Looking for advice from "older" students--up

Nursing Students General Students

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Hi, I am very new to this forum. Nursing school has been on my mind for years, and as much as I sometimes try to shake it off, I can't. It has been a dream since I graduated high school. Not too many years from now, both our kids will be graduated HS, so now is the time I need to start thinking about what I will do with my future. I have been a SAHM for the past 17 years, I just started doing med. trans. at home almost 2 years ago for some extra money and because I have always had that medical interested.

At this point, any advice from any older students would be a tremendous help. I am 43. I must admit it is very scary yet very exciting to think about returning to school. I actually get this tingly, warm feeling all over just thinking about it.

So, anyway, anyone who has any advice, encouragement or even any things to watch out for, it would all be appreciated.

Thank you so much!

Specializes in Critical Care.

Congratulations! I am an "older" student. Actually I think I prefer "non-traditional". :wink2: I was never a SAHM. I have 2 girls, 10 and 12, and an established career which I am quitting in about 2 months to enter an accelerated 2nd Degree BSN program. I am 50 years young. I thought about age for all of 5 minutes. I am in Information Technology currently and you are always learning so going back to school wasn't very intimidating. I have worked full time and taken 2 classes a semester at night for the past 2 years to get my pre-reqs done for this program. I loved going to school. I was very focused. Not at all like when I went to school and was 19-23 years old. I did very well in my classes because I was interested, I was motivated, and I was paying for them myself. I never experienced any predjudice because I was not 19-23. I got along well with all my teachers and the other students. I am going into nursing because it is my passion. It's what I want to do and it has taken me a long time to discover this. I think you have picked a great career and I say go for it!. Be flexible and take everything in stride. I'm sure you'll do great.

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Now would be a great time to start with your pre-reqs! Even just one at a time to get your feet wet. Many of the sciences need to be taken within the last 5 years of starting nursing school so just keep that in mind with your time frame. I went back at age 38 and have been really happy. Like the other poster said my focus is incredible without all the social worries of the young, lol. Everyone was very nice and at a CC you most likely won't be the oldest one. Let us know what you decide. Best of luck, Jules

Wow good luck to you. One step at a time and you will make it. Try not to look to far ahead as you could get tangled up in all of the work.

I say it's never too late to pursue a dream - I'm 49 and in my second semester of a two year ADN program. I'm having a blast! Yes, it's hard, but I believe all the life skills I've acquired over the years are a major asset to my critical thinking education. I did ease into it, however - do a semester or two of pre-reqs before you dive in - but do it! I also agree that a CC is a great environment for folks like us - I'm certainly not the oldest one in my class.. Good Luck!

Specializes in Med/Surg <1; Epic Certified <1.

I'm 51 and in my second semester of a ASN program. I took prereqs over 2 years or so part-time while I worked full-time. Age is not a problem, and I know for a fact I'm not the oldest in my class and I am guessing there are quite a few in the other classes who are my age and older.

Start by checking in to the college requirements where you want to go; go talk to ANYONE who's ear you can get there...then start taking prereqs....if you have no previous college, you will need everything from English and History and math to your science courses -- do them NOW before you actually start a nursing program so as not to be swamped...it's a nightmare to try to do it all, except maybe in more traditional BSN programs -- I can't speak to that.

Once you start taking prereqs, get yourself on a college campus and see what it feels like, you won't look back.

Age truly is in our minds -- not ON others'!! ;)

Hi everyone and thank you! I have already looked into the prereqs, etc. I would be attending the local community college which has a 2 year program, but for me, if I went full time, would be 3 years because of all the prerequistes I don't have, which I understand. It is an RN program. This college is very competitive with their program and theirs is a very tough program. (I have a friend who attended. She became an LPN through the local tech. school straight from HS and then 10 years later went back for her RN degree.) Once I get through that, my plan would be to hopefully continue on at another school in the area (there are several) to receive a BSN. My niece attended also, and she had a number of older students in her class, so I am sure I wouldn't be alone.

I am so glad I found this site the other day. I don't even know what made me think maybe I could find some nursing sites, but I am glad I did!

I went to college online a few years ago for a Med. Trans. Certificate. I know it will be nothing like nursing school, but I know I can be motivated when I want to be.

So, thanks again, I am definitely going to keep coming to this board.

43 !!!!!!1 I wish I was as young as you are ! Seriously, my oldest son began college last Fall, I also have two other daughters (10,15). I decided to go back to school two years ago, thanks God I have a wonderful husband who is paying for everything. I did all my pre-req in two years, and applied for nursing program last semester. I am in my first semester and everything is going great!

It is true that in the program there are some students that could be my daughters, but there is no difference between us. Instructors and teachers treated me the same as any other, and I am so happy because I am doing exactly what I wanted to do.

Therefore, forget your age and remember, gray hair can be colored, wrinkles dissappear with botox or collagen, weight can be controlled with exercise and diet, but a desire to work hard and study, has to come from the heart. :nurse:

I graduated nursing school at age 47 in May 2006. My kids were 9, 11 and 16 at the time. The 3 years I spent in school were tough but worth it. I went to school part time and at night so I was home to get them off to school and to pick them up. I studied all day while they were in school. My husband's boss allowed him to work his schedule around my clinical days. Housework became a low priority. My kids and husband learned how to do laundry. I usually spend a few hours on Sundays cooking a few meals that could be frozen and then reheated so I wouldn't have to cook during the week. I tried to get most of my schoolwork done while my kids were in school so weekends could be devoted to family time. I was lucky and didn't have to work while in school. I had many friends who went to school, worked and had families to take care of. I give them alot of credit.

Specializes in Med/Surg, ICU, ER, Peds ER-CPEN.

I'm only 30 but I say go for it now! jump on in with the pre-req's I'm in the middle of the age range for my class, have found that age isn't a factor when we get in the class room

Specializes in Med/Surg <1; Epic Certified <1.

You will probably find when you get back on campus in a classroom it won't be too hard at all....you have lots of knowledge just from existing all these years, motivation at this point in your life, and as someone else pointed out, YOUR money paying for the classes....

After I got my bachelor's in '99 and worked for 6 years, this last fall was the first time I set foot on a campus during the day....I was ECSTATIC to be back on campus again...it is such a wonderful place to be, so vital, always something going on, and limitless opportunities....you will most likely LOVE it....

As for the younger students, two of them in my class are my best friends and confidantes....both of them are younger than my oldest child, but it's different because they are both very dedicated and as committed to this as I am and they are NOT my children....and I don't have to treat them as such...it's kind of cool....

I'm jumping in to add my encouragement. 43 is definatley not too old. I am 56 and am doing fine. Actually, those of us without the responsiblity of small or school age children havean advantage. It is so nice to be able to come home & hit the books if necessary instead of helping them with homework, after school activities, picking up from activities, dealing with daycare, sick kids, etc. In my class, us nontraditional students are doing the best work. We tend to take it all more seriously than many of the young ones, obviously not all, though.

Oh, an your med transcription experience will probably be an advantage. You probably understand medical terminology pretty well, as well as spelling those words.

Dixie

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