Older Nursing students - Page 8

Good for you! Good luck!! (Not that luck has ANYTHING to do with Nursing school!) You'll do great - we older students usually do!

Hi,

Glad to see I am not alone in my pursuit of a RN degree. I am currently 54 years old and will graduate in May of 2010. I began my "journey" when the hospital I worked for laid me off (eliminated my job) in 2002. I took advantage of the "package" they offered and should have begun my schooling then, it would have been so much earlier (by 3 years) and a little easier. I took my time, and finally got a job at another hospital. My job there was eliminated after 1 1/2 years - and I finally got the message and began my school journey. I had entertained the thought of looking for another secretarial/health care related job, but my son encouraged me to go to school - by purchasing all of my school supplies and asking me if I needed anything else:heartbeat. What a great guy! I started school when I was 49, and graduated Phi Theta Kappa with my LPN certificate. I worked in LTC for over 1 year and school began once again. I now have only 3 months left until I graduate with my RN in sight once I take my exam. One of my classmates is 60 years old and he does not have to pay for his classes at the Community College due to his age. I am glad that I am going to have my RN soon and sorry it took me so long to realize this is where I want to be. Best of luck and study hard! You are not alone by any means. One of the former students was 65 when she got her RN .

I have worked my tail off for the last two years and completed all my prerequisite courses. I have been admitted to Thomas Jefferson University and will begin in the Fall of 2010. I will have my BSN in two years, when I am 50 years old! What a great 50 year old birthday present that will be!!!!!

To buzkil:

You are entitled to your opinion that beginning a career in nursing is "odd" when one is in their 60s or 70s. Do you know that life experience is the greatest teacher of all? A person in that age bracket has seen and felt so much that nurses come in contact with everyday. Personally, I feel that "older" nurses are much better and relate much better to the patient as well.

I couldn't have said it better, they have a lot to give to the nursing field and in different areas. I am older than most of my coworkers but they are good in one part and I can be good at another together we make the whole work-- Life experience is the BEST teacher of all

I was 50 by the time the pre reqs were done and I got into a program. At our regional orientation for all the new students in the local schools, the moderator asked us to stand by age group (20s, 30s, 40s, etc). At the 50s there were maybe 5 of us, at the 60s there were 2. My instructors said we older students were the role models for the younger ones. By the way, after graduating I made same salary as in my other previous field (marketing) but was way more fulfilled. Just got a new job after 1 interview, who can say that these days. Know that would never have happened in marketing now...

Well, you know, I'm going to be 67 next whether I do this or not. I'm in good health, I'm intelligent, and I have some skills and life experience that most nursing students do not. No one is obligated to hire me, of course, but I don't worry about that much. Last I heard, there was still a shortage of people wanting to do this work.

That is awesome!!! I love reading stories like this, and also like knowing there are others in my age group out there doing the same thing! It keeps our brains healthy and young, in my opinion! I'm going to go on and get my Masters so that when I'm too old to work on the floor I can teach!

I don't know if you are the oldest. I am 56 years old and in my second semester of an online nursing program. So it can be done!

Well I am 42 and there are two women older than me in class -- and I mean wayyyyyy older than me. One of them is a riot too.