Perennial Bloomers - 45+ Students

kahumai, RN · May 18, 2004

I don't fit into your category, but I have to say that I give all of the "older" or "non-traditional" students ALOT of credit. Many I have gone to school with have left previous careers or stable jobs to pursue their dreams, and taking financial, personal, and professional risks like that are never easy.

And from what I've seen, they're better students.

Good Luck to all!!!!!!!! :balloons:

mauser · May 18, 2004

Hi All,

47 and counting. Clinicals start August 23rd. Just finished A&P 1 and Psych and taking Nutrition, Developmental Psych now (first summer session), and then A&P 2 in the second summer session.

These are not considered prerequisites at my school, and most of the youngin's take everything all at once. Too much for THIS chick with working. But I am lucky, I am a self-employed MT and can work around my classes.

With two teenage daughters and a semi-supportive husband, I have help with dinner, feeding the animals, and cleaning (though everyone still complains about it!)

chris_at_lucas_RN, RN · May 18, 2004

What a terrific name for us!!!

I turned 49 the summer I triple-loaded my pre-reqs, figuring I'd be pinned by the time I was 50. Might still happen, depending on whether I can get in on a cancellation for my clinical "final exam" (CPNE for my fellow Excelsior students).

I was fascinated by some of my classmates' reactions to my actually being in nursing school. The foreign students tended to compliment me on my "bravery." (I found that odd and chalked it up to differences in culture.)

The "natives" were generally glad to take advantage of my experience, my notes, my support and availability, and otherwise tended to shun me. I actually was the only one who showed up for an organized study session once! (It was the last one I went to..... :imbar) Some were friendly enough, but as comfortable as I felt among them, they seemed not to be so comfortable around me. The class was large--over 50 in the day section.

It can be a lonely road, but a good opportunity to discover what you are made of, how dedicated you are to your goal, how much benefit there can be to having some experience just living!

So, I think it's a good idea to have some threads just for us. After all, the guys have theirs, right?

Good post--thanks!

Carolanne · May 18, 2004

I love the name of the group too. I'm 44-1/2 and will be graduating as an RN in December. I'm going to be starting an LPN job in a couple of weeks and am really looking forward to it. Nursing has been a life long ambition for me, feel so at home and fulfilled when I'm helping others. Nursing school has been a definite challenge at times, but I've learned so much in this journey.

Sheri257 · May 18, 2004

So if I'm 42, do I have to wait three years to post?

dwoods1972 · May 19, 2004

There has been several requests for a separate thread for the 40-50's groups
I'd like to start one at 45 + for all non-traditional students . I'm 57 and feel
like I finally know what I want to be when I grow up!!!!!
We have so much to offer and if your like me, I want to be trained and educated to be able to give as I grow more mature.
I'm calling all "Late bloomers" come to the aid and support of your fellow
mates!!!!!
:blushkiss

Count me in!...I will make half-a-century mark in August!....This is a second career for me after being downsized in an Accounting & Consulting Firm. I hope you don't mind me responding in this section since, I have decided to take baby steps as an LVN (accepted for the 2004 program) and then if God willing and I'm still able, finishing my pre-req's (one semeset at a time) applying to the RN program. I'm currently working in a hospital as a Med-Surg CNA. Unfortunately, the director of nursing, does not like LVN's even though we do our clinicals at the hospital and will only hire RN's.

On another note, is there any advice you can give me regarding how to survive nursing school, and what books other than required textbooks would be great to read before my programs begins

suzy253, RN · May 19, 2004

Guess I would fit into this group! I'm 51--just finished (successfully!) my freshman year and now officially a junior nursing student. Taking some summer courses now and then back to nursing school in August. Loving every minute of it. :)

StudentNurseKelly · May 19, 2004

I'll be 41 tomorrow, I love going to school! I am trying to get in an ADN program.

hutchinson · May 20, 2004

I turn 53 this weekend. I start as a junior transfer into a BSN program next month. I'll be a young 55 when certified.

UGAmomX3 · May 20, 2004

I'm 54 and I'll be starting the ADN program in August. A year and a half ago when I was fretting about whether to go back to school and I asked my DH if he realized how old I would be when I graduated he asked me the perverbal question, yeah, and how old will you be if you don't go back to school?? Go for it!! So here I am..books ordered, shots next week, CPR this Sat, got my steth, scissors.etc., all ready to go...and not a clue yet how crazy it's going to make me. My kids (3 boys)are grown and college educated, although only one has actually left the nest. The other two will get around to it, I'm not worried. I'm one of those moms who actually likes her kids around. And they help out at home and don't just lay around and raid the frig. I have one who is a really good cook. When I'm studying, he does dinner. It sometimes comes out interesting, but as long as he has the oregano and garlic, how can he mess up? I may send him to chef school, seriously! His art degree isn't getting him anywhere. Well, good luck to everybody!! Mary

chris_at_lucas_RN, RN · May 20, 2004

and not a clue yet how crazy it's going to make me

If someone had shared with me what I am passing on to us, I'd've been a lot happier my first year of school.

How crazy it makes you may depend upon how perfectionistic you are.

I think one thing about us PB's is that we haven't been sitting stupidly under a rock, oblivious to the world, absorbing nothing. Developmentally, we are at a more serious place than our very much younger counterparts--we're past the "I'm going to live forever" thing and are into "what do I want to do before I'm too old and/or die." And, let's face it, it takes real interest, dedication and energy to do what we are doing.

There will be instructors who are younger than we are, perhaps, who may be lecturing about something we happen to know a little bit about. There may be instructors who may have some control issues, which will come out in some very controlling behavior, and that's gonna rub us the wrong way.

It wasn't until I got away from the traditional environment that I realized that a good bit of my reaction to these "things beyond my control" was because I had such a passion to get to nursing and finally it was within reach! The suggestion that someone might think I (or anyone else in the class) might cheat or otherwise "be bad," or that even though I knew the material but the instructor either missed a detail she proceeded to test on or really, truly just didn't know her stuff (there were two we suffered through!), felt to me like a threat--something that could keep me from my dream.

Every thing I was feeling was because of something inside me trigged by the situation. Another difference between us PB's and "them," we've had time to gather triggers.....

So, if this helps you (fore-warned being fore-armed) retain your energy for study and learning, you'll be in good shape.

And your support system there sounds terrific! ((((to them and to you!))))