves. You need to consider a wider point of view and not

make an assumption due to the age of the individual.

Uh, last time I checked, I wasn't making any assumptions. Everyone knows that nursing often involves heavy lifting and, as a general rule, the older one gets, the harder physical labor gets to be on the body. It isn't a narrow view at all especially since it is common knowledge that the body declines as it gets older.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
OP, a career in any field (other than being a professional athlete) spans roughly ages 20 - 60. Or 25-65. Or whatever other tweak of a few years either way that you want to assume.

So if you take the "average" age in any industry ... guess what you're going to get. ;)

Dental Hygiene, another medical field, is young, mostly girls in their mid twenties. I have noticed that there are a lot of older people going into Nursing moreso than law, teaching, or any other profession.

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it is common knowledge that the body declines as it gets older.

Not in all cases== still riding horses at 101 (this accident could happen at any age)

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A05E0DD1239F936A1575BC0A9659C8B63

or for a nurse working at age 81 as of 2008

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2008/08/17/exclusive-nhs-s-oldest-nurse-betty-81-on-63-years-of-service-115875-20701473/

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Examples of people still working/enjoying their hobby career after middle age (way past it)

I am impressed this lady was still riding and caring for her horse after age 100. This accident could

happen to any rider at any age.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A05E0DD1239F936A1575BC0A9659C8B63

or for a nurse working at age 81 as of 2008

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2008/08/17/exclusive-nhs-s-oldest-nurse-betty-81-on-63-years-of-service-115875-20701473/

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It looks like I am about to become a statistic. I am turning 40 while begining my program.

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.
Dental Hygiene, another medical field, is young, mostly girls in their mid twenties. I have noticed that there are a lot of older people going into Nursing moreso than law, teaching, or any other profession.

Will have to share this revelation with the hygienist in my dentist's office, who is older than I am and most definitely has a Y chromosome ... and with the 70% of nurses in one of the units I work in who are under the age of 30.

;)

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
Will have to share this revelation with the hygienist in my dentist's office, who is older than I am and most definitely has a Y chromosome ... and with the 70% of nurses in one of the units I work in who are under the age of 30.

;)

Yeah, well, considering the fact that eight percent of all nurses are thirty or younger and that more than 90 percent of the DH field is female, I'm going to have to say that your narrow sample does not represent reality.

But thanks anyway.

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