Advice PLEASE - Considering Nursing @ 39

Seven, RN2b · Dec 17, 2006

i hate that phrase "nurses eating their young". just want you to know that this is nothing more than a cutesy idiomatic way of saying that a person (one person) has been nasty or bullying to another person. it has nothing to do with all nurses at all. in fact, there are people in all walks of life who exhibit this behavior. by not calling it what is really is, i believe we are giving the people who do it a justification for it. it is nothing more than bad, unacceptable behavior that many people are afraid to stand up and put a stop to. it's adults having temper tantrums. if not stopped, the people who perpetrate this on others continue to do it. there are ways of dealing with it. talk about this with your instructors when you are in your nursing classes. there is absolutely no reason for anyone to ever have to put up with this kind of behavior. and, if you are unfortunate enough to also be saddled with supervisors or managers who are milquetoasts and afraid to deal with it as well, it's time to leave and find a job in another facility because they are not interested in you or anybody else's job satisfaction.

here! here! i work in the call center industry (not healthcare related) and we have a handful of bullies who are allowed to make others' work lives miserable. hence the reason it didn't take a lot of thought to decide to leave and consider a new career. there are just as many bullies in the workplace (regardless of industry) as there were in school. in my opinion, intolerance should be established for bullies regardless of age.

Seven, RN2b · Dec 17, 2006

Call the hospitals in your area and ask to speak to the nursing recruiter. They have all responded very nicely to me. I tell them I'm considering entering a nursing program, and I have xxx questions. I was surprised at the time they were willing to give me.
As to the age thing, it's fine. I'm 37, and have another year before I could attend. The debt definitely sucks, but how else are we to do it. I would rather not point out this fact....but you should figure in the money you are NOT going to make. I mean....my tuition is going to be rougly 16K, but I feel I have to add the salary I'm NOT making while in school, which raises the cost considerably.

Thank you so much for the suggestion on contacting local hospital recruiters. I wasn't sure that they would be receptive or not. Based on some basic research that I've done on nursing needs in my area, Phoenix, we have one of the highest shortages in the country. Maybe that will be to my advantage when speaking with recruiters. Thanks again. I appreciate the time you took to respond.

Seven, RN2b · Dec 17, 2006

The average age in my class for nursing school was 34. One of my fellow students graduated at 64! Age really doesn't matter. What is so great about nursing is the variety of position available. I also came from a customer service background and it was helpful to have the knowledge and experience. I went back to nursing after 6 years of other fields and 3 rounds of lay-offs. My only regret? I wished I had done it sooner.
Good luck to you!! Keep us posted on your decision!

64! How inspiring!! Heck, 34 is inspiring too!

Thank you for your response. I'm so impressed by the generosity of the individuals, including you, that have responded to my post. As a single person, relatively new to my area (family is 2000 miles away) it is nice to have people to bounce things off of that are familiar with this career and the path to getting there. I will keep everyone posted!

Thanks Again!

WDWpixieRN, RN · Dec 17, 2006

I am 50 (well, until tomorrow!) and just finished my first semester of a 2-year program....I quit my IT job making $50,000+/year because I positively despised sitting in a cube or stupid meetings 8 hours/day. Obviously your age won't be an issue as you may have already figured out if you've done much digging through past posts!!

I think the tuition for a 2-year program sounds very high, but I don't have any private schools around here to compare to....please be sure you're not paying for a vocational/tech school without thoroughly checking them out...there are sometimes issues with the quality of their education, transferability of credits, etc. The community college I attend is much cheaper, obviously.

You will probably receive many more points and questions regarding your post; I wish you the best as you undertake your new endeavor!!

qaqueen · Dec 17, 2006

Have you considered applying at Phoenix community college? The program is still 2 years (or 16 months if you get on the accelerated track). The total cost is around $6,000.

As for your age, not an issue! I am 45 and starting nursing school. I figure I have 20+ years to work after I graduate. I too left a good paying (but icky) job to enter nursing.

Best of luck

Batman24 · Dec 17, 2006

I will be 36 in February and I am just now applying to nursing school. I have 17-18 credits that I can transfer in from my previous school. I am going to do an ADN program at my local communuty college. One is accepting applicants for September. The other is a wait of approx. 18 months. The cost is cheap and the pass rate is high.

If you don't have all your pre-reqs done this could be an option for you as well. I will finish out the 12-15 necesssary science credits and then get my CNA. By the time I get into the program I will only have 33-36 depending on where I am accepted so I will be head of the game at that point. Just an idea. Good luck!!

tridil2000, MSN, RN · Dec 17, 2006

there is no way imo, that i would spend 40K to get an assoc degree in nursing. it is disproportionate to what you'll make the rest of your life as an rn.

do you have any college credit/degree already?

i'd spend 40k on a bsn/msn combo, but NOT an asn.

sandee · Dec 17, 2006

Looking for advise...I'm 39 and I'm considering going to a 2-year private college for a nursing degree beginning in March. I'm a customer service manager making $65,000+ a year - but, my position is being eliminated and I will be unemployed in the next 30 days - but, receiving severance pay through Sept 07. I don't have a passion for customer service management (kind of "grew up" in the environment and ended up here) and often wanted/thought of pursuing nursing in my "younger days". My RN education is expected to cost approximately $40,000 (student loans). Is that a fair amount for tuition? I don't think there is anything but nursing that I would love as a career and still be able to make a decent living. Any thoughts, feedback, advice, etc would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks for reading!

I actually graduated when I was 37. I was pregnant with my second son when I was in my anatomy and physiology class. I think age is not a factor. The most important is you have to ask yourself, can you stand working in the hospital envirnoment? There are a lot of cons working in this field. If I have a second chance I would study radiology or sonography instead of nursing. Nursing is a hard job because you have to listen to the patients as well as the doctors. You have to have thick skin to deal with a lot of nasty mean docs. You have to tolerate long working hours and go without taking a break sometimes.

I am in nursing for about 1 year and I am already sick of it.

I am not making 65,000 yet but my friend who has been a nurse for 5 years, she is going to get a home health job that promised her 65,000/yr. (but who knows how many days in a week she has to work?)

I hate to be negative but you might want to volunteer in a hospital for a few days and see how nurses work. It is not a easy job that's all I want to tell you. Sorry, that I am not helping much.

spb1 · Dec 17, 2006

I'm 60 and starting in the fall of 2007. Can't wait! I think it is in each of us to be what we have always wanted to be. Some folks think about it and wish and some begin.

"If it is to be, its up to me"

Good luck with your decision.

Susan

catzy5 · Dec 17, 2006

Advice PLEASE - Considering Nursing @ 39
Looking for advise...I'm 39 and I'm considering going to a 2-year private college for a nursing degree beginning in March. I'm a customer service manager making $65,000+ a year - but, my position is being eliminated and I will be unemployed in the next 30 days - but, receiving severance pay through Sept 07. I don't have a passion for customer service management (kind of "grew up" in the environment and ended up here) and often wanted/thought of pursuing nursing in my "younger days". My RN education is expected to cost approximately $40,000 (student loans). Is that a fair amount for tuition? I don't think there is anything but nursing that I would love as a career and still be able to make a decent living. Any thoughts, feedback, advice, etc would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks for reading!

wow thats a lot of money for school, are you choosing that because you can get in right away?

I am 38 still have 3 more years to go if everything goes according to my "plan" lol.

good luck to you!

ps I go to a community college where I pay $20./ credit hour, however if I found a school near me that would take me without all these hoops and high grades and waiting I would probably consider paying more too.

WickedRedRN, BSN, RN · Dec 17, 2006

I am 38, just finished my LPN, planning on going back for my RN, by my count I will be 40 by the time that is finished.

I left a 50,000/yr customer service job to do this and never regretted it. The year out of work has been a struggle, but it all came out great in the end.

Best of luck to you...you can do it!

LaceyRN · Dec 17, 2006

I am 34 and starting ASN program in January. I finally learned what I wanted to be when I grow up!

It's never too late to pursue what you are passionate about. I say go for it! The education will pay itself back with the first year of work, plus you will be working in a field you love for the rest of your life.